Shopping Trip Take Two

On Saturday the 22nd of August I drove down to Melbourne for the National 4×4 & Outdoors Show the following day but on the Monday after that I went on another shopping mission mainly to source the Sea To Summit gear I’d researched online. I had a few things in mind that I wanted to get so out comes the sat nav to search for nearby

While In Melbourne… 😉

I had a few things in mind that I wanted to get so out comes the sat nav to search for nearby Anaconda stores as I know they stock Sea To Summit.

First store – Anaconda Highett

• Silva field compass – 5g – $35 (for when I’m game enough to head off track)
• Small waterproof map case – 10g – $23.99 (I just have the Mt Remarkable NP map in there for now)
• Large compression dry sack – 24g – $31.99 (which now houses my sleeping bag)
• XS compression dry sack – 14g – $27.19 (for my clothes)
• Denali trekking poles – 95g – $31.99
• S2S alpha light cutlery 3 piece set – 2g – $19.19 (I have only the fork in my pack, I didn’t see the point in the others once I got home)
• S2S waterproof TPU case – 2g – $15.99 (this is now for my notepad & pen and also fits my phone)
• S2S pocket towel S – ? – $13.59 (this one is now with my ordinary camping toiletries and not in my hiking pack)
• 50ml sunscreen & insect repellant – 4g – $11.99
• Safety whistle – 2g – $10.99
• 1L dry sack – 1g – $10.39 (this was for my baby towel, spare toilet paper and wipes)
• Vigilante jacket – 136g – $130 (was after a simple fleece but got talked into this)
• Polypro thermal top – 29g – $24.49
• Polypro thermal pants– 20g – $24.49
• Colorado trail conversion pants – ? – $95.99
• TNF conversion pants – ? – $95.99
• Denali Trek II socks – 7g – $10 (I bought two pairs)

I then searched for the next closest Anaconda store and ended up in Springvale. There I bought:

• S2S spork – 3g – $17.59 (not even in my pack)
• BC beef & pasta hotpot – 20g – $11.89
• S2S pocket trowel – 12g – $9.59 (I’d been after this one!)
• Jetboil fuel – ? – $7.03 (smaller and lighter than my other one)
• Wilderness wipes – 15g – $3.19
• Colorado shirt – ? – $79.99
• NOS shirt – ? – $109.99 (meant to have mosquito repellant in it that doesn’t wash out)
• I was so excited about the trowel lol! I then ended up in Anaconda Bayswater and bought:
• S2S alpha light long-handled spoon – .1g – $7.99 (this was on my wish list, perfect for eating out of bags)
• Another shirt – ? – $20

The Search For A New Tent Begins

As I wasn’t happy with the tent I asked one of their staff members if they stocked the Sea To Summit Specialist Solo Shelter. He said they could probably order it in but he recommended I go to Paddy Pallin in Ringwood who specialise in hiking stuff so off I went. I had seen Paddy Pallin online during my research but didn’t realise how awesome that store is! There, I made the following purchases:

• Fingerless gloves – 5g – $23.96
• S2S dry lite towel – 8g – $11.96 (THIS one is in my pack. It’s smaller and lighter)
• Buff – 5g – $27.96
• S2S reactor extreme sleeping bag liner – 75g – $67.96 (I feel the cold really bad)
• Garmin GPS – 26g – $311.96

AND I had the S2S Specialist Solo Shelter ordered and arranged delivery to my door which was awesome! I was so happy. Weighs 625g and cost me $423.96 plus the groundsheet for it weighing 15g at $47.96.

The link for it: Specialist Shelter.

Paddy Pallin Where Have You Been All My Life?!

Man, I was so excited about a few of those purchases and could not wait for the shelter to arrive! The saleswoman at Paddy Pallin was so nice and helpful. I then went back to my campsite at Melbourne’s caravan park, cracked a can, had dinner and a shower and then opened all of my purchases in the tent.

The next day I had to make my way back home. It’s a nice 12-hour drive and as I had to go through Adelaide I thought I may as well hit another shop or two. Went into Ray’s Outdoors in Modbury and got:

• Waterproof matches – .1g – $9.99
• Merino thermal top – 31g – $29.99
• Merino thermal pants – 21g – $24.99

I went into the Anaconda next door as well but had everything I wanted to get.

I’d done some research on thermals and what was best but everyone seems to have their own favourite and there are pros & cons to both of the Polypro and merino thermals. From what I’m aware, the polypro’s get stinky quickly as they don’t repel moisture as quickly as the merinos and the merinos dry quicker but from my experience aren’t as warm. So, each to their own on that one. I’d recommend trying both out and just seeing which you like more. I haven’t had my polypro’s go stinky on me yet but I only wear them to bed.

That’s it. I drove home after that. I was pretty much all shopped out. Remember that all of this went on the MasterCard and just increased my debt. Not good but still worth it!

Stay tuned as my next post will be about my testing trip with the shelter! Eeeeeeeee 😀