samburstalker Posted March 9, 2017 Report Share Posted March 9, 2017 I take a smallish lithium battery, 240v can inverter and electric blanket on the backpack hunts in winter. got to sleep comfortable 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Duncs Posted March 10, 2017 Report Share Posted March 10, 2017 Get as much good advice as you can then sort through it and decide what you think will work for you and what won't. For your trips, start out "adventurous" but safe and work up from there. That'll give you time to get used to the gear and also understand your own limits and preferences. Decide if you want a fun time or a challenging time or a hard time or a combination of all and design your trips around that. Make sure that "fun" makes a big part of it Don't overthink it! And finally, tell us your stories when you get home!! 4 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verminator Posted March 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2017 Cheers duncs ! I appreciate your input and advice. Trust me you wont be able to shut me up once i start getting out there haha On that note i went bag shopping today and ended up coming home with a blackwolf 75lite Mckinley bag, it had all the fruit you fellas were talking about including an adjustable harness. Once again thanks everyone 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verminator Posted March 11, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 11, 2017 On Monday, March 06, 2017 at 8:39 PM, samburstalker said: I've got the black wolf sierra 85l. It's a great bag, fits more beer, sleeping bag depends on the season, tent a two man, that's room for you and gear check out "snowy's" online, great shop and anaconda beat snowy's on price by 10%, so some home work before hand can save a few dollars Hopefully one day we cross paths out there samburstalker i owe you a beer i reckon ! Anaconda had the bag on the shelf for $270 and price matched snowys $174. So thank you for that great site 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthemark Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 On 3/7/2017 at 3:15 PM, Happy Jack said: I looked at the Mantis but it's not a good wind resistant design no matter what BS they say on the sight . It is low but straight sided and nearly flat on the roof . I don't like it for high country camping it's too small and cramped . I would stay with the dome shape as it presents a similar profile and resistance in all directions got some room and would resist a bit of snow also . Mantis only has one entry and vestibule and would be a nightmare if caught in rain for several days . For the sake of a kilo you give up lots of comfort . Once you get down to these coffin tents you may as well just carry a big lightweight tent fly . I bought the Black wolf Mantis UL 2, It has two entries and vestibules, adding to that it has loads of room inside, I'm only 173 cm and had plenty of room above my head and below my feet. There is no straight sides and I'm unsure as to where you see the nearly flat roof, plenty of pitch for run off. Granted the UL 1 only has a single door and vestibule and may be smaller.. but the UL 2 has good reviews from many, and not just online, I was recommended this tent by a couple of friends who are avid hikers. I messed around in rays with one they had setup.. then bought one home and set it up again (they price matched snowy's for anyone that's keen). Plenty of room for the pack, rifle and boots in one vestibule and then adequate room to cook on the other side if getting smashed by rain for hours/days. 1kg thats not there is 1 kg less that I have to carry.. it all adds up in the end mate. like the straw that broke the camels back. Having been the new guy that packed without paying much attention to individual item weights, then actually grounded a deer and tried to harvest as much meat as i could from it, I've learnt the hard way that keeping weight down is key. I'm currently reviewing my pack contents and have a lengthy list of each item and its individual weight. At the moment it sits at 21.6 kg with everything accounted for except my sleeping mat which I'm yet to purchase..that is with rifle, food & water included also. enough for 3 days. I will make a thread once I have everything complete. 2 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Adios Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 (edited) edit Edited April 3, 2017 by Jack Jolly 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verminator Posted March 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 Sounds like a good tent onthemark thats what i was looking for, something with adequate room to enter/exit on either side so i could escape the rain. Im looking forward to reading your review !! How do you find the tent to setup ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDTV Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 (edited) hey Wild earth have the vango soulds for $107 on special.... heck, an its green not bright blue like mine LOL that mantis 2 looks micky mouse though! Edited March 14, 2017 by whelanlad Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDTV Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 (edited) On 11/03/2017 at 2:19 PM, verminator said: Cheers duncs ! I appreciate your input and advice. Trust me you wont be able to shut me up once i start getting out there haha On that note i went bag shopping today and ended up coming home with a blackwolf 75lite Mckinley bag, it had all the fruit you fellas were talking about including an adjustable harness. Once again thanks everyone Nice Bag, should fit well for say up to 3 days, then maybe starting to cram stuff in, let us know how you go fillin it the adjustable harness, is good so spend some time getting that adjusted right, i thought i had mine ok until the walk in, i think the walk out was much better as id shortened the back length another loop. WL Edited March 14, 2017 by whelanlad 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthemark Posted March 14, 2017 Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 2 hours ago, verminator said: How do you find the tent to setup ? Very easy mate, took me about 5 mins at first. But I reckon I could do it in three now that I have done it once. Only has two poles, one long one which is red and the shorter one which is black. Slide em through the colour coded loops on the tent, wack 4 pegs in at a minimum and your done! Quite simple. Obviously you could spend longer setting it up with all the ropes etc but depends on the weather I guess. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verminator Posted March 14, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 14, 2017 Yeah ill defiantly keep you posted WL on how i go once i get everything in piece by piece ! Yeah the adjustable harness on this one and how easy it was really sold it for me. Ive done a shitload of research in order to get the right stuff the first time. Currently got my eye on a sea to summit mat and still in the process of saving for a sleeping bag, gee they are expensive haha Cheer onthemark sounds like a great setup ! 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthemark Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 No probs mate. I sussed out WL's mat, exped synmat 7 LW if i remember right. looked the goods and the intergrated pump was a cool feature! I am yet to buy one but its going to happen soon..On the sleeping bag front I run the denali defender hooded bag for warmer weather, its rated at -2..and can be had from anaconda for 90 bux atm. For the colder stuff I have the kathmandu Polaris XT bag which is rated to -16 comfort or -38 extreme. it is costly at 8 green ones but can be had for 500 if your a member. Even better if you know someone who works there get them to hook you up with a family discount coupon.. then go nuts. I've learnt the hard way like I said before so learn from my mistakes mate.. the poor man pays twice. 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDTV Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 (edited) Exped 9 brus.. dees knees or thr duckz nutz ...can be a taad bulky maybe compared to some ultra light ones.. mines a LW/ longer wider job to fit all of me on Edited March 15, 2017 by whelanlad 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Onthemark Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 My Bad!! Exped 9 it is LW is prob the go for comfiest night sleep without falling of the thing 1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verminator Posted March 15, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 Yeah ive learnt the hard way that the poor man pays twice haha so id rather take a bit longer getting setup and get quality. Ill suss out the bags ! Whats a exped9 worth ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gafloss Posted March 15, 2017 Report Share Posted March 15, 2017 13 hours ago, Onthemark said: My Bad!! Exped 9 it is LW is prob the go for comfiest night sleep without falling of the thing Got one of those - good bit of kit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verminator Posted March 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 20 hours ago, whelanlad said: Exped 9 brus.. dees knees or thr duckz nutz ...can be a taad bulky maybe compared to some ultra light ones.. mines a LW/ longer wider job to fit all of me on Hey WL is your exped 9 the syn mat or down mat ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
HDTV Posted March 16, 2017 Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 2 hours ago, verminator said: Hey WL is your exped 9 the syn mat or down mat ? only the Syn mat, due to I think the price difference, a shop at the time online had them delivered for like $199 , so word was out they were a goer. jumped on it. WL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
verminator Posted March 16, 2017 Author Report Share Posted March 16, 2017 Ripper ! Cheers mate Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lightweight Posted March 18, 2017 Report Share Posted March 18, 2017 To elaborate on WL's comment there isn't much between the synmat and downmat. I have a downmat and a mate couldn't get one at the time, so he went with the synmat. As far as we can tell the only difference is the synmat just doesn't pack down as tight as the downmat. They are both very comparable in the same model (we have the sevens). My main hunting buddy has the downmat 9 and we give him heaps for being a glamper , but jeez it looks comfy. Keep in mind the 9 won't fit in pretty much any reaosnably priced bivvy bag on the market, but the 7 will fit perfectly into an army issue goretex bag. My only advice is to have a tent for winter when you know there is going to be rain and have another setup for warmer weather consisting of a tarp and ground sheet. There is nothing like laying under the stars in the mountains. If the weather comes in a decent tarp and ground sheet can be rigged up as well as a tent, i.e plough blade style into weather. Tents take up the most room in your pack, whereas a grabber blanket, decent lightweight tarp & some parachord fold up flat and weigh next to nothing. I haven't used my tent in about 4 years since moving to a tarp with a sheet or bivvy setup and that includes a few nights in snow and plenty of feral weather. 5 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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