Dinkshooter
Well-known member
Oak must be in a shopping mode.
Equipment Action shots for Oak
- Thread starter Dinkshooter
- Start date
Always, this time of year.
noharleyyet
Well-known member
"I don't always shop for down bags, but when I do, I defer to Oak's reccommendations."
...stay thirsty my friend.
...stay thirsty my friend.
CabinFever
Member
Oak, how are you liking this bag?
Honestly, it didn't go on its maiden voyage until this last week. It was a little too warm for this bag, but I love it. The most roomy "mummy" bag I've ever slept in, and packs down small.
Here is what I took for camp: SL3, Montbell bag, Thermarest Xtherm and Ptarmagin bivy.....
Not sure about the bivy sack. There was absolutely no chance of staying on the Xtherm with my bag in the bivy....just TOO slick. I was sliding all over the place.....for 5 minutes. Finally got disgusted and took the bivy off the bag. Any suggestions from the experts out there would be appreciated.
spook12
New member
You think the Golite will ''shed'' the deadfall oak?
CabinFever
Member
That looks like a great and very light set up, sometime I will try the tipi tarp idea.
Throw the pad in the bivy with you, protects the pad a little too. Going floorless with a light weight pad drastically shortens the lifespan of the pad IME.
I just spent one of the wettest weekends I can remember with a similar setup (Mega mid, WM Alpenlite and a bivy I made to slightly larger specs as the Ptarmigan along with a small Neo air) and the good camp sites were few and far between. Mostly we camped in the soaking wet brush without issue.
You're going to love that stuff after a few outings. One word of caution though, never lay that down bag on the ground (even seemingly dry ground) for more then a few minutes. Keep it elevated on some brush if available until you can get it in the bivy.
*I've heard that putting a few thin film strips or a few small beads of Aqua Seal or Sil Seal on the pad will help with gripping the bag as well but cant confirm.
I just spent one of the wettest weekends I can remember with a similar setup (Mega mid, WM Alpenlite and a bivy I made to slightly larger specs as the Ptarmigan along with a small Neo air) and the good camp sites were few and far between. Mostly we camped in the soaking wet brush without issue.
You're going to love that stuff after a few outings. One word of caution though, never lay that down bag on the ground (even seemingly dry ground) for more then a few minutes. Keep it elevated on some brush if available until you can get it in the bivy.
*I've heard that putting a few thin film strips or a few small beads of Aqua Seal or Sil Seal on the pad will help with gripping the bag as well but cant confirm.
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Switch to a Big Agnes bag... 
I have seen pics before of folks using thin elastic straps to do what the sleeve on the BA bags do. I'd comtemplate a few velcro strips to hold them together as well. That and I'd have the bag & pad inside the bivy as AKD suggested.
I have seen pics before of folks using thin elastic straps to do what the sleeve on the BA bags do. I'd comtemplate a few velcro strips to hold them together as well. That and I'd have the bag & pad inside the bivy as AKD suggested.
dustinf
Active member
No action shots(ended up car camping), but here is the camp set up I took to Arizona.
I gave up on inflatables a few years ago, the foam pad works fine as long as you can find a soft spot to camp. The pad wieghs 3oz cut down to the size i need. I also use it as a seat for glassing/rest stops.
Cat Meow 20deg synthetic bag-3lbs
Green square silnylon tarp-14oz
I use a double layer mylar "space blanket"'as a ground sheet-12oz
Cord, night eyes knot eliminater brackets, and 8 aluminum stakes-6oz
Total weight- 5lb 3oz
I use my trekking poles(or tripod)as posts for the tarp if trees are hard to find.
I gave up on inflatables a few years ago, the foam pad works fine as long as you can find a soft spot to camp. The pad wieghs 3oz cut down to the size i need. I also use it as a seat for glassing/rest stops.
Cat Meow 20deg synthetic bag-3lbs
Green square silnylon tarp-14oz
I use a double layer mylar "space blanket"'as a ground sheet-12oz
Cord, night eyes knot eliminater brackets, and 8 aluminum stakes-6oz
Total weight- 5lb 3oz
I use my trekking poles(or tripod)as posts for the tarp if trees are hard to find.
I tried that before I ever left home to see how it would work. It is a pretty snug fit with the thick pad, and pretty much eliminated the benefit of the roomy bag. It would be nice if the bivy was just a little roomier.
I stuffed the sleeping bag with it inside the bivy. Any issue with doing that?
BirdDogWebb
Member
Oak, if you don’t mind me asking, why did you go with down over synthetic? It may have already been mentioned on here, if so I apologize for not taking the time to look. Thanks
No issue here, I have done this on purpose to add a layer of moisture protection to the bag while it's stuffed.
Regarding the slickness between the bag and the pad, I don't have experience with either of those two products personally. (I don't get to play with everything new that comes out for work anymore) One thing some people have had good luck with is running lines of seam grip on slick surfaces to increase friction. It is very commiting, however.
TiGoat is quite small, you could drop them a line and see what solutions they might have.
CabinFever
Member
Could you fill me in on the benefits of using a bivy inside the SL or how necessary it would be using that set up?
Bambistew
Well-known member
I put dots of silicone on my BA pad to keep from slidding around. Works well, but os noisy on a floored tent.
I went with down for the benefits mentioned by AKDrifter. I considered the conditions I might be using the bag in, and decided that down was the way to go. You can read the discussion HERE. I also have a synthetic bag I can use if I think the conditions may warrant it (SE AK, for example).
I bought the ultralight bivy for a little bit of insurance against moisture. It isn't necessary if you are not concerned about the potential for getting the bag wet. I actually took my bag out of the bivy after trying it for about 5 minutes on my recent trip, even though it ended up raining for almost 24 hours straight. With a little care, I didn't have any issues. Keep in mind that I live in a somewhat arid region.
Noisy, like squeaky?
