Hiking Survey for HSC assignment

[Suz]

So…it's HSC* time…and let's be honest, that's waaaaaaaaayy behind most of us but a friend of mine's younger sister is doing her HSC and she's doing an assignment on 'hiking advancements' for her design and tech class.

The most classic and penultimate Q is "Would you be interested in buyig a hiking backpack that had a built in tent?" For which I'm tempted to answer "WHAT?!!"

But you never know, this kid could be a genius cottage manufacture somewhere down the line...

If you feel like helping a kid out, please fill out the survey at: https://freeonlinesurveys.com/s/UcLV91Gm#/


*I forget what the hell people outside NSW call the HSC!

[Lophophaps]

I'm in Victoria and have no idea what year 12 is called. If someone started a cottage industry for bushwalkers I would buy the cottage, if it weighed under 11 grams. Pack tent - no.

[benoloughlin]

I completed the survey. For what its worth - I don't think its a great idea.

[Xplora]

This has already been done some years (maybe 10 or less) ago. I think Black Wolf may have bought the idea of the inventor who was struggling to sell the concept. I think it floated like the Titanic but someone in the US is giving it a go. http://www.tentpak.com/ It would probably do better in the US. A larger population of people who have no idea. I did the survey and hope it helps.

[Gadgetgeek]

I think there are other components that could be made to double-up duty. The problem is that most often its easier to have a modular system where each piece does not rely on the others, as soon as you combine large pieces into an all-in-one unit, it becomes much harder to adapt to different situations. But that being said, there are places, like the hyper-light sort of method where it does work. Having a pack built to be the tent bag could have some potential, but then the pieces have to make sense. With the tentpack, you are buying a poor tent in a bad backpack. I think there would be more room to lighten the pack itself by using those other components in place, like a way to have the tent poles provide the pack support frame, or the sleeping mat to provide back padding. Heck even a way to filter water not based on pure gravity or suction, but using pack motion stil-suit style.

[weeds]

I have a son about to start HSC...filled out the survey for support.

[taswegian]

In my younger days I never took a tent.
I did it rough, sleeping under and in whatever was about.
However, I had a large Paddy Pallin H frame of the older style. I had a very large nylon insert sewn in that pulled out and with my feet inside completely covered me.
It was fantastic.
So while the idea posted may sound bizarre with a simple approach I could see it has much merit.
Obviously where do you put your gear. With a bit of innovation that's not difficult either.
I had room inside for a bit of sensitive stuff around the feet.

But you'd have to be prepared to take the good with the bad and make compromises.

Not sure how some modern bushwalkers would find that style attractive.

It reminds me of the "Tail Tent" for Holden Panel vans. Had a real purpose but came with limitations.

[scoha]

In Victoria, we have the VCE - which replaced the HSC many years ago.

[Moondog55]

Actually I commented in the survey that I really miss the old style huge extendable throats that rucksacs used to have and for just that reason. Maybe I should sew one into my WE monster

[johnw]

Done, happy to help. I actually think the attached tent idea could be an Interesting concept for a day pack if benighted. Would need to be really ultra light.

[Moondog55]

It isn't a new idea tho, patents already exist for such things. Last I saw in a magazine was using an American external frame pack [ already tall] with a couple of extenders to take the front of the tent. Reviewers comments back then were that is was like sleeping in a coffin; so this must have been before goretex and bivvy sacks