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

that’s a neat idea Ian.

I was wondering if I could get OS mappping/or similar on a SD card to put into my car Garmin – anyone know if this is do able??

Don’t know if it’s of any interest but this months Trail magazine has a one man tent test … be warned they’re not cheap though, my Helium gets top budget tent and they’re £200!

For the more hardcore they’re testing tarps next month 😉

I saw that in the newsagents tonight but couldn’t have a library read as it was in a bag – I hate that 😉

The tarp one will be definately of interest, the basha I have has a fairly big pack size but loads of strong tie points and possible to use as a stretcher so I guess that’s the trade off.

this months Trail magazine has a one man tent test

Do they test that newish Snugpack one man tent by any chance?

It looks interesting and not too expensive.

http://www.snugpak.com/index.php?MenuID=160-113&ItemID=222

Nope, no snugpack in there.

Slugwash … that looks quite a bit like this.

http://www.outdoorgear.co.uk/eshop.asp?wci=product&wce=51140102&utm_source=Froogle&utm_medium=Google-shopping&utm_campaign=Froogle-datafeed&CameFrom=froogle

If you fancy something along the same lines but cheaper, there’s this.

http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/acatalog/Jamet_Shelter_Single_Hoop_Touring_Tent.html

Stu cheers for the link found this

http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/acatalog/Easy_Camp_Hexa_Mat_w_Footpump.html

Pete if you suscribe to Trail you’ll get a Pacific Outdoor mat free … just like mine.

ok that’s a good idea cheers Stu 😉

ignore this reply, just making a note so I can visit this again come spring and make a shopping list!

Don’t wait till spring, you’ll miss half the fun 😉

MISSED half the fun already I think he’ll find 😀

I see your point … could all take a turn for the worse yet though. Remember last March? We had snow under the hammocks.

Last march was fine, if a little cold, but it warmed up during the day.
I’m just hoping for no rain like last weekend although we will be in Wales so i should really expect it to lash it down 24/7

have faith boyo it’s been lovely today 😀

I’m at home, with a beer, kitchen scales out, weighing tents and looking for my map of Dartmoor… you know who’s fault this is? Yours. All of you.

One problem with a 29er that I hadn’t anticipated, mind you, is that there’s less space to fit stuff in between the top of the tyre and the saddle. I clearly need smaller, lighter, more expensive stuff.

That’s the spirit Eccles 😀

These are a bit of a bargain and not too bad apart from the having to pitch the inner up first, I have one but find it a bit too claustrophobic for my taste.

that does look good Mark but I think we may have a no tent rule on this thread 😉

@Eccles the hunt for smaller, lighter, more expensive stuff as bargainous prices is a serious addiction – you will not be able to resist!

Tents can be used, there’s no rules really but at 1.5kg it’s a bit on the heavy side.
Having said that, a tarp and bivi bag can easily add up to 1.5kg if your not careful.

Yep, will be using the tarp on the WRT. Have been looking at stoves as well, anyone have any experience with the vargo decagon? Looks like it’s a light cheap choice.

I’ll be driving down to the WRT from Burton on Trent if anyone wants a lift down or want to car share let me know.

smaller, lighter, more expensive stuff

For those reading the earlier instalments of the wet Feb bivi trip near Brecon, I would like to point out I was using a second hand Hunka (£20) and a home-made tarp (£15). Thank you.

Markenduro – read the stove test on the WRT blog. I also did a stove test recently here[/url]

Mark have a look on the WRT blog … I tested one of the Vargo stoves. It’s a nice bit of kit but a little slow to bloom. Pop can stove is far quicker to get going and less likely to go out.

EDIT: Beaten to it.

Cheers for that, had a go at the coke can thing and think I drilled the holes too big, it did boil some water up but was a bit temperamental to draughts and shot a jet of burning fuel out when i knocked it over….
The vargo looks like it will be a lot more stable in use.
I don’t do tea/coffee so it would only be for cooking noodles/soup etc.
Any good tips on food choices for expeditions, the only time I have ever done anything similar to this there has been either a handy pub or cafe nearby for food/beer stops so just had to carry snack type food and water with me.

Edit, just seen the wrt blog on how to make on e properly, will need to live on coke for a few days.

I think the fun is sourcing good gear and if it can be made yourself all the better, plus second hand kit that is in perfect nick often appears on here, plus a wanted ad usually comes up trumps, like my bivvy bag from Stu for example 😉

I’ve been practicing with the “pop” stove and I am getting a dab hand with it know.

@IanB – do you get your dried meals from a particular source or anywhere that sells them? I’ve realised they can save a huge amount of weight compared to “moist” food, tins/packets for example.

But a Christmas dinner would be an exception Flatfish of course 😉

I’ve found that when i go shopping I get the milk, bread, beans, squash etc, etc, in 10 minutes, however everytime i go to Tesco’s I spend twice as long looking at the dried food and cooking times for something to camp with.
I have also found Waitrose is bobbins for bikepacking food.
Sainsbury’s are quite good though.

Some good value and lighweight tarps here:

http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/page112.asp

I have the Duo tarp, its half the weight of an army bash sheet, is , stealthy green, big enough for hammock and sitting cooking under, the tarps are well thought out with all the loops and eyelets just where you need them, was used in the STW bivy feature a while back

haha you do that too 😳

I’ve been caught checking out the carb/protein properties of said food recently 😳

Alpkit rig[7] is the same size as the duo tarp, 100g-ish lighter and £15 cheaper.

I’ve used “Expedition Foods” dehydrated meals before now, but they’re quite expensive (about £6 each). Probably best calorie to weight ratio going though. Chicken Tikka or Korma is recommended, as is porridge and custard and berries. Didn’t rate the Rice Pudding though.

Other easy stuff – Blue Dragon noodles are often nicer than Batchelors Supernoodles.
Smash – cheap, easy, lots of calories, bit bland unless you add something else.
Fine egg noodles – again, easy to cook as only require dumping in boiled water for a few mins, so efficient on fuel, but need something else to add flavour.

Last weekend’s egg noodle/ Ainsley Harriot’s Mullagatawny soup was fantastic. Because I was only going out for one night and most of the rest of my kit was light, I did treat myself to Sharwoods Saag Aloo, which was pre-cooked and only required warming – also nice.

Other stuff I take includes nuts (hazel or walnuts have the best calorie content), raisins, jelly babies, chocolate coated coffee beans, normal dark chocolate, malt loaf, cereal bars and so on.

I’ll second the condemnation of the rice pudding but the custard and berries are mighty fine.

All the way back on Page 10:

Tiger6791 – Member
“One issue I had this morning was trying to get the stove lit in a strong wind – got there in the end but it was quite tricky to get it primed”
Caldera cone

I’ve now made a paper version of a Caldera Cone:

[/url]
Caldera Clone – paper trial[/url] by ianbarrington[/url], on Flickr

Need to find some 0.15mm aluminium foil and I’m ready to make me a new windshield 🙂

Yeah, I think that’d work a LOT better than the paper version…

Will it work right with a white box stove? Isn’t the pan meant to seal the top to allow the jets to work?

Good point. I can set the burner offset to zero to keep the pan on top of the stove, but it would be reliant on having a fairly flat surface to put it all on. Whilst the Whitebox is in the shot, that version works over the top of my Vargo Triad.

I’ve been having a think about stoves (as I do and you do … all of you) and if the pan forms a seal on top of the stove where does the stove then take its air from. The Vargo I played with has 3 raised bumps to support the pan, they hold it 2-3mm above the stoves top surface. As I’ve said before, they can be a sod to keep lit and burn better if you raise the pan a little … I half wonder if this is down to a restriction in air flow into the centre part of the burner.

I’m going to the workshop, I may be some time!

I’ve now made a paper version of a Caldera Cone

Not sure that’s going to work, cardboard at a minimum but I would recommend aluminium though.

I reckon after using one if you can make the two piece one it would be better for the bike as it would pack better.

The whitebox stove has no dimples, it sits flush on top.
From what i can gather, once the stove blooms the pan sits atop creating the seal, thereby forcing the now hot and pressurized meths out the jets, where it meets air, creating the fuel/air mixture which is already alight due to priming.
I assume the jet flames aren’t as hot until the pan creates the seal, forcing the fuel out of the jets that then makes the jet flames burn more fiercer/hotter.

I could be talking bollocks though. 😯

I’ve been having a think about stoves (as I do and you do … all of you) and if the pan forms a seal on top of the stove where does the stove then take its air from.

yeah my coke can stove goes out immediately if I put the pot directly on top. Figures really, like you said, it’s gotta get air from somewhere.

The caldera uses a chimney stove so the meths has no pressure. Still works weirdly very well.