Cheers...
Actually have a Snowy's about 2mins from my place!
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Cheers...
Actually have a Snowy's about 2mins from my place!
The only issue I can see with a swag on a stretcher is the cold air getting underneath. I'd rather have my swag on the ground. My Darche Double that I bought nearly 20 years ago when Darche was made not far from here and I have just replaced the mattress with a self inflatable. Really comfy now. I have slept in mine in hard rain and was 100% dry in it. The only issue with a double swag is the size. It rolls up and its fairly big. But on our snow trip 2 years ago it was effing freezing outside and I slept in nothing but shorts and was warm as toast.
To the best of my knowledge you should 'cure' any new swag - set it up & soak with the hose , let dry & repeat , 2-3 times , seals the canvas but more so the stitching / seams .
I am on my 3rd swag, and its a darche 900 and sitting on a darche stretcher. I rang and spoke to darche about this combo before buying it as well. I went for the stretcher as its simply easier for me to get in and out of as opposed to fumbling around in the dirt. The deep tub floor works well, however the disadvantages remain in that the canvas/polyester sweats in hot or cold, but thats life unless you go the path of a 100% cotton canvas and I don't believe any of the swag manufacturers in Australia make on - happy to be corrected.
Regards comfort, in the stinking heat, open it up and its as cool or hot as sitting in a camp chair - you don't get any ventilation improvement being 500mm off the ground. In the cold, be it pelting down or snowing, unless you have a tarp strung up, you are going to get partially wet getting in and out - typical swag territory. Re the cold from below, well the open cell foam mats are never going to be a good insulator, so if I know I am going into the snow I simply throw a thermarest on top of the mattress and all is good. Two sleeping bags, one as a doona and toasty for the night. One disadvantage with the stretcher is accumulated snow that turns to water and ice under the swag, and saturates the stretch deck and is a bit of a mission to get off to fold it all up - happened again on this recent snow trip. Swag and stretcher packed up sopping wet, melted to water inside the car and spread the problem, then home for the dry out as normal. I think I have a good solution for myself, but I still need to string the overhead tarp to provide a sheltered spot to get in and out and stay dry. Didn't do it this trip due to a combination of physical location and laziness.
ps learning from this last snow trip - take your boots off and store them inside a plastic bag inside the swag. I left my Sorells outside and the moisture in the felt liner froze solid and next day was impossible to get both boots on - spent 4 hrs with unmatched boots, but next night, problem solved with the plastic bag trick and happy days.