In future months I will be sleeping out on a few nights when I head off from New Norfolk towards Lake St Clair trudging beside the Derwent River. In the past few days I have outlaid outlandish sums of money when I purchased the lightest sleeping bag and tent. Collectively they weigh 1.99kg. We all have our priorities and mine is clearly to walk to Lake St Clair with the minimum of discomfort. For others who might follow in my footsteps and expect to seek the lightest gear, as an example here is what I bought.
- The tent, a Marmot Force 1P, has a bright lime green shell supported by slim ‘Featherlite’ steel rods. In this one person tent I will be able to sit up (head zone is 91cm high), load the contents of my backpack at my feet (length less than 2 metres), and sit my backpack outside in the triangular vestibule. It has a full coverage fly. The documentation with the tent indicates the package weighs 1.06kg.
Yes this is the tent set up in the comfort of my loungeroom! It was a trial installation; first the tent and then the fly.
- The sleeping bag is a Mountain Design Ultra Tek 470 with a black 20 Denier shell, a vivacious orange coloured zip defining one edge and the inside of the bag is aflame with more brilliant orange fabric. Pertex Quantum is the windproof fabric used to reduce the weight without sacrificing strength and abrasion resistance. IApparently the fabric’s softness allows insulation in the sleeping bag to have more loft. A special feature is the water repellence of the 750 Duck Down Tek fill. The sleeping bag, including the stuff sack, weighs a mere 0.93kg.
Sleeping bags are temperature rated in 3 different measurements:
- Comfort (C) is based on a standard adult woman having a comfortable night’s sleep
- Limit (L) is based on the lowest temperature at which a standard adult male is deemed to be able to have a comfortable night’s sleep
- Extreme (E) is a survival only rating for a standard adult woman
The temperature rating guide for my sleeping bag is C=1, L = -4, and E = -21 degrees.
I still need to obtain one further comfort item; an inflatable mattress which weighs next to nothing. More research required.
Walking the Derwent River 
Good practice if you set it up outside and sleep in it overnight … especially tomorrow night!
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As if I will set it up in minus temperatures and amidst a snowfall! I don’t think so. But I do plan to sleep out in my garden and at my sisters in the middle of Tassie later on when it warms up.
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There is a lot of cash outlay for quality camping gear, but it pays off in the end, particularly when there is no equipment failures on the trail. The single person tent, similar to yours, I will use 4 or 5 days a year on a solo. It is 20 years old, and still is serving me well.
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Thanks for that assurance. I can’t imagine the tent will get much use but I know I need to travel light and there is no other way. But I am already beginning to imagine new projects once I have walked the Derwent so I can’t guess how much use the tent will get. I wish that I could be out there walking now … soon hopefully. But today is a marvel – an environment in which I would never walk. I refer you to http://www.abc.net.au/news/2015-08-03/snow-across-tasmania-forces-many-key-road-closures/6666838. This is all rare stuff for Tasmania. Right now the mountain and low hills have disappeared under snow storms and sleet is hitting my suburban window. We all love the look of it and hate the feel of the low temperatures. I love to be warm so I would never cope with places that routinely are snow covered in winter.
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Wow, quite the pictures in the news article. It would be your winter now, but it is interesting you mention the snow is rare in Tasmania. We are enjoying the summer now in Canada, but I know it is short lived. Just about 3 more weeks until the weather cools a bit, and 3 more months until the 1st snows.
Hope the weather breaks, and you will be using your tent soon!
~Carl~
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I am being incredibly positive and planning to head off in two weeks time if not before. Tonight I plan to camp in my back yard … will be a good test. This morning there is a thick white frost over my garden, neighbourhood cars etc (but the sky is clear of any clouds and the sun has already lit up snow topped Mt Wellington – absolutely stunning). Fingers crossed my sleeping bag will do the job tonight!
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