[Closed] 2-3 day touring kit and help please WRT Tents, sleeping bag and stoves please.

As ever: cheap, light, reliable - pick any two.

Tents: once you go much lighter than your choices the price goes up quite significantly.

Some of the Snugpack sleeping bags might be worth looking at as well.

Cooking: using freeze dried meals (either commercial or home made) means that you only need to boil water and since you can eat from the bag they come in it means that you don't have any washing up to do 😆
Alpkit MyTiMug - https://www.alpkit.com/products/mytimug You can fit the smallest gas cylinder plus the stove and windshield inside it.
Alpkit Kraku - https://www.alpkit.com/products/kraku This stove is sold under several names by different manufacturers. If you are just boiling water then meths stoves are even lighter and smaller plus you don't need the gas cylinder. You can make your own out of a couple of pop or beer cans.

You can make a windshield from aluminium foil.

Forgot to say that it there will likely be two of us hence why 2 of the tents are 3 man (just for a little more room). This also means that stuff can be carried between us, so weight is not quite so paramount.

I have the 3 man version if this and it is excellent:
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/quickhiker-ultralight-2-hiking-tent-2-man-grey-id_8245650.html
Fits nicely in a dry bag between my 44cm drop bars.
Very well made and easy to put up and take down.Good pegs etc as well.
If you don't mind waiting then the Naturehike tents from Gearbest are excellent for the money. Not quite as good as the decathlon tents but I got the 2.4kg 3 man tent for £37 in a sale so for that money a no-brainer. They sell them on Amazon as well (they do a 1.24kg 2 man version which is the more expensive of the 3 available on Amazon I think).
I always go with one of my kids so prefer a slightly bigger tent.

Check the naturehike tents out on Amazon. Very good reviews and 1.2kg with a silnylon fly for £75!

Edit. This one [url= https://www.amazon.co.uk/dp/B00W1F7A3M/ref=twister_B00W1F7672?_encoding=UTF8&psc=1 ]Tent[/url]

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I've got a couple of these stoves, they are basically a fire and are not controllable in anyway but they are light, clean and work very well. The fuel is alcohol gel in blocks or you can buy bottles of it. Very light...

Sorry cross posted. I'd definitely get a 3 man tent in your circumstances.
Just back from camping trip where we used both tents so have just weighed them:

This weighs 2.77 kg with all the bags:
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/quickhiker-ultralight-3-hiking-tent-3-man-grey-id_8245651.html
Had it a couple of years, lots of camping trips, excellent quality.

This weighs 2.3kg with all bags/groundsheet etc. Thinner roll but longer when packed than the decathlon tent. Pegs are not such good quality..ok for soft ground only really. Only used it this year so cannot comment on longevity.
http://www.gearbest.com/camping/pp_185332.html?wid=10

For me the decathlon tent is the better of the two but at a certain price point (around half to 2/3 price) I'd buy the naturehike one instead. Plus some decent pegs.
Naturehike Aero pillows are very similar to the Sea to Summit ones, and well worth the money. They fold up tiny.

I use a honey stove with trangia meths burner(or wood) and try to only heat water.
I've got an old 3 season down bag which I use so cannot really give much advice there.

It's a nightmare/minefield trying to choose 🙄

That quickhiker-ultralight-3 looks good. it's really difficult to judge if it's worth paying more for a tent in the long run.

any advice on sleeping bags STW Massive????

cheers guys keep the advice and recommendations coming please

Dave I have a lightweight 4 man tent I use when i go
Bloody light[ 1 kg] but a teppe design and single skin so condensation can be an issue

Mail me if you want a look / borrow etc
I also have a lightweight air bed about the size of your fist if you want to borrow that- actual air bed not self inflating etc

On and I have a kids 3/4 length sleeping bag if you want to borrow that 😉

On and I have a kids 3/4 length sleeping bag if you want to borrow that

cheeky sod !!!!! 🙄

the rest was nice and i have bike racks, dry back and racks for both standard frame mount and seatpost mount

I have a rack and 2 x Ortlieb panniers plus a dry bag for the top of the rack.

We are thinking a 2-3 days around Galloway as a first try.

Bump for the Monday regulars

Especially for some sleeping bag advice

Ta

Mountain Hardware are usually a good punt on sleeping bags. Up to you whether you want down or synthetic.

I was sure that Alpkit had a synthetic bag as well but can't find it at the moment.
Make sure you decouple the rack from the dry bag otherwise it will rub, chaff and generally wear away!

I'm a fan of Vango sleeping bags. Have had a Venom 225 down bag for donkeys years and have recently picked up a Venom 300 in a sale which will be good when it's a bit cooler. Both pack up nice and small and don't weigh much.

I've got a Vango ultralite 600, with the fancy elastic grippy thing to help keep you warm.

It's always worth thinking that your bag isn't the only way to keep warm, you can add clothes, drape jackets over, use a hot water bottle and so on..

Some generalisations:

Synthetic bags are cheaper than down for equivalent warmth rating
Synthetic bags are heavier than down for equivalent warmth rating.
Synthetic bags are bulkier than down for equivalent warmth rating.

So basically if you want a warm, compact sleeping bag but are prepared to pay then get a down bag.

For occasional use something like a summer rated synthetic bag like http://www.snugpak.com/outdoor/sleeping-bags/travelpak-38 or http://www.snugpak.com/outdoor/sleeping-bags/chrysalis-38 would be fine. When things get cooler get a quilt and or liner to extend the range.

If you want to go with down then double your money but halve the weight and volume (at least). Cumulus are good value (now called Criterion in the UK), something like the Quantum 200 weighs 500g and is 0C rated but is in the £140 price range. An alternative would be a quilt but not everyone gets on with them - they are lighter for a given warmth as they don't have insulation underneath as this is provided by your sleeping mat.

I've a Cumulus quilt which is more than warm enough from April to late September/October. I've also a PHD sleeping bag which is similarly rated. Use the two together and they are good to around -6C

I did (naively) have something like £50 ish as a target budget. 🙄

It looks like a re-think may be in order.

Although that chrysalis-38, appears to cover a wider temp range than the Travelpak and is only a bit more than £50

Whatever we end up doing it will be in the summer, although in the UK that could mean anything temp wise 🙄

Also depends on how cool or warm you sleep. It's worth noting that a well fitting sleeping bag will be warmer than one that is too big or too small. Definitely worth trying models out if you can.

Also depends on how cool or warm you sleep. It's worth noting that a well fitting sleeping bag will be warmer than one that is too big or too small. Definitely worth trying models out if you can.

given that I'm pretty short (5ft 4") then that sounds like good advice

Ta

cheers for the link whitestone,

this seems to be the one, especially as it appears to get good reviews and is on sale

[url= http://www.snugpak.com/outdoor/offers/softie-3-clearance ]Snugpack softie 3 Merlin[/url]