Bushwalk Australia

Doing my first 2 night 3 day hike.... just wondering recommendations for what to wear "hanging around camp" in the evening/ night ?

Dirty clothes won't cut it... I will hate the entire experience if I do. I don't relax mentally if I'm not clean.

I figure my day 3 shirt for the 2 nights which will be fine... but pants is my real question. My full length running tights (I'm a girl) or a spare pair of hiking pants (which are too tight to hike in now, but maybe ok for hanging at camp?)

Doing wilsons prom next week so I don't think it will be super warm at night... and would rather not be eaten alive by mozzies.

Would love any suggestions and super love any from girls!

Are you planning to carry a fresh shirt for each day?

I almost always carry a set of sleeping thermals - separate from any required daytime thermals.
Put them on early at camp and maybe a thin shirt and shorts over the top till bedtime.

If you are worried about the dirty vs clean feel - the issue won't be the clothes.
I like to take a small flannel and wash down with hot water. That's the key thing.

So I'm planning on hiking in the same shirt day 1 and 2, with my "bedtime" shirt being my shirt day 3

So it's not so much about the shirt, but the pants. I think thermals will be overkill heat-wise for the first week in December? I know Melbourne can be cold... but I'll have a jumper and a long sleeve merino top, so I don't think I will need thermal bottoms too?



And thanks for the suggestion about washing - already tried the "chux wash" at home and planning on doing that for sure! However I would like a clean set of clothes for the evenings/sleeping in as well.

It's good to get out of your hiking top as soon as you get to camp and let it dry out. I only do this by using another layer tho, ie top off fleece on, not something extra.

A pair of tights or thermal bottoms would be fine, with your long sleeved merino top. Unless the nights are hot, you will get cooler than you think, once you stop walking.

A jacket would be more versatile than a jumper. And I’d ditch the extra shirt. Have a set of clean clothes in your car to change into when you’re finished.

Long johns plus a pair of wind pants should do but in a pinch your rain pants add warmth too.
Also to save body warmth with a minimum extra weight penalty the insulation only needs to cover your femoral artery area so knee length loose pants [ capri pants] work well.
That said there is another option in an insulated wrap around skirt which can function as part of your sleeping system and if long enough to preserve modesty gives a chance to drop the knickers and allow the nether regions to "breathe"

eggs wrote:I almost always carry a set of sleeping thermals - separate from any required daytime thermals.
Put them on early at camp and maybe a thin shirt and shorts over the top till bedtime.

If you are worried about the dirty vs clean feel - the issue won't be the clothes.
I like to take a small flannel and wash down with hot water. That's the key thing.

Ditto. Being able to sponge off the gunky feel around my thighs and crutch before sleep time is worth far more to me than clean clothes

Also agree with deleting the spare shirt. Your usual layers plus the spare thermals will be adequate.

When I saw the title I had visions of cocktail dresses and high heels .
I agree that if you can have a wash of some description it's half the battle won. I was fortunate to be able to have a quick swim each evening of a recent two night trip.
Even just a soaking like that in a cool mountain stream is so refreshing. I aim to be as ultralight as possible, my ageing knees don't like a lot of weight.
I usually take long sleeved thermals, a very lightweight pair of shorts and a lightweight long sleeved nylon shirt, ultralight wind smock and ultralight down vest. That covers all bases for me (NSW Blue Mountains spring/autumn). If it's hot just change into the shirt/shorts. If colder I'll wear the thermals under them and ditch the outer layer when going to bed. If it cools further I'll put an ultralight wind smock or down vest on as well. I also use one of those buff headwear items as a beanie. All of this takes very little weight or room in the pack. My total pack weight was around 11kg for this trip.

p.s. I'm not a girl but I think this probably works as a gender neutral option. If thermals seem like overkill I would think the lightweight tights should be fine (visualising the ones my wife wears around at home). But if mossie protection is the main concern I think some of them could still bite through very thin fabric next to skin?

johnw wrote:When I saw the title I had visions of cocktail dresses and high heels .

I'm glad I'm not the only one whose brain went there.

I'm amazed no one has shared photos from the ANU Mountaineering Club Cocktails on the Castle events that have been happening for nearly 30 years. Now that's some classy camp wear!

FatCanyoner wrote:Now that's some classy camp wear!

Whenever I see photo of people with their backs towards a massive drop, I can't focus on anything other than where they are standing!

Staceykate wrote:Doing my first 2 night 3 day hike.... just wondering recommendations for what to wear "hanging around camp" in the evening/ night ?

Dirty clothes won't cut it... I will hate the entire experience if I do. I don't relax mentally if I'm not clean.

I figure my day 3 shirt for the 2 nights which will be fine... but pants is my real question. My full length running tights (I'm a girl) or a spare pair of hiking pants (which are too tight to hike in now, but maybe ok for hanging at camp?)

Doing wilsons prom next week so I don't think it will be super warm at night... and would rather not be eaten alive by mozzies.

Would love any suggestions and super love any from girls!

Back to the topic, I can't recommend some windpants highly enough, and a windshirt for that matter. You can't get any now for your next trip-postage time, and you can pay ridiculous amounts for them but, they trap heat for almost no space nor weight penalty. You have the mozzies covered as well, unless the fabric is on your skin they wont bite you through them- all for about 45-60 gms and pack the size of a small hanky. Just unreal!
Clean your legs etc and chuck them on. https://www.astucas.com/en/products/millaris-trousers/ EE also do some both for about $130 Oz. Ridiculous price.
Are you handy with a sewing machine? Make your own, they aren't that hard -cost- about $25.
Why someone is not making these in Oz is beyond belief.
There's a goldmine there for someone.

Lamont wrote:
Are you handy with a sewing machine? Make your own, they aren't that hard- cost about $25.
Why someone is not making these in Oz is beyond belief.
There's a goldmine there for someone.

Unfortunately that isn't possible with Australian wages and postage costs.
At +$55- an hour real wages cost it's never going to happen. Even DIY isn't cheap unless you luck out on discounted fabrics. Cecile and I scour the sales tables and Op-Shops to find cheap stuff.
However when we do find good fabric at $2 to $4- a metre we did tend to buy it all

As said -made mine for $25 materials. EE Copperfield windpants $130. As Tucas about the same.

Like others have suggested. Light sleeping thermals.

When I get to camp I whip off the sweat soaked stuff, have a wash and put on my jarmies. You wont be as hot as you think as the cool night air seeps in.

The exception to this is of course unless it's still 30+ by the evening, then it's birthday suits till bedtime....yes, I walk alone.

The lightweight buff is also a great suggestion. It provides a surprising amount of warmth just around your neck, can be pulled up over your ears if it's chilly, or worn as a beanie as suggested. I've had oodles of wear out of mine.

Heads up: mozzies can, and will, get you through thermals.

It may be cooler than you're expecting at the Prom in December. I've spent numerous New Years' at the Prom and rarely had hot weather. Often only around 20 degrees max and nights down to 10 or so degrees. But the thing is, when sitting around doing nothing outdoors in the evenings it can feel much colder than the temperature would suggest - especially if you've been for a swim in the icy water!
I take a long sleeve merino top and merino long johns with me, a light fleece and a down jacket. Evenings in camp I'll wear long johns under my walking shorts, fresh socks and crocs, thermal top and fleece. Most trips the down jacket gets worn at some stage too. I don't mind the extra weight because the walking is easy and my pack is light anyway. Of course is the forecast was for really hot weather the down would stay at home.

Despite being born and raised in Victoria, I have never been to Wilson's Prom so am unfamiliar with conditions there, but this is what I take on Tassie my multi-day walks:

Lightweight thermals - icebreaker 180 weight top and bottoms - plus socks, for camp and sleeping. These are packed in a drybag with the rest of my sleep system and are only worn at the end of the day. (The exception being the last day where I might not bother changing out of them and just chuck my bra and shorts on.) Depending on how cold it is, I either chuck on a fleece or a down jacket while lounging around in camp.

I also take a "wash system" so I can freshen up before I put on my camp/sleep clothes. My washing system consists of a collapsible conatainer (the S2S X-plate), two microfibre cloths (one for top half and vulval area, the other for legs and anal area) and a small bottle of tea tree oil.

I have only been to Wilsons Prom once - this last January and it varied from sunny to very wet to sunny over 4 days.
I think I always take thermals for sleeping - but for warmer walks use a very lightweight sleeping bag to regulate for temps, with a bivy bag as a sheath if it gets sub zero.

RE cleaning up, if I recall, you're camping at Sealer's and LWB. They both have a beach and a creek you can take a dip in.
If that's not an option, have you tried wilderness wipes? You can head off to the toilet, and freshen up while enjoying the aroma of amonia, or if you're flexible, in your tent.
https://www.anacondastores.com/camping- ... gKUcPD_BwE
I used them on the Overland last year, basically a wipe will clean up the sweat and grime from the day, then I'd chuck on my 'camp' clothes.
I'm not much of a hiker fashionista, for camp clothes I had a clean pair of undies, a clean t-shirt, lightweight tracky dacks, light fleece and thick wool socks.


The thing to remember about the camps on the southern circuit is most are at sea-level and beside water.
At that location, it will not frost, and the temperature will not really drop below 10C.
I've stayed at those to camps in August and it wasn't cold.
It might get windy, or you might feel cold from fatigue/wind removing heat, but the camps are sheltered, and so I would worry too much about the cold if you have a fleece or something simlar.

Baeng72 wrote:If that's not an option, have you tried wilderness wipes? You can head off to the toilet, and freshen up while enjoying the aroma of ammonia, or if you're flexible, in your tent.
https://www.anacondastores.com/camping- ... gKUcPD_BwE

Just make sure you pack the used ones back out with you.

north-north-west wrote:

Baeng72 wrote:If that's not an option, have you tried wilderness wipes? You can head off to the toilet, and freshen up while enjoying the aroma of ammonia, or if you're flexible, in your tent.
https://www.anacondastores.com/camping- ... gKUcPD_BwE

Just make sure you pack the used ones back out with you.

Yes, of course, which I did in Taswegia. Don't put it in the composting toilets.

My memories of those camps is that the sea is absolutely freezing and that the sand fleas and mozzies were ferocious and Sealers has a resident camp thief in the form of a predatory wombat that loves ginger biscuits and Butternutsnaps.
I like to mix a little Lavender oil with 50/50 isopropyl and metho for my winter wipe downs and have long favoured Chux for this purpose as they can washed and reused many times

It does depend on location/climate for me, but like most others it's usually thermals. I have a down or a synthetic jacket for cooler times, and a wind jacket if sitting out and not too cold. If somewhere really cool, I have light polar fleece track pants I would take instead. I get cold feet, so I have down booties, but I always have a clean pair of night socks that don't get used for walking. I also take baby wipes if nowhere is available for a dip, and a snap lock bag to contain the used ones for disposal back home. Even now I'm back living in SEQLD, I'd still use thermals, and if too hot I just kick my quilt off. Id rather be too warm (and sleep sans thermals), than too cold and not have enough warm gear with me.
Enjoy your trip =)

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Moondog55 wrote:My memories of those camps is that the sea is absolutely freezing and that the sand fleas and mozzies were ferocious and Sealers has a resident camp thief in the form of a predatory wombat that loves ginger biscuits and Butternutsnaps.
I like to mix a little Lavender oil with 50/50 isopropyl and metho for my winter wipe downs and have long favoured Chux for this purpose as they can washed and reused many times

The sea water temp. depends on how far into summer you are. Early on, it hasn't warmed much. But the creeks warm up on a sunny day.
Anyway, last time I was at Sealers, the ferocious predator was a big brush-tailed possum.
The bugger would walk up to the tent, but I think the smell of my socks deterred him.
It was so cheeky, that if you walked towards it, it just kept about 2m distance, and wasn't bothered at all.

At LWB, there was a crow and wallaby tag team that got into my back-country meal.
I left it for a moment, to help my son with something and the crow flew off with it, had hacked a hole in it, and with the wallaby was helping itself...
I retrieved as much as I could (not to eat), and packed it out, but the wallaby had a white 'beard'.

Drew wrote:I've spent numerous New Years' at the Prom...

Ah, this thread has made me realise what Seppos are talking about when they say they're buying a new dress for the Prom. It's all about evening wear at camp.

This has been awesome info everyone, thanks so much,!!

I was looking for stuff for myself and I see that Patagonia Australia still have stock of the Nano-Air pants.
If you really want something usable down into snow country and deep winters I hear that these are superb
https://www.patagonia.com.au/products/w ... -85110-blk

So I wore a pair of kathmandu thermal pants which were enough for spring - but my mum just bought me the arcteryx atom lt jacket so next trip.... I'm taking that!!!

Gotta love parents