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So, hoping to try my first overnighter in the next few weeks, just local to test our gear and then hopefully further afield after that. Does anyone have any experience of the EcoTek Outdoors Hybern8 mat? Linky
Seems to get good reviews for the price (about £40) or can anyone else suggest something better around this price? Also looking for a sleeping bag around this price.
Already have a Gelert Solo tent I will be using so just trying to get the essentials together within budget.
https://www.tauntonleisure.com/robens-vapour-60-sleeping-mat.html is the mat I use and it's pretty well rated - I'm impressed with it.
Not sure about a sleeping bag, I have a Mountain Hardware Lamina which is great but the bargain offers on them seem to have disappeared now.
You might be better off with a bivi bag than a tent, it can be a lot lighter and packs smaller. But some people prefer being in a tent.
Mat looks ok, but not particularly light.
The Alpkit copy is 395g
https://www.alpkit.com/featured/sleeping-mats
My worry is that a sleeping bag at £40 isn't going to be great. So I would try and spend more on the bag and maybe get a second hand mat - even my ancient first gen thermarest 3/4 length is only 450g.
Alternatively, if you can carry the awkward shape, a good old foam mat is light and cheap.
For the Bag, I love my Mountain Hardware Lamina (first lightweight synthetic bag), but I imagine other companies have caught up a bit now.
https://rover.ebay.com/rover/0/0/0?mpre=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.ebay.co.uk%2Fulk%2Fitm%2F263769976286
This is the dogs dangles, 700gms, packs down tiny, premium down etc etc only drawback if you sleep warm is, to save weight, there's no zip. Seller claims to have stored it unpacked and used a liner etc. If you want to get it professionally laundered add £30 or DIY in the bath with down wash and tumble dry at a launderette
They were the best light weight bags in their day IMO.
Thanks, that Robens Vapour looks the same as the Alpkit Cloud Base. I may go for that I think.
Look for Multimat Air bed or air mattress - you can get them for £12 or so. Fine for summer camping and packs up pretty small.
Your problem at this sort of price range is that kit will be bulky, there's not much you can do to avoid it other than take as little as possible. A search for second hand stuff as per the ebay link above will get you better kit.
It's a pretty similar do I think. And it's in stock!
I'd agree with £40 being a bit low for a sleeping bag, certainly new - you might (just) get something warm, but it'll weigh a ton. Or you could get something lighter but it'll be about as toasty as a Cornetto.
Already have a Gelert Solo tent
Good luck! 😆
lidl were doing sleeping mats for £17 the other day. >500g. be ok for summer/autumn use.
Good luck!
Is it that bad?
Don't overthink things for your first trips, getting out there is more important. Our first bikepacking trip, though it wasn't a "thing" back then was an overnighter to a bothy. We just shoved what gear we wanted into rucksacks and headed off. Cheap Snugpack sleeping bag, closed cell foam mat, very large cooking set and questionable packaged food, hip flask of whisky. Great fun.
Good luck!
Is it that bad?
Yip, brutal! You'll be fine for an overnighter, just hope it doesn't rain(it's water proof, but it's just not a comfortable space to spend any amout of time in.), count on only sleeping in it, spend the rest of the time out doors.
It does work, but well there's levels of that. the gelert is almost bivvying! 😆