Tent + sleeping bag question

[federete]

Thank you very much, everyone! Much appreciated.


I think I'll go for the arrow head or the aspect 1 (not planning on using walking poles). The Vango Nyx 2  also looks nice, but is a bit heavier.


It seems my choice of sleeping bag is ok.


My plan is to go wild-camping and backpacking. Relaxed, because am not very fit. Bed and breakfasts in the route can be a backup.


May I ask something else? Should I invest in a good backpack like the Deuter Aircontact Lite 65+10 Rucks (~ £140) or could I do with NACATIN Trekking Rucksack (£37 on amazon)?


Thanks again!

[richardh1905]

Not sure that I would choose the Aspect 1 for true 4 season use, Federico. A bit steep sided and flat topped, and the poles have no side guylines to brace them. My daughter likes her Aspect 3, but she is mostly a summer camper. The Arrowhead is altogether a tougher tent, in my opinion, but at the expense of less headroom. A solid choice for wild camping.

As for rucksacks - alongside boots, they are one piece of equipment that I would always try on first. What is comfortable for one person may not be for another. Do look for a good padded hip belt to take the bulk of the weight on your hips rather than shoulders, but otherwise no need to spend a lot. 65 litres (without the 10) would be more than enough capacity.

[gunwharfman]

I did have problems with my Marmot's poles, two were broken (already curved to a specific angle) by kids when I was on a campsite and I then had tremendous problems trying to get replacements. Marmot UK couldn't help and neither could/would Marmot USA either. In the end, by searching on the internet, I managed to get two straight poles from Germany and then bought a handheld pipe bender, filled the tubes with sand, and then bent them to the correct position. My tent doesn't leak, I think the outer cover has now stretched, (it now flaps a bit) if I had the inclination I would try to get some new straps to secure the outer to the inner. The inside however is still as good as the day I bought it.

[federete]

Thank you Richard. I then may order the cheap one (Nacatin) and try it. Amazon is always open to returns. Happy to save some bucks here.
I have some good boots (Salomon), they are 20 years old but I haven't used them much, it's the only thing I have :-)

[richardh1905]

Hmm - not sure that I like the look of some of the Nacatin reviews, to be honest.

[Birdman]

You worry about your tent, but you mention nothing about your sleeping pad. Sleeping pad is the most important for keeping warm because you lose most heat via the ground.

[Birdman]

May I ask something else? Should I invest in a good backpack like the Deuter Aircontact Lite 65+10 Rucks (~ £140) or could I do with NACATIN Trekking Rucksack (£37 on amazon)?

I don't know the NACATIN so it may be alright, but you are comparing a cheap rucksack with an A-brand (Deuter). If you can afford it, go for the A-brand. I don't have experience with Deuter, but A-brand rucksacks are usually higher quality and they are generous with their warranty. I have an Osprey (Aether 70) myself and I have trekked 5000+ miles with it, carrying heavy loads, plus lots of "normal" travelling and my pack has been repaired 3 times by Osprey, free of charge! Even though it was normal wear and tear. Their support is just amazing! It was an expensive purchase, but I'm on balance cheaper off  (I would have had to buy a new one several times if I had bought a lesser quality one) and had the extra enjoyment of using a quality product. It is also good if you can trust your rucksack not to fail in the middle of your adventure!


I also agree with Richard that boots and rucksack are things you should definitely try on before you buy. And not only that. Make sure that you adjust your backpack properly and experiment a bit with packing it at home. The proper weight distribution can make a big difference in how comfortable you can carry it. Do a test walk in the local park with your fully packed rucksack to find out and experiment. It is nice to start your adventure with everything properly tuned.

[gunwharfman]

I'm quite surprised when I go to Decathlon how many people buy a rucksack and secure the hip belt around their waist! They walk out believing that it fits properly, (Decathlon is just a 'supermarket') whereas up the road in SnowandRock you would get personal attention to advise you otherwise.

Since replying to the originator of this subject with the suggestion to look at a Comforter its renewed my interest in one. Until I looked today I didn't realise how big they actually are, bigger in fact than my quilt indoors. Although I've had my sleeping quilt for a number of years I can easily see myself living without a foot box. My quilts only drawback is when it's hot at night my feet can become just too hot! The down filling is concentrated there, but its ideal in the colder months.

[federete]

Oh dear, reading this I realise I have no idea how to use a rucksack, aren't you supposed to secure the hip belt around their waist?
I will look for some tutorial. I understand that some rucksack may distribute better the weight, and alleviate your shoulders and back, and that some are more durable, better quality.


I'll document a bit more and order one and make some tests at home. Thanks for all the advice!


Regarding the sleeping pad/mat am planning on getting one. What am not so sure about is if I need to get that mat that you install behind the tent. Is that very important or just to protect the tent?

[Birdman]

My quilts only drawback is when it's hot at night my feet can become just too hot! The down filling is concentrated there, but its ideal in the colder months.

I'm using the same down sleeping bag for all my adventures and it is a quite warm one (-6C comfort temperature). Often I'm passing through both hot areas and cold areas and I can take only one sleeping bag, so it has to be a warm one. What really helps is that it has a 2-way zip. I can zip the foot-end open when it is warm (even sleep with my feet outside). I also combine it with a silk liner, which I can use to sleep in when it is really hot. And it keeps my sleeping bag clean and adds a little bit extra warmth on cold nights. I find it an incredibly flexible sleeping system that has served me well on many adventures.

[richardh1905]

Oh dear, reading this I realise I have no idea how to use a rucksack, aren't you supposed to secure the hip belt around their waist?
I will look for some tutorial. I understand that some rucksack may distribute better the weight, and alleviate your shoulders and back, and that some are more durable, better quality.


I'll document a bit more and order one and make some tests at home. Thanks for all the advice!


Regarding the sleeping pad/mat am planning on getting one. What am not so sure about is if I need to get that mat that you install behind the tent. Is that very important or just to protect the tent?

You need to make sure that the hip belt sits on you pelvis, rather than just around the waist at its narrowest point; lower, in other words. Then a lot of the weight can be transferred directly to the pelvis, less on your shoulders! Makes a BIG difference, believe me!


As for mats, an insulated one is recommended for 4 seasons use. Cheapest, lightest and toughest are those closed cell foam mats, but being only a centimetre thick they are not the most comfortable. You can get insulated inflatable mats, but good light ones tend to be pricey. Keep an eye on the weight - some of the cheaper ones can be heavy! Uninsulated inflatables will not insulate you from the ground very well, although are fine for 3 season use.


Your sleeping mat goes between the sleeping bag and the groundsheet. Some people buy a tent 'footprint' that goes under the groundsheet, solely to protect the groundsheet from sharp stones etc. I have never bothered with one, waste of money for the sort of wild camping pitch that I choose (grassy), and extra weight to carry.

[gunwharfman]

My footprint is so useful, very lightweight as well! I can erect my tent directly onto the footprint and I can then pick up the whole unit and move it to the exact spot where I want it to be. Sometimes I've managed to stop in heavy rain and have found a lean-to, a shed or a barn and have fully erected my tent in the dry and once done I've just carried it to where I will sleep for the night, I carried it for about 200yds once when on the Pennine Way. in 2019 for example, just south of Tunbridge Wells near Bewl Water I erected my tent in the sites social centre, I had to move a couple of armchairs to give me more floor space first, (the caravaners were amused by my antics) but once it was all done (the rain by now was pounding down) so I just threw my rucksack into the tent and ran and dragged the whole thing (like a sledge) across the wet grass to the campers pitch area. I then just dived in and finished unpacking my clothing bedding, mattress etc inside the tent. I bashed in four pegs later when the rain eased a little. I didn't realise that I could do this with my tent when I first bought it, but it's so much better knowing now that I can almost always get into a dry one.

[Birdman]

Yes, a footprint the size of your tent is very convenient for positioning your tent. Move the footprint around until it looks flat(ish) and if the ground is rough, lie down on it to test before pitching the tent.

In the past, I never used a footprint when backpacking. My reasoning was that it defeated the point of an expensive lightweight tent. You might as well buy a cheap heavier tent and throw it away when the groundsheet is thrashed, was my reasoning at the time.

However, I changed my mind after my trek in Arizona. Before I had always camped on not very rough ground in Sweden, Patagonia (established campsites) and Scotland and never had issues. But in Arizona I often had very rough ground with sharp stones and all kinds of prickly things (like spikes from decayed cacti etc) piercing through my groundsheet. This endangered my inflatable mattress too! I got away without catastrophic leaks but it is not something I want to repeat. It also made many leaks in the groundsheet of my tent (but I repaired most of it with dots of silicone afterwards).

Anyway, I now use a tyvek groundsheet (145 grams) that is also very convenient to sit on during lunchbreaks when the ground is wet.

[federete]

Arrow head and footprint ordered :-)


Going back to the sleeping bag, I understand the one I suggested is good (Hyke & Byke Snowmass -15 Degree C Down). But it is so expensive! 165 pounds... Could I go for something cheaper and not freeze in the Highlands (March, hopefully)? What about Vango Nitestar 450 Sleeping Bag (40 pounds)?


Many thanks for the help

[weston.front]

What about Vango Nitestar 450 Sleeping Bag (40 pounds)?


Many thanks for the help

For the Highlands in March you'll want a sleeping back whose _comfort rating_ is -5 C (or below).  The Vango bag you mention fits that bill, but it's 2.3 kg in weight.  If you are OK with that then my experience of synthetic Vango summer bags has been good.  But do bear in mind that a -5 C rated down bag might only weigh 1-1.2 kg which is quite a difference, the volume of the down bag once packed will be much smaller too. Reach out to others as to who offers good value mid range down bags.  As others have said, as important as this is a mat which will insulate you from the ground and offer comfort.  You'd ideally have a mat whose R rating is around 3-4.  Take a look at what Alpkit offer as they tend to be good value for money.