Hi mickb,
Looks to me that you are getting into this with some serious thought.
Everyone comes to a slightly different solution - I can only put my perspective opinion (for whatever it is worth).
mickb wrote:Any suggestions on lightweight blankets or quilt to replace a sleeping bag for temps not lower than 7-10 degrees or so ('winter' in our tropics). Any lightweight brands with good warmth to weight ratio around this level?
Where are you located mickb? I'm in Townsville and use a Jacks R Better Shenadoah quilt (rated to about 5 degrees). This is hydrophobic down and weighs in about 500g. Before that I had a synthetic Mountain Designs sleeping bag rated to about 8 degrees. Down is always nicer to sleep under
One thing to note that you will need a sleep system that will go to about zero for around here in winter - those nights the other week that were 6-7 minimums around town are approaching zero in the hills (yes, they even got frost in the hollows up on Hervey Range!). However as this is an occasional thing, I wear extra clothes to bed on cold nights and stick with the same sleeping bag / quilt.
mickb wrote:Wondered what rating sleeping bag is a good allrounder for the overland track( not including winter) and similar hikes. I'd like to keep a my -1 rated sleeping bag for everything but am realistic. Also wondered though if sleeping fully clothed can improve the bags rating signfigantly? Being exmil I can sleep fully layered, uniformed (and booted lol) just wondering if it would it get me from -1 to -5 say, assuming sleeping on correct mat etc.
I think a quality down sleeping bag with a genuine rating of -5 to -10 degrees is perfect for Tassie. YMMV of course. Personally, I wouldn't want to take a -1 bag into the hills in Tassie. Yes, you can boost the warmth with clothes (keep in mind if you have too much clothes on and the bag is a slim fit you may compress the down and defeat the purpose) and a vapour barrier. But you will need those options on occasion in Tassie with a -5 to -10 bag as it can certainly get to those temperatures and a bit below up on the mountains. Also, Tassie is typically a very wet, humid sort of cold, down gets damp and loses efficiency and overall it is hard to stay dry and warm. It is actually easier to stay warm in consistently below zero temperatures (with the right gear) than it is in the 'just a bit above and below freezing'+ wet conditions in Tassie.
For extra warmth boost and preserving your down to its optimal efficiency, I would very much recommend taking a vapour barrier to sleep in in Tassie. Sounds like with your background you will have no problem adapting to this. See
http://sectionhiker.com/vapor_barrier_clothing/ - you can make almost anything work at a pinch from garbage bags, to emergency bivvys, to the proper liners like the ones mentioned in this article.
Most of the serious outdoor brands make a pretty good sleeping bag (lots of not so good as well) but detailed reviews abound on the web. Brands like Western Mountaineering, Marmot, Feathered Friends are at the top of the tree for good down products - also some very good makes out of Europe including Poland. Go for something with 800 loft down or better. A good bag in that -5 to -10 range will weigh no more than 1 kilo (and may be a bit less). There are also very good down quilts for the purpose now - I personally will stick with a bag for the colder stuff but plenty are doing just fine with quilts.
mickb wrote:For similar temps any UL or LW options for jackets and raincoats? Already have thin merino thermal base layers, but my sweater and shell are heavy tactical brands I would like to go as UL as possible. I don't mind wearing a garbage bag for a raincoat(lol) but seriously thanks for any good options. I'd also like to use the raincoat up north if there is an option or material that suits both.
Some of the military spec stuff is really good - i wear some military spec baselayers for places like Tassie (XGO). But yeah, much is overbuilt and heavy for just bushwalking. Plenty of good info on layering on the web - you will probably be surprised how little you need when on the move in Tassie even when it is really cold. I am 90% of the time in shorts and baselayer t-shirt - with the shell on when raining, snowing or really windy. When it is really cold I add a 100wt fleece or similar on the move. You want to be on the cold side of comfortable whilst moving if possible. As for rain shells, no there are no good options for NQ
I am experimenting with just a windshirt (hasn't really been a wet season for three years to struggling to test it). The idea is that the windshirt will block the breeze and the volumes of water running over my skin (it can be surprisingly cold in the rain in NQ in summer, because it is falling in such volumes the heat is getting washed off your skin!) though I will still get soaked. For Tassie the newer WPB air permeable fabrics like eVent and its rebadged offerings are great - they sort of work if you dare don them up here too. Lots and lots of discussion of the merits of various WPB fabrics already on this forum and web.
mickb wrote:I have ditched a lot of tactical stuff from my belt but still have a garmin etrex 20 GPS. I was thinking of getting a lighter GPS watch since I don't use gps for cacheing, breadcrumbs trails etc, just occasionally checking my position to maps. I know watches have much less battery power, but I was hoping since I only need it for occasional positioning, this theory might work for 4-7 day trips.( I don't use or carry a smartphone btw).
Don't know, i just carry an etrex 30.
mickb wrote:I am thinking of ditching my army and hiking boots completely and switching to converse cons pro shoes( the old 'gym boot' with new nike cushioned soles). These are the lightest thing I have found that offer higher ankle protection, ( needed for our spiky grass seeds, also to prevent mud and sand from entering boots crossing creeks or sand bars) , have okay cushioning ,grip over wet rocks, grommet holes in them which allows them to drain, and dry out fairly quickly at night after a day jungle hiking.
I am a fan of boots but it is near impossible to get light, drainable boots of a type I would prefer so have learnt to work with trail shoes (and they are great). Personally I use Inov8 Trailroc 245s - Inov8's are very well regarded by shoe wearing walkers but there are also plenty of other good options. Forums like backpackinglight have lots of discussion. I have bad ankles so use a light flexible ankle brace when carrying packs with shoes (
http://www.swedeo.com/TarsalLok.htm ). And always wear gaiters with the shoes - you will need gaiters with boots anyway, both up here and in Tassie. Great thing with the shoes is that they are very light on the feet and yes, very fast to drain and dry.
mickb wrote:However.... question is can these do double duty in southern cooler climate hikes? Can I wear warm socks in such a lightweight canvas shoe and still be okay? At what point do snow shoes come in? What do you guys do if it starts raining, shoes get wet, and temps are dropping?
Socks, socks and socks. The right combination of socks will take you into the snow (at least most Australian snow) no problem in trail shoes. In cold places (Tassie and NZ) I take thick wool Darn Tough socks for general cool walking (they are very warm and very warm when damp so I also use these for the occasional water crossing - just walk straight in and no problems coming out, just keep moving). For really, really wet days (e.g. crossing bogs) I wear neoprene socks (and if really cold the wool socks over those). For lots of snow but not too much water I wear vapour barrier socks. Problem in Tassie is you will generally get all three scenarios in a few hours but the sock combinations work across roles well enough. All combinations are worn with thin, synthetic liner socks first.
Boots, I will only go to now for dry, powdery snow (does it exist in Australia?), where crampons are need or a really rigid sole is going to be necessary for kicking steps all day in snow.
There are so many brands and models that will do what you want in the above categories it is just about pointless recommending any specific model. If you do come up with an option/s however feel free to post in the gear section for opinions, than it is easier for others to post any positive / negative experiences and direct competitors.