Tramping Equipment: My summer and winter sleeping bags

New winter weight sleeping bags for Jon

I've been saving my shekels so I could buy myself a 3-4 season sleeping bag. I have Summer and Base Camp bags but needed one for winter and the shoulder tramping periods from May-September.

My summer sleeping bag: Domex Packlite (large size)

I wanted a down bag as I will be mostly in huts over these periods and they are so much warmer and lighter than comparable synthetic bags. Alas, they are very expensive, with prices ranging from $400-$1200 depending on brand and what type you buy.

The Macpac Escapade 700 XL

Recently Macpac had a 60% clearance sale so went down for a look at their wares. Macpac is one of the better New Zealand outdoor clothing and equipment firms. I brought one of their Escapade 700 series sleeping bags for a very reasonable price. Normal retail is $540 but on sale I managed to buy it for only $275.

Macpac Escapade 700 XL

XL sized for comfort and fit...

 The bag is an extra long, dimensions are 242x86x56, weight is 1.3kg. The outer cover is Pertex with a 80/20 blend of duck down as the filler. The loft rating is 600, which means it should be good for temperatures down to -2 degrees Celsius. 

Big Blue Escapade at Nina Hut, Summer 2016

With my silk bag liner and the addition of thermals as sleep wear it should be good to -6 or-7 degrees at least. One good feature is the ability to unzip this and use it as a quilt, which is what I often do over the Summer. 

Escapade 700 XL

Being realistic, buying a $1000 ultra light sleeping bag just isn't on my books, that's more than I spent on gear, food and trip cost for ALL of last year. This is not the cheapest, lightest, smallest or warmest down bag but I think it has a fair mixture of all those attributes. 

Update 2017: I have been using this bag for a couple of years now and have few complaints about it.  This is a high quality bag which fills its role well, it is now my 'go to' bag. It packs down to reasonable size, it is roomy and for around the same weight as my Packlite is immeasurably warmer.

My Escapade in Mid Robinson Hut, 2015

The Escapade on a trip to Magdalen Hut, Winter 2017

The Escapade is good but I'm currently researching sub 1 kg down bags as I transition to ultralight tramping gear.

My Te Araroa Trail sleeping bag

I'm section walking the Te Araroa Trail so I wanted a much lighter sleeping bag to fill the niche for those kind of trips.  Late last year I took advantage of a sale at Bivouac Outdoor to buy a lighter weight down bag.

My new sleeping bag is an Exped Lite 500, weight is 970 grams, temperature rating down to -4 degrees and packs down to a smaller volume than my Macpac bag.

My new Exped Lite 500 at Speargrass Hut, March 2018

Here is a blog post about my Exped Lite 500.

The Exped Lite 500 down sleeping bag

This has now become my defacto go anywhere bag.

Tramping Equipment: La Sportiva Valojet boots

New boots for new adventures...La Sportiva Valojets

I've recently brought myself a new pair of leather boots for the coming Summer tramping season. I have been wearing a pair of Kathmandu boots but as is the case with their gear they have started to fall to bits.  

My Kathmandu Barrigan boots in 2017

La Sportiva Valojet Boots

These boots are La Sportiva Valojets, a medium weight leather boot with a Goretex liner, the sole is a good quality Vibram one. The last fit is for wide feet...many of these European boot makers seem to have very narrow boots so finding some quality boots that are wide is a real bonus.

La Sportiva Valojet boot

La Sportiva is a well known Italian boot manufacturer better known for their plastic mountaineering boots but the reviews for their trail boots are very positive.

I know a lot of trampers are going away from boots and wearing trail shoes, mountain trainers or their ilk, but I actually like a pair of hard wearing leather boots on my feet. I find them more supportive and hardier on the rocky trails and river beds which characterise the Canterbury region.

My Valojet boots on my feet at the beginning of the walk to John Heyward Hut

 Specifications for these boots are:

• Upper: Greased Full grain leather upper 2,4 mm
• Lining: Gore-Tex®
• Insole: Graded 5 mm Nylon + shock absorbing upper layer
• Sole: Vibram® with Impact Brake System+ PU midsole
• Sizes: 38 - 48 including half sizes
• Weight: 1.550 kg per pair

Vibram soles for long life

Vibram soles are the bench mark for quality on tramping boots, they are hard wearing and technically advanced. I also like the high rand on these, good for protecting your boots from rock scuffs etc.

La Sportiva Valojet boot, Vibram sole

Choose your boots wisely...

Tramping boots are really expensive, good ones go for $400-$700 a pair. I had originally placed these boots on my wish list but removed them because they normally retail for $600.

There was a sale at one of the local outdoor stores which saw me walk away with these for the bargain price of $350.

 

My Valojets on the Lewis Pass Tops, December 2015

Here's  hoping they are a successful purchase.

POST SCRIPT: I've worn these on many trips now and they have performed very well. They are really grippy in wet conditions, nice firm sole, and fit well in the ankle area. 

I've switched to slightly thinner Smart Wool socks as my thicker Munds/Bridgedales are too much sock for these boots. My toes were getting constricted in the front of my boots because of the thickness of my socks.

Wearing the Valojets on the QCT in 2016

Wearing the Valojets on the track to Hope Halfway Hut in 2017

I love these boots and would buy more but unfortunately they are now out of production...a pity as they are excellent boots for New Zealand conditions.

My Tramping Gear: Vaude Brenta 50 pack

Brenta 50: my short overnight and day trip pack

 I splashed out just before Christmas and brought myself a new light  pack to wear on day trips or for lightweight overnight jaunts. I had tossed up a variety of various sizes, brands and types and was really undecided about which one to buy. There are a lot of packs available
in the 35-60l range and prices range from less than $100 right up to $500.

Then I saw this pack on an end of line sale at one of the local outdoors stores.

Vaude Brent 50 litre pack 

This is a Vaude Brenta 50 pack. I am a fan of Vaude gear, they are a German outdoor company with a wide range of packs, tents and outdoor clothing. The thing that especially attracted me was the great price of $120 (down from the usual $190).

Vaude Brenta 50l pack

The Brenta inside Lagoon Saddle Shelter, 2014

I would never buy gear solely based on price, but this pack was already in my top 5 list anyway. I call that fate, or a message from the God's if you like.

Harness system on a Vaude Brenta 50l

Using the Brenta on the way to Hope Halfway Hut, 2017

The Brenta's vital statistics...

The pack is a light (1200 gms) double compartment bag made of medium grade rip-stop nylon. It has a volume of 50 litres. It has a removable top lid, hydration port and expandable side pockets. The colour is the light blue above. The waist strap is more light weight than a full on tramping pack, but more than adequate for lighter loads.

Detail of the Brenta's hip belt, on the Harpers Pass Track, 2016

I was surprised by how roomy it is, it almost holds as much as my 75l pack. I would probably keep the load below 6-8kgs so as not to overly strain it.

Jon and the Vaude Brenta 50 up the Otira Valley in 2016

Ive used the pack for both day hikes and overnight tramps and have always found fit for the job, it is still comfortable even with 10 kg's of gear stored in it.

Jon and the Brenta 50 at Rod Donald Hut in 2016

NB: I used the Brenta successfully on a three day trip on the Te Ara Pataka Walkway in 2016. I was using this as my over night pack as it can easily accommodate all the gear I needed to carry for a 1-2 day trip. Another overnight trip was to Nina Hut in April 2017. 

This role has now been taken over by my Osprey Atmos 50.

The Brenta at the Nina River foot bridge, 2017

 I'm hoping to do some tramping with my daughters in the future and in fact Georgia used the Brenta 50 when we spent 5 days working as the Packhorse Hut warden in March 2018. The pack fits her well so she will be using it when we go out on trips from now on.

My daughter Georgia wearing the Brenta en-route to Packhorse Hut, 2018

I was really impressed with how effective my Vaude packs have been so when I was looking for a dedicated day tramp bag I immediately went with Vaude. I have replaced the Brenta 50 as my day pack with its smaller cousin the Vaude Brenta 40. This is a better size for day trips and has saved me another 200 gms on the weight I carry.

My new day pack the Vaude Brenta 40

 

Tramping Literature: Beyond backpacking by Ray Jardine

The father of ultra-light: Ray Jardine

I recently received a copy of this book for my birthday. Ray Jardine is one of the original figures in the lightweight and ultra light weight hiking movement.

 A veteran (with his wife) of most of the long distance trails in the United States, this book is an explanation of the methods and equipment he utilised walking long distance trails such as the Pacific Crest Trail and Appalachian Trail.

He has termed this the "Ray Way", a overarching method to travel further while carrying less.

Although this book is older (late 90's) and focused on the American hiking fraternity, I think it still has a lot to say for all trampers/hikers/ramblers regardless of their location. The main message is: travel light, steer clear of hauling the kitchen sink with you in the outdoors. It also has a strong environmental message about minimising our impact on the trail.

Here is a photo of Ray Jardine.

Ray Jardine

Seek out a copy or buy one second hand from Amazon, it makes a fine addition to any collection of hiking literature.

My Tramping Gear:Vaude Astra 65ltr + 10 Hiking Pack

The Vaude Astra Pack: 65 liters of fun!

When you go out into the outdoors you need to carry a certain amount of gear with you. This is to keep you warm, dry and safe. You need a backpack to carry this gear in, it needs to be strong, comfortable and fit for the task you set it.

My Astra II on the bunks in Magdalen Hut, 2013

I use a variety of packs depending on the type of trip: small sub 35 liter for walking, a 45l day pack, a 55 liter bag for overnight trips and a larger 65 liter version for multi day trips of 3-7 days. 

My Vaude Astra 65+10 multi-day pack

The thing that really determines what pack I use is the amount of food and extra gear I need to carry on the longer trips. 

The Vaude Astra II...

My current multi-day pack is a Vaude Astra 65ltr + 10. It is slim, almost like a mountaineers style pack but still large enough to carry 3-7 days worth of gear in. This pack is made by Vaude, a well regarded German company who produce a range of excellent outdoor goods.

Detail of the Vaude Astra design, frontal view

Its a touch heavy at 1.9 kg, but the harness set-up is excellent, so far I have had no trouble with it at all.The material of the pack is heavy duty nylon to provide durability. I especially like the expandable pockets on the side of the pack which are large enough to hold a 1.5 litre water bottle.

Harness set-up on the Vaude Astra II

I have an ongoing project to get my base gear weight down to 10-12 kg without water and food, I'm currently around 14 kg's (2018 Update: now at 9.5 kgs!). When I get my base weight down I may look at buying a lighter pack for shorter overnight trips.

The Vaude Astra II on the Casey-Binser Circuit, 2012

Wearing the Vaude pack on the Wharfedale Track 2014

I brought this pack from Complete Outdoors, a Christchurch outdoor retailer. The pack cost me $275 NZ dollars, a fair price for a pack of this size/type.  

Me and the Vaude Astra up the East Hawdon Valley, Arthurs Pass NP in 2014

My Vaude Astra leaning against the Anne Saddle Sign, St James Walkway

Jon and the Astra at Wharfedale Hut back in 2015

The Astra at Boyle Flat Hut, St James Walkway on a 2015 visit

I see a few people out and about with Vaude day packs but very few using the larger sizes. I would imagine they are far more prevalent in Europe because they are more widely available there. 

UPDATE: Feb 2016

I've been using this pack for nearly 6 years now and it has proven to be one of the best pieces of kit I have invested in. It is very comfortable even with a moderate-heavy load and over distance.

The Astra on the Queen Charlotte Track, 2016

 There are plenty of options for strapping gear like ice axes and crampons to the pack and the expandable collar means you can pack more food into the bag if required.  

Wearing the Astra on the Queen Charlotte Track in 2016

It has worn well, hardly any wear at all really, it almost looks like a brand new pack. 

At the Marahau Shelter end of the Abel Tasman Coastal Track (2017)

The Astra II on the Abel Tasman Coast Walk, Sept 2017

The Astra also served me well on a recent (2017) walk of the Abel Tasman Coastal Walk. 

Update 2018: 

I am really attached to this Vaude pack as we have shared many an adventure over the years. I expect the Vaude Astra will be with me for years to come although it has recently been superseded by my new Osprey Volt pack.  

Wearing the Vaude Astra while acting as a hut warden, Packhorse Hut, 2018

This pack is no longer available as it has been replaced by other types in the Vaude catalogue. If one appears second hand on Trade Me or the like and you are in the market buy it immediately. You will not be disapointed.... 

Welcome to my tramping blog

Welcome to my tramping blog NZ Bush Adventures!

Hi there, my name is Jonathan Moake.

Me crossing Travers Pass, Nelson Lakes NP in 2018

This is the first post for my new blog about tramping, hiking, camping, DOC huts, MTB riding, tramping food, backcountry skills, equipment, the environment, mountaineering and other outdoor concerns.

Jon Moake, at Ryde Falls in the Oxford Forest Park

 A little bit about me: Jon Moake

 I am a tramper (that's hiker/rambler to those from the US/UK) in my 50's, and I live in Christchurch, on the South Island of New Zealand.

Spenser Mountains, Lewis Pass SR, from the Lewis Pass Tops

I have been visiting the forests and mountains for many years, with particular attention to the parks and forests close to Christchurch, my home town. My tramping trips range from one day right through to longer periods up to a week.

One of our iconic mountain huts, Mid Robinson, Victoria FP

After an extended break from tramping I have decided to get into the outdoors again. This blog will be a record of my experiences. I have tramped extensively throughout both the North and South Island, from the Central Plateau volcanoes south to Rakuira/Stewart Island.

Torrent Bay, tramping the Abel Tasman Great Walk in Sep. 2017

My main stamping grounds include Arthurs Pass National Park, the Canterbury Foothills, Lake Sumner Forest Park,  Lewis Pass Scenic Reserve all around an hours drive from my home.
I also enjoy tramping on the Port Hills and Banks Peninsula which are right on my doorstep.

On the summit of Mt Herbert in 2020

Lyttleton Harbour and Canterbury from high on Banks Peninsula

Further afield I love exploring Nelson Lakes NP, Kahurangi NP and the Abel Tasman NP.

The Cobb Valley Tent Camp, Kahurangi NP (2020)

Its a pleasure to have you on this journey with me.....let's see where we can go!