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A lot of tarps and tents.. no one just going for a straight up bivi bag ??
Moi, £25 from TKs, 300gm.
I've only used a tarp in a harbour area in my old job.
Now, I just use a Bivi bag on it's own.
Tarp went up as a wind shield, it was really quite blustery up on the top.
The smaller, lightweight, non-hooped bivvy bags are miserbale in the rain so the extra 300g of tarp and pegs is worth it ime. It also offers somewhere to cook, get changed etc for when the weather is foul.
I would have died last week in the wilds of Knoydart if i didn't have my ME dragonfly xt tent. My buddies vango helium tent got blown down twice.
Bivvies and tarp are all good but sometimes you need a tent, or you have to be double hard.
I've just fashioned a rear-rack drybag from an old 20 litre Alpkit Gourdon. The top end of the straps tuck into the hydration bladder compartment and the bottom halves clip around the rack to help retain it (along with a bungee strap or two). It can be converted back into a backpack without too much trouble. Hopefully it'll come in handy for the forthcoming Welsh Ride Thingy 🙂
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looking good Slugwash are you mounting panniers on the front too for WRT and are you using a bar bag?
just thinking how much you can get in the gourdon?
Did the first bikepacking trip of the season on Friday.
Last minute overnight stay in the Lammermuirs.
Loads of fun, really easy and quite comfortable. All the kit I have been accumulating worked out really well, happy with it all!
[b]Outside the Spar in Gifford for beer, crisps, and sweeties ( the main 3 Scottish food groups!)[/b]
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Sun setting, time to camp at the top of Hope resevoir[/b]
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[b]Last rays of sun on the packed bikes[/b]
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[b]Best. Campsite. Ever.[/b]
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[b]Local flora[/b]
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[b]
Above the camp[/b]
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[b]Rush hour in the Lammermuirs[/b]
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[b]Fresh water, as much as you want[/b]
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[b]Best seat in the house![/b]
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[b]Visiting the local hippy woodlands on the way back home[/b]
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Stuff that works:
Bikes - old and new.
Less gears.
Alpkit titanium spoon and drybags
Revelate (Epic Designs) handlebar harness and pocket
Buggybags custom framebag (review coming soon!)
Old man mountain rack
GoLite 3 season quilt
Spare cotton T-shirt and boxers to sleep in.
Using one pan for everything
Readybrek + powdered milk + sugar premix breakfast fuel
Brandy
Nice pics 7hz, looks like you had a good time. Is the Tarp Tent yours and how do you find it?
Looking a bit tooled up on the tent Dept. 😉
How was the Scarp / where did you purchase?
Damn, we don't have these things in Belgium 🙁 It's all crowdy over here, just a few miles between villages.
looking good Slugwash are you mounting panniers on the front too for WRT and are you using a bar bag?just thinking how much you can get in the gourdon?
I'm riding my 456 at the WRT I just happened to have ridden into work on my tourer that day so used it to test my old Gourdon on. (and with hindsight all I've actually done is strap a broken backpack to a bike rack and got all excited about it 😉 )
7hz, looks like you guys had a good trip 🙂 I've got one of those Coleman tents, they're great. They're a bit heavy (2.5kg?) but that didn't stop us using it on the Original Mountain Marathon.
(and with hindsight all I've actually done is strap a broken backpack to a bike rack and got all excited about it )
recycling old kit brilliant 😀
pics above look great I can't wait for next weekends adventure 😉
7hz that looks great, nice photography too.
Been busy this weekend finishing some more MYOG for the WRT.
Frame bag done. Very rough around the edges and certainly no looker but it seems sturdy enough and the luggage space is ideal. The wierd fabric was up in the loft from an old banner so yet again it has only cost £2.50 for the zip and £3 for the velcro 🙂 Plus about 4 hrs of swearing.
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Lynx can meths stove. Far stronger than my previous pop-can versions, burns a little stronger and is stlightly more stable due to bigger footprint. Weighs 22g though but the extra 13g is worth it IMO over the red-bull side burner I normally use.
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still s8tannorm - Is the Tarp Tent yours and how do you find it?
Heather Bash - How was the Scarp / where did you purchase?
The Tarptent Scarp 1 http://www.tarptent.com/scarp1.html is my tent, yes. I got it direct from the manufacturer in the states. Forgot to put the tent on the 'things that work' list!
I think it really needs tried in winter with lots of snow, or with lots of wind, to truly test it out, but it was fine for the trip.
Was quite a bit of dew in the morning, but only on the outer, inner was bone dry. It had all dried by the time we broke camp. I really like Henry Shires designs, would like to try one of his more minimal 1 man tents as well, but I felt for Scotland a proper inner / outer tent configuration is the safe bet!
Anthony - 7hz that looks great, nice photography too.
Cheers mate, I was using an old Pentax Asahi Super-Takumar 50mm f1.4 on my Panasonic GH1, just getting into the legacy lens manual focus thing, but I am liking how it renders things, although wide open at f1.4 is has a ton of 'glow' - you can see that most pronounced on the 'Last rays of sun on the packed bikes' pic... it gives everything a fuzzy warm glow, quite good fun, but I may try to baffle it down a little.
Anthony - what does the Lynx can stove look like on the inside? Is it just a cut off can or is it folded in.
It's a twin wall, made from the 'Twist' Lynx cans that have a shoulder. In essence you cut the can in half, up turn the top half and press it into base. The norrower section under the cap is what creates the wall cavity.
There was a guide on a bushcraft forum that I followed.
The cans can still be scored to cut but as they are a lot thicker it requires a lot more effort. I clamped my blade so I could use two hands to spin the can. I also used a little araldite as the friction fit is only about 8mm deep.
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I am planning on doing the coast to coast this summer and will knock up one of those stoves to try.
To keep me focussed until the trip I plan to do a number of smaller trips in the NE. I'll be posting my exploits over the next few months on a site I have just created - http://www.bikeandbivi.co.uk/ its just a forum at the minute with a basic format, but that will develop. It's in its infancy at the moment, but I hope that it will build into a useful resource for all.
@unsponsored - I have registered good luck with it, hopefully it will be a resounding success if the interest on this thread shows 😀
Many thanks. I'm just adding loads of kit pics at the moment.
Morning chaps... just got back from the Fargo Demo Bike's First Night... I really like this bike. I was expecting a lot from a bike that is so damned well thought through, so specific, but I am amazed at how well it rides. Its a great mountainbike, very chuckable and nimble, and even with a load it still flys.
It was no straggler on the Tuesday night ride, hung out at the beach BBQ, and then held a guy line down for me all night. Reminds me of a loyal dog.
The Salsa Anything cages are a very good way to carry your gear. There is around 2kg of extra load on the forks (airbed, terra nova 178g tarp, and a Snugpak Jungle sleeping bag)... it has almost no impact on handling other than wofting the front end needs more input from the rider. There is slight pendulum feeling, where going from a left to a right turn needs more input to flick it back the other way, but its no big deal.
The weight is a bit forward, some weight on the saddle/rear would balance the bike a bit. But I really dont need to carry anything else for one night.
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And it carries a bottle of wine 🙂
A Calfornian merlot, served with cheese and crackers on a beach. Sleeping in the woods means you can go extra luxurious on the bivi garnish.
Just looking at the picture of the Fargo again...
I am amazed I managed to ride from Dorset to Moab in an evening.
Bikepacking fans might want to keep an eye out for the next Privateer. Proper bikepacking article ahoy!
To keep me focussed until the trip I plan to do a number of smaller trips in the NE. I'll be posting my exploits over the next few months on a site I have just created - http://www.bikeandbivi.co.uk/ its just a forum at the minute with a basic format, but that will develop. It's in its infancy at the moment, but I hope that it will build into a useful resource for all.
Signed up, sounds like a great idea. Good luck with the site.
Give us a heads up when it's out then Aidan.
To keep me focussed until the trip I plan to do a number of smaller trips in the NE. I'll be posting my exploits over the next few months on a site I have just created - http://www.bikeandbivi.co.uk/ its just a forum at the minute with a basic format, but that will develop. It's in its infancy at the moment, but I hope that it will build into a useful resource for all.Signed up, sounds like a great idea. Good luck with the site.
Thanks, quite a few have signed up already.
Just signed up, too.
Cheers, hopefully will end up with something way better than the US site. Just need as many people as possible to start using it and posting useful/interesting stuff.
Cheers, hopefully will end up with something way better than the US site. Just need as many people as possible to start using it and posting useful/interesting stuff.
Seems to building nicely
signed up...
Anthony - MemberIt's a twin wall, made from the 'Twist' Lynx cans that have a shoulder. In essence you cut the can in half, up turn the top half and press it into base. The norrower section under the cap is what creates the wall cavity.
There was a guide on a bushcraft forum that I followed.
The cans can still be scored to cut but as they are a lot thicker it requires a lot more effort. I clamped my blade so I could use two hands to spin the can. I also used a little araldite as the friction fit is only about 8mm deep.
Anthony - how big did you drill the flame jet holes?
I guess that can vary the flame hight?
Great burner btw.
accu - Member
signed up...
Cheers, well over 20 so far
www.bikeandbivi.co.uk
Ski, 1.5mm holes spaced roughly 1/2" appart.
You need to be more carefull with what height you cut the can at to get about 8mm of overlap. Too much and the jets sit too low and throw too far- missing the underside of the mug (bigger mug would help, the one pictured is the vargo/alpkit 700ml size), too little and there isn't enough interference to keep the two halves from falling appart.
The spray gubbins can be prised off using the can opener on a typical multi tool, the rolled edge can then be cut cleanly off by carefully using a normal side cutting mechanical can opener.
It took 2 attempts to get mine right.
I had a go at making an penny stove several weeks ago - a good, valid excuse for buying and drinking Heineken if nothing else. Got it to work inside but not when camping. May have another go sometime, think my holes were too big.
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jet holes need to be closer to the bottom ring.
I've never had much luck with penny designs ... had much better results with a twin walled set up, more work to make but worth it IMO.
A few more jets may help too. Wind is your enemy when outdoors, a good sheild is essential.
I'd also consider grinding off the outer edge, it may be masking the flame from air to a degree.
Turned my attention to map holders this morning. Previously, I've made several out of perspex which attach to the stem or bars and you slip maps under a folded bit at the front. My latest one rotated too so you could always orientate it in the direction you are going, which was quite handy for Polaris events etc. Weight was about 150g
In my quest for a lighter version, I stumbled upon something online which I've refined to make a waterproof map holder that attaches to the bars and doesn't weigh much at all. Should get it finished tonight, for use at the event tomorrow 🙂
[i]edit: where's flatfish? The top of page 44 has been left unattended for over an hour...[/i]
I just have an A5 piece of correx (filched a big sheet used to advertise the local tory candidate at the last General Election), zip tied to bars/stem, couple of rubber bands to hold on maps (printed on waterproof paper). Bit of insulating tape to cover sharp edges, sorted. Must weigh less than 50g.
A friend made one that rotated using two sheets of correx and a plastic bolt/pivot arrangement, unecessarily complicated imo.
Thought its about time to bump this thread with all the action going on in Wales on the WRT 🙂
[url= http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3376/3630377816_8469553313_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickw3216/3630377816/ ]Kit Check[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nickw3216/ ]nick3216[/url], on Flickr
How much stuff do some people take? That's me going over the top - normally there's room in the KIMM for a good size book. and still plenty room to spare.
Tent if it's going to be really bad, bivvy bag otherwise.
Bike optional.
[url= http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3469/3774631111_6c55411bba.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/nickw3216/3774631111/ ]Shanty[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/nickw3216/ ]nick3216[/url], on Flickr
Heading to the Clocaenog Forest for a bivi night out in North Wales this Friday night after work.
Bring it on, especially with the good forecast.
Nick is that a cheeky kayak under the tarp? Also loving that Vango tent, Easy to pitch etc? I like the way its fits under the top tube
DoctorRad did you get/try out that frame/handlebar bag you posted? If so how did you find it?
http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=310304373027
Nick, a summer one nighter's worth of kit usually fits in my 18l camelbak octane quite easily with nothing on the bike. That includes tarp food evening wear stove etc. so your set up looks sound.
Just put together a penny stove kit - everything fits neatly inside my mug, so I'm well chuffed.
2x penny stove, primer dish, snuffer, windshield, pot stand
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...but first it all goes inside a used (small) Pringles tub ...
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...pretty neat even though I say so myself.
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Cost nowt. Got rolling boil on a pan of water in 6mins 40 secs from the stove with the most holes. Used other one to succesfully heat a can of beans in an army style bivvy tin.
Nice stove!
I have a review of the framebag I used now up at http://www.singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/buggybags-custom-mtb-framebag
Any good ideas or recommendations for map cases. I'm on my second decathlon one and it's very tight to fit a o/s map into. First one failed on the velcro attachments too but at least it's cheap. Dose not need tobe bike specific, infact would prefer it not to be.
I have used Ortleib for years; winter climbing, sea kayaking (and they need to be waterproof on the deck in front of you in a heavy sea!) and biking.
Biking set up is an Ortleib A5 map case (with Memory Map A4 prints folded in half) held in a Polaris Map Trap... the waterproof rollover of the mapcase goes under the 'trap' of the map trap and is then held pretty securely. Simply flip over as transparent on both sides. This will give enough room either side on the bars for a GPS etc.
HTH
That dose help thanks. Reliably water proof is a must! My case claims to be but is not when it get really nasty which is why I am nervous of website claims.
Just done some gooleing about the Ortleib and also found this Aquapac map case too
http://www.bluewatersports.com/shop/aquapac-kaituna-map-case.html?___store=default&___store=default
Similar price IPX6 (can't find a IP rating for Ortleib but I don't think they are rated for full immersion, i.e. IPX7/8) rated and slightly bigger than the Ortleib at 30 cm x 30 cm vs Ortleib at 27 cm x 27 cm. so a bit more wiggle room when you have big maps. I'll have a think.
Here's my Welsh Ride Thing gear all laid out with lots of notes...
[url= http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2142/5809117608_49f8e1b0e1_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/fantasticmrmatt/5809117608/ ]WRT Gear Layed Out[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/fantasticmrmatt/ ]fantasticmrmatt[/url], on Flickr
Thats a great shot.
@ FantasticMrMatt
I know absolutely nothing about all this Bivi malarky etc, so excuse what may a very amateur question....
Why do you have "2x plastic bags for feet"?
Dry socks wet shoes
I see. Thanks
Sorry for brevity of answer was on mobile:
If you need a wee in the night or you want to put your shoes back on after you've put some nice dry socks on then the plastic bags protect your dry socks form your 'more than likely' wet shoes. The ones with the plastic zip type things on seem to be good and you can zip then up and the stay in place.
The rain induced boredom meant a test pack for a overnight I have planned for next week. Tried a different set-up this time. I have previously used a rear rack to strap vs saddle. Backpack has stove and water proofs in, looks more puffer up than it is.
I've also been forced to go back to a bulky roll matt due to my alpkit wahteveritscalled short matt developing a slow leak which can't be fixed. The bulk makes it quite inconvenient as otherwise I could have gotten away with my small hydration bag bag for sundries.
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Anyone been out and about or are poeple still getting over the WRT???
Anyone been out and about or are poeple still getting over the WRT???
Not been out yet since WRT as been on holiday with the family to recover, will be out soon I promise sir 😉
A pretty interesting trip planed here
http://lacemine29.blogspot.com/2011/06/beach-bound-hold-on.html
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bikepacking thread here
http://www.bikepacking.net/forum/index.php?topic=2211.0
I'm hoping to get a few shots on my bike loaded up today. The weather is pretty bad, but hopefully will post a few pics on www.bikeandbivi.co.uk before the day is out.
In the pic above it looks like a sea to summit compression stuff sack on the rack and a Talon 22 in the foreground.
Looks like a couple of pipes on/in whatever is mounted below the bars. What is it?
The weather stopped me going out this week just gone, with any luck Tuesday night for me.
It's packraft and all the gubins.
I signed up to your site this week unsponsored but kept having problems logging in is it ok now.
Looks like a couple of pipes on/in whatever is mounted below the bars. What is it?
It's a boat 😯
awesome
TheBrick, you should be fine.
Spent a rainy Sunday Making a new quilt. Full pertex microlight with 100% 800 fill siberian goose down filling.
🙂
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Whats that weighing in at Phil?
Fancy making me one?
anyone want a cheap bivvybag? I ended up with two - email me
You guys like wee stoves,
When up north on holiday i went up Dunnet Head to photo the Sunset and ended up staying up till sunrise drinking coffee in the ROC Bunker there with the owner (and previous member) Derek who was stopping over night there and charging up the batteries using a wind turbine for some Radio Ham friends for the following Saturday evening,
[url= http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3199/5843347356_306418e0c0_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastkid71/5843347356/ ]2011 Roadtrip[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/coastkid71/ ]coastkid71[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2520/5843396608_fd8aaef078_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastkid71/5843396608/ ]2011 Roadtrip[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/coastkid71/ ]coastkid71[/url], on Flickr
Anyway he showed me a stove i had saw in books before; the Tommys cooker...
a multi fuel stove that can use meths...
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5234/5843365132_76d085424c_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastkid71/5843365132/ ]2011 Roadtrip[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/coastkid71/ ]coastkid71[/url], on Flickr
It has a reversable top for boiling and simmering,
Check out the wording on the side 🙂
[url= http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3089/5842821297_a6edf82b11_b.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/coastkid71/5842821297/ ]2011 Roadtrip[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/coastkid71/ ]coastkid71[/url], on Flickr
"big game hunters" 😀
anyway turns out my dad has one stashed in the loft he is looking out for me, field test of one soon! 🙂
Flatfish its 800 grams, i'd happily use it into winter.
Your teasing me now!
Check out my post on the BushCraft Uk site or BikeandBivi
Loving the post, I now want to sleep "under" the stars, how must do I need to spend??
Remember only one night to start with and where best to start, I live in Milton Keynes so not to far if poss.
cheers
Anyone ever take their dog with them? I'm off on a trip next month for 3 nights and am considering taking my hound. He loves coming with me on long day rides but never done an over night. Just wanted to know what experiences people had taking theirs.
@ Rochey - You don't need to spend vast sums but a little outlay will stand you in good sted. If you pick your night/spot then you could be alright with nothing more than a sleeping bag. A bivvy bag will give you lots more scope though, as will a sleeping mat of some sort. If you just want to give it a try then I'd pick up a cheap foam mat (easily under a tenner) and something like a Hunka bivvy bag from Alpkit (£30). If you really don't like it you'd sell the bag for £20 pretty easily. As for a sleeping bag, if you wear your clothes and pick a sheltered spot then just about any bag will stop you dieing at this time of year.
@ Santacoops - I've taken one of mine. She stays with you all night, you don't really know she's there. I wouldn't dream of taking the other one, he's fine in a tent but I think a night in the great outdoors would blow his mind!
Stu Havent you got a greyhound?
Teej has a bag for sale ATM. 20 quid iirc.
@ Bigface ... 2 Lurchers, Roo (the one who can go) and Dennis (the one who most certainly can't) 😉