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Trying for a bivi-a-month since november, each time I spend a night in discomfort, work out the problem and upgrade.
But each time the conditions get a bit worse, meaning another night of shivvering and looking at the underside of branches.
November - just a chewy bar for breakfast, no way to set yourself up after a cold night for a ride home. FAIL. Bought a little gas stove.
December - cold night in old synthetic bag, no sleep. FAIL. Bought an Alpkit PD800.
January - very cold night, but comfier. However my lightweight airbed gives no therma;l insulation below so frozen assets. FAIL. Bought an Alpkit Thermarest thing (and a titanium folding spork, because, well, just because).
February - just as cold but now damp, possibly snowy. I've got my hunka bag, PD800, thermarest and can look forward to coffee and boil-in-the-bag breakfast.
So what will it be this time, frozen squirrels falling on my head?
Apart from, you are MAD.
Keep your gas canister (and water) warm(ish), otherwise it'll give poor power tomorrow.
And eat/drink something warm before turning in, plus spare gloves/socks/hat just in case.
Hat makes a big difference, layers will help.
Have you got a tarp to keep the rain/snow/wind off? If you find a nice wooded bit of the forest you will be fine.
A companion helps both to stay warm and pass the time
Envious - but will be out in a few weeks.
How about also doing a few star jumps or whatever to get a bit of circulation going just before turning in?
No tarp yet, I've got a feling that could be next on the shopping list. TBH i've been avoiding a tarp as I like looking at the stars (but not ALL night), and it seems a bit too tent-like with one, i'm trying to keep it all very minimal.
Not in the forest either - probably an exposed hill near Stockbridge / Chilbolton NW of Winchester.
have you made a will?
Have you space for a wood burner in your bivi?
burn the bivi!
Something for breakfast then..
http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/15/how-do-you-clean-and-cook-a-squirrel
Agree with keeping the gas cannister warm or you will not be cooking much in the morning. If you can keep it off the cold ground when cooking that will help as well.
Sounds like you have it sorted, I always wear a hat and keep my clothes etc in my bag to stop them freezing.... how cold it is doesn't matter as much as getting out of the wind so careful selection of the spot you bunk on is vital.... having a good fire helps too 😀
A companion helps both to stay warm and pass the time
You haven't met my friends < shudders >
[url= http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6524827591_2fbc676006.jp g" target="_blank">
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/50539691@N05/6524827591/ ]PC111109[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/50539691@N05/ ]Newforce Photos[/url], on Flickr
Good for you! In theory I have the gear, but haven't quite plucked up the courage.
I know I would choose the woods though.
Alex, perhaps a plan like our next:
Cycle to cider festival.
Wake up in bivi in the woods behind the pub.
Try to piece together the previous 12 hours.
Go home.
Envious !
Yes you will die! Can I have your bikes (but not the silver dream machine!)?
ps. thanks for posting 'that' pic 😉
A hat is a good tip. Sounds like u have a sorted kit list now. I'd add a tot of something to calm childlike excitement and a book.. I love snow bivis but its dark for a long time )
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No, you'll be fine ... this was riding back out of the mountains on last years winter bivvy trip. That snow isn't slushy, it's frozen solid 😉
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www.bearbonesbikepacking.co.uk
Get one of those hand warmer thingys and if you get too cold, activate it and sandwich it between the top of your thighs(on your Femoral Arteries) and feel the warmth within a couple of minutes. It defrosted my toes a treat whilst in my hammock on the M'nB last month. Stayed hot for the rest of the long January night. 😀
I don't understand why you would do it? It can't be pleasant this time of year. What's the point?
How are you finding the Alpkit pd800 I've still not decided on one of these or the 600 ??
Also looking at your kit list I think you will be fine.
What do you wear in your bag ( any extra clothes )
If you can make yourself a little fire it's great for heat and cheering you up when it's cold.
Also as flatfish says try a couple of the hand warmers thrown in your bag before you jump in.
See if you can get some natural insulation under your bivi as well ....if your in the forest get some evergreen pine branches to make a kind of mattress..........that will take the edge off.
Hugor ... it's really not as bad as you'd think. It can actually be a really great time of year to be out under the stars (no biting things). I think for many part of the 'fun' is thinking of ways to stop it been a long miserable night 😉
A hat & a bivi bag & youll be fine.
check in to a B&B
Tents are good
Once you have a tarp...it is a tent...probably not as good and an all in weight heavier than a tent
by this time next year you'll be very [s]dead[/s] experienced
What do you wear in your bag
Now thats a question too far!
I think for many part of the 'fun' is thinking of ways to stop it been a long miserable night
If your out there right now freezing your bollocks off alone on the frozen dirt and staring at the stars then good for you.
I'm on my couch in my dressing gown, perfectly warm drinking a fine glass of Aussie white wine, and watching tv while browsing STW on the ipad during the advertisments.
billyboy - Member
Once you have a tarp...it is a tent...probably not as good and an all in weight heavier than a tent
My lightest set up of tarp and bivi bag is approx 640grams. I could get it about 200g lighter if I tried, quite easily.
Terra nova's lightest offering of tent is 581 grams at the cost of £700.
For the 59 grams extra I'm carrying, I've saved more than £600.
Just saying like.
2 weeks ago to the day I went for a night ride on the malverns. there was some goon 'doing a bivvy' on top of worcester beacon in the pissing rain. I appreciate the that it makes for a sweet brekko view, but if you're going to bother do it on a proper sized hill more than 20 mins walk the bloody pub.
A story. Norway. Some time ago
First night - Teepee - too hot.
Second night - 4 man tent - Norg top only no wolly pully. Temp drops to -16 in the tent only because we have a candle (candle watch). Its ****ing freezing. Everything freezes. I can't grab my jumper inside my bergen because my bergen has frozen.
My bivi bag start to go hard. I assume its trying to freeze on the outside. I pull my feet up and have a very restless night's sleep. My boots, at the bottom of the bivi bag, are frozen in the morning. The temp the next morning was -26 with gusting winds.
The lack of sleep may be the bigger killer.....
sick guy!
but if you're going to bother do it on a proper sized hill more than 20 mins walk the bloody pub.
I don't understand this.
It doesn't rally matter how far you are from civilisation does it? You're doing it for fun at the end of the day, not make some survivalist statement.
FWIW, next weekend I'm bivvying 20 minutes from the nearest pub. I'll be eating there first too...
FWIW, next weekend I'm bivvying 20 minutes from the nearest pub. I'll be eating there first too...
You didn't tell me it was that far!!!!!!!!
You're going to have to work for your supper laddie! 😆
Man survived by shelter and fire...............You have neither of these, get a grip, it won't happen
It doesn't rally matter how far you are from civilisation does it? You're doing it for fun at the end of the day, not make some survivalist statement.
I'll take a warm bed over the most glamorous campsite anyday, but when camping takes me to beautiful exotic places that are not accessible by more civilised means then that's a good reason to do it.
Bivi-ing 20 mins from a pub in the British winter kinda reminds me of when I was a kid and thought it was cool camping in my backyard.
Not a critisism by any means each to their own its just interesting hearing what other people like.
Man survived by shelter and fire...............You have neither of these, get a grip, it won't happen
that's kind of it though isn't it? The more I am looking into what I need for my first bivvy the more I realise howmany people are actually dotted around our hills and vales of a weekend, god on you all!when I was a kid and thought it was cool camping in my backyard.
Good on you 40mpg!
Your'e obviously a crank with nothing better to do & probably no life at home (or no home at all) but good on you for doing what YOU want to do. It's probly the last thing I'd be doing.
reminds me of when I was a kid and thought it was cool camping in my backyard.
This is exactly my point!
There are no campsites involved in bivvying. You seem to think that pubs and beautiful landscapes can't be combined!
My afore mentioned bivvy will be atop an ancient hillfort with views to the somerset levels, Blackdown and Rowberrow forest. There are sweeping views across the Severn estuary too. Granted its not the Rockies or Scotland, but it doesn't mean I shouldn't do it because I can't get to suitably remote places easily.
When time permits, I'll be quite happy to go all survivalist about it too. Its all good for a giggle.
My lightest set up of tarp and bivi bag is approx 640grams. I could get it about 200g lighter if I tried, quite easily.Terra nova's lightest offering of tent is 581 grams at the cost of £700.
For the 59 grams extra I'm carrying, I've saved more than £600.
I'm fairly sure my Polaris tent is down in the sub 700g range - and that only cost me £100. I'm also fairly sure that in a lot of conditions it's far more comfy than a bivvy and a tarp.
so how was it?
Did you die?
-10 in my garden, i bet he's frozen solid 🙁
He picked THE coldest night of winter... balls of steel. or ice.
The comfort rating of a PD400 is around -17, so he should be alright.
Do you think it'll be like Scott of the Antarctic. There'll be a note saying "where's the near e s t P u b....."
🙁
Is he alive?
I'd imagine he won't thaw out till at least noon
If he did survive - he'll be enjoying the best bit of a bivi - the second day ride!
By the time you've got a bivvy bag and a tarp, why not just use a lightweight tent - or am I missing something?
Its not like you can see the stars if you've a tarp over.
I've 2-man goretex tent that weighs less than 1.7kg, and its over 25 years old - so I'm guessing you can now buy stuff that's lighter (and cheaper than what mine was - a months' earnings!)
I'm not far up the road from where we was proposing to bivi and our [url= http://whitchurch-weather.co.uk/muppet/index.html ]local weather station[/url] went down to -10 overnight..
Fair play to him! Hopefully he's not pretending to be a popsicle somewhere out there still..
I'm alive!
Had a great night and half a day of riding. Actually more sleep and more comfortable than the last time now with the thermarest. Didn't get really cold at all, just fingers/toes when waiting for the many punctures to be fixed. Lost count in the end!
Slept on the top of Danebury hill fort, inside the rings. Dozed off staring at the stars, woke to clear blue skies and the sun rising over the hill. Fantastic views towards Salisbury Plain over snow-covered fields. Just as I emerged from my cocoon, there was a sound like a jet plane and a large flock of birds whooshed overhead. Amazing!
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[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/50539691@N05/6857076701/ ]P2111234[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/50539691@N05/ ]Newforce Photos[/url], on Flickr
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Had quite a few punctures on the way out, nice pub dinner stop, got kicked out about 12.30, bivi'd down about 2.30, woke up at 9. I didnt get sweaty cycling as it was so cold so slept in my longs (didnt get muddy either as it was all frozen), base layer and light fleece. Reasonably warm, woke a few times a little chilly but a quick fidget and was fine. Biggest issue as ever was a bladder full of Ringwood Best!
A few more punctures on the way home, but stopped at one of my bivi companions house for bacon rolls in the Wallops before riding back along the Test Way. Got home about 2pm.
Computer said -8c at 9am, god knows what it was overnight!
Thank goodness for that. I was thinking someone should call mountain (biker) rescue soon. Looks like you had great time, well done!
Well done skip, glad you had a good (if not bloody cold!) one 😉
Glad to hear you survived! How do you secure your bikes while you are asleep? I've thought about bivvying on a ride but knowing my luck during the 5 minutes sleep I eventually get some **** will nick my bike.
Very envious, wish I had made the effort...! I have ow packed my bivy bag in the van, and going to plan a wee trip from Newcastle, maybe with a short train journey thrown in to the mix...
Good work ) was out early this am and it was 'kin cold, well below. You picked a good night for it!
Burnie - bikes not secured at all. We do pick fairly remote places, or even if near tracks, we're generally well hidden in the woods. I'm sure if someone tried to pinch a bike we'd hear it, I got woken by a deer walking past about 20ft away on an earlier ride and they are quite stealthy movers.
Well done, thats inspired me to get my bivi out and give it a go in my local woods. I just need a good thermorest. What did you use ?
Awesome I think applies here. Mad but awesome.
Now there'll be loads of others who slept out last night popping up just to spoil it 😉
Fantastic - I bet you'll remember that for a while!
I guess you know that you can cope with as cold as Britain gets.
Just need a rain test now 🙂
This sort of thing is what mtb forums are for.
ace.. 😀
Blimey! 😯 Well done on doing it but I didn't think bikes were allowed on Danebury? Bet it looked beautiful though! Years ago there used to be sheep grazing there.
Nutter 🙂
If there was four of you why did you not sleep next to each other for added warmth? Or would that have spoilt the ambience etc?
You need a Nemo gogo in your life.
[url= http://www.nemoequipment.com/nemo2011-gogoelite ]Nemo gogo[/url]
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Flatfish
Seriously, I'd be interested to know what kit you are using. Both my bivi bags (not overly choice items) are 1kg a piece. When/if I have the dosh..I'd like to go lighter.
Well done ! Been a long time since I bivvid out at night and that was on a uk beach in springtime.
Kayak23 - Nice, where are they avaiable in the UK please?
billyboy - For example:
- alpkit hunka bivy bag = 420g (£30)
or - alpkit hunka xl bivy bag = 525g (£40)
- alpkit rig tarp = 514g inc stuffsac (£50)
[url= http://www.alpkit.com/bikepacking ]alpkit[/url]
It's a lot cheaper to diy tarps, you can make them smaller to lose weight. Material is available widely if you look around...
johnclimber - UK gogo stockists a click away from the link provided...
aren't single skin tents notorious for condensation?
billyboy - Member
FlatfishSeriously, I'd be interested to know what kit you are using. Both my bivi bags (not overly choice items) are 1kg a piece. When/if I have the dosh..I'd like to go lighter.
Alpkit Hunka 420g £30
MYOG Spinnaker tarp inc guys 179g approx £20/£25
Ti pegs x 8 = 42g £12
Total 641g
For £100 more, I could lose 230g with a Terra nova moonlit bivi bag.
Reasonably warm, woke a few times a little chilly but a quick fidget and was fine.
Not heard that euphemism for a while...
@billyboy ... like flatfish says.
Terra Nova Moonlite bivvy - 180g
Silnylon 1.5m x 1m tarp/lines- 210g
Pegs - 32g
Total 422g