[Closed] Sick as a dog so, show me you Bivi / Bikepacking / Adventure racing gear.....

Does this count as a bivvi? 😉
[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8138128117_36a8dcebd3_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8188/8138128117_36a8dcebd3_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/8138128117/ ]Canoe river Spey[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/matt_outandabout/ ]matt_outandabout[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8464/8138184808_5398d1356c_b.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8464/8138184808_5398d1356c_b.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/matt_outandabout/8138184808/ ]Canoe river Spey[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/matt_outandabout/ ]matt_outandabout[/url], on Flickr

[url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8360/8258966486_b9cfcb69be_c.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8360/8258966486_b9cfcb69be_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/uphilldownhill/8258966486/ ]P1010039[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/uphilldownhill/ ]portchspics[/url], on [url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8083/8257900435_236e8fca9b_c.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8083/8257900435_236e8fca9b_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/uphilldownhill/8257900435/ ]P1010042[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/uphilldownhill/ ]portchspics[/url], on [url= http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8340/8258964780_a25b1585c9_c.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8340/8258964780_a25b1585c9_c.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/uphilldownhill/8258964780/ ]P1010043[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/uphilldownhill/ ]portchspics[/url], on Flickr
Dartmoor Sat night, a bit wild and wet, but better than having to sit through x Factor.

You had the weather for it Instant hit 🙂 What part of the moor did you head for then?

Rode up the track from top of Lydford village then up to Great Links Tor, bit off a hike a bike for last 500m and very wet underfoot. Had a reasonable night though.

Been thinking about bivvying food, and I reckon I could rustle up a decent eggs Benedict for brekkie, by using the Whitebox stove. Only caveat would be having to use a wee tub of shop bought hollandaise, but by Christ, how luxurious would eggs benedict be whilst out in the hills!.

2300 WOOHOO. I love this thread.

I did note: No "Nuit de bivvy Internationale" was not on the STW Calendar 🙁

Flash in the pan amateurs. 🙄

This post hasn't seen any action recently... I was enjoying the pics! Good inspiration and tips.

Anyone been braving the rain and cold and got any photos from recent trips?

Great to see the thread ongoing, I was meant to be going on an annual walk / bivy tonight but have ditched - its been raining for days, and will be character building in the extreme - need colder weather!

I was enjoying the pics! Good inspiration and tips.

Some really nice pics on this thread ... might produce some inspiration.

[url= http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1436 ]Bear Bones[/url]

Sleeping bag recommendations please. Thinking 4 season, but not sure weather to go to the expense of a down bag over synthetic? Surely there must be some good deals around at the moment?

My tent and various other goodies have turned up over the past two days....hoping to get out soon!

Got a Hunka XL for Christmas. Need a couple of other little bits and planning an Ullswater.skyline bivi with my brother in the summer inspired by this thread. May do something a bit more tame first to check the bivi set up and riding with the kit when the weather gets better.

Anyone with Alpkit Skyehigh600 or Pipedream 400/600 bags out there?
Please can you share your experiences of using these year round in the UK? Pack size and weight seem to be the differentiating factors.

One of my thoughts for getting a 4 season bag is so that I have a bag ready to go for any trips to altitude or colder climates - my Wife and I are planning a trip to Iceland this year.

Pipedream 400 is all you need for the UK.

Used it down to -10c with extra clothes on and had a decent nights sleep.

Depends how warm/cold you sleep and what mat you're sleeping on, but the pd400 is cutting it fine for 4 season UK use.

I certainly couldn't cope with -10' with only 400g of 700fp down.

The pd600 boosted with a down jacket is a better bet. Or better still a pd400 for 3 season and a pd800 for winter use!

Thanks for advice chaps. Have settled for a SkyeHigh 600 as it weighs the same and appears to pack down to the same dimensions as a Snugpack synthetic 2 season I've had for 16 years! So should be fine for what I require.

Will see how it fairs next weekend as Mrs Julioflo has set a New Years resolution to Bivvy at least once a month for the whole year. I'll be helping here keep this, so will update with progress on here!

Who has an MLD Trailstar?

Opinions would be great - got a normal tarp but thinking of selling my Vaude Power Lizard and getting a Trailstar and Oookworks inner.

Should I ??

Got a Trailstar with a BPWD inner.
Love it after initial concerns.

Here's my Trailstar on the slopes of a Welsh mountain ... it was August although it looks like March 😉

[img] [/img]

Also, here's my BPWD Lair with Pyra inner net ... superb set up. Not as roomy as a TS but the smaller footprint comes in handy at times.

[img] [/img]

Will see how it fairs next weekend as Mrs Julioflo has set a New Years resolution to Bivvy at least once a month for the whole year. I'll be helping here keep this, so will update with progress on here!

Good luck with that.

[url= http://bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk/phpBB3/viewtopic.php?f=10&t=1471 ]Bear Bones Bivvy A Month[/url]

Looking good...

I would like versatility for two people if needed without adding huge amount of weight.

The power lizard is huge compared to a laser and can sleep 2 comfortably for a couple of nights unlike a laser.

What's the complete weight with inners? What poles are you using due to needing two?

Does MLD mark the parcel down for customs?

What's the complete weight with inners? What poles are you using due to needing two?

Does MLD mark the parcel down for customs?

If it's a bombproof 2 person shelter you're after then I don't think you can do better given the weight, pack size and cost.

Think I'd love a MLD Bigstar that they produced as a proto. But very uncertain if they will be ever produced as stock item.
The I could keep the power lizard and replace my ageing hilleberg touring tent with a bigstar. Doubt it's going to happen though - hence looking at the trailstar again

Hi folks just a heads up for anyone interested.

we have become the UK dealer for revelate designs. we will have gear available soon. (cheeky I know)
Andy

Couple of shots of Slugwash and I on the El and back Bearbones outing... Not quite to Elan for us.
First Bivvy of the year and hopefully one of many.
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Post Saturday night bivvy after a long search in the freezing night for a decent spot and shortly before I had the pleasure of frozen boots!
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Slugwash enjoying a Welsh bog

I have lurked with interest on this thread up till now, as I'm not strictly a bivi-er (sp?), but instead I'm a road tourer. I have an interest in light things that do the job well!

This (see below) caught my eye, obviously its pretty mahoosive but hopefully future iterations will get lighter and smaller. What does the collective think? Anything similar on the market?

http://www.biolitestove.com/campstove/camp-overview/features/#sub

I saw one of these in Cotswold outdoor just before Christmas - I think it was priced at about £80.

The USB output is rated at 2W / 5V so it's 0.4A. Charge-time of more high-powered devices will take a good few hours, which means a good amount of dry fuel needed and hours of poking little sticks into the fire.

Edit: Having said that, it looks relatively cheap given what it does and the amount you can spend on 'normal' stoves.

Planning ahead for the spring 🙂 Tarp arrived today and I'm now looking for light weight telescopic/ segmental tarp poles. any ideas welcome. previously taken my walking poles, buy they are a wee bit heavy and excessively large. cheers

Use your front wheel at the back of the tarp and your saddle rails with seat post as high as possible for the front. No need for poles

Planning ahead for the spring Tarp arrived today and I'm now looking for light weight telescopic/ segmental tarp poles. any ideas welcome. previously taken my walking poles, buy they are a wee bit heavy and excessively large. cheers

[url= http://bearbonesbikepacking.blogspot.co.uk/2012/05/tarp-poles-yes-really.html ]A few pole ideas[/url]

Using a pole will gives you more set-up options than just relying on your bike.

[url= http://bearbonesbikepacking.blogspot.co.uk/2012/12/tarps-come-in-waters-lovely.html ]Set-up ideas[/url]

Any one used one of these?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/DD-Tarp-Ultralight-Compact-Multiple/dp/B005FLNSIU/ref=cm_cr_pr_sims_t

Not that particular one but I have used DD tarps before. Have you seen the weight? Not really ultralight and that's before you add the stupid heavy steel pegs and cord.

Spend a few quid more and either buy:

AlpKit Rig - about the same weight but much, much bigger and with a smaller pack size.

Integral Designs Siltarp 1 - about the same size but less than half the weight/pack size

Cheers still s8tannorm, that link to your review was spot on. Didnt enjoy lugging Walking poles around last yr. If it is blowin a howly can you just pull together 2 of the sections on the ultralight outdoor one so you can halve the height of the rig?

Does anyone know where else you can buy those handy wee wire carabiners - http://www.alpkit.com/shop/cart.php?target=product&product_id=16304&category_id=250- for a similar price?

I need to put some hours in reading back through this thread. Bikepacking is on my "must do" list this year...

Mini carabiners: eBay

Started reading this thread right back to page one last night, despite having followed it for 2 years. Before I knew it, was way past bedtime, and I had 20 odd tabs open for different kit/myog and stuff!.

This thread keeps on giving.

How do those tarp clips work then?

Found what look like the same alpkit ones- not as cheap obviously!

http://www.backwoodsdaydreamer.com/products-page/metal-hardware/

Hey nobeer - http://theultimatehang.com/2012/05/rigging-a-tarp-for-a-hammock-with-hardware/

Scott of Black Rainbow Project's custom English Cycles bikepacking bike, built for the Great Divide

[img] [/img]

My knees hurt just at the sight of that bike!

Couple of shots from our February 'one a month' bivvy last Saturday night.
No bike though, sorry.
[img] [/img]
The view from my pit Sunday morn
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Tea time
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Slugwash took the necessary fording very seriously 🙂