One of my absolute favorites for transporting gear and food when travelling in snow, is the Rulk. It derives its name from a combination of rucksack and pulk. It has the advantage of working (almost) equally well in both modes.
By Jörgen Johansson
If snow conditions are favorable it is way easier to transport your gear behind you in a pulk, than on your back. However, when snow conditions are less favorable, a pulk can be a 'drag' from hell. So why not try to find a solution that works well sliding behind you, but also can be easily carried on your back?
The story of my creation of and first winter trip with my rulk, along the Inland Rail of northern Sweden
is told here.
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| My first version of The Rulk, a piece of aluminium bent in the shape of a trough and attached to the pack. |
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This trip and the Rulk also generated an article describing the construction in detail in Backpackinglight.com
that can be read here.
The revised version was a cut-off Paris pulk made from plastic that has since been used in Sarek and on Finnmarksvidda.
The thoughts behind and construction can be scrutinized here.
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| The Rulk spends most off its time sliding behind me, but sometimes it is better to just grab it and put it on your back. |
On Finnmarksvidda I travelled with Joe Newton and we both used Rulks. Through no fault of Joe's we had to climb a steep slope in a ravine, sometimes dragging, sometimes pushing and sometimes carrying our contraptions. Luckily we had just finished this entertaining traverse when a storm hit. If you want to read more about this outing
take a look here.
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| The Rulk used as a snow anchor up on Finnmarksvidda. |
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