Just wondered who favored what for winter camping.

Recon I would get away with a two season bag, fleece liner, thermals down jacket and a hat to sleep in to keep me warm?

Depends where you are camping 🙂

idea is to ride on a mini tour stopping in forests to wild camp. Uk or North of France

I spent a night in a hammock at the weekend (I’m usually a bivy bag kind of chap) and it was proper cosy & warm. I’d say with a decent underquilt you could get away with a 2-season bag in a hammock if you wore decent warm stuff.

Not sure I’d want a 2-season bag in a bivy though. If you’re going the bivy route for winter, your choice of mat is also very important as you’ll lose a lot of heat if it doesn’t provide enough insulation.

UK highlands of Scotland in -10 or UK Welsh borders in -1?

I have been playing with an old Buffalo sleeping bag lately – that + fleece trousers and thermals was good down to -8 last winter(!). Add in my big jacket or a bivvi bag and it is a winner.

Are you carrying stuff in or car camping?

Will will probably head to Welsh boarders. Carrying stuff on bikes.

Which Hammock would you recommend. I’ve a bivvi bag but never used it, considering selling and getting a hammock. Like the idea of been off the ground.

I’ve a 3/4 thermal roll mat that has served me well on past winter trips in a tent. Don’t think I can afford to get a nice winter bag just yet, perhaps at christmas time 🙂

2-season bag and a 3/4 foam mat in winter? Not sure if that’s impressively hardcore or just suicidal

hmm well hammock & tarp etc will almost certainly be more bulky and heavier than bivy + tarp, which is an issue if you’re carrying them on the bike. Your thermals/down clothes may make the sleeping bag bearable, but I think you really do need to throw a bit of money at a decent warm mat, or spend less and carry a comparatively heavy/bulky one, particularly as I’m guessing you don’t have divine control over the elements & therefore it may get a lot colder than -1 on your tour of the Welsh borders. Depends how geek-lite you want to go, but something like a Neoair or Peak Elite, supplemented with a cut down roll mat might see you ok.

Btw, you can get a nice winter quilt from Enlightened (in the ‘States) for about £150 delivered. Mine’s rated down to -12c (you can get warmer ones) and whilst I’ve only had it a few weeks & used it down to around zero, I can certainly believe that rating.

I’ve found my cheap hammock to be extremely cold in winter. You probably need a fancy hammock with underquilt and everything, they are pretty darned expensive (more than buying a winter sleeping bag) and not all that small.

I bivvied in Snowdonia at the start of October once, at pretty low level (not far up from Betws y Coed), it snowed on me, and was <0 degrees. I was pretty cold in my 2/3 season bivvy bag. I would be buying or borrowing a bigger sleeping bag for proper winter use.

DD Hammocks do a good one. £50 ish inc. postage, I think.

They have a double layer bottom, with velcro fastening, so you can sandwich your mat or underblanket in there. If you have a mat in the hammock with you it’ll be out from under you in no time as you move about.

You definitely need something underneath you, even with a full winter down bag, the insulation below you is compressed, and then you have barely anything between you and the wind.

They come with a mossie net top, too.

as said, hammocks less waterproof than a bivi, you’d need a tarp as well.

Thanks guys, right hunting for a warm winter sleeping bag it is. I do have a massive heavy sleeping bag, which weighs nearly 3kg and it’s not practical on the bike.

I have also got a tarp, so i might tarp, bivvi and save spending money on a hammock till next year and spend the money on a decent bag instead.

Alp kit doa nice bag I keep looking at

I did -10 last winter in a Alpkit SH600, Alpkit Airo 180 mat, Hunka bivi bag. Wore my (fairly thin) cycle tights, base layer and light fleece and was warm enough.

2012-02-11_08-08-24_335 by Newforce Photos, on Flickr

Wow 40mpg you’ve convinced me going to give alp kit a ring now.

I did a bivi not too far from 40mpg (about 5 metres) and had

– Alpkit PD400
– Hunka bivy bag
– Pacific Outdoor Uber mat (half length – I am a short arse).
– Synthetic down jacket
– Cycling kit (went to sleep in my riding clothes).

Started out a bit chilly, got out the bag and did some star jumps for a few minutes. Warmed up and then had a decent night’s sleep.

Choosing the right place to Bivi can make all the difference in a warm nights sleep.

Down the bottom of a valley, esp near a river = cold trap and freezing!

In some woods sheltered out of the wind (even a very gentle one) = warm and toasty.

Ive got an Alpkit SH800, that with Bivi bag and tarp is enough even if its snowing (no idea actual temps, dont have a thermometer) if your out the wind and not in a cold trap.

just ordered a pip dream 400, going to be a toasty boy which is what I want. My bivi bag is an outdoor gear thing that was £190 but I saw it in a shop in lakes as it was super cheap and brought it. Impulsive thing a few years ago but I’m going to finally get to use it.

Right to the garage to pull out what I can sell to make some money back.

I’ll keep away from any lakes or rivers.

Thanks again.

Single track forums are ace.

also, Hammocks are great fun (have a Hennessey Hammock) but take a bit of getting used to, best to learn in the summer so you wont get hypothermia when you get it wrong.