Equipment - bag sealers

[J.Tullster]

I've never had a problem with unsealed map bags either. I'm not much of a fan of the laminated maps though. Terrible for folding. Unless there is some type of really thin but still effective laminate, which didn't make the map any stiffer.

[mharky]

in switzerland they have some sort of tyvec-ish maps, they dontn need map bags coz they are waterproof, and the water definetlyl doesnt run, but mud seems to stick i remember, and when you fold it a lot you get bare patches a long the lines.

at jEC in germany they just full on Laminated the maps pretty much. didnnt really effect me as i didnt use it though

[Simon]

in switzerland they have some sort of tyvec-ish maps, they dontn need map bags coz they are waterproof, and the water definetlyl doesnt run, but mud seems to stick i remember, and when you fold it a lot you get bare patches a long the lines.

BAOC have used this type of maps for one of their midweek events. One complaint was that folding them was difficult, as they tended to spring back to the unfolded state.

[red adder]

when you talk about the self sealing bags, do you mean those horrible flismy sandwhich bag type things?? i hate em, cause the map gets all scrunched up inside!

I don't actually know the gauge of our map cases but they are quite robust - certainly stonger than sandwich bag but without loss of transparency - up to coping with half a dozen training runs. This combined with good quality paper (120 gms/m2) gives a strong but foldable product for the runner.

Never personally rated tyvec - for the supposedly perfect solution it always seems to have had lots of problems such as failing to properly accept punch marks on control cards or shedding printing on the map ..... both features which are surely an anathema in the sport (and its also expensive !)

[ryeland of doom]

Remember the Tyvek craze of 1977.....

We had a year of the stuff, and then after the first Scottish 6 days which seemed so quaint with poly bags, it disappeared.

Ink shedding and staining was the problem IIRC

There was a brief resurgance at the 1981 JK . The Swiss seemed to keep going for a while with artosil.

Put on an introductory course at school today- large grounds (had to map like crazy - 4 weeks from blank sheet to "event") - used flimsy bags and despite "pesky kids" -got away with it. Maps survived.