• This topic has 2,850 replies, 7 voices, and was last updated 5 years ago by NZCol.
Viewing 40 posts - 81 through 120 (of 2,851 total)
  • Sick as a dog so, show me you Bivi / Bikepacking / Adventure racing gear…..
  • Rik
    Free Member

    I think the point is there is a place for both tent and tarp. But a once in a tent you are in an exclosed and small environment. A tarp gives you all the outside space feeling of a bivi but with more protection, you get to see the environment change around you which you don’t get in a tent.

    I have both and prefer a tarp, but once the midges are around the tent comes out.

    didnothingfatal
    Free Member

    Bigface0_0 – Member

    Anyone used one of these? Super light and extra small

    http://www.balloonbed.co.uk

    The Balloonbed is excellent but short! I use a OMM Duomat for my legs, with a GoLite Ultralight quilt it’s a fine lightweight system. If it’s cold I add Rab Down Socks.

    The sleeping bag, socks, mammut pillow, balloon bed easily fits in a 8l Alpkit Drybag, mounted with a Revelate designs harness.

    Also have Epic Ride Designs – Mountain Feedbags mounted on the bars

    The Rest of the luggage I use is Revelate Designs bags with Backcountry Research ‘Awesome Straps’ to hold various kit to the bike.

    pedalhead
    Free Member

    I was thinking of getting one of those Feed Bags. What’s the verdict on them?

    didnothingfatal
    Free Member

    The feedbags are good, but the service is shocking! Mine took three months with no response to numerous emails. Did get a second one for free though as they acknowledged the crap service! I use them on most rides not just multiday rides 🙂

    coastkid
    Free Member

    I think there are times and places for all shelter set ups…
    Tents,Tarps,bivvy bags and Hennessy Hamocks…
    i like the Hennessy Hammock being off the damp ground and also giving a (small ) shelter to sit and cook under, lying being able to look out either side is nice.Though until you get inside theres no midge protection just like with a bivvy here in Scotland unlike with a tent. and you need trees but i usually prefer to ride near the VW coast when away and apart from Harris always found it as easy to find trees to pitch as say a suitable clearing for a tent,
    Midges really are the hardest thing to avoid, less on the coast but if in a sheltered area theres no way to avoid them!, yep a smokey fire and midge net/jacket is good but i find cooking and eating the worst so just change eating times and feast when there not out, er feasting on us 😮

    slugwash
    Free Member

    Balloon beds are well comfy. I’ve only had a balloon burst when I was testing it for the first time on the floor at work whilst simulating leaning out of my ‘tent’ to put an imaginary morning brew on the go, the outermost balloon burst!

    However, when used inside a bivi bag balloon beds do tend to move around with you as you roll from your back onto your side leaving you with no cushioning. Also I wouldn’t use one for a multi day tour ‘cos I’d get sick of blowing the balloons up every night, but for mountain marathons and one or two night ultra-light bivis they’re great.

    Regarding tarps, I prefer them to a tent any day but only now bother putting one up if there’s a danger of rain or a strong cold wind. I bought one of those Alpkit tarps, which is great but TBH, a cheap tarpaulin from a hardware store is not too bad, it’s what I used for years and there’s much less worry about damaging it with a sparky campfire or on sharp branches…

    Ok, what’s still left in the wild camping snapshot album then? 😉

    A riverside bivi…

    Using a Dartmoor wall and a tarp to funnel the cold wind over me…

    The dangers of not securing your tarp properly. When Si crashed out the night before there was a layer of nylon between him and the sky…

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    Midges – 100% deet

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    I am thinking of making up a bivvy bag for this year – I have found a source of gortex and cordura by the yard. My intent was to make a big bivvy bag with a pole. so sort of halfway to a tent. The aim being to have something that can be zipped up completely and provide good shelter in a highland gale

    I guess I only need breathable material for the main part of the top.

    My tent is good for two but its two big and heavy for a solo effort

    pedalhead
    Free Member

    didnothingfatal – Member

    The feedbags are good, but the service is shocking! Mine took three months with no response to numerous emails. Did get a second one for free though as they acknowledged the crap service! I use them on most rides not just multiday rides

    Cheers, I’m in no hurry so probably worth a punt!

    coastkid
    Free Member

    how about a kinda bivvy bag with a hoop and one guy rope TJ?,
    i always thought that would be good, i had a Ultimate peapod tent like that once but had no midge net so no use in Scotland!
    were planning a few Saturday overnighters on the local Lammermuirs at weekends next year if you fancy it,using the SUW and Herring Road and train stations/cars to get home 😮

    flatfish
    Free Member

    Got the Rab Ascent bivi bag just before christmas and used it on the last trip and thought it was fantastic.
    It’s got a built in bug net and can be zipped right up with plenty of space inside so it’s not too claustrophobic. The mouth can be kept open with a small tab and some cord to either a bike, tree, wall, etc.
    It’s made of e-vent so is lighter than goretex and cordura and is a hell of a lot more breathable.
    I used a goretex version at the begining of the month on a night which was cold(-6) but dry and had a small amount of damp in my sleeping bag but my new one used on a +4 night and misty/drizzly was bone dry inside. Until recently i thought decent goretex was the dogs but now i’m an e-vent convert

    http://www.theoutdoorshop.com/showPart.asp?part=PN80329

    TandemJeremy
    Free Member

    I’d be up for that coastkid.

    I have a design in my head that I want to try = should need no guys

    Rik
    Free Member

    I dont use a bivy bag anymore, a well set up tarp with decent protection – I use a golite lair 1 and a homemade sinylon groundsheet with the airbed on top with a down bag – not had any problems so far even in windy wet conditions.

    I am going to make my own tarp though as I reckon I can get more useable floor space with the bike as part of the structure for stability and bike safety, prob in conjuction with 1 pole.

    Rik
    Free Member

    Oh – does anybody know a good dry bag around 13l that had a narrow/thin diameter?

    Currently use a 8l on the handlebars but to go to a 13l means fatter rather than longer. I know epic designs make one but i forgot to order one with my lorder, so not worth it now due to postage.

    Looked at Pod, alpkit, ortlieb etc but no luck

    Anybody?

    flatfish
    Free Member

    Shouldn’t need any pole to be able to make a tarp shelter, here’s two extra guy ropes attached to the saddle rails to make a two person shelter.

    flatfish
    Free Member
    RustyMac
    Full Member

    I realise this is a bit cheeky so appologies in advance.

    I recieved a Rab Storm Bivi bag as an unwanted present a little over a year and a half ago. It has not been used or even opened and i just came accross it un-packing my last few boxes for my new flat. If any one is interested in it i’d happily sell it for £30 posted. My email is in my profile.

    Once again appoligies for hijacking the thread

    sweepy
    Free Member

    My last bivi on an island on the Spey. Its all horses for courses, the Tarp wont replace any of the tents, its for a change, and a different way of being there.

    Tiger6791
    Full Member

    For any Meths stove users. My daughter got one of these Buxton Kids 250ml bottles yesterday in a lunch pack.

    It’s nice and small has a squirty top and seems spot on for Meths for 1-2 days. Squeezed it as hard as I could and couldn’t pop the cap.

    matt_outandabout
    Full Member

    BIG tarps rock – especially paddling, with fires and loadsa kit / warm clothes etc

    Carrying everything and trying to go light-as = tent every time for me.

    Horse, courses, boats or bikes and all that 🙂

    slugwash
    Free Member

    My daughter got one of these Buxton Kids 250ml bottles yesterday in a lunch pack.

    Knowing my luck it would almost certainly leak within five minutes of going into my pack. I use a small 250ml plastic meths bottle with a ‘child proof’ lock – no leakage that way 🙂 I top it up before leaving home from a big 5 litre meths bottle ‘cos it’s cheaper that way.

    In the olden days I used to carry around a massive, heavy Sigg bottle full of meths ‘cos I thought it was the thing to do 🙄

    diplomatt
    Free Member

    flatfish – nice. What size is that tarp?

    Matt

    flatfish
    Free Member

    Clicky linky for sizes of the tarp,
    http://hennessyhammock.com/specs_70hexdfly.html

    stills8tannorm
    Free Member

    Rik, no more pics sorry (I’ll try and sort some). It’s just a normal 3m x 3m tarp, in this case from DD hammocks. There’s no cutting only folding, I’ve used tarp clips to hold the folds and also attatch guys where needed. the pole sleeve is also held in place with a tarp clip.

    Come midge season I’ve got a mesh inner tent from bearpawtents.com in the states which hangs in side the tarp and weighs next to nothing. I also had it made with 12″ high bathtub sides to help keep any draughts out 😉

    Tarp clips came from http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk The whole thing inc’ pegs, pole and guys comes in around 800g. Add the inner and it’s still sub kilo.

    Rik
    Free Member

    Flatfish – thanks for the drybag info

    On the tarp front I’m thinking more on the lines of this Tarp link

    Interesting find those tarp clips though. I have a Hilleberg UL 3.5×2.9m tarp, I’ll see what shapes I can make if I use that to make a trailstar shaped tarp without sewing. Very interesting……

    Basil
    Full Member

    Reply to 13th
    It is a Z-lite
    £28 from Snow & Rock (the colour of mine is the newer version.The older model is orange and about a Mars bar heavier!)
    Full length 380g
    Very comfy for me even on poor ground.
    No punctures or delamination problems unlike pneumatic mats.
    Folds into lovely seat mat.
    Not so easy to store on bike as a roll type mat and the occassional question about the “accordian” are the only disadvantages so far.

    slugwash
    Free Member

    We managed to get an almost-full-moon-sub-zero-bivi out on Dartmoor on Friday night and as my family and neighbours are now fed up to the back teeth with hearing how great it was I’ve decided to resurrect this thread instead and share a with a few of my photos (and a couple of shinythings’) with you from our intrepid excursion…..

    Looking out over Avon Dam in the Morning….

    Morning espresso as the sun breaks over the horizon…

    It was frosty last night…

    The Location….

    My balloon bed was only firing on six balloons (and not the full seven) as that was all I had 🙁

    Jim’s piccie of me first thing….

    View out over the dam just before sunrise….

    The kit photo…

    Flickr link with detailed notes here…

    http://www.flickr.com/photos/8308384@N06/5377326277/

    Rik
    Free Member

    Great post and looks like a supurb trip with great weather.

    Still not had chance to try my new revelate designs kit yet, just a mixture of diy and searching out new trails in the woods this weekend.

    Next hard frost and I’ll be out!

    stills8tannorm
    Free Member

    Nice pics … looks like you had a great time.

    AJ
    Free Member

    cool light stuffAnyone had dealing with these guys? Looks like they do an uber light bug net/tarp combo thing (serenity shelter and tarp)

    Bigface0_0
    Free Member

    Slug, Man it looks cold… For some reason I can’t get on your flickr link..((((

    Tiger6791
    Full Member

    Great pictures but I’m better now thanks

    pedalhead
    Free Member

    AJ – Member

    cool light stuffAnyone had dealing with these guys? Looks like they do an uber light bug net/tarp combo thing (serenity shelter and tarp)

    MLD seem quite well regarded on the bikepacking.net forum. I’m thinking of buying some of their eVent mitts actually.

    mrhallorann
    Free Member

    Oh goody, a proper nerdy bivvy thread 😀

    My kit getting packed. Amazing what you can get into a 25l Gourdon:


    Our last (awesome) bivvy up Farelton Fell in December when it hit -9:

    The views getting up before everyone else gets you:

    Have bed, will travel. Down.

    More here for the terminally bored.

    Bivvying rocks 🙂

    mrhallorann

    mustard
    Free Member

    Since someone else started it… a couple of pics from my trip across Spain, I think it was 14 nights, only 3 of which weren’t outdoors 😀

    UrbanHiker
    Free Member

    I’ve never done a bivi trip. This thread has made me want to! Roll on the spring.

    Tiger6791
    Full Member

    Homemade ultralight Coke can stove and Alpkit MyTiMug

    Bigface0_0
    Free Member

    mrhallorann: That a big load of Alpkit, you cant really go wrong with them, looks good I love looking at people kits give me idea’s….The wife will be happy, more treats for me….

    Tiger: Coke can looks good, I’ve got a redbull one a bit like that, nice little stash of booze behind too 8)

    mustard
    Free Member

    Ahem! – I’ll just try that again as the forum maintenance started while I was trying to fix the links 😳

    That’s my lunch trying to escape off the back.

    And if they haven’t worked I give up, they’re

    here!

    cynic-al
    Free Member

    Coke-can thing looks awesome, is it easy to make?

Viewing 40 posts - 81 through 120 (of 2,851 total)

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