To put a picture in your head, you can even sit down on the ground without getting wet (that’s how much it covers your back). As your bag gets drier, it will begin to loft and can actually fill the dryer chamber, preventing it from tumbling. Comforters and blankets work well with a camping bed, but if you’re going to use a backpacker quilt then you’ll need to improvise a really good method of attaching it — otherwise you’ll spend all night picking it up off the floor. Storing kits in affordable waterproof options has never been easier with Wood To Water’s dry bag and dry sack range.

It’s resistant to extreme heat and cold, dries fast and can be squished into a small ball that you can put in your backpack.

And a used US Army poncho or Bundeswehr poncho in good conditions fits very well to the pocket money budget of young people, as well as a used old military rucksack, a military canteen with fitting metal mug, a cheap carbon blade Mora or Opinel No8 or another knife he got somewhere, an old blanket, a box of matches and a bit of simple cordage and a grey bin liner bag as ground sheed for the lean to poncho shelter, some bread and cheese and tea or instant coffee in a small plastic bottle and in cold conditions a piece of chocolate.

When we were packing for the trip in early April I wasn’t sure exactly how to pack so I brought stuff for just about every weather situation. Blankets and insulated poncho liners are also good options, and for a camping trip in hot and humid conditions you can sometimes get away with a silk or fleece sleeping bag liner. There is one huge advantage that poncho liners have though: They are not *too* warm, like many more advanced options are, which is great for warmer climates. Adding now the round about 6 hours I wrote about before until the poncho gets whet from the inside, I get in this case 9 hours of sleep until it becomes unpleasant in the sleeping bag. On the other hand, bright or neon-colored ponchos are great in an emergency survival situation when you need to be rescued.

The classic sleep set-up for camping is an insulated sleeping pad or air mattress, a sleeping bag, and a pillow (which can be as simple as a rolled up jacket or a stuff-sack full of clothes). The British made Snugpack Special Forces system has such panic zippers, the Austrian made Carinthia army sleeping bags have such zippers and I guess the other originally in NATO armies issued sleeping bags have such zippers as well. Enter the wearable sleeping bag, with holes for your arms and feet (or, in some cases, sleeves and pant legs). Hiking Poles Hiking poles are an essential part of your camping gear, and we’ve got the best selection around!

Supergan "Cumulus sleeping bags and jackets have been accompanying me continuously for many seasons. Usually the best alternative is an ultralight camping quilt, but some backpackers also use an insulated poncho liner or even just a blanket. It usually means I get an hour or two to myself to just enjoy the peace and beauty of my surroundings uninterrupted by another human. This construction protects against heavy rain, snow, and wind better than traditional ponchos fastened with snaps or Velcro. Lightweight coated ponchos however, like the Dutch ones you recommend, get soaked on the outside, after which the whole thing gets wetty and chilly.Even though it’s not a full-coverage sleeping bag, we love this option because it requires much less commitment to put on and take off than other wearable sleeping bags — just slip it over your head like a poncho. Whether you’re looking for a portable gas stove or something that boils water quickly, take your outdoor cooking game up a notch with our high-quality, durable gas outdoor stoves. Therm-a-Rest® sleeping bags use a unique synthetic insulation that incorporates the best characteristics of both short and long staple insulation. Likewise, when you look into lightweight alternatives, you might just find that the best option is actually an ultralight sleeping bag. That said, there’s no reason you can’t transform a red, blue or purple or black into a superhero, animal or marshmallow man.