Forum menu
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
I'd be up for that coastkid.
I have a design in my head that I want to try = should need no guys
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.
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?
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.
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
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
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
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.
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.
[img] 
[/img]
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 🙂
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.
[img]//www.healthcheckpharmacy.com/shop/files/sxdetail/5011309079319_IMAGE2.jpg[/img]
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 🙄
flatfish - nice. What size is that tarp?
Matt
Clicky linky for sizes of the tarp,
http://hennessyhammock.com/specs_70hexdfly.html
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 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.
Flatfish - thanks for the drybag info
On the tarp front I'm thinking more on the lines of this [url= http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/shop/product_info.php?products_id=102 ]Tarp link[/url]
Interesting find those tarp clips though. I have a Hilleberg UL 3.5x2.9m tarp, I'll see what shapes I can make if I use that to make a trailstar shaped tarp without sewing. Very interesting......
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.
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.....
[center]Looking out over Avon Dam in the Morning....
[img] 
[/img]
Morning espresso as the sun breaks over the horizon...
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
It was frosty last night...
[img] 
[/img]
The Location....
[img] 
[/img]
My balloon bed was only firing on six balloons (and not the full seven) as that was all I had 🙁
[img] 
[/img]
Jim's piccie of me first thing....
[img] 
[/img]
View out over the dam just before sunrise....
[img] 
[/img]
The kit photo...
Flickr link with detailed notes here...
[url] http://www.flickr.com/photos/8308384@N06/5377326277/ [/url]
[img] 
[/img]
[/center]
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!
Nice pics ... looks like you had a great time.
[url= http://www.mountainlaureldesigns.com/ ]cool light stuff[/url]Anyone had dealing with these guys? Looks like they do an uber light bug net/tarp combo thing (serenity shelter and tarp)
Slug, Man it looks cold... For some reason I can't get on your flickr link..((((
Great pictures but I'm better now thanks
AJ - Membercool 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.
Oh goody, a proper nerdy bivvy thread 😀
My kit getting packed. Amazing what you can get into a 25l Gourdon:
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
[img] 
[/img]
Our last (awesome) bivvy up Farelton Fell in December when it hit -9:
[img] 
[/img]
The views getting up before everyone else gets you:
[img] 
[/img]
Have bed, will travel. Down.
[img] 
[/img]
[url= http://picasaweb.google.com/mrhallorann/RideFarletonFellSnowyEpicBivvy#slideshow/ ]More here for the terminally bored[/url].
Bivvying rocks 🙂
mrhallorann
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 😀
[img] http://www.flickr.com/photos/58701394@N05/5385564219/ [/img]
[img] http://www.flickr.com/photos/58701394@N05/5385566265/ [/img]
I've never done a bivi trip. This thread has made me want to! Roll on the spring.
Homemade ultralight Coke can stove and Alpkit MyTiMug
[img] 
[/img]
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)
Ahem! - I'll just try that again as the forum maintenance started while I was trying to fix the links 😳
[img] http://picasaweb.google.com/mustardcolman/Spain201002#5565921144440801906 [/img] That's my lunch trying to escape off the back.
[img] http://picasaweb.google.com/mustardcolman/Spain201002#5565920962488893730 [/img]
And if they haven't worked I give up, they're
[img] http://picasaweb.google.com/mustardcolman/Spain201002#5565921454159798034 [/img]
[url= http://picasaweb.google.com/mustardcolman/Spain201002# ]here![/url]
Coke-can thing looks awesome, is it easy to make?
Al - they're really easy, even I managed it. Instruction for several variants here:[url= http://zenstoves.net/Stoves.htm ]Zen Stoves[/url] . The best one I have made is a side burner (like the Coke one above) Red Bull can one. The side burner means you can just set your pot on to when it is going and don't need a seperate pot stand.
The lightweight backpacking sites have loads of people experimenting with variations on the design.
I can also recommend making a pot cosy out of the foil bubble wrap stuff you get for behind radiators. Instead of boiling your food, just boil the water then put the pot into the cosy and the food in the water and it cooks really well as well as not sticking to the pot - makes especially good porridge.
Oh, and I've never bothered with any sealant between the two sections of can and I haven't died yet 🙂
I must of made about 20 of those stoves for me and all my friends. Can do one in about 10 minutes now.
Search on Outdoorsmagic for Capitain Paranoia instructions.
Ace little things
I've made a few out of energy drink cans but find that these smaller cans often burn off all the meths before the water's boiling. Also I find the pressure 'driven' ones (i.e. not double skinned but with just a small fill hole in the top) frustratingly hard to prime, any tips?
At the end of the day though I'm much happier with a Trangia burner 'cos you can easily adjust the flame to simmer and any unburned meths is stored securly inside the burner until it's needed again.
[url] http://www.flickr.com/groups/trangia/ [/url]
Took me a few mins to locate the Outdoorsmagic page, but here it is, just in case anyone else is struggling
http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/gear-features/make-your-own-meths-burner/6227.html
Some more...
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5215/5388029966_c52fd2411c_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/47300508@N05/5388029966/ ]Coke Can Stove[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/47300508@N05/ ]fantasticmrmatt[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5214/5387421895_a5ed42c197_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/47300508@N05/5387421895/ ]Coke Can Stove[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/47300508@N05/ ]fantasticmrmatt[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5212/5388026598_cedf537ba1_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/47300508@N05/5388026598/ ]Coke Can Stove[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/47300508@N05/ ]fantasticmrmatt[/url], on Flickr
[url= http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5215/5388029132_ffd7356495_z.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/47300508@N05/5388029132/ ]Coke Can Stove[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/47300508@N05/ ]fantasticmrmatt[/url], on Flickr
Im loving those pics, Ive got our production team at work knocking out a couple of stoves tomorrow 😉
Tiger - nice stove you've made there, how quick does it boil 500ml of water?
how quick does it boil 500ml of water?
Hmmmm not sure, will have to time it. All I've worked out is that it takes 1 old 35mm camera film pod of meths to boil a full MyTiMug
I like this design
http://ygingras.net/b/2007/6/a-better-soda-can-stove
I use a tin lid as a priming pan and a penny to cover the hole to pressurize. Sainsburies transnational lemonade cans are good can to use. No embossing and a good lip on the base like pepsi cans. Plus traditional lemonade > pepsi.
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
Does my bum look big in this... 🙄
Anyone used on of these Fusion bags before
Thats an ideal starter for 10!
edyeah looked and looked for something but unless you opt for a US saddle bag there doesnt seem many on the market...!!
s8tannorm has an ortlieb one that looks quite good too
New to this 'adventure racing' malarky, so had a bit of a test-fit of some kit planning for some 2-3 day trips this year.
[IMG] 
[/IMG]
3/4 mat, sleeping bag and bivvy bag in the drybag under the bars = 1675g. Otrlieb saddlebag ~330g (probably use for dry clothes - will force me to pack light!).
Full frame bag in progress at the mo, then probably strap a bottle cage under the down tube to augment my 2 litre Camelbak.