Thread: Rookie mistakes!

Originally Posted by Timmay

If hunting the tops, buy a decent bloody sleeping bag - ONE snowy night spent on the top of Urchin in a chit warehouse sleeping bag is something I never want to repeat

Money should be spent in this order: GOOD boots, good clothing, good sleeping bag, tent >>>>>> Gun

Don't park your Hilux in front of the forestry gates.

Yup been caught out by the sleeping bag thing bought one off trademe for $40 it was too skinny for me and the zip burst open during the night while at the oamaru hut, before that I had a great outdoors sleeping bag last used that when I went camping up clements with dogmatix the ground was frozen and I froze my arse off for two nights. With that lesson learned I now own a kiwi camping glacier sleeping bag and it kept me warm and dry when I did that trip to clements the other weekend and woke up to find water on my sleeping bag after moisture came through the tent when it fell down on top of me (thanks to a very rude jap walking around the campsite during the night)

Originally Posted by hunter308

Yup been caught out by the sleeping bag thing bought one off trademe for $40 it was too skinny for me and the zip burst open during the night while at the oamaru hut, before that I had a great outdoors sleeping bag last used that when I went camping up clements with dogmatix the ground was frozen and I froze my arse off for two nights. With that lesson learned I now own a kiwi camping glacier sleeping bag and it kept me warm and dry when I did that trip to clements the other weekend and woke up to find water on my sleeping bag after moisture came through the tent when it fell down on top of me (thanks to a very rude jap walking around the campsite during the night)

Hmm I've even been caught out with a crappy sleeping bag, just staying the night in a woolshed for an orienteering event! Another thing is that if you have a half-decent sleeping bag that works well for summer through to the beginning of winter, investing in a sleeping bag liner is a brilliant idea to make it last better in huts and that in winter, until you get up to the point where you need a better one to withstand temperatures down to -20/-30 degrees etc.... a good $80+ liner, none of those cheap as ones designed for backpacking/staying in hostels! Not quite the price of a truly decent sleeping bag but until you save $600+ for a bag, a liner is a great investment
When caught out and really desperate, wrapping a survival blanket on the outside of the bag = keeps out wind chill/drafts/dew.

Originally Posted by Aly

Not quite the price of a truly decent sleeping bag but until you save $600+ for a bag, a liner is a great investment
When caught out and really desperate, wrapping a survival blanket on the outside of the bag = keeps out wind chill/drafts/dew.

Keep an eye out for MacPac sales, I picked up a $950 bag for $450 - its one of their top of range