TheLostGlobe

It looks like we may not get to do our trip around [tag]Tasmania[/tag] as planned. We can’t find anyone to look after the dog so if we can’t we’ll just be going up to my sisters for chistmas and then after we come back we’ll go to [tag]Wineglass Bay[/tag], we should be able to leave the dog with my girlfriends parents then. I my tent was delivered yesterday, I set it up in the lounge room to check it out, pretty happy with it, heavier and bigger packed than I expected but I’m sure I can do something about that.

I’ve been thinking about what other gear I need to buy most importantly a [tag]Sleeping Bag[/tag], [tag]Boots[/tag], [tag]Backpack[/tag] and Shell clothing. I may end up getting a sleeping bag from the U.S like my tent, in that case it will be probably eigther a [tag]REI[/tag] or Mountain Hardware bag, if I get it in [tag]Australia[/tag] I’m leaning towards a Mont Telemark. I want a good quality bag and I don’t want to be cold in it and that is the hardest part, finding min temperatures for the places I want to go to and matching a bag to it, not really as easy as it sounds mostly because sleeping bag ratings have no industry standard for the rated temps and they’re not really widely reviewed. So I’m thinking a bag rated to -20c but I’m not 100% sure if that will be warm enough or if it’s overkill. Maybe someone can help me here, I’d like to do some hiking in snow but I’m not planning to be out in any blizzard type weather. [tag]Kilimanjaro[/tag] summit, [tag]Annapurna trail[/tag], [tag]Overland Track[/tag], [tag]Lauterbrunnen[/tag] Valley area are some examples of some areas I would like to go to where it could get cold. I want something that will be warm in those places.

Boots will probably be Scarpa, Garmont, Salomon or Raichle. As long as the are good for snow and heavy mud and can take crampons. Although I don’t want to give the impression of hardcore snow [tag]trekking[/tag], if I end up doing anything like that I’ll probably hire, if I can.

Backpack is easy like I said before I’ve narrowed it down to two both Osprey, it’ll just depend on what price I can get the better one at.

I’d found a nice semi softshell jacket on sale at one of the local stores nice colour too, unfortunately they didn’t have it in my size, I went back on the weekend to try the other sizes on and see if they would be ok but they were gone. I got my sister to see if they had it at the store in her town but they didn’t even worse they still have the same type of jacket in the store but the RRP has increased $50 and the colours for this years line a just terrible and awful blue or standard black, I dunno maybe. Pants, once again good for mud and snow and reasonable breathable.

There are still quite a few other things beyond that but these are the things I really want to get right. One thing is for sure I’m going to be spending quite a bit more than what I was hoping to spend on gear. I must thank www.hiddencanyoncampingsupply.com for my tent, great service and great price.

Popularity: 21% [?]