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Mickey, said this years ago. Hecwas right then. Doubly right now, with the rolled size of many now.

But they are comfortable. Warm or cool as needed. And when one sleeps in the open air for a month or three, good value.

My first was home made. For a 35 day trip to the NT and Kymbetley of Northern WA. I took a synthetic tarp, a solid syntheticc\ mattress roll. The lightweight backpacking sort. Good insulation. A sleeping bag and pillow. Rolled up, reasonably waterproof. Straps to hold the round package. It went on the roof rack under the boat. Worked fine in good weather. But couldn't fold over well for rain protection. Mosquitos were a nightmare. At Dunmarra camping in a camp ground, we left at 2 am as the clouds of mosquitos made sleeping impossible. We acquired some mosquito nets later in Kunnunarra.

Old style canvas swags/bed rolls need a mosquito net added.

New style swags usually have integral mosquito nets, or "windows".

A good combination to suspend a tarp above one as rain shelter. Inverse V, A mosquito net similarly can be strung up, usually a box shape. One needs suitably placed trees for all this.

I usually carry a pop up dome tent in the vehicle. Small "two" man dome tent, pops up in a minute. If rainy, easier than Being with a swag, mosquito net, tarp .... The basic swag can still go inside anyway. More roomy than this modern consulted "swag tents".

If rainy and trees available run arope between the trees and hang a medium sized tarp over. Allows an outside cooking, eating, dry gear, dry wood area,

I've noticed many guys just use one of these tarps and sleepmunder it. Even in colder weather areas. I like more comfort. If one has acvehicle, why not?

If backpacking, different story,

Not the same thing, and crap in comparison.

A backpacking setup, or a lighter weight smaller package for me, is to take a lighter weight synthetic waterproof tarp. A Goretex waterproof body bag. Good to stay dry and also for warmth. A down sleeping bag inside it. A closed cell insulation foam mattress under it above the tarp. A second lightweight tarp, poncho opened out, could be used as a V tent shelter on a rope above.

Alternatively forget the two tarps, carry a lightweight tent. Mattress, sleeping bag inside.

I like the Goretex "body bags". Made the whole setup a lot warmer. Dryer if exposed. If small enough to be carried when hunting, an emergency shelter against the cold and wet. Even without a sleeping bag. The trapped air warmed by body heat, means less body warmth is lost and as quickly.

A lightweight rain poncho opened out, with a cord, makes a good emergency shelter against the rain, perhaps wind. Lots of possible shelter design types.

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John aka NitroX

...
Govt get out of our lives NOW!
"I love the smell of cordite in the morning."
"A Sharp spear needs no polish"

Edited by NitroX (02/04/24 12:24 AM)