Thread: School me on Swags

I've spent a ton of nights in my swag over the last 35 years. Both under the stars on a good day, inside depending where Im staying and on the back of my ute. A very basic swag no flyscreen etc.
We had a Double swag, best quality but no FG flyscreen etc. We sold it. If I take the wife bush we can use 2 singles.
At times the swag/s have been inside a tent. Even recently as I have a sleep apnea machine.
I've camped I'mn my sway and woken up in a heavy rain with water laying around. Hardly rains here.
A cheap swag will have a cheap mattress. I brought cheap enclosed swags for my kids from Rays Tent city years ago. I later brought high density foam from an upholsterer for more comfort.
If the little bloke is going to stay in camp start with single swags.
If you camp away from the vehicle swags will be no good for hiking.

My basic swag has served me well and has miles and years on it.

I'm not familiar with NZ weather except what I've learned online. Working on going over asap.

I think I'm overdue to go camping too.

Don't discount the idea of a camp stretcher etc.

I don't know if NZ has the cyclone Shearer's beds but they are great as a base.

Originally Posted by NewbieZAR

Looking at the comments above i wonder if i wont be better off buying the tent (sides) for my utes awning and a couple stretchers for camping by the ute.

A lot of it comes down to personal preference. Believe me I’ve tried pretty much every configuration on the market at some point or other, either our own or other peoples. I still have the Eezi-Awn rooftop tent that we bought in Johannesburg in 1994 - for Africa that was unbeatable. I’ve bought and then sold a couple of configurations because they just didn’t work despite looking like a good idea at the time.

Other than the rooftop tent, the one aspect of this mode of travel that I wouldn’t do again is to attach my sleeping arrangement to my vehicle. Absolute 100% no chance. Tried the awning option - total pain in the arse. It removes the ability to use the vehicle separately to your sleeping arrangements, which simply doesn’t work - you might think you won’t need to use your vehicle but then the reason will present itself and you will be irritated! (We got so good with the rooftop tent we could put it up and take it down in literally a minute or two.)

The other thing I would mention when we are comparing our stories from Australia to the reality of New Zealand is of course the difference in the weather. Here in New Zealand you absolutely must be able to seal yourself into a waterproof sleeping arrangement that doesn’t go flap flap flap in the wind. If you don’t have this then I can guarantee you will be sleeping in your truck in no time. A lot of the lightweight Australian options are very good for their prevailing conditions - perfect for long dry outback months for example - but absolutely useless here in the mud and horizontal rain.

For one or maybe two people, just sleep in the truck. If you have too much gear, put that in a cheap tent. Large SUV style vehicles with fold flat seats are obviously better suited to this than utes. That's what I do anyway.

Hi, one thing to also consider is if camping in a camp ground you probably want some space/height and privacy to get changed, and if in South Island insect mesh helps, so something like the Argali type pyramid tents looking pretty versatile, height adjustable to use only as a fly with army surplus bivvy bag for sideways rain or cold wind or used with fly for kitchen, got mesh for sandflies and height to change or get dressed, do not weigh much so car or hunt/hike.