Got all my kit out and sorted, added a home made tarp, trying to decide whether I should swap the old Rab bag for a newer synthetic one. Just need the weather to warm up a bit and then out!

And now a piccie from last year – you forget how green things are 😯

Warm up a bit? ;o)

Warmer weather! – You complete girlies blouse

Been out in the bivi over the winter snows on mutli day mountaineering jaunts, you mountain bikers are weak and feeble* lot 🙂

* or very sensible

been out in it last weekend, temp was down below freezing and there was still snow on the ground.
http://welshridething.blogspot.com/

Looking good – going to Pembrokeshire at Easter. Maybe try a late/early cheeky ride on the coast path with a bivi in the middle.

Flatfish – Sturat says you may be out over Easter, can I join in in the WRT area?

Who the bloody hells Sturat 😉

Me and some mates are heading out on the 17-18th April. hope the weather stays nice 🙂

Good times

can you tell me when and where i'm meant to be out?

still s8tannorm – Member
Who the bloody hells Sturat

Damn my fat fingers

did a mid winter bivvy – quite pleasent with the right kit ….

looking forward to sleeping atop bennachie this year – ride there straight from work – ride straight back in the AM – before i move too far away that is

Already had a few camping trips this year – minus 7 in Whinlatter a month back, Brrr! Slept in me clothes, Snugpak bag, goretex bivvy bag and wee Vango tent. Snug as the proverbial bug!

Just bought a Gelert Solo (like, half an hour ago) with replacement Vango poles – the main gripe in reviews seems to be that the poles snap after a few uses…. £32 posted and less than 1.5 kilos. That's a fair bit lighter than my basha and bivvy bag.

Taylor … John asked if I was out over Easter but I'm instructing so stuck here. I said that perhaps you might have a trip planned. I've obviously ne idea if you have or haven't but just thought you might 😉

Stuart (sturat!)

no worries sturat, i've been given one overnight pass for easter but it'll have to be local as zoe is filling my diary rapidly with family stuff. i reckon i could do a bivy trip in the cotswolds somewhere during the easter break and she could stay at her parents.

Never Done a bivi fest but always wanted to so this year its all going to happen, Couple of pointer.. Ive been looking at tents seen the Gelert Solo and the Vango Banshee 200 but not sure which one would be best? Also what do you do with all your other kit? Handle bar bags??

couple of alpkit airlok XTra's one on the bars and one under the top tube if you've got space, but this one cant be too full as it'll rub your legs.

Never Done a bivi fest but always wanted to so this year its all going to happen, Couple of pointer.. Ive been looking at tents seen the Gelert Solo and the Vango Banshee 200 but not sure which one would be best?

I'd probably get a bivibag instead. Those are tents.

I'd probably get a bivibag instead. Those are tents

Yeah I know just a bit of a girl and like the idea of a tent!! 🙄

So you'll be on a camp fest? ;o)

Yeah I know just a bit of a girl and like the idea of a tent!!

try bivving -tis ace. seriously.

OK been looking at Bivi's which one??

If I wanna give bivvying a go what do I need and how cheap/where can I get it? I know the absolute basics are:
Sleeping bag – got
Foam mat – got
bivvy bag – not got
but what else do I need and what else is a really good idea?

Try the alpkit hunka bivvy £33.00

woolly hat and a set of dry clothes if it's raining, some beverage and some really unhealthy food.
unless you bivvy in a town centre you WILL NOT need a lock.
that is all.

Bivi Kit:
What do you take? and how do you carry it? Ive seen these racks that attached to your seat post, not over keen on a massive rucksack!

for very lightweight duty only, don't beleive the 7kg tag on it

I've recently bought a post mounted rack from Cycle Promotions (the people who do the 1 day sales) in Barnsley and it seems very robust, particularly the mounting system which shouldn't be prone to loosening, the best bit is the price £13.99, it is alloy but the weld quality is good and about half the price of the equivalent Topeak version.

Works for me, 3 days out 2 nights in the Bivi

Photo is before

Photo is during

What do you take? and how do you carry it? Ive seen these racks that attached to your seat post, not over keen on a massive rucksack!

Half of what you take, you won't use. Only way to find out what you need is to do it.

just got me bivvy on order. rack and bag arrived last night. need to get a smaller sleeping bag and mat set up, and im all good to go!

exciting!

How much to set up with kit? I could pinch / borrow a down sleeping bag, pick up a cheap self inflating mat, but what about the the rest?

I'd probably be going with a mate – would we be better off going halves on a cheap backpacking tent?

How much to set up with kit? I could pinch / borrow a down sleeping bag, pick up a cheap self inflating mat, but what about the the rest?

Have a look at AlpKits website – http://www.alpkit.com

Quality gear without costing the earth.

Or look a 2nd hand?

Ex Army bivis, may weigh a fair bit? but are still very good.

I got issued mines years ago, and its still going strong.

You cand get ex army Tarps for peanuts on Ebay.

In pretty much every colour. As long as its DPM..

Kit,

To go Bivvying (is this the verb to bivvy?)
You need:

A Bivvi bag – Alpkit Hunka or Ex-army seem to be fine
Food & Water

Non luxury optional extras:

Sleeping bag – Smaller the better
Mat – Smaller the better

Luxury optional extras:

Small tarp to keep rail off face (depending bag style)
Stove (if you want hot food or tea)
Change of clothes to sleep in

The Bivvy book chap seems to think that a crappy light sleeping bag and more clothes is a better option than a super duper sleeping bag as you can put the clothes on to sleep in and use them if it's cold while out. Whereas a sleeping bag can only be used to sleep in. There seems to be method in the madness.

Also why take a stove? If your only overnighting a packet of Custard Creams will see you through

It's nice to eat hot food and drink lots of coffee/tea.

Certainly adds to the experience for me.

You lot are forgetting the hip flask and Cigar.

Half of what you take, you won't use. Only way to find out what you need is to do it

+1.

last time i took dry gloves 'for the morning' which were soaked within 5 mins. and my bag had a pair of wet gloves in! next time 1pr gloves. (just as an example like)

I think a head torch is very useful – alpkit is you friend

Planning a 3 day trip this year and just getting kit together for as light a load as possible. Got a 3x2m tarp, tiny stove and some lightweight cooking equipments. Along with tools, navigation aids, torches and other bits and bobs the whole lot is very compact with just a small sleeping bag and bivvy bag strapped on the bungee webs on the back of my pack.

What's the most popular options for food? Worth cooking pasta and stuff up before we go for ease but more bulk or are the dehydrated foods a good option?

Any opinions on water purification tablets rather than hoarding up on bottled water at any opportunity when we reach civilisation? We are never going to be too far from decent flowing clear water sources.

Going to do a dry run local soon to see if there's anything huge we've not thought of yet as this will be our fist one with the bikes!

Can people add handy litle tips in this topic as well, ya know, techniques you've used to make life easier, little things you heard off the old experienced explorer while passing in the wild etc!

Last thing at night fill a flask with boiled tea, in the morning, instant refreshment. Plenty of time to kill after dark but you wanna get going again sharp when the sun comes up again!

Know how you are going to pack your gear before you start, save messing around working out how you're going to get it all back in your bag now you've used it rather than how it came packed when you bought it!

Top tip #1
Go for a wee before you get in to sleep or wear a catheter, cos a 3am p1$$ is a pain the ar$e