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Thread: Camping setup

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Oct 2010
    Posts
    1,213

    Camping setup

    (Search function is broken, and I went about 10 pages deep trying to find something, so apologies if this is already covered)
    I'm looking at buying a winter camping setup. Currently my main intentions would be to use it in good/fair weather, predominately in the alpine. How essential is a 4 season tent for something like this? I'm concerned with buying a 4 season tent that gets used on 2-3 trips on a good year as opposed to a good 3 season one that I can use all year on summer hiking/biking trips.

    And then sleeping bags. I am looking at the mec talon 10 and something like this for the pad. It's got a 5.7 r value so should be great for winter.

    Would be interested to hear other peoples setups and how they have worked

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Jan 2008
    Location
    BC to CO
    Posts
    5,112
    4 season tent
    sleeping bags
    The search function here sucks, use The Google and Make Searching Great Again

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Mar 2011
    Location
    North,NorthEast
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    3,717
    Quote Originally Posted by Dee Hubbs View Post
    , use The Google and Make Searching Great Again
    Polyass?

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Nov 2004
    Location
    Zigzag, Oregon
    Posts
    727
    2-3 trips a year sounds like it's worth it getting a decent 4 season tent. The alpine is no place to fuck around with sub par equipment. I invested in a bibler ahwahnee a few seasons ago. It's heavy, but warmer, handles wind and snow loads far better, which makes for a safer home in the snow and alpine.

    As for sleeping pad, yah that's a fine pad. Get a closed foam pad to go with it. I use some xped model with a similar r value and a simple cascade design z rest foam pad. Improved warmth, protection/insurance and easy to use foam around camp for beers cooking and socializing.

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Jan 2009
    Location
    Squaw valley
    Posts
    4,975
    I have a hilleberg, great tent fit the winter or summer, but expensive and heavy.

    I bought a tarptent stratospire, 2 1/2 lbs, solid in the wind, quick to setup, like the hilleberg.

    It's my new 4 season tent. I would only take the hilleberg for Alaska type weather.

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Sweden
    Posts
    253
    I use a Thermarest NeoAir All Season pad with R 5.7, work perfect directly on snow and yet light enough for summer use. Highly recommended!

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2007
    Location
    Eburg
    Posts
    13,239
    Exped vs. NeoAir is personal preference. Try before you buy. I very much prefer Exped baffle orientation cuz I roll off the NeoAir. Exped Downmat Winterlite (R 7.0) leads the field for lightweight winter pads. Exped Synmat Winterlite (R 4.9 or better) weighs a bit less and IMO is a better 4-season pad. My Synmat Winterlite came with a R = 5.9 tag per individual test. I dunno if each pad is individually tested.

    If you carry a closed-cell foam pad to supplement (recommended), place it on top of the Exped or NeoAir when on snow or frozen ground. It'll boost your R value by +1.0 or more.

    3- and 4- season tent is a continuum, sometimes arbitrary. Focus on stormworthiness and ability to hold a snow load.

    Get a vapor barrier for your sleeping bag and learn how to use it.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Whistler, BC
    Posts
    1,526
    I'm presuming you are looking at 2/3 day traverses that we have round here over base camp stuff?

    If so BD do some well priced winter tents such as the firstlight and highlight, but they are not great summer tents (not 100% waterproof and not great venting.

    If wanting to set up base camps thy could be set up for sleeping and have a pyramid cook tent (I have a oware 8x8).

    The pyramid alone would also be a good option for shorter traverses when you can access a good weather forecast. They are super versatile and modular, slept under mine last night on a groundsheet in the pouring rain and kept perfectly dry. Have a Bear Paw designs 1/2 net inner for summer buggy times and with our lass. 800g, with room for 4 (tight fit) vents well in summer, can be pitched with poles, hung from a tree, buried edges with snow for more storm proof pitch. Love it. Only downside is not 110% winter proper storm proof and not free standing. The latter is solved by the purchase of 4 massive nail stakes at wall mart for car camping on hard ground.

    If you are looking for more livability and true 4 season performance you need to look at a double wall mountain tent hillaberg, NF VE25, Terra Nova quasar etc. Expensive but bomber. Great for car camping too. Good for quickly pitching inner only on summer road trips.

    Pads I have a neo all season and can pair it with a 3/4 foM for extra warmth. A good year round solution imo.

    Sleeping bag, hard to find good quality synthetic that are light but if you can they would be good for here, especially if you go the single wall route.

    If you go single wall and down get a real light sleeping bag cover like rab survival zone. Doesn't have to be fully gore Tex or anything. Could argue that the sleeping bag cover is only needed in longer trips. Doesn't matter on one day trips.

    Don't know much about vapour barriers except they, like the bag covers, are less needed on shorter trip.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Mar 2006
    Location
    Whistler, BC
    Posts
    1,526
    And that bag looks good, 700ish grams of 800 should be good around -12ish. Also like the pertex endurance foot and head. Good addition.

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