Words Amanda, Hannah and as credited Photography as credited
Let us try to persuade you that a night outdoors can be a life-affirming experience, rather than one that has you questioning your life choices.
While it’s not technically legal to sleep outside in most places in England and Wales, can we please accept that this is a bit of a nonsense? If done responsibly and on a ‘leave no trace’ principle, it should be possible to sleep outside without a brush with the law or landowner, wherever you are. But why would you want to?
Practicality might dictate that you want to ride a bit further than you can manage in a day, and where you’re going doesn’t have any convenient accommodation. Or – and perhaps this is the reason most of us might consider it – you just fancy a night outdoors, for the adventure, and the different rhythm that comes with disconnecting from home comforts. If you’re lucky and get a night under the stars it can be an awe-inspiring experience.
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It’s easy to get a bit obsessive about the gear. If you’re going to do something big and consequential, like the Tour Divide, or the Highland Trail 550, then you need to be. But before you get to the realms of cutting your toothbrush in half to save weight and space, there’s plenty of gear out there for smaller scale adventures. Hannah has gone for ‘just enough’ to get her out there, with kit that’s useful in a variety of settings and won’t break the bank. Amanda has opted for some more specialist kit for multi-day rides, spending on a few key items that should keep trips on the ‘holiday’ side of things, rather than being a punishing ordeal. Plus we’ve rounded up an array of experienced bike-campers to bring you their kit highlights.
Can we persuade you to venture out for a night away from your pocket-sprung mattress for a pocket-sized adventure?
Hannah: Fair-weather stargazer
Photography Rafe Dobson
I’d like you not to think of this as bikepacking kit. Instead, it’s ‘kit for a quick local camp out to see the stars’. This is the kit I use for a once in a blue moon (or starry night) trip onto the local hills. I don’t stray far from home with it, so I never have to ride far, or provide a full meal, etc. If you’re going to do more than a few miles, or stay out when the weather isn’t great, then you’re going to want more kit than this. This is an ‘ooh, it’s good weather, a night outside might be fun’ kit list. Just enough to prevent hypothermia, not enough to call it a good night’s sleep.
Alpkit Hunka XL Bivvy bag
- Weight: 478g
- Price: £69.99
- From: Alpkit
I bought the larger bag because I wanted to be able to wriggle. I once slept in a small bivvy bag and found myself struggling to move, and cold and uncomfortable because of it. This waterproof bag is big enough to fit a basic (rather than fancy, compact, etc.) sleeping bag inside, and doubles up as a handy shelter for sitting in at other times. I sometimes carry it as an emergency shelter option on poor weather rides, and have also used it for birdwatching cosiness, and sitting outside on a ferry. Finding other uses for it helped me justify the cost of what is otherwise rarely used for actual sleeping outside.
Forclaz Trekking Mummy Sleeping Bag
- Weight: 1218g
- Price: £54.99
- From: Decathlon
This sleeping bag is a little shiny and slippery – if you get too warm, the absence of a cotton liner can feel a little sticky. But, for a fairly cheap sleeping bag, it’s been usefully warm. It’s aimed at 5 to 15°, but I’d say that once you get down below 7 you do start to wish for an extra blanket, or perhaps a nice warm liner. It’s made with PES wadding made from 70% recycled fibres. The grey fabric is 100% ‘biton’, which is fabric made with only 50% of the threads dyed – reducing water usage. You can join it onto other bags in the range if you can find someone who wants to get that close.
EXPED FlexMat Plus M
- Weight: 505g
- Price: £50.95
- From: Alpine Treks
Especially on hard ground, I need to regularly swap between side sleeping on either side, and sleeping on my back, or my hips cause me pain. I count the inside of my car as hard ground, which is where I’m most often to be found sleeping when not in my bed. I’ve had a cheap self-inflating mat for ages, but it’s finally sprung a leak and was never very warm or comfortable. I’ve upgraded to this foam mat which I’m hoping will be warmer, softer, and has the bonus of being puncture proof. That’s especially important to me as I don’t like sleeping with my mat inside my bivvy bag because it makes all the wriggling I need to do too difficult. It’s not the most compact of things, but I’m not going far so being comfortable in a variety of camping scenarios takes priority here. If you shop around it’s available at much less than the RRP.
Also in the bag
As well as this gear, I also always take a warm hat. If the weather looks cool I’ll also take merino leggings and base layer – ideally nice non-sweaty ones to change into, as cooling down riding sweat is guaranteed to make you feel cold. Also: Smidge, because being attacked by midgies in the middle of the night as the wind drops is not good. While a fresh coffee would be nice in the morning, I generally just make the short trip down the hill to home instead of lugging a stove, cup, etc., along with me.
Amanda: Weight weenie with a strong desire for sleep
I am a credit card bikepacker with an anxiety issue. What if my booking is cancelled? What if I don’t make it to the hostel on time? What if I get completely lost? The only way for me to enjoy a multi-day trip is to have the means to sleep outside, but not have the weight and bulk of the kit hinder the journey. That said, I absolutely love sleeping under the stars, or a bus shelter, when I don’t have to worry about doing it on consecutive nights. So my kit list is on the pricey side for the lightweight, compact needs of my big adventures, but I haven’t scrimped on comfort. When I do use it, it works well. When I don’t use it, I’m not sore about having carried it.
Sea to Summit Women’s Flame Fml Down Sleeping Bag
- Weight: 378g
- Price: £279.99 (size Long)
- From: ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk
- Suggested Buy: Wiggle
That’s right, I have a women’s specific sleeping bag. It’s not shrinked and pinked, it is wider at the hip and narrower at the shoulder with extra down insulation based on female body mapping to provide warmth and comfort where needed. I’m not going to claim that I need the women’s specific fit, but I do have wide hips. I’m sure there are many male cyclists out there with glutes and quads who need extra room too, so ‘Fml’ could just be an abbreviation: ‘For Massive Legs’.
The main reason I chose this sleeping bag is that it packs both compact and light. I have a bulky sleeping bag for one-nighters, but for multi-day bikepacking and fastpacking every inch and gram counts in my opinion. It’s not that I want to go as fast as possible, more a case of minimising fatigue and maximising space for snacks. There are some features that you may not get on a more affordable sleeping bag. The hydrophobic down treatment protects from external moisture and condensation from the inside of the bag, which could mean the difference between several degrees of warmth. The chest area is stitched in a way to prevent the down migrating and creating cold spots, and the down is responsibly sourced.
The Flame Fml Down Sleeping Bag is available in regular and long length, long fitting up to 179cm while short only up to 170cm. At 173cm tall, I bought the long. It is constructed from RDS 850+ Loft Premium Goose Ultra-Dry Down with a comfort limit of 4°C. In colder climates I pair it with a liner that adds ~5°C of warmth, and I tend to sleep in my insulated jacket – as yet I haven’t found the discomfort limit. In short, the warmth-to-weight ratio of this sleeping bag is why I chose it, and the high-quality materials and manufacture make me confident it will last long enough to justify the cost.
Outdoor Research Helium Bivy
- Weight: 484g
- Price: £224.99
- From: Outdoor Research
I have done my time in a budget bivvy bag, and I’ve had no real issues for one-nighters, but it’s the ‘bag’ part that I just don’t get along with on more substantial trips. When I came to shop for a more luxurious set-up my two must-haves were waterproofing and a hooped design, but this Outdoor Research Helium Bivy has exceeded my aspirations.
The hooped clamshell entrance has two closures, the first being a mesh bug net and the second being the waterproof outer. I expected improved convenience and comfort from this design, but the reality is more like tent levels of comfort. It’s so spacious that I can sit up with a brew, various items charging or just tucked in with me for safety, and a book. The mesh net means I never get too warm or claustrophobic, but most importantly it means I don’t get eaten alive.
The lightweight and packable design is a highlight for multi-day adventures, and it is really quick and easy to pitch. This feels like my secret weapon for long bikepacking trips; it’s a well-considered design and doesn’t take up too much space on the scales or in the bag.
Sea to Summit Aeros Ultralight Pillow
- Weight: 55g
- Price: £29.95
- From: ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk
In the past I used a drybag full of clothes or an insulated jacket as a pillow, but for the sake of a bag the size of a pack of playing cards I can have a proper pillow, so why not?
It takes two big breathes to inflate and has a fantastic valve that doesn’t let the air escape as you seal it. It deflates in seconds, and folds down really easily – I never struggle fitting it back into it’s pounch. It’s soft to the touch and a luxury worth carrying.
Klymit Insulated V Ultralite SL Camping Mat
- Weight: 454g
- Price: £149.95 (size Regular)
- From: ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk
This camping mat took more research to find than any other item in my kit. You lose heat through the ground, so insulated was the main upgrade I was looking for, but you wouldn’t believe how many mats on the market have the air valve at the foot end, which is no good for a mid-use top-up or to efficiently start deflating it in the morning while you’re still lying on it. This one has an ingenious valve that easily rotates from inflate to deflate, even with bulky gloves or numb fingers. It is at the head end and has a smooth cap that makes it sit almost flush with the mat, unlike many protruding valves.
The angled baffles were one of the big selling points for me, having previously owned an Alpkit Numo with thick vertical ones that had my elbows and hip bones making ground contact throughout the night. I think the angle of the baffles is possibly more subjective than we think, and these V-shaped ones suit me. I never have my arms by my side, and I never lie flat on my back.
As yet, I can’t complain about durability, and I find the mat really easy to fold/roll down into its carry bag.
Monzo Card
- Size: 85 x 55mm
- Weight: 5g
- Monzo
I travel with a Monzo card as it’s easy to freeze the account when I think I’ve lost the card, only to later find it in one of the many pockets in my frame baggage, at which point it’s just as easy to unfreeze the card and get straight back on booking.com. Payments only clear if I have money in the account, and the customer service is excellent. I have had my debit card copied in the past, so I learned from that! If you’re going to travel abroad you need to be smart and expect the worst, hope for the best.
That’s just two set-ups for two different riders. We asked a selection of outdoor sleeping veterans for their perspectives on what makes for good kit and a good night’s sleep.
Charlotte Inman: In it for the breakfast views
Charlotte co-founded Sisters in the Wild, which organises community-focused bikepacking and gravel riding experiences for women, non-binary and trans people.
Favourite piece of camping kit?
A recent chart climber has been my Katadyn water filter. Super-quick water filter, especially useful when travelling in places where tap water isn’t drinkable or in the summer in the UK when there’s more human traffic on the trails.
Any unexpected luxury items?
A little bottle of hot sauce to spice up even the most budget of camp meals
Favourite camp breakfast?
Overnight oats – throw whatever bits of trail mix you’ve got left over in with oats and let them soak.
Chris Hinds: Fast doesn’t mean uncomfortable
Chris won the Great British Divide, so knows a thing or two about sleeping out.
What’s the chief thing you look for when choosing kit?
If you’re racing for days on end, the weight saving of a few grams versus a good night’s sleep just isn’t worth the trade-off for me. The first ultra-race I did, I went for weight savings everywhere: some foil-backed bubble wrap as a sleep mat and a basic Alpkit bivvy bag with no tarp. After wasting hours trying to sleep on an impossibly uncomfortable floor I ended up near hypothermic, and soaked from the rain that had rolled in during the night. Ever since then I’ve always carried a proper blow-up air mat, clamshell bivvy bag and an air pillow. Can’t put a weight on a good night’s sleep.
What’s your advice for a good night’s sleep?
A good feed, preferably a hot one keeps you warmer through the night. This might also be my justification for eating chocolate in bed though! If you can, keep a dry set of clothes for sleeping in – keeping warm when you’re wet is almost impossible. If you need to dry stuff out, slipping it in between your mat and sleeping bag can help dry things out a bit. Picking locations can make a big difference too – staying under a tree isn’t so great for stargazing, but does tend to stay warmer than somewhere windswept and exposed.
Any unexpected luxury items?
My Big Agnes AXL air pillow is a brilliant addition to the kit list. I read once that putting your shoes under your head makes a great pillow. THIS. IS. A. LIE. Unless you’ve got boa-shaped lumps in your head it’s going to be a smelly, uncomfortable experience. For 45g you can have a proper plush night’s sleep.
Emma Osenton: Dialled in traveller
Looking for Emma? You’ll find her in the bushes cuddled up to a titanium bike.
What’s the chief thing you look for when choosing kit?
Not sure there is one thing. It’s entirely dependent on what it is. Mostly light and durable. Budget dictates how far I go with that.
Advice for a good night’s sleep?
Ride a long way! Travel light=cold at night.
Favourite camp breakfast?
I’m the least fussy eater. If it’s cold and I’m feeling flush then the freeze-dried porridge sachets are nice. Mostly, as long as there’s some food. Coffee is a must.
Kitty Dennis: Overpacker to ride for longer
Co-founder of the Steezy Collective, we’re not sure if she’s ever indoors.
What’s the chief thing you look for when choosing kit?
Does it make the trip more comfortable? If it’s lighter, it’ll be less taxing to pedal with. If it’s warmer, I’ll be able to stay out longer into the winter. If it’s rugged, I won’t be stuck without a paddle (or more likely a stove!). This means I tend to look for lightweight, durable kit that keeps me warm and dry while not weighing down the bike too much.
What’s your favourite piece of camping kit?
I’ve got a Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL2 Bikepack tent and it is fantastic. Definitely an investment, but it’s lightweight, warm and doesn’t pack in condensation. This one comes with 30cm poles to make sure it can fit in between your bars and has plenty of bike-oriented features. I’ve used it in a gale in October, freezing temperatures in December and the peak of summer – it’s never let me down.
Advice for a good night’s sleep?
I always pack sleep kit to be more than comfortable at the forecast temperature so that if it dips, I still have a great night’s sleep.
Any unexpected luxury items?
One thing I recently got that makes all the difference is a pair of ultra-packable booties. After a long day of riding with soaking wet feet and clip-clop cleats, there’s no better feeling than being able to dry off your shoes and still mill about the camp in the evening.
Sam Jones: Dirtbag camper who doesn’t mind a touch of luxury
Sam has been championing Cycling UK’s ongoing bikepacking/camping challenge of #12nightsoutin1year.
What do you look for in your kit?
Durability – the last thing you want is for your sleep system to fall apart mid-trip. That’s a recipe for disaster and in the wrong conditions can prove quite dangerous. It doesn’t matter how lightweight your kit is, because if it fails you’re carrying useless deadweight.
Any unexpected luxury items?
Solar powered fairy lights! Makes a dark night a less lonesome place when alone, and a joy when with pals.
Got any tales of bad camping kit choices?
I brought a Kelly Kettle (wood-fuelled stove) on a bikepacking (malletpacking?) trip I took Timmy Mallett and his pals on once. I hadn’t quite mastered the particular skill of lighting a real fire in the wild at that stage, and consequently spent a lot of time coaxing the stove to life – first to the amusement of Timmy and his pals, and then frustration at the delay in getting their morning brew.
What’s your favourite piece of camping kit?
Has to be my Helinox Chair Zero – packs kind of small and only weighs 500g. Ending the day with a comfortable seat makes all the difference – especially as you get older!
Advice for a good night’s sleep?
Practice! The more comfortable you are with sleeping outdoors, and working out what works for you, the better you will sleep!
Sanny: Like a veritable Scottish Mr T, I ain’t camping in no rain, fool!
There can be few as enthusiastic about a night outdoors than our Sanny.
What’s the chief thing you look for when choosing kit?
Being realistic about the conditions you are going to be facing on your next adventure is a wise approach. If it is going to pour down, an outer first pitching tent is preferable to some gossamer thin, inner pitching model designed for the California sunshine.
Advice for a good night’s sleep?
Invest in a well-insulated inflatable mattress that packs down small in your bag and throw in an inflatable pillow. While that ultralight three-quarter length inflatable crisp packet in disguise may be tempting you in the quest to save precious grams, nothing beats lying down and feeling immediately comfortable and warm after a long day adventuring.
Any unexpected luxury items?
Real food. Forget the freeze-dried option. Take in proper ingredients that you have to cook from scratch. My good friend Dene recently did this at Ryvoan Bothy with his daughter Jay. While the hardy outdoor types stirred their packet of desiccated who knows what, Dene broke out fresh langoustines with garlic and butter. I wonder which you’d rather have?
Favourite camp breakfast?
Apple pie with Ambrosia custard heated on my stove. OK, so this may seem a bit arse backwards eating your pudding first, but apple pie and custard are the Nectar of the Gods as far as I am concerned.
Stu Taylor: Racing Dirtbagger
Stu is another long-distance racer, who also enjoys a night out on his local hills.
What’s the chief thing you look for when choosing kit?
How packable the kit is, and if it isn’t, do I really need it?
What’s your favourite piece of camping kit?
I love using the Alpkit Jasper flint and steel to light a stove, it makes me feel like a Boy Scout again!
Any unexpected luxury items?
Silk liner for your sleeping bag keeps the inside of the bag clean and it’s easy to take out. So if you’re really muddy you don’t have to worry about that bag as much.
Favourite camp breakfast?
A warm pain au chocolat from the nearest bakery if possible, although on the Silk Road I did have cappuccino custard* which was delightful.
*Recipe: cappuccino sachet mixed with custard powder – just add hot water.
Vedangi Kulkarni: All-weather bivvy freak
As the youngest woman to cycle around the globe, Vedangi has plenty of experience of sleeping outdoors.
What’s the chief thing you look for when choosing kit?
Waterproofness and sturdiness of the material. Regardless of where you’re camping or what you’re planning to do, if those two things are covered your kit is gonna keep you dry and safe.
Advice for a good night’s sleep?
Reading while hugging a warm Nalgene water bottle. I think a warm Nalgene is the camping equivalent of a relaxing hot bath.
Any unexpected luxury items?
Hairbrush and Kindle. I know it’s gonna sound strange, but I always brush my hair before bed and after waking up. It just marks the beginning and end of my day on bikes/foot/skis. Kindle because I always, without fail, read before bed.
Favourite camp breakfast?
Anything but porridge. Ideally, something savoury, be it leftover dinner or a pack of dried Expedition Food.
The best approach is the one that fits you.
If there’s one consistent message here, it’s to choose your kit to suit your circumstances. What suits the long-distance racer who’s trying to get by on as little sleep as possible in a hot and far-off land may not suit the person that wants a decent night’s sleep on a weekend overnighter in Scotland. We don’t all sleep with the same weight duvet or firmness of mattress at home, and it’s no different outdoors. Side sleepers and wrigglers have different needs to those who can lay flat on their back and stay that way until morning. Start with what you’ve got, or what you know you can use, see what’s important to you, and build from there.
Pick your first outings carefully – be flexible about the nights so you can pick a weather window and maximise your chances of happy experiences. It’s a good idea to test things out close to home, so you’re not stumbling around in the dark in unknown terrain trying to find somewhere to bed down for the night. Plus, if it’s all too cold/damp/bitey/lumpy, you can always bail and return home.
Whether you climb into your camp bed excited to see the stars or exhausted from a full day in the saddle, waking up outdoors is hard to beat. Enjoy the natural rhythm of waking with the sun, take in the view and the air, listen to the dawn chorus. Then jump on your bike and enjoy the first descent of the day. You did remember to make sure you wouldn’t be kicking off with a climb, didn’t you?
