Free: Contests & Raffles.
Ive got a brand new eureka below freezing mummy bag Im never gonna use, I bought it and realisticly never used it, then when I did, it was slightly claustrophobic but man it kept me warm by myself.
Washington IMO is a hammock paradise, Really unless your housing your friends everyone should be rocking a duel layer hammock, bug net, and rain fly. Takes 1/3 time to assemble.So...Way faster to assemble in a rain storm, way higher resilience to wind, dryer, safer, warmer "unless your rockin a stove".
Quilts are amazing if you learn how to use them. Very versatile piece but they are gonna be drafty so if it's real cold, you gotta strap em down to eliminate the issue. Also need a beanie if its cold as they dont have hood. I also recommend bumping up the temp rating on a quilt. Instead of a 30 go 15. Instead of a 20 run a 0. I went with a zero degree quilt from EE. I've used it to single digits. Zero seems excessive but the beauty of a quilt is if its warm out you can throw it back, kick a leg out, etc to regulate temp. Mine weighs 20oz so even if it only got me down to 20-25 degrees it's still much lighter and compact than most any 20 degree mummy bag and is mine thousand times more enjoyable to sleep in.
So I plan on trying a high hunt in 2019 or 2020 and I’m slowly buying gear I may need. I’m a new hunter and have only been hunting 3 years so I am slowly building my gear list up. I want to do a 4 day high hunt. Important gear I know I need:Tent/ tarpSleeping bag (used a $15 Walmart bag for elk hunting this year with 3 other blankets so I learned my lesson ) Sleeping pad Trekking poles Pillow Water filtration device StovePortable charger If anyone can recommend any brands to me that would be great. Not looking to buy a $600 tent or sleeping bag. Looking at about $200 max for a bag and $200-$300 for a tent. Would like to keep costs low but I do really hate buying low quality and wasting money.
Quote from: Ajj828 on December 31, 2018, 08:16:46 PM I was worried about it popping and wanted a place with a good return policy. Then they quickly changed their return policy...Sorry to do this, but it really gets to me when it's assumed that mats just "pop". So I'd like to debunk the myth of "popping mats".Mats don't just pop, just like your bike tires, or truck tires don't just randomly blow up while sitting in your drive way. A mat gets punctured from the ground it's put on, debris in the tent, etc., just like when you unfortunately drive over a nail on the freeway. A mat that leaks CAN be repaired easily either in the field (if you know where the puncture is) or when you return home by contacting the mat's manufacturer. We have a full mat repair facility at our Tacoma office for our sleeping mats and can turn them around in as little as 48-72 hours if necessary. Yes, there are sometimes factors that aren't a puncture that might cause the leak, but it's still preferred to contact the manufacturer to discuss the repair and/or warranty.
I was worried about it popping and wanted a place with a good return policy. Then they quickly changed their return policy...
Quote from: HikerHunter on January 16, 2019, 08:50:14 AMQuote from: Ajj828 on December 31, 2018, 08:16:46 PM I was worried about it popping and wanted a place with a good return policy. Then they quickly changed their return policy...Sorry to do this, but it really gets to me when it's assumed that mats just "pop". So I'd like to debunk the myth of "popping mats".Mats don't just pop, just like your bike tires, or truck tires don't just randomly blow up while sitting in your drive way. A mat gets punctured from the ground it's put on, debris in the tent, etc., just like when you unfortunately drive over a nail on the freeway. A mat that leaks CAN be repaired easily either in the field (if you know where the puncture is) or when you return home by contacting the mat's manufacturer. We have a full mat repair facility at our Tacoma office for our sleeping mats and can turn them around in as little as 48-72 hours if necessary. Yes, there are sometimes factors that aren't a puncture that might cause the leak, but it's still preferred to contact the manufacturer to discuss the repair and/or warranty. while I've never used an EXPED, ive had to warranty several pads for slow seam or valve leaks over the years. Never an issue getting them warrantied for stuff like that. Popped my fair share as well if you hunt hard and use your gear there is no such thing as the "last me a lifetime" piece of gear. Failures happen. Know how to patch your pad WHEN you pop it. Carry tenacious tape. Itll fix most pad punctures, clothing tears, or holes in your sleeping bag. Nothing worse than waking up to a tent that looks like you murdered a flock of geese in
Quote from: HikerHunter on January 16, 2019, 08:50:14 AMQuote from: Ajj828 on December 31, 2018, 08:16:46 PM I was worried about it popping and wanted a place with a good return policy. Then they quickly changed their return policy...Sorry to do this, but it really gets to me when it's assumed that mats just "pop". So I'd like to debunk the myth of "popping mats".Mats don't just pop, just like your bike tires, or truck tires don't just randomly blow up while sitting in your drive way. A mat gets punctured from the ground it's put on, debris in the tent, etc., just like when you unfortunately drive over a nail on the freeway. A mat that leaks CAN be repaired easily either in the field (if you know where the puncture is) or when you return home by contacting the mat's manufacturer. We have a full mat repair facility at our Tacoma office for our sleeping mats and can turn them around in as little as 48-72 hours if necessary. Yes, there are sometimes factors that aren't a puncture that might cause the leak, but it's still preferred to contact the manufacturer to discuss the repair and/or warranty.That’s funny, I didn’t like the word “popping” either when I typed it, but couldn’t think of a better one at the time. “Puncture” would be a better word, but it any case, no matter how well you try to clear your tent area, you might miss something, especially in the dark. Or even rubbing against something in your park for a few hours could do it. Lightweight materials don’t last forever, it’s a matter of time before you get a “puncture”.Okay, back to the thread!
