Trevor and I were discussing zero degree sleeping bags in another thread and I got thinking about my camping trip for next fall. I'm looking to add a couple quality items and looking for advice or any ideas anyone has. Sleeping Pad: I borrowed my buddy's X-Static Big Agnes Q-Core 20"x78"x3.5" pad and loved it. 1.2# and packs nicely. Trevor posted about wanting a NeoAir XTherm pad. I looked it up and really like the looks of it as well. Any other suggestions? Sleeping Bag: I just started researching quality bags. I'm looking for a 0* bag that is light and packs nicely. I know these can get crazy expensive, so I'm looking for a good one, that won't break me. I knew nothing about moisture being a problem with down, until Trevor brought it up. One bag he said he was looking at is the Sierra Design Zissou, which has water repellent treated down for $330. I haven't looked up the specs on it myself, but I'm most concerned about having a bag that packs as small as possible, even if it weighs 8 oz more than another bag. Suggestions? Tent Vs Bivy: This year there were two of us and we packed in a Kelty Yellowstone 7 3-man tent. I've had it for about 11 years and its a good tent, but may be looking for something lighter next year. There may be three of us on this trip and I don't know if we want to go with the same tent, find one a hair bigger that's light or each have bivy sacks and use a couple tarps for shelters and to keep stuff dry. What are your experiences? Pack: I used a cheaper internal frame pack this year that worked OK. Though, I don't think it had the 5500 CI it said it had. I'm looking for a better option that I can use to pack my gear in with and also use it to pack animals out. I'm not opposed to using the pack I have, but want to see what other options you guys could suggest.
For sleeping pads, check out the Exped Synmat or Downmat. We have two of the Synmats and they are great. They are insulated and have the hand pump built in, meaning you don't have to carry anything to inflate them. The insulation inside make them very warm. We camped several nights that got down into the 20's and maybe even teens and we did not get cold. They pack up pretty small, not the smallest on the market, but I'll trade a little size for the extra comfort and insulation.
I love my Therm-a-Rest Sleeping Pad: LINK My Mountain Hardwear sleeping bag: LINK And my tent, which is only 3-season, but Black Diamond makes some of the best lightweight tents: LINK
The Synmat has a little lower R value than I'm looking for. The Downmat has a great R value, but its heavier than I want for a pad. The built in pump isn't a big deal to me, as it only took me about 3 minutes to blow up the Big Agnes this fall. For the R value to weight/size ratio, I'm still torn between the Big Agnes and the NeoAir XTherm. Unless someone has something better.
Keep in mind, blowing up a mat introduces moisture into it each time you do it, with no way for it to escape. That eventually adds weight and bacteria into the mat. Something to keep in mind.
Kifaru. The only thing they don't make on your list is the pad. I've personally seen everything else they make and it's pretty impressive stuff designed specifically for what your outlining. Our camp in NY hosts the annual East Coast Rendezvous for Kifaru. The owner of the company Patrick comes every year and we usually host a few dozen guys. The event is always the weekend before Valentines day. It's usually single digits at night and maybe teens during the day time. Those guys all sleep outside in their tipis and are plenty comfortable. They are also all hiking 3ish miles into our camp from the road so everything they have is easily packable. I'm not big into this type of hiking, I much prefer my bunk in the camp and 90 degrees of wood stove heat, but if I was looking for lightweight packable stuff for extreme weather this is the direction I'd be looking. There is also tons of info on their website and pretty extensive forums there with guys that will provide a lot of info.
Would you get the same sleeping bag again? If not, what would you get? Figure, under $500. I don't know that I need a 4 season tent for sure. I'll look into the Black Diamond tents.
Yep. Extremely light and packs up small. I don't like sleeping with a lot of clothes on, so it still fits my needs even when it is not extremely cold.
I've sleeping in teens to low 20s with a super cheapo coleman sleeping bag. (like $19.99 on sale) I could see going with a slightly better bag but not $300 worth of bag. Why are they so expensive?
Same reason you can buy a bow for $300 - $1200. Because people will pay it Generally for lightweight camping gear, price is in line with packability. A 0 degree bag that weighs 15lbs is cheaper than one that weighs 3lbs.
Like the other guys said, packability. I'm building up my camping gear for backcountry hunting trips where weight and size are important.
Ah.. gotcha! So you're looking for lightweight camping/backpacking gear. Not just 'quality camping gear'. So far my 'camp' has been the truck. LOL. I did find that my Alice pack was no good for bring out an elk... have to work on getting a frame pack that isn't made for man-sized shoulders. Otherwise, I guess I can stick with a cheap but bulky sleeping bag. After all, there's a reason God made horses, ATVs, and big, strong husbands. :D :D
So, I've been looking at the Kifaru site quite a bit and I'm very interested in a couple things. For the size and weight, the 6 man tipi could be awesome. Plenty of room for 3 guys and all our gear inside, which we couldn't do with a tent. Plus, the titanium wood stove could easily be packed in, at less than 2#. Link The Sleeping bag looks pretty decent also. Link
They really are amazing shelters. I've never slept in one of their bags but the tipi's, stoves, and packs are awesome. I did take a quick nap in Patrick's (the owners) 24 man tipi last winter. You wouldn't believe the ring of guys you can fit in that thing. We had two large stoves going full tilt and it was below zero outside, we were inside wearing sweatshirts and plenty warm. When I finally get move back to NY I'll be buying one of their packs. I've been carrying a Badlands Monster for years but the paper company reclaimed our lease this year so we won't be able to use ATV's for retreiving deer anymore. Since most of our deer are killed a long ways from camp it may be easier to quarter and pack them. Several of the guys in camp have their packs and have killed and packed out moose with them, they are absolutely indestructible and extremely comfortable. At the rendezvous last year Patrick brought several of the larger packs and I got to try the Bikini frame with composite stays with 50 lbs in it. Trying a pack like that really opens your eyes on how much comfortable something like this can be. Night and day better than the Alice pack I've used for heavier stuff since I was a kid.
I bet you would enjoy this type of hunting with me in Ontario. Its big woods, like your Adirondack hunting, but the bucks can be much bigger.
I'm sure I could get into it for that type of hunting, I'd love to learn more about it. There is something I love about never hearing someone elses shot or seeing another track. We do the cold weather camping for ice fishing, last year we slept in a tipi on the ice for 3 days chasing big pike in single digits and we had a blast. Half the guys that show up for the Rendezvous (our camp calls it Tipi Fest) though go into the woods to do this stuff in winter and they don't even hunt, they just do the hike/camping for fun and to drink for a few days. If I'm just going to drink in the woods for 3 days I'd rather sleep in my bunk at night.....hah.
Dan if you can swallow the price tags.... start and end your searches with Kifaru. They make the best packs for hunting period. As light as backpacking packs but meant to carry 100 lb loads like others feel with 50. My Bikini Frame with HighCamp 7200 bag was (gulp) nearly $800 after all the accessory pouches I got, but carried half a caribou more comfortably than my previous kelty did with only camping gear going in. That bag weighs less than a Badlands 2200 and will hold 4 times the gear/meat and last much much longer as well. If you don't need a super quality pack, there are infinite choices that will get you by. Even better than their packs are their shelters though. I've done a few hunts now from their 6 and 8 man tipi. Rob in Alaska owns the 8 man. These things are freaking amazing. Can have a wood stove for going to bed and waking up warm, room to stand up, and room for 3 guys + gear for 10 lbs or less. I WILL own the 6 man tipi within the next two years. Perfect 2-3 man shelter. They shed wind better than most tents not named Hilleberg as well. For 4 season actual tents with people who don't want to go the floorless shelter route, Hilleberg is top notch. 3 season and summer camping tents and any will suffice. Personally for 3 season camping, I have switched to a Kifaru Supertarp (18 ounces), TiGoat Raven Omni Bivy (8 ounces), Thermarest NeoAir Pad (14 ounces), and Enlightened Equipment Long Revelation X 30* quilt (24 ounces). My total setup is exactly 4 lbs for shelter AND sleep system. It uses your trekking poles for the support beams since you will have them with you anyway. It is far more roomy and comfortable than my previous setup which weighed over 10 lbs and was minimalistic itself in most peoples mind. Only thing I lost was the floor to my coffin sized pup tent. LOVE the new setup and it is comfortable from Mid March - Mid October in most areas.
