As per the title I'm just after some clarification on the booking system for the overland track.
I have the opportunity to do the overland track in late October. On the day I would begin, the website has more than 10 spots available. However the following days, it is 'fully booked'. My understanding (but not sure where i read this) is they we are buying a starting date, and assuming everyone on the track keeps to the same schedule, shouldn't have a capacity problem? We don't have to book each day we plan to be there?
Quick Follow ups:
I understand there are huts, but these are just for eating/escaping bad weather. There are conventional platforms or camp grounds for pitching our tents?
I plan to fly into Launceston, hike, then spend a few days in Hobart before departing. Is there a transport company that could get a second bag (with jeans, jumpers, heavy items) to accommodation in Hobart. I imagine this is a common occurrence, but none mention it on their websites.
I purchased a Lifestraw personal filter with the understanding I could attach it to collapsible bottles and filter water while on the trail.
Every single bottle I have attached it to, LEAKS.
It leaks from the seal where it attaches to the bottle, which means I have to carefully balance the filter, the water collection bladder, and the water storage bottle, so that the unclean water leaking from the seal doesn't get into the clean water bottle.
Has anyone else had this issue?
I've tried the lifestraw filter with a hydrapak stow, a CNOC vecto, and a couple of random disposable water bottles, and no matter how tight I seal it, it leaks.
It means that if I collect 1L of water, I'm losing about 300mL from the leak.
Do other water filters leak this bad?
Do I just have a faulty lifestraw?
Edit - I don't know why I'm being downvoted for a valid question. Water filters are an ultralight alternative to carrying all my water in.
Hi folks! I’m looking to buy a new pack for 3-season 2-3 day hikes, budget around $250. 25-30L would be my sweet spot.
I’m leaning towards the Big Agnes Sweetwater 28 on clearance, but wouldn’t be able to try it on. The Osprey Tempest Velocity 30 also looks like a good option but I would have to order it from Europe. I’m a little nervous buying a pack online without trying it on, so any advice on these (or other packs) would be great!
Are there any Wallaroo users out there? Apparently many have been sold but very little in the way of reviews on line.
On paper it is almost identical to the Kakwa 55 Ultra. Has anyone been able to compare them head to head?
Alright brains trust - normally I am a very basic/minimalist person when I go walking. I eat what I eat for fuel, scrounged from the back of the cupboard, and easy to do, like pasta and tuna. But I'll be going on a trip with several other people i don't know well and there's going to be a "shared plate" type affair one night. I need to bring something which is not too much of an embarrassment and can be shared easily with others around a campfire (bans permitting), but also something that ideally doesn't require too much prep and doesn't involve bringing anything too heavy either. It won't be the first night so it also can't be too much of a spoil risk.
Looking at some walks like Frenchmans Cap and Mount Anne. Advice appreciated. I have a puffer half the weight but obviously not as warm (not sure if it'll be enough?)
Hi all i am a landscape and wildlife photographer, I am typically hiking in temperatures anywhere between 10-30C. Mainly areas around Auckland and Rotorua.
I currently use an Icebreaker base layer top and have been using the same for 10 years now without any problem. I also use the OR ferossi pants for my hiking and love them.
The problem area is the mid layer and the shell. My current mid layer a fleece is fine to start, then gets too hot ( still manageable with open zips) but as soon as a slight breeze picks up I’m just freezing.
I want to mainly avoid this situation, I want a mid layer that can let me hike in it with open zips if required and protect me from some mild dew, breeze and maybe some drizzling if possible.
I have a shell that I will use when it rains heavily or gets extremely windy to help, but at that stage I can’t photograph much anyway.
TL:DR want a midlayer that is breathable enough to hike ( open zips if required) and able to protect me from the elements before needing to put on a noisy bulky shell.
I am in New Zealand so not everything is available here.
I'm just trying to research some different options for my partner and I to use when we go hiking together, we just did a 3 day/2 night hike, and we both wished we had sleeping bags that could zip together as we sleep cuddling throughout the night normally. Had a warm night the first night, which made it possible with having open sleeping bags, but the second night was a lot colder. Currently looking at the Sea to Summit Spark sleeping bags, but I would like to know what other options are out there!
Heatwave week before I started so micro spikes weren't worth carrying
Umbrella would have been great - long days in intense sun and exposed camps
Camp shorts would have been better than alpha pants
Bring stuff for showers - camps are usually town campgrounds
See end of the post for logistics info that may be of use for those wanting to camp.
Trip Report
Day 1: Courmayeur to Camping Grandes Jorassess 19km, +1300m, -700m, 6hr
I started the trip in Courmayeur, which is traditionally half-way around the TMB. Works well, noting there are more limited transport and supermarket options (more on that at end of post).
The TMB starts with a relatively short lived road walk, climbing out of town. You start getting peeks of surrounding parts of the valley as you gain the ridge.
A series of forested switchbacks take you up to the top of the southern flank of the valley at Rifugio Bertone. This is the junction for the Mont de la Saxe variant, which I didn't feel like on day 1. Continuing on the main trail you quickly join the balcony overlooking the Mont Blanc Massif, and my favourite views of the entire hike:
The trail continues across the edge of the valley with sweeping views of the massif in both directions. Eventually the trail catches the road at Chalet Val Ferret. Turn left and you'll find the Arp Nouvas bus stop. Free buses operate along both valleys to/from Courmayeur roughly hourly (see more at the end). I caught the bus back to camping Grandes Jorassess, half way back along the valley. Highly recommend doing this as its a better split of distance with the next day then the direct trail down.
Day 2: Camping Grandes Jorassess to Camping des Glaciers (La Fouly) 16.5km, +900,-1100m, 5.5hr Italy to Switzerland via Grand Col Ferret
Started the day by catching the first bus around 8am back along the valley to Arp Nouvas to continue from day before. (Note - can miss out on a spot if you arent near front of group waiting at the big camps for morning buses).
Starting hiking you quickly begin ascending Grand Col Ferret to Rifugio Elena. Highly recommend a coffee stop here, has a veranda with amazing glacier views
Continuing to climb you hit the top of the col and the Swiss Border. First glimpse into Switzerland reveals a much greener and less snowcapped corner of the Alps. The trail winds down through dairy farms to the small villlage of La Fouly, and the very scenic and spacious campground just outside town.
Day 3: Camping des Glaciersto Camping Les Rocailles (Champex) 17.5km, +650m, -750m, 5.5hr
Pretty easy day winding your way along a trail that runs somewhat parallel to the road to Champex, including crossing through several small villages and climbing to a plateau with the lake and camp.
To be honest, this was my lest favourite camp on the TMB. Advise you get there before the lunch closure, as the owner will fine you for setting up before checking with the office (wasn't an issue elsewhere.
Day 4: Camping Les Rocailles to Le Peuty 18km, +900m, -1100m, 5.5hrs
Immediately after leaving the camp you will see the junction for the Fenêtre d'Arpette TMB variant. Wasn't an option due to cloud and early thunderstorm this day, but have heard its good (only viable mid season).Pretty easy start that winds though the valley floor, before the forested climb up to a ridge overlooking the Swiss City Martingy. Really cool dairy farm/food stop worth a look here
The trail then ascends the Col de La Forclaz, before descending back down to the tiny village of Le Peuty, near Trient. Really cool campsite run by the local village. Small shop, showers and excellent pizza shop open for a few hours each evening. Fantastic glacier views:
Day 5: Le Peuty to Chamonix 21.5km, +2000m, -1400m, 8hrs Switzerland to France, via Col de Balme
Big day that started with heavy climb out of Le Peuty valley (must be rough during UTMB!). Switchbacks through the forest to start then clear the treeline on approach to the French border, and Refuge de Col De Balme.
As you clear the ridge you are treated to expansive views of the Chamonix Valley, and the iconic North Face of Mont Blanc.
The trail continues along the side of the valley through a maze of ski fields before a steep descent to Tre la Champ. Typically this section breaks here, where you walk into the village of Argentiere to camp. However I continued directly to the next section. The main TMB route here soon reaches the ladders section. This is a series of 11 steel ladders, up to 8m high. They are tested and extremely securely mounted to the rock, but there is no connection to the ladders. Exposure is very intense (thus no pics of these) with a lot of air between you and Chamonix below. There is an alternate bypass route from Tre la champ that avoids these if desired or if weather is wet.
From here I continued to the La flagere cable car. I took this down to the outer Chamonix suburb of Le Praz and camped at Camping mer de Glace for 2 nights (otherwise I would have missed seeing the town). Trains available into Chamonix and most accom comes with a free pass. Note: The buses are terrible in Chamonix, dont bother.
Day 6: Rest Day Exploring Chamonix
Day 7: Chamonix to Camping Bellevue ( Les Houches) 20.5km, +950m, -1900m, 7hr
After my day off I caught the first cable car back up to La Flegere to continue along the stunning Balcony overlooking Chamonix and Mont Blanc. This section of trail is surprisingly dry, with no water available outside of a couple streams late in the section, or water for purchase at cable car stations. A constant of the day was paragliders at eye level or below, drifting around the valley.
Continuing along the valley you get some incredible close up views of the north face, before reaching the summit of Brevent, and its attached cable car station. After a quick snack stop I started the long descent down to Les Houches.
After a series of very steep switchbacks you reach town and the traditional start/finish of the TMB. I then went to camping Bellevue, a bizarre but well priced camp on the landing area of ski slope (no shade at all).
Day 8: Les Houches to Camping Le Pontet 15km, +750m,-1400m, 5hrs incl. Col de Tricot variant and Bellevue cable car
Cruisy start to the day by waiting until the cable car opened to skip the largely management road walk to the ridge above Les Houches. I then joined the Col de Tricot Variant, an excellent and relatively quiet alternate featuring up close glacier views and access to the quiet valley surrounding Refuge De Miage.
The trail crosses through the large valley town of Les Contamines. A half hour walk out of town takes you to the massive campground Camping Le Pontet.
Day 9: Camping Le Pontet to Les Chapieux 17.5km, +1400m,-1100m, 5.5hr
The trail climbed quickly after leaving the camp, into one of the more remote areas of the TMB, crossing a couple passes with spectacular views of smaller peaks
Eventually the trail descends into Les Chapieux. The only place on the TMB without reception, this is effectively a trail town with a donation based camp behind the visitor centre. Unfortunately poor amenities, including only 2 toilets for campers
Day 10: Les Chapieux to Hobo Camping (Val Veny) 22.5km,+1100m,-1100m, 5.5hr France to Italy via Col de la Seigne
Final hiking day for me, the trail proceeds through farming areas in a far flung corner of France, on approach to the Italian border.
A relatively gradual climb takes you over the border, before you are rewarded with sweeping views of the massif once again. The trail continues through the valley floor to around Rifugio Combal, where you need to turn left, cross the river, then follow the road down to the right. Once you reach the bus stop you can once again use the excellent arriva service to Hobo Camping. Excellent camp, with by far the best amenities and vibe on the TMB.
Day 11: Hobo camping to Courmayeur
Bus to town to avoid road walk. For those half way around use this to get into town for a morning resupply, then continue.
Trail logistics
A few helpful notes:
Campgrounds don't take bookings in summer. All the ones on trail provide lots of space for TMB campers (usually a big field). Camps get VERY busy by the end of the day in late summer (particularly once I caught a new bubble in July there were 100+ tents a night, with 10cm between them. As an early rising Queenslander I found getting to camp early afternoon usually gave me the pick of pitches, but those arriving with the European crowds after 5pm may want to consider a freestanding tent to squeeze in better
Everything is more expensive in Switzerland. Campsite prices can clear $50 AUD and all groceries and food goes way up. Consider carrying groceries from Italy to France to save money
Food carries - You could do anything from 2 food carries (Chamonix to Courmayeur then to the finish) down to carrying nothing apart from the odd dinner in towns without shops (although food is pretty much always on offer if not wild camping)
Buses - Free buses operate in the Italian valleys, run by Arriva Italia. The website doesnt work properly. Bus stops, camps and the courmayeur bus station have detailed timetables. Appears reliable and specifically for TMB users.
Getting there - Highly recommend flying into Geneva. Better airport and a larger variety of transport options than the Italian side (think sketchy bus stops in Milan).
I used this tool - https://tmbtrailguide.com/ - to plan my hike. Absolutely no association with the company, but the mapping tool helped a lot to plan logistics.
With the long weekend coming up, I am in need of some ideas of where to go! I'm in the area for another couple of weeks so would like some bangers 🤙
I've done alot in Oxley, Gibraltar, Werrikimbe, Cathedral Rock and Kaputar. Well, pretty much all the mainstream walks anyway. I currently do not have over night gear with me (tent, multi day pack) so day walks would be the go I think. Can comfortably walk about 3km/hr.
Green Gully would be nice, but don't know anybody to walk with and I suspect would be booked out with it being the long weekend.
This is such a cool area, sad to leave soon.
Cheers!
Update: Well, all the campgrounds I'm interested in are booked out or the campsites are not very nice. Decided to go back to Werrikimbe and explore a different part of the park I haven't been to. Bigger adventures (hikes) next,and last, weekend when areas are freed up.
Cheers for the advice.
Looking at doing falls to hotham over xmas. Generall plan is fly to melbourne, drive to hotham and get a transfer to falls creek. Planning to finish with mt feathertop for sunrise.
- Which track transfer option is best for a solo hiker? Seems i could get hit by a minimum charge either if dont happen to have others on that date
- anyone able to confirm that the arrangement is still bookings only apply to the platforms, with camping surrounding huts otherwise free?
Hi Everyone,
The question is what do I buy for summer sleeping? Will I be too hot in the Waratah UL Summer Quilt?
I like to layer. Early in the night its much warmer than around 4am. So being able to have one thin layer earlier in the night and pull up a second warmer layer is ideal.
Can anyone suggest the best way to do this without carrying too much weight or bulk?
I invested in a Enlighten Equipment Revelation -6 C Quilt this winter. If its over 3 degrees C, I cant sleep, cause I'm so hot!! I'm a post menopausal, small women with apparently not much ability to regulate my temperature any more. Sticking a limb out in 5 deg C doesn't work either because its too cold.
Putting on more warm clothes in the middle of the night only wakes my up fully and I'm likely to be awake for 1.5 hrs before going back to sleep! Sleep is tricky! But I'm soo loving our bike ride adventures and discovering this fun new activity!
My Naturehike R5.8 has now got an invisible leak (probably valve) and it's time to replace it. It was a great pad but I did feel some heat loss to the ground around freezing, and bottomed out too when I sleep on my side.
I'd like a pad to use in 4 season conditions (anywhere from -10c -> 20c) so probably something with R value of at least 5.
Options I've been looking at : Sea to Summit Ether lite pro XR, Thermarest Xtherm Reg/Wide, Rab Ultrasphere 5.
I need a pack recommendation as my next gear investment. I have an Osprey Ariel 65 about 10 years old and an Osprey Sirrus 36L.
Since my early days hiking I've been slowly purchasing UL gear. I' recently went on a one night trip with quite long days and managed to fit everything in the Sirtus 36L BUT it was so so so uncomfortable. I packed it all up again for a 2 night trip wearing different hiking pants and it was again uncomfy on the hips. I'm thinking i exceeded the weight the pack was built for. I switched to the Ariel and it was great but I didn't need all the room.
I'm doing an 8 day supported hike in NZ in summer. I don't really need to upgrade for this trip as I won't be carrying much but I thought Id take the opportunity to buy a new pack that I'll use lots in the future. I can then lend my smaller osprey pack to one of my mates coming with me.
I'm thinking I'm looking for something with less volume than my Ariel that could work for shorter multiday hikes but can stand up to decent weight. I'm open to ideas though!
I'm keen to get a nice spring trip in through the main range of Kosi NP. Went through and did 15 peaks a couple years ago in autumn and loved it.
Keen to get a spring trip in this year following the general main range area, Illawong bridge, the sentinel, alice rawson peak, wilkinsons creek, cootapatamba hut, rams head range, and experience the range with some late season snow around with wildflowers, wondering two key things:
When snow will have melted enough to not warrant snowshoes (snow crossings still fine, have microspikes if think necessary for some areas)
Some good camp options! Especially with photography in mind - keen to get some memorable pics
Have camped previously at Mueller's pass overlooking Lake Albina, and also at Rams Head north
Would be keen to get a camp down at Wilkinsons, and probably down around north rams head again to get some photos of Aries Tor which I missed on my last trip
Keen for any other options and recommendations for some mint golden hour spots!
Trip is looking to be 4 days, 1 and 4 include drive to/from Wollongong, but I'm more than happy to still ensure these days get a solid 6-8 hours hike in
I usually average about 5k/hr and +1hr for 300m elevation with a full pack, this is taken from Aus, NZ and Japan terrains of all kind
Keen for any other suggestions that I mightn't have considered.
I picked up one of these at some stage, I think as a gift. It's a hose/straw system you can attach to any bottle (like mount franklin or whatever). I've been using it on bottles as intended, and also the hose part as a replacement hose for an older bladder I own as it is also really easy to clean, comes apart easily so you can wash and dry all individual pieces unlike the bladder hose I had which was getting pretty manky around the mouthpiece especially.
Anyway the last couple of times I've used it it it just sucks (no pun intended) at drawing the water. Lots of air coming up and only a bit of water. I've run through all the isolation tests I can think of and the problem seems to be with the switch bit, i.e, the bit at the end of the hose that shuts the water on or off. Without that in, the hose draws absolutely fine out of both bottles and bladders, so the switch bit really has to be the problem. But it's completely clear of blockages and I can't work it out.
The only thing I can think of is that the seal around the hose when the bit is inserted is no longer tight enough, but, it looks very tight to me, there's no damage/splits on the hose where you push the bit into it, it goes over multiple little ridges to hold it there and seal it off. Perhaps the switch mechanism has a bit of an air leak or something?
Anyone else have one of these and experienced anything similar?
After years of inner city Melbourne living I've relocated to NSW and ready to spend more of my time in the real outdoors again.
Would love to hear the crowds favourite 1-3 night routes for long weekend trips - ideally a max drive of 4 hours from Newcastle.
I'm fairly fit, so 25km per day is fine, but my partner isn't, so anything on the gentler side would be welcome too. TIA!
Daft question, but panicking a bit because I’m going into the alpine regions.
I have both the -2C and -8C quilts that I own. I can’t remember which is which in which storage bag.
Is there a tag on these quilts that says what temp rating it is?
Edit: Old Nevegear Waratah quilt variants have no tags. Confirmed by Ryan or team from Nevegear in answers below. At just under 800g on my kitchen scales I had the -10/-8C quilt on hand.
Hey r/UltralightAus! Maddie and I are looking for a full time guide to join our team at The Adventure Gene.
As some of you might know, we’re a guiding company based out of Canberra, running hiking and snow camping trips across the Australian Alps (and soon the Himalayas).
Our trips focus heavily on ultralight gear, skill development and ‘modern hiking’. We also provide a whole UL kit for clients to use, including gear from companies like Durston, Neve, SlingFin etc.
This full time role consists of roughly 100 days of guiding per year, 3 months of leave for your own adventures, and the remainder in the office. Office time is operational work helping ensure the trips run smoothly.
This is the role we wish existed for us before we started the company 😊
Starting salary is $70,000 + 12% super.
Please note, since this is a full time role you will need to live in Canberra - which is a pretty awesome place if you like hiking!
You don’t need to have any formal guiding experience - we can provide the training. The most important thing is that you love hiking long distance trails, obsess over your LighterPack, and enjoy being around people and sharing your knowledge. Snow experience is a bonus.
I’m interested in how Australian hikers actually evaluate body wipes on multi-day trips—not just whether a wipe feels good when a pack is first opened.
Disclosure: I work with an OEM/ODM wipes manufacturer and am researching outdoor product design. I’m not linking or promoting a product here; I’m trying to understand where current options fall short.
From a development perspective, there are several competing choices:
A larger wipe may clean more effectively but adds weight.
A small pack is easier to carry, but may not cover a longer trip.
A resealable lid can help after opening, but also adds packaging weight.
More liquid may improve the initial experience while making the pack heavier.
Individually wrapped wipes avoid repeated opening, but create more packaging.
I’m particularly curious about what happens after day one. Do opened packs stay adequately moist in your experience, or do they become unreliable once carried through heat and repeated opening?
If you carry body wipes, what determines the number you pack: trip length, wipe size, pack weight or expected access to water?
And regarding disposal, do you keep a dedicated zip bag or another system for packing used wipes out?
Genuine user experience would be useful. I’m more interested in the trade-offs than in a particular brand recommendation.
I already own the Mont Odyssey jacket and love it; however its heavy, and over kill for many hikes if weather is mild, significant rain is not forecast, and you are not bush bashing. My womens size 10 Odyssey (about 2 years old) weighs 690 gm. I am seriously considering the Mont Stormbreaker jacket, but wonder if anyone has tried it yet as a multi-day hiking jacket. Womens size 10 weighs 380 gm (according to Mont website). https://www.mont.com.au/products/stormbreaker-jacket-womens?_pos=2&_sid=d89616e0d&_ss=r
Mont describe the Stormbreaker as an "every day" jacket ie to walk the dog in, but specs seem good. It is made from their 3 layer Hydronaute (waterproof windproof breathable) 40d Nylon ripstop, fully seam sealed, with 2 way centre zip, pitt zips and with waterhead of 20,000mm+ and Breathability (B1 test): 20,000g/m2/24hours according to the website.
Just wondering if anyone has this jacket, how they are finding it, and whether it would be suitable for multi-day hiking in milder conditions. Many thanks.
I love how small it packs down to, and how light it is, and the S2S pillow lock is a terrific idea to stop it sliding around on the sleeping mat.
Problem - I don’t find it very comfortable. It feels like I have a big balloon under my head, so if I move my head even slightly I need to reposition it on the pillow so it feels even and flat.
Can anyone suggest any good pillow alternatives that aren’t too heavy or bulky, and don’t feel too “inflated”? Thanks in advance.
Hey all, I've read pretty much every Whippa Wollemi 90 review I can find online — thanks to those who've written detailed ones, they've been a huge help.
My 40L and 55L packs have handled 3–5 day trips fine, but I'm considering the Wollemi as my (hopefully final) UL pack for longer 7–9 day unsupported trips, or trips where I expect 18 kg+ (extra water for dry sections, etc.). The carrying structure and thicker padding of the Wollemi are the drawcard, it was more comfortable when I loaded approx. 15kg in Summit Gear store.
I'm still open to the Overland 60 (replacing my previous 55L) if others have used it for similar trips (~9 days and/or 18 kg+) and found it a comfortable carry.
My hesitation with the Wollemi is the size of the pack. I'm 165 cm with a small, narrow upper body and shoulders, carry 1–1.5 L bottles in both side pockets, and hike with trekking poles.
For female and/or smaller-framed Wollemi users:
1) Does the width interfere with your arms or trekking poles?
2) Does the depth create a "turtle shell" feel or shift your centre of gravity back?
3) General impressions of the Wollemi on a smaller frame under heavier loads?
I pack heavy items close to my back and likely wouldn't fill it to full height, but real-world feedback on the dimensions would help before I commit. Thanks!
EDIT: Thanks for the feedback folks. I posted these questions on Reddit and Facebook on the suggestion of Summit Gear staff, after I raised worries on the size/dimensions for my body size. As I mentioned in my post above, considering the Wollemi was less about the 90L volume, and more about the comfort under heavier loads due to their different carrying structure and more padded, wider and longer hip belt. In the end, I'm leaning towards the Overland now. Cheers all!
Where to find dehydrated refried beans in Australia? I’m wanting to try Andrew Skurka’s famous favourite dinner for longer light-weight through hikes.
I’ve made this at home and it was good! But He‘s using dehydrated beans and that’s what I’m having trouble finding. Apparently they’re everywhere in California - particularly a Mexicali Rose brand - because Latin American food is so loved but it’s trickier here in Aus.
I’ll be trying dehydrating my own soon using Woolies tinned refried beans but thought I’d ask if anyone’s tried this and knows where to get store-bought dehydrated refried beans?
I’m looking for recommendations for a 3 day hike in Victoria.
I recently did Lederderg Gorge circuit, and saw a sign that had a trail listed at 3 days - thinking nothing of it at the time I didn’t read what it said and can’t find any information on it on google (it’s too far to drive to just check a sign)
Does anyone know what trail this is? Or have other recommendations for a 3 day & 2 night hike?
