Bushwalk Australia

I KNOW LIGHT GEAR IS NOT CHEAP.

There- I declared myself right off.

Now- I have a good set of 4-season, Tassie gear, but I'm wanting to make a foray into some ultralight gear to use, particularly a tent and a sleeping bag for me, only for Summer/Late Spring/Early Autumn. I need lighter stuff for trips with just my daughter and I (Age 6).


Tent:
I have a Nallo GT 4, but it's too heavy for just the two of us. 3.8kg I think. I'd need something lighter. Cheap!

Sleeping Bags:
Mine is -7, probably actually good to -3/-4 (synthetic) 1.7kg (Note- I'm a big guy, and need an extra-sized bag)
Hers is 1kg. probably actually good to -3c 1.0kg

Sleeping Mats:
Downmat Pump 9 x2 1.0 kg each

Suggestions? I will only get stuff if it's CHEAP, safe and a fair bit lighter then what I have. For example- I can get PO Ethermats that weigh 300g less than the Downmats, but I'm not sure that that is enough of a savings of weightto justify.

hi drifting

i use the following which are sort of cheap and lighter

tent : tarptent moment (only for one) 850g and $250 - tarptent have a range of two man tents you could look at

sleeping bags: western mountaineering summerlite down bag (zero deg) 650g cost me about 350 from hermitshut.com
wesetrn mountaineering alpinelite down bag (-7deg) 850g cost me $425 from the same place

mat: theramrest neoair from ebay whcih cost $150 and weighs 410g

pack: golite QUest - 72L weighs 1.45kg and cost $130 + del from a US internet retailer

heaps of options - may be worth doing some research on BPL

good luck

oh yeah

for mats could check out this cottage internet wholoesaler from the US _ they also put sown in their mats to your specs - seem reasonably cheap

http://www.kookabay.com/

nickL wrote:oh yeah

for mats could check out this cottage internet wholoesaler from the US _ they also put sown in their mats to your specs - seem reasonably cheap

http://www.kookabay.com/

Man- that is light. Do you know if they have any insulation in them?

Edit- never mind- I found a site where he was talking about a down-filled one having an R value of 6.

Maybe some of those Kooka Mats- might even go for the unfilled and then just use our -5 sleeping bags, that'd save more than a kilo, and a Tarptent Scarp II would save another 2. That's 3+ kg off.

A possible suggestion is to go the supercat and metho approach to the cooking system.

http://jwbasecamp.com/Articles/SuperCat/index.html

I've been using it for over a year now and it's great. It's cheap. Should cost you about $4 to make the stove and then $20 on a decent metho bottle. Anyway, my mate got me onto it. Simple to use. Takes the worry out of 'do I have enough gas or not'.

I also converted to a hammock instead of a tent.

http://www.hammockforums.net/forum/index.php

You'll get all the info you need at the above site. It's not too practical if you want to take someone else. But if it's just you, or you plan to sleep in separate tents anyway, it's great.

Those are the two things plus kulling anything not necessary, that got my pack light enough to actually enjoy the hike.

Hope this helps.

sorry if this is a stupid question, but with hammocks, do you always need 2 trees within close proximity for the hammock to work?
The only hammocks ive ever seen are on the tropical beaches of Malaysia. I'm not so sure if i'd like to walk to a certain location, only to find theres no trees around.

Excellent question. I once had this problem recently where I was stuck at a spit unable to cross. So exhausted after hiking 32km I couldn't be bothered hiking back 2km to where there were trees. So I used my trekking poles and set up a A-Frame/Bivy/Mozzie Net with trekking poles as support. It worked ok except for being on the ground made me cold.

You need two trees nearly any size to be within 3m - 4.5m apart. You'd be surprized how common that occurs on the bush. Unlike tents you don't need to worry about stones, sticks, clearing, flat ground. It doesn't matter. You actually get more options. And the packup and setup time is sooooo much less and easier.

I have a Clark Jungle Hammock - Tropical. http://www.junglehammock.com/store/prod ... 1&featured

It's pretty good for Queensland weather. But there are so many other options and brands to look at. And I would recommend it for colder climates.

Claytor Hammocks
DD Hammocks
Eagle Nest Hammocks
Hennessy Hammocks
Jacks-r-better
Warbonnet Hammocks

For snow climates they usually have poles to hold up the roof. They usually go for a thing called a hammock overcover or a peapod, which is like an oversized sleeping bag that actually goes around the hammock (still under the tarp). The reason for this is when actually in a sleeping bag in a hammock the down gets so compressed underneath you it loses its effectiveness. So they hang it underneath where it can loft better but still be close to the body. See pics below.

If you're entertaining the idea or curious. Check out the below.
http://www.tothewoods.net/HammockCampingWarm.html

Anyway, hope that helps.

Light gear does not have to be expensive if you are prepared to sew/make it yourself and it's not that hard. Any old domestic sewing machine of reasonable quality is fine as you only need to use a straight stitch. I suggest you google 'Ray Jardine' and look at his kits for lightweight pack(300g),alpine sleeping quilt(800g), 2person fly/inner mesh tent(480g/400g)and bomber hat(. I've made these as a 'mug' sewer and they performed way above my expectations. You could also make your own superlight meths stove from a single drink can, potstand from an empty sliced pineapple tin, heatshield from the sides of two drink cans; google 'Bushwalking in the Upper Blue Mountains' and go to the 'links' page. Better yet google 'Zen Stoves' I've also made my own silnylon poncho($15) and canvas gaiters(scraps +$3.00). None of them are "pretty" but very functional and satisfying.
Be warned; making your own gear may become addictive and you'll never view shop gear in the same light again!!! You'll also become proficient at repairing and designing your gear.
It can also lead to being able to service/repair old sewing machines. You can do it- go for it !
Old, cheap sewing machines($20-$50) can be found on ebay. I picked up two old industrial machines for $21.

Regards,
Wellsy

Cocksy, sorry mate, i'm trying to picture how 'one' could possibly spend a single night like that? (your either under 30 or not a side sleeper) I guess it would put an end to any tossing or turning

Hammocks look uncomfortably saggy but you lay diagonally and are actually very flat. I'm 53 and have used my sons Hennessy hammock. It gives about the most comfortable night you could ever have in the bush. I think you would be surprised just how supporting and comfy these things are. Sleeping so close under large trees seems a bit dodgy to me though.

Regards,
Ken

Yeh, I'm under 30 but I'm a tossing and turning side sleeper. Honestly, the comfort of the hammock isn't an issue. The biggest problem is getting use to regulating the temperature of the sleep system. But after a while you work out what works and doesn't work for you and your climate.

If you want, go to that forum mentioned before. You'll find plently of old dudes that swear by it. However, I'd hate for you to drop some money on one and not like it. And what works for one person doesn't mean it'll work for another person.

I just enjoy being able to set up camp nearly anywhere.

sailfish wrote:Hammocks look uncomfortably saggy but you lay diagonally and are actually very flat. I'm 53 and have used my sons Hennessy hammock. It gives about the most comfortable night you could ever have in the bush. I think you would be surprised just how supporting and comfy these things are. Sleeping so close under large trees seems a bit dodgy to me though.

Regards,
Ken

if you get a hammock that will allow you to sleep at 90 degrees you are perefectly flat...
hey cocksy - i think i have the same type as you in your shots (but in green) - hard life huh!?
that said i have 5 different hammocks and had a hammock party for my 30th - byo hammock n esky...(got interesting after a few drinks for the newbies!)

I'm 60 and have had a Hennesey hammock for about 5 years.
I use it only where campsite space is tight (maybe once a year) but I've copped *&%$#! about it, yet I get a good night's sleep in it.
The comments about it being a "birth unit" don't worry me too much.
If there are trees around there are no problems.
Above the tree line in Tassie? definitely not an option.

i do still carry a mat just in case i end up in scrub without a handy anchor point... and use a cheap 3x3m silnylon tarp with built in guy ropes ($30) - its rectangular and can be pitched as a A-frame tent (tip: tie off the hammock above the tarp and i have tied a short piece of string to the hammock straps to let rain run off before it gets to the hammock and me). if it is cold i just shove the mat into the hammock and use my 90L s2s pack liner as a bivy over the legs... i don't like this set up as much when i go bush with my 5yo boy tho.... i tend to use the tarp and a ground sheet (tyvek now) without the hammock with a GOOD (fine holed) mozzie net and have sewn in a zip into the net to do it up underneath us - my lad hates ants since he decided to sit on an inchman nest once - oowch!.