Addendum
The best shopping guide is actual ‘dirt time’ outdoors. I went on a university field trip to the desert. I was just home from military service
I borrowed a sleeping bag from a relative. I unrolled it at camp. It was all of two pounds kapok fill car camping bag ( for use in our old monster American station wagons.)
I had a miserable night freezing sleepless.
I took my very first G I bill educational Chequers to our local ski/ backpacking shop. He’s showing a three season down bag in the popular cobalt blue or red. I hesitated. ‘ I want WARM!’
He returns with a single floor model.
It was a monster four season beast
In a pea green color nobody wanted. I hesitated half a heartbeat. He quickly offered a discount $50 LESS than the three season bags in pretty colors. I grabbed.
Next trip, same desert. IT SNOWED. I had a huge ground cloth and just folded it over. I woke up under 8” toasty warm, looked around and everyone- even tent users had fled to their cars. HMMM
I guess a tent isn’t high priority. I went five years until buying one.
So get the BASIC items of a basic list; no scotch eyed augers for tapping trees, binoculars worthy of Monty VS Rommel or reindeer hides. Get dirty, maybe a little to cold or hungry when your stomach boldly states THEY SHALL NOT PASS When you try a freeze dried gourmet meal.
The best shopping guide is actual ‘dirt time’ outdoors. I went on a university field trip to the desert. I was just home from military service
I borrowed a sleeping bag from a relative. I unrolled it at camp. It was all of two pounds kapok fill car camping bag ( for use in our old monster American station wagons.)
I had a miserable night freezing sleepless.
I took my very first G I bill educational Chequers to our local ski/ backpacking shop. He’s showing a three season down bag in the popular cobalt blue or red. I hesitated. ‘ I want WARM!’
He returns with a single floor model.
It was a monster four season beast
In a pea green color nobody wanted. I hesitated half a heartbeat. He quickly offered a discount $50 LESS than the three season bags in pretty colors. I grabbed.
Next trip, same desert. IT SNOWED. I had a huge ground cloth and just folded it over. I woke up under 8” toasty warm, looked around and everyone- even tent users had fled to their cars. HMMM
I guess a tent isn’t high priority. I went five years until buying one.
So get the BASIC items of a basic list; no scotch eyed augers for tapping trees, binoculars worthy of Monty VS Rommel or reindeer hides. Get dirty, maybe a little to cold or hungry when your stomach boldly states THEY SHALL NOT PASS When you try a freeze dried gourmet meal.