I've been doing alot of reading lately on doing some backcountry bowhunting, mostly for mulies around here. I've got the basics down but I still have a few questions, mostly just asking opinions. I've got my badlands 2800 here now, my pack tent( 1 man, about 14oz) and my food rations. I'm trying to decide on a good sleeping pad as well as my water purifier. I will be hunitng mostly early season stuff, with temperatures possibly dipping near freezing. I have a Slumberjack +20 degree bag(http://www.slumberjack.com/Product.aspx?ProductID=4) but am a bit confused on my pad. I've done a lot of reading and it seems the most popular are Big Agnes or Therm-a-rest. Being I will be hunting mostly warmer weather do I need to worry much about a warm pad? Inflated or Closed-cell? My main emphasis will be on weight. Next i've been looking at water purifiers. Is saving the taste of idione based purifiers worth the extra weight/bulk for a pump? I've been looking at this one here. (http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/water...-and-hydration/swee****er-microfilter/product) Thanks for any help!
I'm limited in experience and biased towards what I found to work....but here is my take. I have a thermarest prolite 3 pad, which is light, insulating, and more comfortable than bare ground.....but if I could do it again I'd get the Thermarest NeoAir inflatable....it's got rave reviews, airs up to 2.5" thick and only weighs 14 oz in your pack! I HATED the taste of idione treated water, so that alone drove me to a pumping filter. I got a MSR Miniworks, it isn't extremely light (right at a lb), but did the trick for me. I have no experience with any other filters, but based on my experience with this pump in Alaska I'd reccomend. Water tasted great, was debris free, and never got sick. Can't ask for anything more than that. Good luck....backcountry mulies is my next dream hunt I'd like to tackle, but probably won't be able to swing it for another 4-5 years due to school schedules.
Thanks for the quick reply. The prolite was the model I was looking at. I've heard of the Neolite but have not read on it. I will check it out. I'm sure we could work out a deal of me taking you mulie hunting and you setting me up with some sitka blacktail action?:D
