Bushwalk Australia

From http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=20&t=1095

justacouch wrote:My main gear is as follows (comments welcomed!):

One planet Stiletto Pack
One Planet Cocoon 550 L bag
Hilleberg Nallo 2 Tent
Thermarest 3/4 prolite 4 pad
Hilleberg Bivannorak (Hopefully to serve as waterproofs/Pack Cover and bivy bag to stop condensation from tent - but i'll have to see how it goes, the material is strong but i'm not sure it would stand up to thick scrub for long. interestingly though it covers me down to my knees with the rest covered by gaiters - so maybe no need for waterproof pants - what do you think? Weighs only 600g)
Steripen + Nalgene w/filter and 3 L platypus bladder (4L total capacity... 1L too much probably, but the extra capacity weighs almost nothing, so is there if needed)
MSR Pocket rocket
Light 750ml pot and spork (gas and stove fit in pot nicely)

I've used the bag down to -1.8 in the nallo and was comfy in the buff with no liner, it's rated to -6 which i believe (for 912g! which i think is cool as flip!). Of course i could go lighter especially the pack (but it is SO, SO, SO damn comfortable! they must impregnate the padding with opiates...) and i'm often solo so i need some margin for error and breakages until i get some more experience with this gear. In any case, any suggestions?

Looks like you've got some decent gear. 4L water capacity seems fine to me. Would you need to consider even more than this for parts of the AAWT? I usually carry 3x1L Nalgene bottles for overnight walks assuming a dry camp.

I tried on a fully loaded One Planet pack ages ago and found the harness to be very comfortable, and they have an excellent reputation. Although I ended up with a WE pack which I'm happy with and was cheaper than OP (budget constraints).

The Bivannorak looks interesting. I've got something similar in a Sea to Summit Tarp Poncho (the basic PU nylon one) but yet to actually use it. Admit I have some reservations about taking only that and no WP jacket or WP trousers. I plan to try mine out on a walk in milder conditions eventually. I think scrub is always going to be a potential risk for lighter weight gear.

I'd be interested to know how the Steripen goes. I've looked at those a few times and the price seems to have come down. Have been using iodine tablets (cheap and light) but the smell/taste always puts me off a bit.

I've been using an Adventurer Steripen for a while. Very happy with it. We're on tank water so I tend to use it on my driking water at home as well. I did buy the solar recharger as it comes with a mains charger and two rechargeable batteries as well. Haven't used the solar one yet.

Looks like you've got some decent gear. 4L water capacity seems fine to me. Would you need to consider even more than this for parts of the AAWT? I usually carry 3x1L Nalgene bottles for overnight walks assuming a dry camp.

I tried on a fully loaded One Planet pack ages ago and found the harness to be very comfortable, and they have an excellent reputation. Although I ended up with a WE pack which I'm happy with and was cheaper than OP (budget constraints).

The Bivannorak looks interesting. I've got something similar in a Sea to Summit Tarp Poncho (the basic PU nylon one) but yet to actually use it. Admit I have some reservations about taking only that and no WP jacket or WP trousers. I plan to try mine out on a walk in milder conditions eventually. I think scrub is always going to be a potential risk for lighter weight gear.

I'd be interested to know how the Steripen goes. I've looked at those a few times and the price seems to have come down. Have been using iodine tablets (cheap and light) but the smell/taste always puts me off a bit.

You're right, from what I gather there might be a need more than 4L for dry high sections of the AAWT. A good old wine bladder might suffice and not weigh much when not in use or I may take one of those dry bags that double as a shower, and I could try storing water in that I suppose. Lots of time to sort it all out.

The WE packs look excellent, but I've never had the opportunity to try one. The 'lost world' model looks very similar to the stiletto. I had the misfortune of using a black wolf McMillan pack for a while and it was terrible. I've used a Black Wolf Fox1 I over the last 4 years or so for day walks and skiing though and it's been great.

The bivanorak is ripstop polyester with a silicone coating that Helleberg claim is breathable, I've not used it enough to comment on breatheability but it is waterproof. It's made out of Helleberg's 'Kerlon SP' which has a 15kg tear strength. Apparently this means if you were to cut the edge of a piece of this fabric, you would need to exert 15kg of effort in order to continue the tear. I'm a little bit hesitant to do any active testing of the strength and scrub resistance because my 'fiscal policy' won't allow a replacement, but I might see if Helleberg will send me a sample of the fabric to play with before I put too much faith in it. If you think anyone would be interested I'll post here about it.

The steripen seems to be like ASIO; when it works well, nothing happens (you don't get sick). It also looks like something james bond would use with its electric neon glow (which seems to be just for show since UV light isn't visible to us). Mine cost $75 from moontrail with the 1L Nalgene and prefilter. I got the original one even though it is heaver than the new versions because it can be used on regular plastic water bottles (good for OS travel). It also uses 4 standard AAs so can treat a little bit more water than the newer ones without charging, but it isn't compatible with a solar charger.

Thanks MJD and justacouch for the Steripen info. One of those is on my wish list.

justacouch wrote:The bivanorak is ripstop polyester with a silicone coating that Helleberg claim is breathable, I've not used it enough to comment on breatheability but it is waterproof. It's made out of Helleberg's 'Kerlon SP' which has a 15kg tear strength. Apparently this means if you were to cut the edge of a piece of this fabric, you would need to exert 15kg of effort in order to continue the tear. I'm a little bit hesitant to do any active testing of the strength and scrub resistance because my 'fiscal policy' won't allow a replacement, but I might see if Helleberg will send me a sample of the fabric to play with before I put too much faith in it. If you think anyone would be interested I'll post here about it.

Sounds interesting. If you do get Hilleberg to send you some fabric to try and destroy, I think there are plenty of self-confessed gear freaks here who are interested in such things . Especially if it's likely to be scrub-resistant, breathable and not too heavy (bit of a holy grail I guess ). I wonder how light WP jacket and trousers would be in that fabric. My 'fiscal policy' is always preventing me from getting improved versions of things I already have; she frequently tells me that I don't need them .

Email from Hilleberg:

Unfortunately I do not have any Bivanorak material or "blemished" Bivanoraks here. The material is different from the Kerlon SP as the Bivanorak has a waterproof breathable outer and the Kerlon SP is a non-breathable material.

The Bivanorak material is very strong and durable but as with any fabric used whether it is in a jacket or for anything else - it can rip if caught on a pointy branch or bush. It is not going to be weaker than a double layer Gore-Tex material but it is a bit bulkier so it might easier get caught on something sticking out. But it is quite a durable material.

I think it is a good option for your trip if you are looking for a very lightweight alternative.

Best Regards,

Petra Hilleberg

So no material, but a confident endorsement from Petra Hilleberg.