Tent or Swag?

Stoney

Swags are great for one nighters I think. But you have to take the elements in consideration. What are you going to do when it rains? Last time I went camping up the beach we had a guy that rolled out his swag we all went to bed that night and it rained that night he woke up nice and dry but his swag was wet. We left early that morning and he had to roll his wet swag up.....he was winging like it was the end of the world

If I was you I would go for a nice strong 2 person tent

I carry both a tent and a swag. Only set the tent up if the weather looks like it will turn really nasty.

Both

My vote is definitely for a centre pole tent.
30 second set up with 4 pegs and one pole
room to stand
very stable
plenty of room for clothes, gear etc
Also worth noting that the further away from "soft camping" areas the more you see serious off roaders using them.

There was an acticle in ol mag this month about tents.

Thanks All,

To me it sound as if the Tent is the most popular.

I was considering the swag as my first option. I don't have as much experience as most of the people on the forum, so I really value you opinion.

Rob from Cairns Offroad, what are the small tent that you use? I currently have a large Microfast Tent and really like it so I was thinking about a smaller one of them

Sound like a tent is the go, unless there is anybody who could sway my opinion back to the swag.

Carl

Lived in a swag for some time so my answer to you would be take both.

Tents are tiny these days and take about 2 minutes to erect, 5 to pack up.

G'day Stoney,

I used to use a swag all the time but found it pretty annoying trying to rig up tarps when it rained. A mate and I actually designed and had made our own swags with built in mozzy nets. Sadly for the oldk swag, I just bought a Kookaburra tent-bed, I think they call it a tent-cot. Cant go wrong with it. Has the convenience of a swag in that its easy to unfold and set up, yet keeps you dry. Also has sand fly mesh on all four sides.
Worth a look anyway. Site Link.
Chris

We take both.

We like the ease of the swag and for what we do, it gets used most nights. If the weather's looking bad, or we're staying put for a couple of nights, we have a quick canvas tent that marks our ground.

I prefer the swag because I wake up to fresh air in the morning.

I still carry a small dome tent just in case it gets really nasty though - the main advantage of the dome tent being that if you put enough stuff in it there's no need for pegs.

we take both. Nothing stopping you from usin gthe swag in the tent is there?

For us it all depends on how long were planning on staying, the weather and the local insect situation.

If its me on my own for a night and the conditions are good, swag on the back of the ute. conditions bad-----tent thank you very much.

Its great to have options

Stoney,

If you are on your own, a good quality swag and maybe a tarpaulin for inclement weather. Wouldn't bother with a tent in the circumstances you have described.

A simple tarpaulin attached to the side, or end of your vehicle and optionally, a couple of poles at the other end, will give you all the protection from rain or sun that you would need. You could probably even do without the poles by bringing the "free" end of the tarp down to ground level.

If you decided on a tent, you would still need a swag, or something similar, to give you a decent "bed" to sleep on.

I use a swag. Best nights leep I've had.

If the weather looks bad, I setup a lightweight (read tiny to pack) tent fly. The fly goes from the bullbar to the ground, with the swag underneath. Even in heavy rain the swag has kept dry.

John

Stoney ,

I have the best of both worlds . A tent swag from Ultima Swags .

This is a Hilton model which is about a metre high 2m long and about 1 m wide .
It has mesh on both sides and the top so you can go to sleep looking at the stars and a big hvy duty canvas cover goes over and zips along the side if required during rain .

You attach one end to your bull bar and one end to a tree or you can use his neat telescopic bipole system .

I have had a slightly smaller model than this for 12 years and I bought the Hilton for my wife who loves it . Ultima make brilliant quality gear and the guy is justifiably proud of it .You will usually have to go to the website to check out the models because most shops find them a bit pricey to keep in stock .

I also have a 3 m pole on the side of my car to which I attach a 3 x 5 m tarp for shade or rain protection . I have a centre pole Southern Cross tent , but rarely take it away with me now .

Not sure if I did the link right , but the address is there for you if not .

Cheers ,

Willie

Now I am confused, it is starting to become a draw!

My first intention was to get a swag and do like a few people have suggested and set up a tarp over the swag and also have a ground sheet, even thought I wonder if that is more trouble than setting up a good quick tent.

To me the main reason why I think a swag is good, is that it is quick (should be) to use and if it is going to take as long to set up using a tent, self inflating mattress and sleeping bag , then a tent might be the go.

Borrow a swag BEFORE buying one.. they arent for everyone.

IMHO take both, I do.. This tent sometimes


other times I take the 9x9.

Or the swag.

I use a swag when on my own or travelling with mates but the wife insists on a tent and the kids set up their own cheap dome tent cause it would cost too much for me to buy them all their own swag. I love the swag becuase with all my bedding and kit rolled up in it, it is a case of unrolling it and driving in a single peg to hold up the dome over my head and thats it. In the morning, just roll it up and I am away, bloody brilliant!! However when I am somehwere for a few days and it stinking hot during the day or wet during the night, you will be glad you had a tent to withdraw to instead of sitting in the car or lying in your swag. I have been looking at 'Oz Tents" for about 6 months and have played around at the ARB store setting them up and packing them away. They are truly incredible pieces of kit and look to me to be very well made. They aren't cheap, but with the ease of set up and packing away, they are sure to get a lot of use. I reckon I can erect the tent in about a minute or 2 except for the awning and throwing in the bedding. It takes a frcartion longer to pack away.

Swag. if the weather is bad i have an anexxe rolled up on my roof rack that takes 2 minutes to unroll and cost me 30 bucks and I set the swag up underneath. I have a perfectly good tent that is now for sale................

Swags and tarps.

Okay, you might get wet, or windblown, but neither of those things particularly worry me.

I'm the same as everyone else, tarp off the side of the car, if needed.

I use a Coleman Camp Stretcher, and dump my swag on that. No mud, no bending, no ants, nuthin...

If privacy is an issue, then take a small tent, we take a Microfast MI4 (discontinued), but we never seem to erect it. I like the simplicity of the swag, and ultra short set up & break up times.

Buy both, we all have, and then you will work out what's best for YOU, because we are all different.

Oh, I use the swag in my tent, like what I mean, is the swag ALWAYS is used, it's just a matter if it's indoors, or outdoors. It's my bed, it's personal, it's cosy, it's mine.

Wolfie

After checking the various pics it seems that a top of the range swag starts to look very much like small tent. Yet a small tenta nd sleeping gear takes up less room.

SWAG no other choice, lived in one for almost 6 years, use tent now along with other home comforts, otherwise I have to go by myself. still use the swag when going on boys trips

Sleep in the car.

Even Willem at about 6"6" manages it.

Stoney,

As you can see, each to his own.

I had a hilux and did what you are planning. Was on my own, used a swag and have poyly tapes to cover up if it rains.

2 Years ago spent a week on my own thru the Sunset country, when it did rain, managed to find buildings, (Mopoke Hut, Pertendi, Baan Hill reserve -s shelter) which I was able to take shelter in.

Just a matter of planning and knowing what is around.

On my own, I would only take a swag, much easier.

Enjoy

It looks like most people are saying "SWAG".

I have the new 2005 Dual Cab Hilux and with the tailgate down you have approx 6.5 feet from the back the tray to the end of the tailgate, so I think that if the weather was bad you could put the swag in there and set up a tarp over the back. I don't think you could do that with a tent.

This thread is almost as hot as the Toyota v's Nissan