It needs to:

– Fit 8-9 people inside
– Be as lightweight and small packing as possible

Weight more important than £ but don’t have an endless budget!

Thanks!

here, let me google for you

🙄

Why?

Isn’t it about riding a bike rather than impromptu gatherings under some awning type device?

here, let me google for you

I can use google too – I was looking for recommendations 😯

Why?

Isn’t it about riding a bike rather than impromptu gatherings under some awning type device?

Erm, because it’s only good practise (or should that be practice) when you are leading a group of inexperienced MTBers and there are risks from adverse weather conditions and/or injury ~ health and safety innit?

there’s another thread going on gazebos and ez-ups with a few ideas on.

If you are taking out a bunch of inexperienced MTBers and there are risks from adverse weather conditions, I suspect you shouldn’t be exposing them to the kind of risks that a shelter of this kind is designed to cope with.

Health and Safety, or common sense?

The lifesystems one is very light and packs down well. Claims to hold 8-12 people. I haven’t actually had it out yet, wee bit concerned it might be a bit fragile, given that it’s not really any heavier or bulkier than my 4-man bothy bag!

crikey: Just give it a rest, eh? These are standard equipment for bike leaders and mountain leaders. They are very, very effective in just about any weather conditions.

Wot steve said. Unlikely to be a lifesaver but can be very useful in wet / miserable conditions

Oh, that’s really reassured me, I’ll stop now.

thanks stevo – trying to find the lifesystems on google but just coming up with the 4-6 man version ~ I’ll keep trying…

Ah here we go:

£80 and 950g hmmmm

2 x 6 man shelters will be more flexible to use and easier to manage (think gale force winds) than a humungous one. I have a 4-man KISU which comes along on all winter trips. They’re a great morale booster in poor weather, but be prepared for any passers-by asking “is everything OK?”

tk maxx do a trekmates version for 16 quid (should be £30)but its only three man, weighs 450g.
trekmates also do a 4/5 man but its not in tk maxx on the cheap but still costs a reasonable £35

http://www.trekmates.co.uk/Search/shelter/

defo worth a look if you have to get more than one, means you can spead them out around the group rather than carry upto a kilo and a half extra yourself.

http://www.outdoorstore.co.uk/products/survivalshelters.asp?gclid=COCP_fqMw5sCFUQA4woduDZxDA

http://www.maps-warehouse.co.uk/terranova-bothy.html

http://www.buachaille.com/c2-70-0-0-0-1/Bothy-Bags-and-Shelters/

http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/index.cfm/fuseaction/productoverview/id_web_group_level1/15/group_level1/Tents/id_web_group_level2/24/group_level2/Bothy_Bags

http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/eshop/Bivi-and-Bothy-Bags.html

just a qick sample from googling bothy bag

TandemJeremy – Member
Unlikely to be a lifesaver but can be very useful in wet / miserable conditions

I beg to differ – if you are doing “real” mountain biking and someone gets hurt, the weather turns bad etc they have the potential to literally be a life saver – as well as offering comfort / protection in crap conditions.

Oxy – I have the trekmates 3 man. I can just fit it in my seat bag with a few other bits and bobs. No complaints – seems reasonably well made etc. If I cycled in big groups it would be preferable to have a bigger one – having used 6+ man ones they are certainly less claustraphobic and better for morale than having two smaller ones. Thats said a big one with not enough people is innefective.

having been in one during a blizzard on top of a hill above the Grey Mares Tail I can assure you that they do the job intended. I was really amazed at how quickly body heat started to build up inside. We all had the proper gear on btw our leader just wanted to practice and show us the benefits of carrying such a very usefull piece of kit. If like we were, out on a very exposed piece of hillside with little or no shelter that could be seen due to poor visibility the for what we used it for, lunch/eating it was great.

You may never use it but it is a great piece of kit to have as a backup if you do ever have to imo.

definitely a life saver.

I always carry a 4 man one on walks and rides.
A real moral booster and will keep the injured sick person so
much warmer.

Agree also with the comment of two smaller ones.
They are a real handful in windy conditions.

They are also great for a laugh when taking scouts out for a walk.

the access boys at work take one up the hill, especially good when they have groups in, think it is a terra nova, will check if I can get at their rucksacks, had it a long time

I’ve got Outdoor Designs Standard shelters, a small (2 man) and a medium (4-6). They do two ranges, Classic and Standard, the Standard are slightly stronger, lighter, and pack a bit smaller, particularly noticeable on the Large 8-12 man size. Agree with the other comments about carrying two mediums rather than a large, they can a be a real handful in the wind. We got seven people into a 4-6 man and it wasn’t too cramped.
These ones seem good value though:
http://www.bothyshelter.com/?gclid=CLfC–vRw5sCFQ7xDAodsA-GAw

Try this

http://www.camping-supplies-uk.com/tents/vango/vango-stormshelter.htm

I was looing at a small one myself

By the way, agree on posts about 2 smaller ones being better, but as a leader who might find himself with an inexperienced group, I’d rather use one big one and keep the group together. Otherwise I’d have to go check on the other group regularly which would let all the heat out!

Thanks for all your thoughts and suggestions folks – now I have to decide about whether to get 1 or 2 now as well! 😉

Some good links too – I’ll keep exploring…

stevo, tell me if this is a stupid question but if you use two shelters why couldn’t you sit them side by side(shelters) to chat to the other shelter to overhear how they’re doing that way you’d keep the person in danger with you and the stronger members of the group in the other shelter which can almost look after themselves and is only a foot or so away???

Surely if you have 6 or more folk then you should have two leaders?

Think about what you do with the casualty who can’t sit up – is the shelter big enough for one person to lie down while the others sit around them?

Poly – I tend to disagree – I see your point but even right out in the wilds you should be organising evacuation either self or helicopter and that should not take long enough to die of exposure – but its a great thing for sure and would make waiting for the copter far more comfortable

Best group shelter for MTBers (or indeed any other type of outdoorsy person) is one of these:

😉

TJ – we are probably more in agreement than disagreement – certainly – the plan would be evacuation – but that might take several hours to summons and organise. And e.g. that assumes that I/we aren’t lost, or stuck in fog/blizzard (which may make heli evac difficult). In just my skimpy lycra I could freeze to death (if it were not for my emergency blubber).