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I'm hoping to do some local sleep outs this summer with my son.
I don't fancy spending out on expensive kit and there seem to be a heap of cheap ex/military sleeping bags on ebay. Any recommendations on which ones to go for? Will be fair weather only, but fancy a tarp, not sure if bivvy bag needed. ta.
Alpkit stuff works well.
If your just going over Summer - any cheap sleeping bag / foam pad will suffice - And tarps wise no harm going for a tarp from the builders yard - If you want to spend a bit look on DD Hammocks website - reasonable tarp prices - Army kit has no particular merits outside of the "survivalist" subculture - If you did want a bivy then granted military kit can offer up some bargains - but as you asserted - A bivy won't really be necessary ..
The military kit is designed to be hard wearing and cheap, above all else. For example, the tarp has cross braces sewn into it, so it can be used as a stretcher. It's good tough kit, but heavy and covered with superfluous bits you'll never need.
Don't be tempted to buy an Arctic sleeping bag; they're not called 'bouncing bombs' for nothing. They're massive, and it'll have to be minus 15 celcius outside for you to get any use from it. The tarps are great for two people, but about 1kg in their stuff sack - not including pegs.
If it's going cheap on ebay then go for it. Or better still, befriend someone in the forces and bribe them.
Hmm, ok, will steer away from the military bags. Maybe a decent tarp and blankets then!
I think that the actual army MVP/gore tex bivvy bags can't be beaten for quality/price, but that's as a pure bivvy bag.
Tarps and hammocks however - have a look at tenth wonder.
I'd consider the issue summer sleeping bag, if it's cheap. Especially for camping with the kids.
Mine only usually gets used if i'm asleep in the back of a Herc or C17, and it's plenty good enough for that.
Keep an eye on Aldi/Lidl special offers for camping stuff, they do a pretty good mummy-style bag in a stuff sack for around £19, it's effectively a Coleman bag but half the price; I know because I went camping last October, got everything set up, then realised my bag wasn't in the car like I though, so I had to go find a cheap one, the Coleman bag I bought cost £49, and is identical to the Aldi/Lidle one I'd bought a couple of years before.
Not a bad bag, very plush, well made, nice and warm if the nights turn chilly, which they were last October in South Devon.
Certainly worth the money for occasional camping, a bit too heavy for backpacking or cycle touring, but fine with a car.
For summer dry weather I'm not sure bivvy or tarp are required.
The outside of your sleeping bag probably won't drop below the dew point so will stay dry.
On dry summer bivvy trips the outside of my bivvy is always dry, to the point where I'm going to stop taking it.
Agree with the comment about getting a garden centre tarp - maybe from eBay. If you're picking still days the crinklyness isn't a problem and they weigh and cost nowt.
I bought an unissued army surplus British bivvy bag which is heavy (850g) and a Dutch army poncho which isn't exactly light. I never take the tarp, and the outside of the bivvy bag never attracts dew, presumably because my body heat keeps it above the dew point.
If rain's possible a tent's going to be prefferable IMV. You can chat/read etc.