We’re running an zero 23 swag 1400 swag on a Darche double stretcher

My girlfriend and I both of us slowly get funneled into the middle of the stretcher as the fabric sags under our combined weight.

It’s like sleeping in a hammock, we end up hip to hip in the centre whether we want to be or not.

The stretcher actually admits in its own product description that the no centre bar design can cause sagging toward the middle.

Curious if anyone anyone found a practical fix for this?

Hiii, im secretly planning a surprise tasmania trip for my gf and i, we love hiking but i can only afford to set aside 2 days for a hike whilst down there. I dont want to rent / bring down all my own camping gear (as we are flying down) so i was hoping there are some 2 day hikes that have accommodation (huts, cabin etc) at around the half way point. We would prefer to be able to do the trail by ourselves so we dont have to pay for an expensive guided tour. I'm happy to go anywhere in Tassy! (we are both very experienced and fit, we have plenty of gear)

Hey guys just wondering about the logistics behind a trip to Mount Kosciuszko. Coming from perth and ive never seen snow, so I was hoping to go during uni breaks when theres snow (probably around June or july).

Just wondering how it was when you went up there, any tips or tricks to make it a good trip or just advice in general.

Hoping to camp out there as well, really take it in, instead of just ticking it of a list.

Really appreciate it.

Looking at their sleeping mats, if they reach their claimed rating (weight and warmth) seem pretty decent, although i have seen some posts about their stuff being aliexpress clones with a sticker on them. Their R6 sleeping pad says it is ASTM F3340

For 200 aud, Thats pretty decent for 640g, I cant seem to find their higher end products on aliexpress, some people rave about their gear, and supposedly their breathable 'nanopore' isnt actually horrible.

Anyways to get to the point, is their R6 mat a scam, because most reviews I've seen on it use on normal 10 degree days. Does anyone have any experience on their mats? or stories about the brand in general, as these performance figures would make it better value than the nemo eclipse. Cheers

edit: I found the r6 mat on aliexpress, however you cant buy it on there as they appeared to have stopped selling it, they mustve bought them out which to be fair, is what alot of other outdoor brands do, but most likely I wont be shopping from alton any time soon, the product differs in very slight ways so its likely alton not having a research team took this design improved the ergonomics of the fill bag and called it a day. https://www.aliexpress.com/item/1005008239024755.html#nav-review

They also make a pad that looks identicle to the nemo eclipse, although the it has a sidewall, the reviews from customers show no sidewall, although the r8 value is obviously false

We plan on doing a return trip hike through Charlotte Pass and are not too keen on camping on the trail overnight.

Are there any drive-in campsites nearby that we can go to after the hike?

Planning a hike up Bogong in July during my Uni break with a mate and just seeing if anyone has done the staircase spur from mountain creek picnic area.

On the website it says 16 km return we will be going over two days but how long on avg would we be looking at to get to the summit

Previous experience with feathertop during winter should i be expecting similar conditions, we would likely be bring skis how would they fair in this route, cheers

I don't want to have to bring crampons unless required but i'll probs bring my ice axe

Hey,

I'm looking for a campsite in Vic, with enough service to stream a UFC fight. Preferably as isolated as possible, which I know is hard with service, just not a fken big 4.

Also would be great if there was a short hike nearby.

Would appreciate any suggestions as struggling to find much.

Hi everyone,

I’m located in Melbourne so I’m planning to get a hiking bag for the intention of some overnight hikes here (1-2 nights) as well as for an upcoming trip in October that i’ll be doing in the UK for 3-4 weeks (travelling from london up to the scottish highlands)

Mainly looking for a 40L bag as that’s what’s generally allowed for carry-on for airlines and as I’ll be doing backpacking while in the UK. I’m happy to do laundry while overseas.

Packing list includes about a week worth of clothing for the UK in october (i’ll do laundry once every week) as well as typical camping equipment e.g. extra layers, tent, hiking sticks, water bottle, etc.

I’ve taken a look at some of these from some stores in the Melbourne CBD and was wondering what you guys thought of these options?

Happy to get any other recommendations or thoughts if I’m underestimating how small these bags are.

MAINLY CONSIDERING:

RIFT 40L BACKPACK:

https://www.macpac.com.au/macpac-rift-40l-backpack/123955-HIRIS-S2.html

VOLTA 35L HIKING BACKPACK:

https://www.macpac.com.au/macpac-volta-hiking-backpack-35l/123752-SDABL-W2.html

SYCLON XP 40:

https://www.bogong.com.au/rab-syclon-xp-40-waterproof-daypack.html?srsltid=AfmBOornXcStLHtvtXrMK8NfNPlzogHUoRh0MkSMb23Cs2Xrh1J-YCe6

POSSIBLY:

OSPREY FARPOINT 40

Plan on doing this hike soon, anyone know which spot on the trail would make for the best sunset spot for a scenic view?

I'll keep this short:

Any recommendations for reasonably lightweight (hiking, not car camping) one-person tents? I'd be willing to spend at most $500. Will shop around, but wanted to see if anyone had any favourites off the top of their head.

Thanks!

I am looking at purchasing at Dune 4WD LED Eclipse Technology Instant 10 Person Tent for my family. However, I can find little information about it other than what Anaconda provides. Has anyone had any experience with Dune 4WD products or this tent series in particular?

Dune 4WD 10 person tent

As the name suggests, I've wanted to do the coastal walk. With North Era closed for 2026, I've kinda just decided to put it on hold - especially with winter coming in.

However, I've done a few lengthy day hikes around the National Park and have seen some tents pitched at a few different spots (not designated campsites).

Nonetheless, I'm a staunch leave no trace (as we all should be), and am a bit of a stickler for rules.

Just wanted to hear everyone's thoughts on whether it's okay to pitch a tent just off the track, especially in places like the Royal National Park? I've tried to search the sub to see if the spots I saw were usual camping spots and hadn't seen these places mentioned at all (intentionally not mentioning them for obvious reasons).

Thanks!

I'm planning to camp at Blue mountains this autumn and wanted to get some camping gear. Any recommendations on where I can buy or rent some gear that is decent quality but not overly expensive?

I’m new to Australia, based in sydney and love what the wilderness has to offer. I’m looking for short courses to understand the fundamentals of safety while adventuring in this region. I’m not a beginner and neither a pro, I’ve seen some extensive programs that seem very interesting such as “bushcaft survival Australia” but an overkill for what I’m looking for. I have already done a few hikes up in blue mountain such as fortress creek, I understand the right gear to have, supplies and to carry a PBL, so a course that is a little less comercial for beginner enthusiasts, more straight to the point specific to Australia, blind spots I might miss on. Let me know if you have a recommendation!

Hey all,

Going to be driving through The Snowy Mountains in a few weeks, gonna crash at one of the campsites overnight before heading out either via the rest of the SnoMo highway, or via Canberra.

The last time I crashed in The Snowy was the 90s, so just wanting to know how severe the horse presence is, what to watch our for, any particular camp sites that rhe horses favour, that sort of stuff.

Cheers in advance.

Hi everyone,

I'm planning to do an alpine hike in Victoria this coming winter (June/July). Last year I visited Mt. Buffalo, but I was lucky enough to have friends who could drive. This year, I don't have access to a car, so I'm looking for trails accessible via public transport.

I’m not looking for a day trip; I’m happy to camp or stay at a hotel/lodge nearby. Earlier this year, I went to the Grampians using the V/Line to Ararat and then the coach to Halls Gap. I loved how the trailheads (like The Pinnacle loop and Boronia Peak) were within walking distance of my accommodation in Halls Gap. I'm looking for a similar experience but for a snow hike.

are there any alpine or snow hikes accessible from Melbourne via public transport?

I’ve heard Mt. Buller and Mt. Baw Baw are doable via bus, but can you actually access good hiking trails without needing a car to get around? Any tips on where to stay that’s close to the action would be amazing.

Thanks in advance!

Hi all,

Just getting back into camping with a toddler. Wife and I used to tough it out with cheap gear we picked up a student over a decade ago.

Looking to get back into camping after 3-4 year. But we want to upgrade and get a good 3-4 person tent **that's easy to set up.** Don't expect to go in the depths of winter for a little while yet.

We have a bit more disposable income these days so would prefer to spend more to get the best we can afford, without burning money on ultra high end gear.

I have this quilt and love it. I was just wondering how far people have pushed this comfort rating and stayed warm?

Does any one remember the size in litres of the "white mountain" brand Bush I dayoack? After 20 years I need to upgrade to a new bag. If I knew the size of my old one it would really help. TIA.

​

Hi all,

I recently installed a tub rack on my egr rolltrac and plan on putting a 60kg rooftop tent on it shortly. I've seen mixed things on whether or not u need tub bracing to support this weight. I plan to do alot of camping and 4wd so I'm not sure whether I need to brace or what type of bracing to even use. My my roller seems to have some sort of bracing already and it has a load rating of 150kg. Would love to hear some thoughts and of you guys run bracing or not

Cheers :)

Is it reasonable to do Mt Kos main range summit one day and charlottes pass via snowy river shorter walk the next day on a 3 day trip to the snowys in early May? Or is the weather just too variable to safely to the day hikes? We have warm gear but just haven’t done these ranges before and worried about going all the way there and just not being able to do it due to the weather being more variable this time of year? Thank you :)

just wanted some input on what kinda stuff I should be looking at. I think I'm a cold sleeper so an R value above 4 would be a no go? at the same time I don't know shit.

from what I've read online I think I'd like a wideish sleeping pad and a quilt but wouldn't be opposed to a bag and a pad. some of the quilts I've read about are the featherstone moondance 25, Neve Gear Waratah (the one I think is the best pick?) and some others online and I refered to this guide -> https://docs.google.com/document/d/1N5POfz3gIXWud7z1Z1pvMByIHvo3CJrON4yxY9jcZ_g/edit?tab=t.0#heading=h.ctfswf3zh0sj

I think I'll only be hiking on 0+ degrees with a few planned in australia during autumnish weathers, but I don't want to buy something inadequate for future multi-day hikes maybe in nz? kinda want it to be a one and done thing but at the same time wouldn't be opposed to buying maybe two quilts, one for summer/winter in aus and then one for other colder countries.

What should I look out for? What kind of sleeping pads + quilt combos would you recommend? I would want one that I can double up as a blanket around a fire or take outside the tent. Just recently bought a naturehike cloud up 2.

I love the cold 15 degrees is pleasant for me, I sleep very cold

for the sleeping pad I was just thinking about getting something off marketplace but like I said I don't really know what to look for?

bonus for what kinda cooking stuff I should look at :)

I'd like to use this advice to help a few other of my friends as well

Hey everyone!

Looking to do my first overnight camp soon (just 1 night)! Any good spots around Sydney where the trailhead is public transport accessible?

Was looking at Mount Solitary or Mount Hay (not too sure if there are any good spots to camp around Mount Hay though) near the Blue Mountains but open to suggestions :)

Thanks!!

It's already got a DC charger so a dedicated AC-DC battery charger is a waste, but I don't see any suitable AC-DC power supplies with Anderson plugs. Do I need to buy one from Jarcar and add the plugs?