Gear: Silnylon tarps

i'm not aware of anywhere selling it or other specialised lightweight hiking material, and if there was, it would be more expensive, probably a lot more expensive in NZ if you're from the northern hemisphere. theres an australian bushwalking forum that has a make your own gear sub forum in it, I think they tend to often have to buy specialist material from overseas as well.. honestly if you're from the northern hemisphere, buy up as much outdoor gear in advance as you think you'll need, it can be extremely expensive here, monopoly distributors can charge what they like and we don't have the wholesale online stores here or the same choices of outdoor gear. its usually a lot cheaper for me to buy online from US online shops and pay for the shipping than to buy stuff in NZ. and theres often a shipping embargo for overseas countries on many brands to protect the international distributors, so you have to have it shipped to a US address and then get it shipped abroad... online international shopping down under is a massive business, sales to private individuals is climbing 30% a year in all retail areas. one thing that isnt going to excite you is the price of everything down here and our lower wages. http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewforum.php?f=53

Spotlight? :-)

I have a UL sil-nylon tarp but I had to import it from the US. Very difficult to find here and also expensive so if you can buy a good version and bring it new to the country you should. I agree with waynowski, buy up big before you come here as you end up having to buy your gear online once in NZ. Especially boots/tents/sleeping bags/ice axes etc. Comparitive prices: Asolo 535 TPS boots, $200-250 in US, $500-600 in NZ. Down sleeping bags, the same $200 in US, $600-1200 in NZ. You get the idea...

How do you get on with tarps down south? i.e. with sandflies??

I use a bivy bag which has a mesh cover over the face. It can be raised off the face by attaching a string from the loop on the bivy bag to a branch, or the ridge rope that holds the fly up. Actually pretty comfortable, especially when waking up to a dry fly rather than a very wet soggy tent fly! Mainly good in the bush though. My MLD bivy bag weighs only 218g and when 3 people can shelter under a 740g sylnylon fly, it makes for lighter packs all round. Cheers, Alan

ah thats a good idea! But not really a lot different to a tent weight wise if you travel solo and I know I'd prefer the tent for comfort being the soft type :) Yea just thought I'd ask cos I see a few hikers with them down here, and they all seem to moan about the biters

Tarps have there place but seriously summer only unless you are in the upper south island or north island not far from the coast. Not so nice if windy either.

I use a tarp when fishing up in ferocious sandfly country. The little b's go to bed at night so I sit close to a fire until after dark and in the morning either get up early or cover my head with the 'pillow pocket' of my silk sleeping bag liner. Mind you - I'm one of those lucky people who hardly notice sandflies unless sheer weight of numbers gets too much! lol