[Closed] Sick as a dog so, show me you Bivi / Bikepacking / Adventure racing gear.....

ok good idea readily available container in a kiddy house 😉

before Christmas I took a 500ml meths bottle way too much like everyting I took on that virgin trip 😳

I'll get a red fruit shoot bottle so I know it's mine

don't worry if you run out - I'm taking my petrol stove on the WRT

that's the spirit 😳

I look forward to having a warm by that!!! 😀

Meths in a fruit shoot bottle. Can't see that going completely and catastrophically wrong when you get home ❗

The kids don't have fruit shoots at home as they are the "devils saliva" according to the wife so I'd probably have to get one specifically and then it would go into my locked cupboard in the garage where all my poisons go!!

Probably no worse to drink than a fruit shoot anyway

mereditp - Member
Meths in a fruit shoot bottle. Can't see that going completely and catastrophically wrong when you get home

I don't have kids but the version of the bottle I use is clear (corner shop copy drink) and on any non clear container I tape big toxic labels on. Plus I store with all other chemicals in a safe place e.t.c.

Can you use other pots/pans on that Caldera stove or just the one that comes with it?

Have to say i made a pop can stove using the instructions on the wrt blog and it works fine. I used a nail to make the holes and although I put them in the top I put them quite far down, stuck a camp kettle directly on top and it brewed up a treat.

the link I put up if you go to the following pages they list loads of different types but rather pricey I'd have a crack at making one like IanB.

Caldera Cones tend to be specific to certain pan/ stove configurations.

I'll post up more details on my home made Caldera Clone when I've made one in aluminium.

Fuel bottles - for safety both at home and in use out on a bivi, I use one of the trangia fuel bottles in the 300ml size. The spring loaded valve does make it very easy to dribble meths into my stove without it going all over the place. http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product372.asp?PageID=110

that's more what I was thinking of to be honest - proper job 😀

As Ian mentions Caldera Cones are specific to the pot they are designed for and they don't come come with a pot in the standard kit, you use your own. Some are interchangable though, the Alpkit mug fits the Vargo Ti-lite kit for example.

Has anyone used any cuben fibre for tarp duties?

Pockets not deep enough for Cuben fibre ... but my experiments with plastic, string and pebbles are coming on nicely 😉

eh?

are we onto cigars now?

Valleydaddy, Cuben fibre ... very light and strong (for its weight) but very difficult to work with as it doesn't take kindly to been sewn.

is it pulling the needles through that's the problem?

As I maybe able to help 😉

As and when I perfect my tarp design, I'll probably try one in cuben fibre. Cuben tape is reported very strong for joining seams as the fabric tends to tear along the line of stitches. As Stu says, it isn't cheap: http://www.extremtextil.de/catalog/Fabrics/coated/Cuben-fiber-laminate-21g-qm::587.html

so what fabric are you using at the moment Ian?

Do you take a seperate groundsheet as well or was it because we had an abundance of tarps before Christmas?

Thought a sheet of lightweight plastic maybe useful to keep feet dry on edges of bivvy bag??

I didn't use a ground sheet on the bivi the other week, but tbh having one wouldn't have made much difference. My current tarp fabric is some 2.2oz fabric that costs about a quarter of cuben fibre. I do have some 1.1oz silnylon waiting in the wings though 😉

I have an army styley basher is there a lighter/smaller alternative?

I've told you ... plastic, string and pebbles, it's gonna be a winner 😀

Alpkit tarps, I believe flatfish has a nice new one. I'm sure he'll be along to tell you about it in a minute.

I've got a nice new one 😀

and there he is!!!

Please tell which one did you get Mr Fish?

Rig[7]
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nice does it come with a free Spaniel?? 🙂

No, but if you think you can handle my mental one your welcome to have him 😉
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Flatfish: Isnt it time you took those christmas lights down, or do you just put those up for tarp pics... 😀

What that dog needs is some panniers.

BTW if anyone is after a bargain low-level winter bag, rockrun.com still have the Rab Atlas Explorer 700 reduced from £180 to £100. 700g of 650-Fill down is is an absolutely fantastic buy for £100.

I was going to take them down but the wife said she liked them even though they've not been switched on since the new year. 🙄

You leave Rufus alone ... it's not his fault, he was obviously born that way!

aw you wouldn't give him up would you??

Not a chance.
Mrs fish says she wants two more called Bernard and Malcolm.

And besides, he seems to make a handy guying point if the bottom picture's owt to go off 😀

any news on this yet Tiger??

Tiger6791 - Member
Hello all, I've just invented something.

How's this sound

It will blow your Thermarest up for you (Tested on a NeoAir regular)
It will fill your Thermarest with 'moisture free air' (well air not from your lungs at least)
It will blow it up in less than 45 seconds
It only weighs 24grams and has no moving parts!
It cost £1.50

I'll make a video and post it.

I'm looking for a tarp to use instead of the issue basha I've used so far. The DD ones look OK to me - how do they compare with some of the more expensive ones?

is this the one Steve?

http://www.ddhammocks.com/products/tarps/tarp

or as flatfish

http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16474&category_id=253

120g or so lighter

the DD is a bit heavier, a bit bigger (not by much but it all helps!) and a bit cheaper - I think I'm tempted to stick with the DD

I called in here today in Canton, first time I had been in, nice shop with some nice gear, think I wll be back 8)

http://www.upandunder.co.uk/

they has some tarps, not sure which type but think they were £32 for the 1 to 2 man size

I've got a nice new one

I just asked Beth to sew some more loops onto my tarp, though I did splash out on some Alpkit ti v-pegs to hold the thing down.

@ Tiger - We're still waiting...

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😉

Ian have you seen those moveable clips ^^^^^^ in Stu's post they look ideal and would save your Beth's fingers 😉

As Stu said, just use some pebbles. Besides, a few loops around the edges is short work on the sewing machine.

Post #600 😀

Can't have too many guy points

Would you have to take that pole with you on the bike to put up the Rig 7 as you have it pictured, or is there a configuration that uses the bike?

I must admit, I looked quite seriously at the Rig 7 earlier in the week - looks a really well sorted piece of kit.

I've only tried the walking pole set-up so far but a bike set-up like my other tarp would easily work.
When it stops raining, I'll try a bike "pole" set-up and post my findings tomorrow hopefully.

@ Tiger - We're still waiting...

It's been Kitchen tested! but not field tested yet. Seems to work really well though.

And your barking up the wrong street with your Co2 idea. This is infinite use technology 🙂

Come one, let's have a pic so we all know what we're talking about???

Oh yeah what ever happened to the wildcat frame bags anyone?

infinite use technology

Oh yeah what ever happened to the wildcat frame bags anyone?

I've got one and I'm really impressed need to do a trip to do a full write up though.

A large bin bag and a rubber band?

Along the right lines but no need for either the bin bag or the rubber band. 🙂

@Steve ... DD tarps are very good for the money. The normal sized one is still pretty big, set up as a simple roof you'd easily get 3 folk under it. Plenty of room to erect it as a more complicated 1 or 2 man also. Alpkit tarps do look very good and the fitted tie points are a real bonus ... you pays your money, etc.

Along the right lines but no need for either the bin bag or the rubber band.

You got me:

So I trimmed down a short piece of pipe (used an oil filler from Tescos) cost £1.50. It's just wide/big enough and still nice and small.

One end goes nice and tight over the Thermarest Valve the other I just scrunched up the Bivi bag and put a Velcro tourniquet around it.

Quick squeeze of the Bivi bag and the mat inflates with dry air.

Works well

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So the small bit you cut out and use.

Last time I rolled up my hunka, I thought how "good" it was as trapping air when I didn't want it to 😕
Makes a lot of sense to use that feature to your advantage - well done

My bivvy bag's eVent so doesn't trap/contain air very well, I'll have to continue using the old fashioned method 😉

EDIT: Ian did you receive that email I talked to you about last week?

I reckon it would still work with eVent. Path of least resistance and all that.

Ian did you receive that email I talked to you about last week

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last year on our transalp expedition that only made it half-way across the alps.

Man thats a low tarp, you must of had to crawl into that...

I wasn't aware that inflating a thermarest needed any thought?! Appart from a down mat where dry air would be prefered, but then the Exped one's come with it's own built in pump anyway. The Neoair has no insulation so moist air isn't an issue.

If you don't need it, don't take it. It's the cheapest way to save weight 😉

Aye the lightest stuff is the stuff you don't take ... but being geeks means we like to play about with stuff 😀

I wasn't aware that inflating a thermarest needed any thought?!

Burn him!!

although you do have a point....

If you think a thermarest is 'involved' you should try inflating 7 modelling balloons with frozen hands!

Does spending an hour or so trimming then re-sewing every strap on one's rucksack to make them shorter and thus lighter and neater count as geeky? If so, I'm in!!

Replacing perfectly good 2mm dyneema guy lines for 1.5mm dyneema instead, that count too?

What about re-sewing stuff sacks to make them as small as what ever is going in them will allow?

Anthony - I've done all those things, though some only once.

Anthony.... Im not that bad yet..... Give me a couple of months and I'll be all over it 8) Good work... I did take deliver of titanium cutlery if that counts 😆

Plastic disposable cutlery is lighter. Although my ti spork is a much loved 18gram guilty pleasure!

I draw the line at taking the washing labels out of clothing!!

I draw the line at taking the washing labels out of clothing!!

Burn him!!

😉

And the use of sporks, Lahoons are the new sporks.

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http://www.flickr.com/photos/30189432@N00/3449941126/

Can't have too many guy points? Is that like brownie points for girls?

I'd better get a serious personal weight loss plan then I can really make weight savings off my kit 😳

by getting smaller sized clothing

Looks nice and snug that does Paul, I shall be back in the trees later this week 😉

Pete, If you end up needing smaller clothes, you'll have more competition for all those bargains ... like you jacket!

Not yet discussed on this thread, but still on topic: shoes

I'm in need of some new shoes for non-winter (summer?) riding. I've used some Shimano MW80 over the winter, and previously my other shoes have been high end Shimano race jobs M220 or something.

I'm swayed more to a multipurpose SPD shoe that allows for a bit of walking from time to time and for greater all day comfort, but preferably not ones that weigh a lot or are too much like a walking shoe (e.g. Shimano MT90). What are people using? Any recommendations?

Shimano MT42s work for me - stiff enough to ride with but comfy enough for a bit of walking. Specialized do some similar ones but the last pair I had hardly lasted any time

[url= http://www.bikeradar.com/gear/category/clothing/shoes/product/x-alp-enduro-ii-shoes-10-37441 ]Pearl Izumi Alp-X[/url] are great. Fairly stiff sole (especially the higher-end ones) and they allow your toes to flex for hike-a-bike "fun". I imported the "PRO" version with the stiffest (carbon) sole & they're ace, but sadly unavailable over here.

5:10s but I'm the odd one out 😉

Spesh sport mtb.
Can't stand spesh as a company but they do make some good shoes, i have a pair on order as i type. Nearly £30 off at cyclesurgery this week, too good an offer to refuse. This will be my third pair even though my last ones aren't worn out yet.

beware of specialized shoes if you have narrow feet, they run wide, as I have found out. I've been advised to try sidis next time.

It was snug 🙂
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This was funnier though. Not proper lightweight tarping but an epic night in a wet field. I was woken in the night by the sound of the rocks moving about in the river - in the morning all you could hear was the roar of the water. We nearly couldn't drive out of the valley. It was the sort of morning where you'd think "I'm glad I wasn't in a tent last night" and we'd spent the night under a flimsy piece of waterproof fabric.

Need more times like that 🙂

Anyone out for Bivi action this weekned?

Me Me Me! ... but I can't tell you where 😉

Come on.... Think its best you just let me know so it can help with my planning, I wont tell anyone 😉

Hoping to get out on Saturday PM running into Sunday - though somewhat impromptu. Was thinking of going to do the Epynt Way. Whilst do-able in a day from Brecon (92km), I thought more fun to go out and bivi halfway around.

I was looking at that on the map just last night ... is it good?, map would indicate some interesting parts. Not technical perhaps but some nice riding.