Blown Away by the Nature in Norway - Tarp in a Storm

I hike out to spend some time underneath the tarp, but get surprised by a storm and decide to quickly break camp and head down to safety. Just two days prior to this we had a large storm pass through Lofoten, which everyone was prepared for. A new weather system moved in towards Lofoten, and while people were expecting moderately high winds, this storm actually turned out to be one of the most extreme storms on record. It came a lot sooner than expected and with a lot more wind. It broke one of the official wind gauges, and set a new record on the ones which could hold up. Unfortunately I didn’t have a wind wind gauge with me. I was located on a hill in a narrow fjord, probably one of the worst places to hang around in weather like this. When I got to the car several bridges in Lofoten were closed (on of them measured wind gusts of 42 m/s), so I had to wait three hours for the winds to be on a safe level to drive across.
I probably wouldn’t have hiked in this area, and especially not with a tarp if I knew how bad it was going to be. Nice to see that the Hilleberg tarp can handle extreme winds without getting damaged, but a tarp really isn’t something which should be used in high winds like this, even in a «storm mode setup».
Location: Raftheia in Hadsel kommune in Vesterålen, Norway (east of Lofoten)
Time of year: Fall / autumn - September 23rd 2020
Website and blog: www.kristianpletten.com/
Camera gear used in this video (affiliate links):
Camera: Canon EOS R5 - amzn.to/2EqniwL
Lens: Canon RF 24-105mm f/4 - amzn.to/2Ylekbj
Variable ND-filter: Polar Pro 77mm 2-5 stop - amzn.to/3gczoH7
Tripod: Sirui T-024SK - amzn.to/2LDPmx1
Microphone: Rode Stereo VideoMic X - amzn.to/2ZgHEkA
Editing software: Blackmagic Design DaVinci Resolve Studio - amzn.to/36nP3QR
Other gear used in this video (affiliate links):
Jacket: Fjallraven - Men's Keb Eco-Shell Jacket - amzn.to/3dWUbOf
Rain pants: Mammut Nordwand HS Flex Pants - www.mammut.com/no/en/p/1020-1...
Foam pad: Therm-a-Rest RidgeRest SOLite - amzn.to/2ZjCog6
Ski poles: Black Diamond 140 cm Expedition 3 Ski Poles - amzn.to/2Tl4mUR
Backpack: Ortovox Peak 45 - amzn.to/2WNSbCp
Gas stove: Primus ETA Lite - amzn.to/2LCEorI
Tarp: Hilleberg Tarp 10 UL Sand - hilleberg.com/eng/shelters/tarp/

[@hanzo52]

Captivated by the colours, soothed by the rain, woken by the wind. Amazing video

[@KristianPletten]

Thank you!

[@willek1335]

Most of the dozen tarp videos I've recently found show a newly cut and leveled lawn, fair weather, and an impeccable pitche as a calm voice talks about why this is "the best pitch for storms", however. I've gained more wisdom from your video, than all of them combined. Well done for putting yourself out there. +1

[@KristianPletten]

Thank you! I'm glad you got something out of it. And I agree, knowing the limits of the gear, or at least how it works in real world situations is important.

[@DavidTam249]

I had the same experience with this kind of weather on a mountain peak in Vietnam. The weather is absolutely unpredictable. Love how you still managed to keep filming in such a crazy wind like that! Keep it up 🤟🤟🤟

[@KristianPletten]

Oh, wow. I've seen that the mountains in Vietnam are quite tall and pointy, so that must have been quite the experience. Thank you! 🙏🏻

[@britinmadrid]

Stunning photography towards the end!

[@KristianPletten]

Thank you!

[@tshansen]

Damn i saw that "underlag" fly away in the wind, nice save 🤣I have experienced weather changing fast, but this was crazy. Love the way you capture the wind and continue the filming even though you need to get back down. Great and put everything so much more alive. Another great video Kristian. I predict a bright future for you mate 👏🏻

[@KristianPletten]

Haha! 😂 I've had that thing for such a long time now that I'm not willing to part ways with it. It also comes with a story: When I cycled across Africa I had one of those old self inflatable mattresses, but it only took a couple days for the thorns to poke so many holes in it that I ended up sleeping on the ground for the next two months. In Tanzania, about halfway through, a friend gave me that foam pad and I've kept it since. Can't beat a modern inflatable mat on comfort, but for reliability these foam pads are great. 👌🏻 Thanks Thomas for all your support! Greatly appreciated. 🙏🏻

[@tshansen]

@@KristianPletten cycled across Africa, damn! why did you not have you camera then 🤣Haha, know what tyou mean with story behind it. Have a couple of items my self because of history like this. You have been quite an adventourer the last year i recon? Cheers

[@KristianPletten]

I was mostly interested in photography back then, so I did have a 5D Mark II with me. While I shot mostly photographs I did shoot some video as well. vimeo.com/32356612 Perhaps I should go back and see if I can make something more out of it. 😄 Ever thought about riding across Africa or other continents on a motorcycle? Would probably be the optimal way to travel overland. Not as slow as a bicycle, and you're more present and more likely to interact with locals than in a car. Looking back I wouldn't call myself an adventurer. More likely I was curious and open to new experiences, and realizing I might not be able to do these things later on in life.

[@kristaps2010]

Beautiful and wild. At least you managed to have your cuppa! Thanks for sharing.

[@KristianPletten]

Haha, yes, that's the important part. 😄 Thanks for watching! 🙏🏻

[@bubblehead78]

Such an awesome video! Your camera work is amazing. Norway is so beautiful!

[@KristianPletten]

Thank you! 🙏🏻

[@morletravels]

Great title! I'm also not sure if I'm more blown away by that storm or your film making skills! Really well done again, amazing colours and sound! And that tripod seems extremely stable.

[@KristianPletten]

Haha, thanks! 🙏🏻 Yeah, that tripod is one of my favorite pieces of gear. It's one of the lightest tripods out there, but it's got a really nice feature: the legs have three different stances. One tall (which is useless in wind and on uneven terrain), one flat (which makes the legs go almost 90 degrees, but then the camera is almost on the ground), and then there's a "middle stance" which makes it a bit lower than hip height, but very stable. I use it in this middle stance 99% of the time. When the wind picked up in this video I did put it in the flat configuration a few times, with the legs fully extended and nestled into a tree to give it some break from the wind. The ball head that comes with it isn't any good, so I've replaced it with a an old one I had from a MeFOTO-tripod.

[@morletravels]

@@KristianPletten Thanks so much for the insight, I appreciate it. Your videos always look so smooth and as if the camera has a life of its own just documenting what you're doing. But it's even more impressive when you know that you got up from underneath the tarp every time to change the camera's position or to stand in the wind and rain for a long time to get that perfect stable shot. Really great job!

[@KristianPletten]

Thanks! Yeah, that's power of editing I suppose. 😄 You probably know all about what kind of effort it takes since you are out doing the same! Just with a lot more elevation gain. 🏔 😅

[@morletravels]

@@KristianPletten I do know the effort involved although I've never had to go film in this kind of wind :-) I'd be too worried about the camera getting wet as well.

[@KristianPletten]

Yeah, that's a real challenge.

[@wazaaaken9256]

This is heaven for me🤩

[@KristianPletten]

Haha, then I think you would enjoy living in Lofoten. 😄

[@thegroove2000]

You manned that storm like a boss.

[@KristianPletten]

Haha, thanks, and thanks for watching. 😎

[@devilman7773]

Well, I love your chanel, its great!!

[@KristianPletten]

Thank you! 😊🙏🏻

[@bernardt3026]

Great video. Perfect viewing when it's 38 degrees Celsius outside like yesterday in western Sydney. Bring on the snow. Cheers.

[@KristianPletten]

Thanks Bernard! That is some serious heat! We just had a snowfall here, so perhaps in a weeks time I can post some cold looking footage for you. Btw, I lived in Sydney for six months and loved the place. Hoping to get back one day. Cheers.

[@hansouth2355]

sweet spot, winds and all

[@KristianPletten]

Thanks! 🙏🏻

[@specialt3716]

Was thinking, “dang, he’s going to need a bigger tarp!” Great video (again). You’re very good at what you do! I’m jealous.

[@KristianPletten]

Haha! Thank you, Tom! 🙏🏻

[@marywilson3157]

I can understand getting out of the open areas when the storm hits, but I was slways taught to find shelter and hunker down til it passes. This video contradicted all that.

[@KristianPletten]

Hi Mary. You are correct, and it's actually what I did. I was probably located at the worst possible place (on a hilltop in a narrow fjord) with no real shelter just before sunset, so I went back down to the car while there was still light and waited three hours for the storm to pass before driving home. It got even worse after I came down to the car, so I think I made the right decision.

[@AppalachianJonathan]

Im impressed the trypod didnt get blown over at 5.53. I mean the r5 has some weight to it but I know mine with a Sony did blow over once.

[@KristianPletten]

Yeah, the trick is to find a tripod which has at least three settings for its stance. It's something that's rarely mentioned in description of tripods, and many only have two settings, so it's worth looking out for. I'm using one of the lightest tripods out there (a Sirui T-024SK), but since I can adjust the legs to a position between upright position and completely flat, this middle position makes the stance quite wide and sturdy. I use it in this configuration 99% of the time when outdoors. It's more of less impossible to tip it over, and the only limitation becomes the strength of the ball head. Thanks for watching btw!

[@AppalachianJonathan]

@@KristianPletten Ha! I'm actually using the Sirui am-254. You know, I don't know why I didn't think of the positioning of the legs. Thanks man. I'll have to use that now in heavy winds. I also see you last video was 9 months ago. I do hope you continue to create on this channel as I just found you. Definitely top percentage of outdoor content creators that I have found. Cheers man. 🍻

[@KristianPletten]

@@AppalachianJonathan Perfect! They do make some great tripods for hiking. Yeah, as life has returned to normal I've been focused on work stuff, but I hope I can get back to it soon. Thank you!

[@stevec-b6214]

cool under pressure! nicely done. I notice the small trees there are like those near me up on the north york moors in england - branches on one side only!

[@KristianPletten]

Thank you! Haha, yeah, I bet it's quite windy there as well? Steadfast trees for sure!

[@manandtechnics]

On the West coast of Ireland we'd say that was a bit lively! Nicely captured.

[@KristianPletten]

Haha, I can only imagine how the storms are down there! Thank you. 😊🙏🏻

[@smichael5547]

Like your channel.

[@KristianPletten]

Thank you! Appreciate it! 🙏🏻😊

[@user-or8xc8mw7c]

งดงามมากครับ

[@KristianPletten]

ขอบคุณและขอบคุณสำหรับการสนับสนุน

[@balarifgmail]

flott video! :)

[@KristianPletten]

Mange takk! 🙏🏻

[@geoms6263]

When it rains I don't stop. It can last 2 weeks of rain

[@KristianPletten]

That's intense!

[@AppalachianJonathan]

Also the R5 is weather sealed right? Do you use anything else to protect it or just let it ride?

[@KristianPletten]

Yes, the R5 is weather sealed. Although I think it could handle a lot, I do protect it from the rain if I'm out for many hours and the rain is constant. There was more wind than rain in this video so here I didn't use any rain cover, but when I do I use a Storm Jacket Camera Cover Pro made by Vortex Media. The challenge however is that I also use a Rode Stereo Videomic X to record the audio, and it is of course more sensitive to humidity and rain, and at the same time I can't put it inside the camera cover if I want to record audio. The solution I've found is to cut a small hole in the top of the camera cover so that the microphone sticks up from the cover around the cold shoe. I've tested many different options for covering the microphone, and I found that I can cover the top of the microphone without sacrificing too much quality, but it's important that the material is soft enough so it dampens the raindrops. My solution is to put a thin piece of plastic and wrap it inside a soft fabric like a piece of cloth or towel, preferably with most of the soft material on top of the plastic so it dampens the sound of the raindrops as much as possible. I then use a bungee cord to hold it in place on top of the dead cat. With snow I just let it ride, and wipe it off with tissue paper if it melts. Probably easier to explain with a photo, so here you can see the microphone solution (without the rain cover): imgur.com/6zo3wFH

[@AppalachianJonathan]

@@KristianPletten Thats awesome dude! I have been on a list from B&H to get that mic for more than a year now! I have the original rode stereo mic but it's honestly big and clunky. I normaly just default back to the rode micro. Thanks for the photo, when I eventually get it I will have to do something like that too. Looks like a great solution that doesn't make extra noise.

[@KristianPletten]

@@AppalachianJonathan Yep, I had the original one back in the days. Strange to hear that the X is so hard to come by. I have the Rode Micro as well, but the audio from the X is just so much better that I will use it no matter how much it weighs. I would also assume its a great pairing with the coming Zoom F3 with 32 bit float recording since the X has XLRs. Btw, if you want to go real lightweight you should also consider something like the Lom Uši or MikroUši. I'm testing that out at the moment with the Windbubbles. Not sure yet how well they stand up to wind noise.

[@sebastianforbes1]

good vid - we like to challenge nature, sometimes we lose ;-)

[@KristianPletten]

Thank you Sebastian! Haha, indeed. 😄

[@GreencampRhodie]

Wow. Beautiful spot. Wild storm. Brilliant recovery skills (mat & tarp). Did you recover your walking poles? Incredible filming.

[@KristianPletten]

Thank you! Indeed, it's a beautiful spot. Fortunately I didn't loose or damage any gear.

[@kennethcarter5720]

Great control of your equipment. I am searching for videos showing how tarps behave in such conditions, before I venture into mountains with one. Any recommendations from any of you tarp campers would be great

[@KristianPletten]

Thank you Kenneth. Tarps aren't really well suited to high wind scenarios, so if you are headed above the tree line for more than a day I would opt for a tent. If, however, you want to use a tarp in high wind conditions I would either use it as poncho/windsack/bivybag-alternative, or try to set it up as a tipi, the smaller the better. The one thing to avoid in high winds is to let the wind "catch" the tarp like a sail, similar to what happened to me in this video.

[@kennethcarter5720]

@@KristianPletten thank you for your reply. I was thinking that. That’s why I am finding it difficult to get information. I value your experience. I will continue to use my tent for higher ground. Tarp for lower ground

[@KristianPletten]

That sounds like a wise decision. Enjoy your time out there!

[@willek1335]

There are specially designed tarps that can handle wind better than many tents. I saw a CDT hiker on KZbin, who took his Mountain Laureal Designs tarp, currently unavailable, way above treeline. Deep into heavy snow country of the Sierras. Tighter pitch than a well toned buttocks. (Edit: My apologies, the tarp was from YamaMountainGear, not MLD. Their tarp descriptions provides a wealth of knowledge in itself. Here's a link to the guy: kzbin.info/www/bejne/jqjVfmR8otJ9q8U ) Tips: • Stake it all the way down, so air doesn't sweep under the curtains. • Keep the top to a relatively low profile. • Look for tarps that are especially designed to handle high wind. They usually have a fixed A frame, a beak by the head area, depressed midsection for smooth wind flow, and they usually taper in at the foot section. The performance is impeccable for the weight. The downside of many these is that they're less flexible, and you won't be able to practice your origami skills like you can with a flat tarp. • *Silnylon* tarps tend to sag way more than *silpoly.* They bulge and easily tank a pool during rain. Quite annoying. On the flip side, the stretch makes them easy to set up and zero probability of tearing. The least stretchy, third and last option is *DCF.* aka. Cuben fiber. Cuben won't tear up, but it will make your wallet ultralight. The rigidity of *DCF* can feel fiddly to stake out, if you're accustomed to the forgiving stretch of silicon. • You'll have to be a special type of instagram person to pitch on exposed areas, or just hate mosquitos. Campsite selection is 50% of the job. • If you're caught out with your pants down in an area with zero cover, then a 400gr Snugpack Special Forces bivy will do the job. • Edit: The stakes or attachment points are weak points. Use every tie-out point possible. Perhaps as much as 12 stakes. Each stake will distribute the load, so the more the merrier. Any questions, shoot me a msg

[@kennethcarter5720]

@@willek1335 thank you Appreciate this advice obviously you’re an experienced tarp user. I may after digesting this information, contact you again Thanks. Stay safe 🔥

[@Armchair_Backpacker]

👍

[@pederhiis3]

Collecting water from the tarp. Brilliant and sexy🙌 you are becoming the new Lars Monsen👏

[@KristianPletten]

Haha. It was there and I needed it. 😄

[@TomKirkman1]

Hilleberg - always the right choice.

[@KristianPletten]

Haha, indeed. Although a tarp was not the right choice on this occasion, but that's on me.

[@thornord5514]

Utrolig bra bilder 👍 Kan jeg spørre hva du gjør med mikrofonen i regnet? For å få så bra lyd, altså

[@KristianPletten]

Takk! Det er en krevende utfordring som ikke er enkel å løse, så jeg skjønner godt at du spør! Jeg bruker en Røde Stereo Videomic X med en vindbeskytter/dead cat over. Akkurat den vindbeskytteren som følger med mikrofonen holder lett regn ute i noen timer, så hvis det ikke er meldt mye nedbør og jeg er på dagstur så trenger jeg ikke å gjøre noen flere tiltak. Jeg har holdt vindbeskytteren under springen hjemme for å teste hvor mye vann den slipper gjennom, og det er ikke så mye ettersom den har et skumlag på innsiden som er porøst, men likevel nokså tett. Hvis det regner mye så dekker jeg til toppen av mikrofonen for å minimere mengden vann som legger seg på vindbeskytteren. Her har jeg også eksperimentert mye. Legger man plast, eller hard skum oppå så blir lyden av regndråper for høy og skarp, så for å dempe lyden har jeg funnet ut at det beste er å legge et stykke plast (type plastikkpose) inni noe som er mykt. Jeg har lagt plast inni en kjøkkenklut som er brettet flere ganger, og kjøkkenkluten gjør at lyden blir mer dempet slik at man fortsatt hører andre lyder i tillegg til regnet. Det er også mulig å bruke noe skum, men da må skummet være lukket for at vannet ikke skal renne gjennom. Jeg plasserer dette oppå mikrofonen, og ikke rundt og foran, slik at lyden blir best mulig bevart. Men som du sikkert har sett i disse koronatider så er det mange journalister som har pakket mikrofoner helt inn i plast. Det fungerer helt greit for tale (sikkert med litt miksing i etterkant), men den største utfordringen med naturopptak er at ren plast blir støyende i vind og regn. Et annet alternativ til det, som er et triks fra profesjonelle lydfolk er å dra en kondom over mikrofonen (og da vindbeskyttelse utenpå der igjen). Utfordringen der er at kvaliteten blir noe lavere, noe som er spesielt merkbart på rolige naturopptak. Slike triks fungerer best om man har en høy lydkilde tett på, og mindre for ambience. Fuktighet og kondens er også en utfordring som kan gi støy og forskjellige ulyder i opptaket. Er jeg på en overnattingstur så passer jeg på å legge mikrofonen i forteltet (for tar jeg den inn i innerteltet hvor det er varmere og høyere luftfuktighet så kan det bli kondens). Jeg tørker også av vindbeskytteren med papir så ofte som mulig for å ta bort fuktighet. Når jeg kommer hjem fra tur på vinterstid så tar jeg av vindbeskytteren og legger kamera og mikrofon i en ziplock-pose for at temperaturen skal øke gradvis. Alternativt la utstyret ligge i sekken til temperaturen har steget. Alt for å prøve å å unngå at det kommer fuktighet og kondens på kapslene. Man blir sikkert aldri utlært når det kommer til lyd. Jeg eksperimenterer fortsatt og har nå noen nye mikrofoner jeg skal teste ut som kanskje er mindre sensitiv for vind og fuktighet enn de jeg har brukt til nå. Det gjenstår å se. Uansett, håper det gir noen ideer til ting du kan prøve ut! Det er mye god stemning i videoene dine. ;)

[@thornord5514]

@@KristianPletten tusen takk for utfyllende svar! Håpte på en magisk løsning, men er vel å prøve og feile noen av disse tinga da. Veldig bra tips. Tenker å prøve med en klut eller annet tøy på toppen av regncover, da. Har prøvd med bare plastikkpose og strikk og det fungerte greit, men som du sier blir det jo høye klask av dråpene.

[@leo_714]

📌05:53 my anxiety level when i'm full of stress

[@KristianPletten]

😂