We Put Walmart’s Low-Cost Backpacking Gear to the Test

I brought water shoes to navigate streams with but only used them once; way too much trouble to switch at every crossing. I was fine hiking with wet Altras and mailed my water shoes home at Brushy Creek. My food cost me around $300, not counting what I ate on my town day in Van Buren. For breakfast, I had Starbucks Via instant coffee added to a liter of cold water and a ProBar Meal bar. Lunch was mostly another ProBar, Primal Strips vegan jerky, and Kitch Fix granola.

We have stayed nicely warm while sleeping in the cold in this bag. Rated for 30-degrees, we have slept in it down to 13. The bag, by itself, is not very warm at that temperature. We layer a blanket between the sleeping pads and the sleeping bags for some extra insulation.

The 7-pound weighted top layer is filled with glass beads, which will keep you feeling cozy and secure. Stay cozy even on the coldest nights of your camping or hiking trips with the Everest Mummy Sleeping Bag, +5F/-15C Degree. This sleeping bag I always sleep in @ night @ home because I like it better than a regular blanket. I notice this isn’t the first review with this complaint. The zipper broke on my warm weather bag on the second night out. Too bad too because overall I’ve had good luck with Ozark Trail stuff.

I cannot believe that I wasted 160 dollars on some junk. By the time we got back from camping the next weekend three out of four sleeping bags had the zippers broken. I’m so disappointed with this product that I advise anyone buying sleeping bags not to even look at Ozark and buy Coleman instead.

Streams and creeks can run deep and quick during heavy rains, and temperatures can dip below freezing in the spring and autumn. There are long stretches without cell phone service. Drinking water is a serious consideration for any thru-hike. Even at the driest part of the year, there are many water sources on the OT, but it shouldn’t be taken for granted. Filtering or chemically treating water is overwhelmingly recommended. I used a Katadyn BeFree 1-liter filter and only needed to clean it once in my 16 days.

We purchased our new tent based off your recommendations. Thanks for saving us the hassle as we are newby campers. Then you’re going to want to check out this Ozark Trail Camping Tote, now available for $14.97 on Walmart.com. I think the expensive bags are just marketing and overengineering, unless you are going to the arctic.

We carry everything you need to make your next camping trip a sensation. I haven’t been able to try it in the wild, but I have laid in it in a cold garage. It was about 51F in the garage and I had the Nemo Cosmo Insulated 25L pad under it. I first tried it in my underwear, socks, and a beanie. I’m kind of a warm sleeper and this was right on the border of being good enough. After laying there for a bit, I put on my polypro top and bottom that I had from the Army.

I got in the bag, tried to zip it and the zipper tore immediately. Although I saw many diggings from feral hogs, I was fortunate to have never come across any. I did meet a hunter in the woods whose hands and arms were covered in blood. She had just shot a wild hog and had cut out the “back straps” to eat.

There are few bridges over creek crossings and hardly any developed campsites,” Letner said. “The AT, PCT, and CDT have a higher profile, but not many people can take three to five months out of their lives to do a thru-hike. Be prepared to adjust plans based on the conditions you encounter.

Ticks were unavoidable given the amount of growth encroaching on the trail,” she said. The river crossings were thus easier overall, but the trail [was] more covered in leaves, making a sprained ankle more probable,” he said. Trips may ozark trail screen house be conducted on different trails at different times and in any direction. Make sure to let a friend or family member know what you’re doing and where you’re going. I was on a budget so I figured I would go with a less expensive bag.