planning to bivvy at the weekend, years since i have done so and not really sure about one thing. Forecast is clear and cold, -4 degrees. I have got a gore tex bivvy and thermarest but sleeping bag is only 2/3 season. Am i asking for trouble or should that be warm enough?

wear plenty of clothes whilst in your bag and take a tarp to block the wind chill effect and you should be fine.

The squirrels will get you.

You won't freeze but don't expect to sweat either. Bag rating is like bike sizing, ie non standard. Also what kit will you be wearing in the bag ( Non pervert Q, honest!!) See about grabbing a silk liner too, this will make a bit of difference to the temp rating.

maybe……. maybe not.

if we don't hear from you again, we'll suppose it was the former.

planing to where merino top and buffalo, so that should help the cosy rating.

Just realised that I have a thin fleece bag liner as well, things are starting to look toastier!

Layering is your friend, but TBH it's not going to be comfy

buffalo will be good but make sure your legs and feet are warm or it'll be a miserable night.

I bivvyed on snowdon at the weekend – 2/3 season bag, army gortex bag, thermarest, and silk liner. I was fine but i was wearing a base layer and some leggings. If any thing I was too warm.

I doubt you'll die.

Get a proper bag I used a pair of 2 season bags one inside the other in a van on the yorkshire moors in winter and froze all night you need a proper warm bag to allow for wind chill

Not sure TBH, I was in a 4 season (5 season?! rated to -16 comfort, -35 extreme) fleece bag in -10 over winter, with light clothes and inside a 2man tent with someone else and I was toasty, but I'd previously done the same in 0 and a 2/3 season bag and frozen my crackers off.

do some star jumps before getting in and then some sit ups if you still feel cold once in

Ewan what are the army gore tex bags like as I've been thinking of getting one from ebay or surplus store?

I've got one, they are pretty good, heavier duty than the alpkit bags and only slightly heavier compared to the standard bag (my MoD goretex is about 750g, vs 400 for the alpkit hunka) plus it's much bigger.

I have though about trying to save a pound in weight, but I don't think it's worth it.

Goretex Bivvy-Expensive
Thermarest-Expensive
Sleepingbag-cheapo summer bag

Come on there,be consistent 😉
Nip out and get something properly suited to the conditions youre going to sleep in.It will make all the difference,otherwise you'll wake up not ever wanting to repeat the experience.

You might be cold, but I doubt that you'll freeze.

Buy one of those aluminium Sigg bottles. Before you bivy down, make a brew and put some hot water in the Sigg flask. Wrap it in a shirt. This is your hot water bottle, and also your supply of unfrozen water for your early morning brew.

SB

I think you'll probably be much warmer than you expect. I always am.

Like Nick says, make sure you're warm when you climb into your bag. If you're cold to start with you'll just remain cold for a very long time … think of your sleeping bag like thermos 😉

Stuart

stayhigh, I've got a Goretex ex army one, cost me £30 from an army surplus store. mine is excellent, big, taped seems etc. like said above, they're quite heavy compared to Alpkit or Rab, but robust. The only downside of ex army or cheap Alpkit type bivi bags, they just have a draw cord closure. more expensive bags have better designed closures that work better for wet weather.

I bivved a couple of weeks back, and wokeup with frost on my bag, I was tosty warn though.

Just ware everything you have with you, aslong as it is dry (dont ware wet stuff or you will get cold)

some more pics 🙂

Nice pics, I guess you use a rucksack for all that stuff? Whats under the seat post then?? Do you really need a mat or can you just use the bag on the floor (only ask as Bivi has just arrive this morning :D)

Bigface, you need a mat, all the sleeping bag filling compresses under your body weight and there is therefore no loft, so no heat retained. The cold from the ground will just sap thru the bag into you causing you to be very cold. You either need a closed cell foam mat or a thermarest type mat.

Looks like a good bivvy trip Neil, How did it go?

Where did you end up?

Yep I used a 30L Alpkit back and it was uncomfy but i have got a better bag for the next one now 🙂

I ziptied my waterproof jacket under me seat cos there was not room left in my bag 🙁

You DEFO need a mat, I used a Alpkit Wee (the half size one) and i am 6'4" and it was fine for me and packs up small. (don't go with out a mat or you will freeze.

The is what i took with me :

Bike (not in the rucksack),
Helmet (cycling cloths for day 1)
Spare innertubes,
Spare bits of chain,
Bike tools,
Bike lock,
Map,
Food (Tea, Supper, and Breakfast),
Stove + Gas,
Pan,
Knife, fork, Spoon,
Bivi Bag,
Sleeping bag,
Sleeping mat,
Fresh cycling (for the day after),
Evening Cloths (light weight stuff),
Phone(s),
Money,
Hydration pack blader.
Water bottle and bottle cage on bike for extra water.

Hope this helps 🙂

plumber – it was great mate

Day 1 – we set off from Gisburn headed north on the Ribble Way through Settle to Horton in Ribblesdale then got on the Pennine wat over Pen-y-ghent then we headed south on the pennine way over Fountains Fell, round Malham Tarn then we camped at the top of Malham Cove.

Day 2 – we followed the Penndle Way south then hooked up with the road back to gisburn.

Looking to plan another one soon.

The is what i took with me :

Bike (not in the rucksack),
Helmet (cycling cloths for day 1)
Spare innertubes,
Spare bits of chain,
Bike tools,
Bike lock,
Map,
Food (Tea, Supper, and Breakfast),
Stove + Gas,
Pan,
Knife, fork, Spoon, Spork
Bivi Bag,
Sleeping bag,
Sleeping mat,
Fresh cycling (for the day after),
Evening Cloths (light weight stuff),
Phone(s),
Money,
Hydration pack blader.
Water bottle and bottle cage on bike for extra water.

Too save weight on non essentials

Nezbo is that a Snugpak Stratosphere in the pic?

How did it do? … i'll be giving mine a go on Mon night.

stuart

For lightweight weenies, this is about the most stripped down (yet comfortable) air mat that I've found @280gms, has anyone found anything better/lighter? they also do a 3 season one @240gms
Mountain4

I'm camping at a stag go tomorrow night. 3 degrees forecast. I'm going to take all the clothes I have and wear them all at once. I might even wear my wetsuit.

If it raining and you get wet or you go through a puddle and you get wet you are going to need somthing to change in to that is why i took extra cloths.

i took the bike lock so i could sleep and feel salf that my bike was going to be there when i got up.

it is all down to personal comforts, so it is best decide what you need.

i would take this ammount of kit next time, if not more…

Nezbo – Member
I bivved a couple of weeks back, and wokeup with frost on my bag,

Sounds pretty cold to me. 😉

Wool socks.

still s8tannorm – I think it is what it is called 'Snugpak Stratosphere' It worked well for me i managed to cram most of the stuff around me head area as well.

layering can help but if you have a down bag, the bag needs your body heat to 'loft' and insulate. layering prevents this. you'd be better off using the bag liner over a down bag, under the bivvi bag. helps prevent condensation reducing bag's loft too. that all assumes a down bag but it's relavent to synthetics too.

i've used a light 2-3 season down bag at 0-2 deg and had to layer up, even then it wasn't particularly cosy. but i was up well in time for sun-rise )

In colder climates or months, I still use a summer lightweight sleeping bag (ME Dewline 670gms) and a lightweight down duvet jacket + clean dry baselayers for the next day. Having the combo of lightweight bag and duvet jacket is loads more practical for use around the camp, cooking etc IMO, than a 1kg+ warmer bag.

Everyone take all this stuff when I lay it all out it looks LOADS, Where do you all put it, Ive looked the these beam racks are these any good or do you put some in a bag??

I think with a beam rack your bike will handle like crap and if you have to carry it or lift it for some reason you bike will be very heavy. I would use a ruck sack (but that is just me) i managed to fit it all in to a 30L bag

I bivvied out on Cadair Idris this weekend….well in the hut. Was gusting f8 + at times and a cold NE wind. Apart from scaring myself stupid I was bloody cold! 2/3 season bag with army goretex bivvy bag over top. Had every piece of clothing on as well. Bizarre how cold I was? I reckon it had a lot to do with being in a hammock and petrified to move in case I dropped out mummy style onto floor 4 ft below.

Eat eat eat well to generate that heat!

I had a alp kit bag, I've now got the army one (one of the newer camo ones rather than olive ones – I think it's just the colour that is different). It seems very robust and is nice and long so I can pull it well over my head (i'm 6ft). Cheap as well.

So what is the best mat, been looking but it seems theirs load of choice?