We pause now in our earnest reflections upon our experiences In the Wake of the Vikings for a heartfelt testimonial. Over and above the marine conditions with which we have had to contend in our boats, over the past weeks we have encountered a wide range of camping conditions throughout the South Labrador Coast and the Great Northern Peninsula of Newfoundland. These have included most notably wide (and sometimes speedy) fluctuations between dank cold and moist warmth, gale force winds, torrential rains, and, of course, the dreaded blackflies. The seemingly somnolent mosquitoes I am swatting away occasionally as I write these words seem like rank amateurs in comparison. Frankly, I pity the fools. Throughout all these conditions, however, the unsung hero of our nightly comfort has been our beloved Ignik Firecan. Obviously, those amongst our readers hiking in the backcountry or engaging in long pack-and-paddles are not going to be able to avail themselves of this little beauty and its compact accompanying fuel tank, but for these two rapidly aging old-timers base-camping it, it’s been a metaphorical lifesaver and an actual Godsend. In Labrador it provided much needed warmth quickly and effortlessly when we came back chilled from the water, and—perhaps more significantly to our spirits—it drove back the worst bulk of the blackflies within the small “no fly zone” beneath our fly. In Newfoundland, it was especially handy the day and night after a wild and woolly storm first blew away our fly and then soaked a bunch of our gear. After resetting our fly with the heaviest items in our possession, we fired up “The Little Ignik that Can” and cranked it to the max, which really helped dry our sodden gear in a resolutely damp environment. I should also note that (although no one else could see it in our secluded campsite in Labrador) here in our much more exposed location in Newfoundland, the Firecan has been the single object of gear that has solicited the most admiration and unsolicited positive comments. People see the flames from a distance, wander over, and talk to us about it nearly every night. My paddling buddy John has decades in the field, and nearly thirty years leading, guiding, and consulting about every aspect of outdoor experiential education at every level, and he can be a cynical, cantankerous old coot when it comes to trendy new gadgets. In this case, though, he has been converted into a True Believer. In John’s words, uttered one night when we had gone from miserable to merry in about thirty minutes, “man, this thing is the frickin’ BOMB!” Old Man Fee concurs with his estimable colleague. I should emphasize that this testimonial was not solicited. Although Ignik have been enthusiastically supportive (special shout-out to Indigo in this regard!) and have given us some gear, the Firecan and the fuel canister we use with it were not given to us, but were purchased at a pro-deal discount. We actually, truly, sincerely love it, and any would-be haters out there can sit in the cold, wet, dark, covered with blackflies, and think about their choices.
Follow along on our ongoing adventures in ten-minute intervals via this link:
In the Wake of the Vikings 