Review: Kings Adventure Big Daddy Deluxe Double Swag

In a similar vein as my review of the capable and functional SnugPack Stratosphere Bivy, and from the same birthday purchase splurge last year I also picked up a luxury camping item from Kings Adventure in the form of the Big Daddy Deluxe Double Swag.

Though I tend to prefer hammocks for the "off the ground away from pests" and low footprint aspects. Having a good flat lay can be hard to achieve in a suspended hammock, and its nice to have company that isn't all pressed elbows and knees or bunk-stacked hammocks. For this reason I looked for a double bed style swag.  

 

Kings Adventure was on my radar as source of gear, having seen them at Melbourne Camping and Caravan ShowMelbourne Camping and Caravan Show and having bought my camping stove from them having bought my camping stove from them . A happy medium between tent and bivy bag, a swag like this aa swag like this a self contained bed and shelter system.  

Constructed from waterproof & Ripstop 400gsm canvas, with a heavy-duty waterproof 450gsm PVC bucket floor base. The two arc ends are supported by tent poles with clips, fitting to pegs held in split rings at each corner, have been upgraded to 10.2mm diameter for extra strength. The ends are held up by a telescoping alloy spreader pole, which also connects to polyester clips to lift the roof and keep the whole structure taut and self-standing. Corner pegs and end-flap guy lines help keep it secure and stable. 

Side flaps open all the way with heavy duty zippers on both sides, allowing easy access for either person ( as its a double) and bug-proof mesh with full zippers round out the build. Set up, the Swag is a spacious 2.15m (7') long and over 1.55m (5'1") wide, at the peak of its arc it is 96cm (3'1") high. Internally, both head and foot ends have a zippable window panel, behind more bug-mesh, and under storm flaps, allowing good airflow without compromising comfort. The real selling point for me, beyond the large footprint, was the included mattress. The ripstop fabric covered and free-floating pad is 7cm (2.75") thick, fully expanded. It's so comfortable. 

Not only was it soft and padded, it also breathed and I could lay on it without matt or blanket without getting sweaty. The ceiling has loops for tying up the side flaps if they are up, but when down they serve as good tie-in points for a lamp or in my case to store my glasses whilst sleeping. 

The heavy 400gsm canvas is weather proof and shady, allowing for afternoon naps as well as shelter from harsh sunlight as needs be. 

Overall, I enjoyed sleeping in the Swag far more than I did in the Stratosphere Bivy, primary because of the mattress but also the roominess. Not having the skin of the Bivy pressing down on me made it a lot more comfortable. No shade on the bivy, but the more tent like Swag was a treat. 

Tactical Baby and I camped out over a couple of nights and we did side-by-side camping, swapping after a night from bivy to Swag and we both agreed the swag was the more comfortable. 

We hiked in to our site, and initially I had rolled the swag up in a single layer, so was a wide bundle at a little over 1.55m (5'1") wide, I carried it draped over a shoulder but I had rigged a sling to carry it at the small of my back on the way back which was more convenient but still wide. 

The swag only weighed 14kg, so its no trial to carry, even with the regular camping load, but once home I found I could double it over and roll it up to make a much more manageable bundle at 80 cm long x 50 cm across. This was possible with the built-in straps and double-D-shackle binders. The bundle was thus smaller and more manageable to transport and pack out and in the vehicle. It's obviously not as easy to ruck in as a bivy, but the luxury it brings is palpable and welcome, making up for the minor inconvenience . Better than hauling a full sized tent for sure. I haven't had opportunity to put it through a solid storm-test, but the construction seems solid and the stitching tight.

Review: Alton Goods bathtub groundsheet

 Sometimes its the little things that can turn a good experience into a great one, or an bearable one into a bearable one. Like turning cold and wet into warm and dry. One such item is the Alton Goods bathtub groundsheet. I'm normally a fan of hammock sleeping to keep me off the ground, but its not always an option or practical. Having a lightweight, waterproof groundsheet can offer you the protection from wet ground, mud and sticks, to provide a comfortable and pleasant platform to set up on. Or a dry spot to have a stretch-out on damp grass. 

I received my groundsheet as a birthday present, in winter, and took it on a number of walks, where its small packed size of  21.5x8x11cm (8.5"x 3.25"x 4") and light weight 295g (10.4 oz) made it an inconsequential daypack or cargo pocket addition.

Made from a tough Ripstop nylon construction, dual-coated with 3000mm Silicone and PU, it is fully seam-sealed with heat tape to be both 100% waterproof and puncture resistant. When staked out the Bathtub Groundsheet measures : 210x90x15cm (6'11"x2'11" x 6"), plenty big enough to fit me, and my gear, and the bathtub wall height is plenty big enough to keep my bedding in, or incidental wet out. 

The corners are heavily reinforced and tailored to stand upright without stressing the seams and feature tape reinforcement to hold upright without sagging. This is bolstered further by built-in metal posts in the corners to hold it up, as well as sewn in buttressing peg-out loops extending outwards. the top edge of the corners also feature a loop sewn in to fit fly poles if used, and sewn in snap-points allow the groundsheet to marry up with the compatible Ultralight Ground Bug Net to create a fully-enclosed sleep system by pairing with this groundsheet. Nice forethought. 

The included 4 Y cross-sectioned 7001 aluminium pegs have retention notches and a built in pull-cord for ease of removal.

When fully staked out and pulled taught, the bathtub effect is very stable, and provides a good barrier against the outside. the ripstop nylon is smooth and whilst not breathable, very comfortable to lay on directly, even after being in full sun. 

I liked that it was big enough for me to fully stretch out on, as i'm quite tall. i'd want a tarp strung up over it to sleep on, just to give some cover, and I suspect leaving the most down-hill corner flat to allow any water a drain-off spot might be prudent without one. 

I've woken up in a pool of water once whilst camping and don't recommend it. 

The whole system comes with own drawstring bag for ease of carry and is small and light enough to be stuffed in a cargo pocket. I have been keeping it in my car along with some light picnic hiking gear and have used it as a picnic blanket a number of times. I think i'll be picking up the bug net and one of the Alton goods tarps to complete the set, and will test it out for sure.

Review: Therm-a-rest Sleeping bag

I've talked about what I take camping here and there; tents, cookware, hammocks and the like, but I haven't really covered the sleeping bags I use.

I tend to pack pretty lightly when it comes to bedding if I am by my self, as I wear a microfleece combination  like the Platatac Half-zip jacket and the matching microfleece sniper pants which keep me pretty toasty, and a light sleeping bag like my Aurora Wanderer, and maybe the Tribe Provisions Go-Anywhere woobie for comfort. With company, I usually zip two of the Wanderers together, or make a nest of combinations of blankets and bags.

However, when it gets really cold, and you're on your lonesome in the bush there is certainly room for a good high-loft sleeping bag in everyones kit.

I have a fairly dated Therm-a-Rest brand sleeping bag, so old it's no longer listed and I cant remember what the ID of it is, but the bag is BIG, and very warm.

Filled with Polarguard HV - high void continuous filament, which is a  durable synthetic insulation made from hollow, uncut polyester filaments, it maintains high loft even when wet and is apparently 25% lighter than standard Polarguard.

Fast drying, moisture resistant yet machine washable, it's a really good filling, and I haven't noticed it shifting, clumping or having any of those cold-spots I recall from childhood back-yard sleeping-bags. 

It's also considered highly compressible, as well as being odor, mildew, fungus and allergen free.

Mind you, it's an old model, and I have no doubt more modern bags, with modern fillings blow this out of the water.

Here it is beside my lightweight Aurora Wanderer Superdown sleeping bag. The Therm-a-Rest bag is standard rectangular in shape, 86cm (34") x 193cm (76") but feels even longer. I'm 6'4" and you can see it stretching higher than me. The Wanderer is a more modest  75cm (30")x 180cm (63") but it has a hood, in the mummy-style, to keep me in, even so I often find myself popped out, and cold-shouldered on chilly nights.

The Therm-a-Rest bag has a 100% nylon outer shell, and a 65% polyester 35% cotton liner for breathablity. It is rated down to -5oC (20oF) where the Wanderer is only a 0oc (30oF) bag. The difference in size and bulk of the fill however, make that difference noticeable.

Both have tape-covered, double ended zippers, to shut out drafts as well as giving you feet-openings. ((Don't wear boots to bed people!)).

At 1.2kg (2lbs 10oz) it isn't that much heavier than the 900g (just shy of 2lbs), there is not much difference in the load when hiking, but the difference is in bulk.

The Therm-a-Rest packs down to a considerable 85cm (34") x 105cm (41") bundle where as the Wanderer only measures 51cm (21") x 61cm (24"), MUCH smaller and that equates to easier carriage, but at the expense of cold-weather comfort ... You'd have to make the call, how cold is it going to get, and how much do you need to lug around.

I look forwards to upgrading at some stage to an even more modern, hopefully more compressible sleeping bag, but for now I have options.

Review: Hummingbird - Mega hammock

Summer has arrived here in Melbourne ( don't let the rain and storms fool you) and I have broken the hammocks out, because in the afternoon and evenings, our house retains the heat and radiates like an oven.

I've covered hammocks before, with the Eagles Nest single hiking hammock, but I found an excellent Kickstarter for a mega hammock, to suit my burgeoning family needs. The good folks at Hummingbird Hammocks pitched a "Mega Hammock" and successfully funded.

The mega hammock is designed to hold three to five people, and is rated to carry 450kg (1000lbs). I like to sling it in my back yard, and have taken it camping (although we didn't find a good place to set it up, so haven't had the pleasure of sleeping in it, in the wild).  It measures 5.5m x 2.4m (18' x 8) and spreads out nicely.

Three distinct panels are sewn together to form the body of the hammock, and Hummingbird are proud to say that they use construction techniques borrowed from the Parachute Industry Association, and materials that are likewise parachute grade.

Their mega hammock is made out of 1.9oz polyurethane coated ripstop nylon, which is incredibly strong (rated at about 100lbs per square inch.) The edges of the hammock have type 17 nylon webbing sewn in and used for the attachment points to the four corners. This webbing is rated for 1100kg (2500lbs), will not stretch, and is low bulk. The fabric has a lot of give, and the edge seams and the three panel seams are sewn such that you get uniform "give" throughout.

All the stitching is done on an industrial sewing machine using size 69 bonded nylon thread, which along with everything else used to make the hammocks is very strong and is the very same thread used on parachutes.

They offer several different colours, but I jumped at the coyote-brown option, whcih also goes some way to cover up any goopy-hands stains that my minions may present.

In additiontothe webbing loops in the corners, Hummingbird supply soft link attachments instead of traditional carabiners. These are apparently used widely in skydiving today as a means of connecting the parachute lines to the jumper. They contain no hard parts, are stronger than a carabiner of similar size, weigh next to nothing, and are impossible to cross load.

A simple length of high strength cord, with a loop at either end, one end having a tab of webbing sewn in.  You loop it through itself twice, and you have a light, secure and bomb-proof anchor connector. I have lengths of 2" webbing that I use as my attachment to the steel beams, concrete pillars and roofing beams that I sling mine off. I figure the 5500lbs breaking load the webbing means I don't have to worry where I sling this. Perfect for the rafters of an abandoned warehouse, or between Ewok trees.

The hammock comes with its own stuff-sack, and packs down into a small-pillow or sleeping bag sized bundle. It was quite an investment, but thus far, if nothing but the joy of my littles ones is a measure, it's been fully worth it. Having a portable, hardy betting option is nothing to be sniffed at either, and there are many situations where I would want to bunk-down well off ground level.

Especially if I need to watch out for stobor.

The Hummingbird Mega hammock certainly is big, and quite comfortable with a number of people in it. Be sure to sling it high enough to be off the ground when loaded up, but not so high as to be impossible to get in or out comfortably.

Review: Tribe Provisions - Go-anywhere Blanket

I managed to lay my paws on a prototype from the good people of Tribe Provisions, who have an ongoing Kickstarter for what they call their "Go-anywhere Blanket for Sports, Camping, Hanging Out" which is a very good summary of their creation, a multi-purpose outdoor blanket: comfortable, durable, machine-washable, and comes with a compact stuff sack.

It arrived in the mail just in time for our weekend away camping with friends. Perfect timing, and just what I needed. Triceratops Girl and Tactical Baby won't stay in chairs too long, so I needed options.

Its very mild camping in  Victoria at this time of year. The days get as high as the low 30's (33oC on Saturday, that's 91oF for all you Imperials)but the nights can get down to 6oC (42oF) or so, where we went, so I wanted to make sure that we had plenty of light weight blankets to add to the pile.

It a 172cm x 140cm (68" x 55") quilted nylon blanket, weighing in at 800g (1.7lbs) which comes in its own attached stuff-sack. I love stuff-sacks, and am always terribly sad when I have lost them in past. (Or rather, when I have loaded out a sleeping-bag, and it is returned bound in string, no stuff-sack to be found.) My Aurora Wanderer sleeping bag weighs 980g.
The machine washable ripstop nylon outer shell, which is overlaid above a strong, soft inner polyester shell for comfort.

Mildew-resistant hollow fiber polyester filler offers a variety of benefits; it compresses easily, retains body heat, dries quickly and as mentioned does not give organisms like mildew fungi habitat to flourish. 

With  double stitching at all the edges and seams, and a single quilt-stitched body to maintain durability and integrity, the Go-Anywhere blanket is built to last under the rough-and-tumble of outdoor use. 

My girls are not especially delicate, and romped about with it to no ill effect. The scattered bindi weed prickles at the campground we were at were no match for the Go- Anywhere, and in those rare moments I got to sit down, I found myself looking for my woobie!

My prototype model features a black and a grey facing, with the production versions being a green and tan to cream colour. 

I especially liked wrapping myself up as I lay in my hammock early in the day, before it heated up, as breakfast cooked, but also found that it was very comfortable to wear draped as a shawl, or wrapped around me as I sat on it. 

I'm a very long-limbed creature, so often have trouble staying all in a sleeping bag, so having the extra blanket option made for warmer nights too, when needed. You could even use the attached stuff-sack as a field expedient pillow, when stuffed with clothes. 

Overall I was very happy with the Go-Anywhere blanket. It has been well thought out and put together. It's simplicity, comfort and durability are its biggest assets, and it certainly performed as intended. If I had to add anything, I'd think that a set of compression straps to the stuff-sack, just to reduce its bulk. I'll probably do that to my prototype, and perhaps to my production versions too when they arrive, as needed; webbing and buckles aren't hard to come by in my house ... Check out the Kickstarter before it closes, and  the other kit that Tribe Provisions produce ...

Review: Eagles Nest Outfitters - DoubleNest hammock

 Summertime brings hot winds and hot houses here in Melbourne, and having some options to escape the heat are always welcome.

Several years ago, in the lead up to a camping expedition, my partner Anstia gave me a hammock, which I have subsequently set up in my back yard for when the weather is good.

I've enjoyed hammocks whenever I've had the chance to make use of one, but until now, had never owned a production one myself.

This particular model is the charmingly named Double Nest by Eagles Nest Outfitters.

Made of a breathable, quick drying nylon and constructed with heavy duty triple stitched seams, this is a sturdy piece, even for all its light weight material.


This model has a carrying capacity of 180kg (400lbs) and is designed to accommodate two people.

When set up, it measures 2.85m x 1.85m (9' 4" x 6' 2") which gives plenty of space to stretch out, even for a long body like me, and the width has made it possible for me to swing happily, even with one or two of the offspring in with me. I can well imagine being able to squeeze another adult sized person in with me, or if I were fully kitted out, give myself a place to get some rest.

When folded up, the hammock stows in its own sewn-in stuff sack, with a built-in compression strap,
and packs down to a 10cm diameter, 12 cm high bundle (4" x 5")and weighs only 565g (20 oz). This is small enough that it can sit in almost any bag, and even a few larger pouches (like the Tactical Tailor Joey hydration pouch) with ease.

The hammock comes with sturdy rope loops at each end, and a carabiner attached on to those. Eagles Nest Outfitters offers a range of lashing straps, and attachment kits, but I simply use regular poly rope.

At home I have it secured it to my verandah's steel superstructure, mounted very low so Tactical baby and Triceratops Girl can clamber into it unassisted. Out in the field, I would use reclaimed seat-belt webbing (as it would give good surface connection to trees, rocks and the like, without the rough treatment rope might give tree bark). You can see here that being a double sized hammock, there was plenty of material to wrap myself with, when in it myself.

The trick is to be sure that the attachment method is safe and secure, and fit to bear the load you are intending to suspend. Given a second line, and a poncho, it would be possible to easily make a rain shelter, as well as a bug-screen, with some mesh, which would also ball up into a tiny space. Perfect for catching some rack time, especially in inclement conditions, post disaster when regular accommodation becomes unavailable.

I've often though that being able to sleep safe, dry and secure is a luxury that everyone should work towards, and if you are able to do so, sleeping up off the ground is always my preference.