u/Legitimate_Star4733

You’d have to be avoiding all the hiking forums to not heard people saying how much they love their Zenbivy sleep system and that it’s the best back country sleep they’ve ever had. I have to say I disregard a lot of the YouTube reviews as the majority of them have been gifted the product and I think that if you had to actually pay from your own pocket for the ridiculous cost of a complete Zenbivy system then you might be more critical. Obviously the other negative with them is the excessive weight for the setup. The exception being the half length Fast Sheet which is 94g which to my thinking is a weight worth considering carrying if there is a benefit.
I’d like to hear from anyone who’s added the Fast Sheet to their existing quilt and pad setup. There’s plenty of excellent videos showing how to this can be done and there is even a (frankly overpriced) kit available from ZB themselves. What I’m more curious about is whether it’s a good addition or not?
I don’t want to canvass people’s experiences with entire ZB systems as I’m far from being on the same wavelength as those dropping over $1000 for the full setup. There is only the one (Fast Sheet) item in their product range that is of interest to me.
My Neve Gear Waratah and Flextail pad owes me $520 adding $100 and 100g seems fair.
I’ll also point out the pricing problem with ZB for those in Australia, which is twofold, first is the Aussie tax, the item is $69USD which should be $97AUD but on the Aussie version of the US website it charges $110AUD. Then they want $$50 to ship 100g. Boo, I definitely wouldn’t be happy paying the extra on a full system plus GST eg a Dirtbed system on the US site is USD$631.55(AUD$886) but they charge AUD$1013

I see that there are now Alpha sleeping bag liners eg Big Agnes and even as quilt lining eg UGQ. Has anyone had any experience incorporating Alpha into their sleep system?
I’m looking to change quilts and may go custom. I am actually thinking about making a Zenbivy style sheet using alpha to extend the temperature range of the quilt allowing me to carry a lighter quilt most of the time. Does anyone use the Zenbivy light sheet? Thoughts on it?

I have a question about the rice cooker
for the Petrel G3. Does anyone have both the Firemaple cup and rice cooker and do they both nest inside the G3 at the same time along with 110g gas canister?
Before I get a slew of comments about leaving it at home and that it’s not ultralight, this is a luxury item for when I’m camping with my partner.

I’m wondering what peoples experience with toe socks has been.
Firstly, I live in boots, leather work boots not hiking boots, my point being that my hiking boots are softer, better fitting and more comfortable than my daily drive. I don’t have blister problems, I have never ever had a blister between my toes not even when I was running half marathons. The only time I have had blisters is on my heel with worn running shoes/poor ankle socks.
Over the years I have gone from using whatever thick socks I had, to specific hiking socks, to sock with liner combination, to double layer socks (a technology I picked up from running socks) and even compression socks socks with a hiking sock over the top.
Given that toe blisters aren’t a problem is there any reason to experiment with toe socks, either stand alone or as a liner, as opposed to just wearing good quality wool or alpaca hiking socks for multi-day hiking?

Can anyone think of a tent design that is similar to the Tarptent Rainbow but that has the single pole run diagonal as opposed to down the middle? I keep thinking I’ve seen something like this but I may have just imagined it.

Cascade Trail or Hopeless Hut route?
Hi looking for local experience and advice for a forthcoming, February, trip in Nelson Lakes. We’re combining Angelus Hut with the Travers Sabine but in a slightly unconventional itinerary doing it at the start rather than the end. Day 1 will be the ascent up Roberts Ridge to Angelus Hut. It’s day 2 that has options that I have to differentiate, there are two alternative descents to rejoin the Travers Valley track, either the Cascade Trail 16.2 km 5:37hrs or the track via Hopeless Hut 13.5km 5:28hrs (times are from AllTrails). I’ve only found descriptions of these as climbs and I’d love to get the opinion of anyone who’s seen them first hand as to whether the Hopeless Hut route is a good idea or if it is a steep scree scramble?
For context we are all in our 50s but fit, active and experienced hikers.

I’m wondering if anyone has direct experience comparing the Durston XDome and TFS Enron tents. Both similar on paper, both have a poly fly and are near enough same packed weight and similar price in Australia (may differ elsewhere). The Durston is all the rage in North America and the Enron seems better known in the UK.