WalkGirl84 wrote:Oh no. I just bought a Vango tent haha! The ropes scared me too but I needed a sturdy tent in NSW mountains! I'm worried now...
I feel your pain!! I have only been researching/buying stuff for about 2 weeks. I am already re-buying stuff. Jeez, is it expensive!
My first sleeping bag was a -5 degrees synthetic. Ok, but too big - fills my backpack, so simply had to buy a down one. Only went for a +7 degree one this time as the -5 one (in down) was simply out of my budget. The down one was still double the price I paid for my original bag. And I am doing the same with my mattress. Originally bought an Anaconda special self inflating foam one. Very big. So now bought a Thermarest inflatable and foam mat. Again - re-buying because I did not know enough the first time around. I also bought a heavy synthetic jacket - dumped that and bought a down one today. 50 times smaller and lighter - even comes with it's own tiny divvy bag. I am on my 4th pair of hiking boots. One pair could not wear at all, so gave to my son. Another is actually a pair of very light boat shoes. The other is just for walking (ie Nike joggers). Got my new Keen mid height hiking boots today, so am excited about those. So all and all, so far I have wasted at least $400 for stuff I should never have bought.
I am hoping my tent is ok too. It arrived today, so have not had time to try it out yet. But it looks ok - small and light enough at any rate. Will test pitch it in the park across from my house on the weekend.
Will be doing my first over night camp in 10 days, so am getting pretty excited by it all.