Backpacking extreme conditions

[Jacob Banks]

Hi guys,

 

I'll be travelling to north eastern Australia and Papa New Guinea from October till march 2015. I'll be backpacking in the subtropics and Australian outback for a bit. I want to know if a sleeping bag is necessary, or if i could just use a sleeping bag liner and maybe wear clothes if it gets cold. Anyone have experience of these climates? It's gonna be a long term trip so i want to make the right decision and spend little coin.I hear it gets cold in the middle of the night in the outback?

cheers, please help asap 

[Aaron Zagrodnick]

How warm are the low temperatures you'd be expecting? I've done some warm weather backpacking without a sleeping bag before but usually ended up cold even on warmer nights. Perhaps taking a look at the historical weather data for the specific locations you plan to visit would help / go from there? Personally, I'd go for some type of insulation (bag, quilt) appropriately rated for the conditions, being cold isn't fun!