Still Got It

Mountaineering is one of my passions. If there was a way to make money out of climbing mountains, I may have swiched careers by now. Being engulfed in nature and the great outdoors is an indescribable feeling. For me who resides in a concrete jungle, its something different. Though i spent my younger years in the province, I was never really the outdoor type. For one, my parents were always protective of me and two, I was somewhat frail as a child. I experienced the outdoors in boyscout campings in elementary and highschool, but they were different than what I was really after. Of course I cannot discount the fact that being a boyscout gave me the basic idea of how to survive in the wild. I started over 2 years ago in this hobby and I haven's lost interest yet. In fact. I think its become an obsession. I have climbed two of the highest peaks in the Philippines, APO being the highest and Pulag being the third, and next year, I will probably be climbing the 2nd highest, Dulang-dulang.
I always end up digging through the internet about mountaineering gear, but I have, as of late, deviated from the production gears to the DIY. Nothing spells satisfaction for me than to be able to make my own gear. I have gathered a lot of info, saved a lot of files, made a lot of sketches and notes. Still I encounter a big problem on where to source my fabric. Of course one more question is, would it be cheaper to make my gear or just buy one. So far what I have suits my needs and has served me well. Only things missing are a camp stove and a tent. I have been experimenting on alcohol stoves, but they are still too slow and somewhat insuited for the type of meals I am used to. Alcohol stoves are not meant to cook for more than 2 people and I know for a fact that it will not be able to cook rice. It was meant only to boil water and cook those easy to cook meals. As for the tent, I want one with full protection since my greatest threat in the outdoors is rain. I have made my own designs in Sketchup, but havent really gone into making the actual tent simply because I want it done perfect the first time.

I am considering going lightweight in mountaineering. Of course, i will need to change my current backpack and go for an ultralight tent. I have considered using a tarp and bivy, but of course that offers little protection from a tropical cyclone. I have designed tarps with weather protection, but my designs seem lacking somewhat. I guess I haven't yet found the right balance between full protection and right ventilation. The last thing I want is to drown in my own sweat on a warm summer night, or get all wet in a storm and suffer hypothermia. Another thing I consider is the sleeping capacity. I am looking to design a 2-person shelter because I want to bring my girlfriend along in my hikes. A 1-person tent is also not that bad. I also have designs for those types and I was hoping to make one for my girlfriend as well. For those times when she goes on outings to remote places with her friends. As for the bag, I already have a few designs, but I have been simulating the process in my head and it seems more difficult to make than I imagined. My designs are simple, but with lots of options. Pockets are important to me for quick access so I have a design in mind where there are about 5 pockets. Thats a lot of space for small items, but I want my pack to be light since i will no longer be lugging a 2.4Kg tent if ever I decide to take the plunge and use a tarp.
There is much to consider about this obsession of mine- time, money, effort. Of course this is not the only thing I do. I have a job too so there is that to consider. I have to admit though, this is one obsession/addiction that is really hard to shake. Thats why after 2 years of hiking, i still got it.