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

@Pete – I have a GPS but there’s nothing magic about it! Good old map and compass will be fine (but I’ll carry the GPS just in case!)

Terra Nova Laser is a great tent.

Obviously, tents are for wimps, but if you insist on using one, the Laser is a good choice. I’ve used mine all over the world with and without the bike. I even did a few multi-day walks in NZ with my girlfriend in the tent as well. It was cosy, but easy to carry.

Is all that really fun? Looks like the art of masochism to me…but then again, I am old now and prefer my pipe and slippers 😛

Looks like I’m going to have to christen my Gelert Solo on this year’s event, last year I planned my route around bothies but it seems that isn’t an option now. Can anyone point me in the direction of where to get aluminium poles for said tent, obviously I don’t want to spend a fortune on Easton alloy having got the tent for £25 but I understand the fibreglass poles it comes with are a bit fragile and heavy.

£25! You could have got a big ‘toblerone’ bag from Poundland for, err £1. A few about last year at WRT.

last year I planned my route around bothies but it seems that isn’t an option now

Prey tell what do you know about the route of the WRT??

He doesn’t know owt other than it’s going north and it’s nowhere near the only MBA bothy in the area, or his caravan. 😉

now there’s an idea – a fold out trailer tent on a Bob trailer 😉

we can always pre-position my campervan Pete!

What are the thoughts on the gelert solo?

The Laser is the 2man, the lighter Laser Comp is the 1+ and very cosy indeed for 2. They are a very popular lightweight tent for good reason.

I love mine and I’m still undecided whether to tarp or tent for the WRT. The tent is only 300g more and offers substantial comfort but pack size is greater and is less social!

yeah I must admit I kind of like the idea of both of us in our bivi’s but now my mate is in his tent It seems like why shouldnt I get one….

Hdwhciwckllc;wkcn

Is the worst blog post ever!

haha i try

Laser Comp is great tent, I’m using one for WRT loathe bivvy bags and tarps. Best if sharing it’s with the better half or a very good friend and are so tired it no longer matters.

Using GPS, memory map prints and good old compass and paper maps for when it all goes tits up, my legs are buggered and I just want to get back to the start.

As for location I’m just hoping a grid ref isn’t Snowdon’s summit if it’s going north.

Now if only the two spacer blocks would show up the bike would be finished and the figuring out how to carry everything can begin.

Anybody used Inov8 Race pack with the horizontal bladder? Any good for biking?

The Gelerts are good for the money but you can’t sit up in one and there’s pretty much no porch area. They’ll obviously keep you dry and out of the wind and rain though but so will a well pitched tarp 😉

so will a orange survival bag, but they are miserable for the night too 😉

😀

change of attack:

I’ll post this on this thread and the WRT one to catch both areas.

What would a food list look like for a 3 day, 2 night trip such as the WRT??

Just wondering how to keep the weight and volume sensible whilst providing enough energy for a big lad 😉

Very good question Pete … I shall stick something on the WRT blog about food and stuff, soon as I get a minute.

cheers Stu and I don’t want a list of cold bacon sandwiches and eccles cakes 😉 but I suppose they are flat foods 😀

I have ordered some Bara Brith. Bikepacking food of Welsh Kings!

Good lad, I’ll be brining a pringle tube filled with Welsh cakes I think they will be gone on day one 😉

Packets of oat so simple are good for breakfast (or any time of day). bags of mixed nuts and dried fruits (especially cashews and dried apricots yom yom yom….) are calorie dense and good to keep you going through the day. decent dehydrated meal in the evening is a good way to end the day.
Some people recommend the “look what we found” meals, but I find them rather unsubstantial at the end of a days riding.

I’ve used the “look what we found” meals before, and added a packet of that ready to steam rice that you can get in most supermarkets. For the WRT I think I’m going to go for a dehydrated meal in the evening…I’m hoping I’ll be able to top up my water at some point.

Just add boiling water to:

Paw-ridge with powdered milk and fruit flakes mixed in

Ainsley’s cous Cous

Noodles with cup a soup

Biltong

Vesta meals

Instant custard with powdered milk & dried fruit

Nescafe 3in1 coffee

I can’t believe we’re a few posts into food and no picture of flatfish’s christmas dinner 😉

Pete – I should be able to get hold of plenty of decent stuff from work – calorie dense, boil in the bag stuff and if we sort out a decent route we should be able to find something en-route!

I can’t believe we’re a few posts into food and no picture of flatfish’s christmas dinner

I’m still upset by that – I swear he promised us all one but no he ate all the sprouts himself 😆

Steve – great thanks,

so campervan check, food check, all sorted 😉

Anybody used Inov8 Race pack with the horizontal bladder? Any good for biking?

Yes, I have the Race 12, with the horizontal bladder. It’s a nice bag, sits well on the shoulders and the weight of the bladder is distributed low down which is good. The back of the bag is padded too, which is good for putting in awkward objects and them not digging into your back.

I can’t believe we’re a few posts into food and no picture of flatfish’s christmas dinner

Seeing as I took the photo, here you go:
[/url]
P1030436[/url] by ianbarrington[/url], on Flickr

Dehydrated food:
Cous-cous is easy to carry, light and quick to cook.
Smash – very good calorie to weight ratio
Noodles + cuppa soup (Ainsley’s Mullagatawny is my preference)
Porridge + dried fruit and powdered milk
Chocolate coated coffee beans to maintain caffeine intake
Fruit tea bags (I don’t like powdered milk in tea or instant black coffee)
Pepperami – it’s meat of sorts
Custard + banana chips
Hazelnuts have the highest calorific value of any nuts.
Expedition Meals are good, light, full of calories but quite expensive.
Green & Blacks 80% dark chocolate

Wet food:
Sharwoods Saag Aloo or something similar is really nice and quite good on the calories.
Malt loaf, just because it’s nice
Flapjack, obviously

Ian, Re. the PHD kit,…[snip]…I’ll be using the Ultra bag and Minimus vest on the WRT.

Anthony – thanks for that, very helpful.
Final question – how did you find the sizing of their stuff?
I fit the small size for chest measurement, but the medium for height.
I think I should go for the small for maximum insulation (i.e. no air pockets around chest), provided it won’t come up a bit too short…

cheers Ian some good ideas there 😉

Expedition Meals are good, light, full of calories but quite expensive.

Ian, get yourself to Poundland

http://www.poundland.co.uk/product-range/a-z/vesta-meal-for-one—paella/

Freeze dried same dried weight as a Mountain House meal, 600+ calories and £1 yes £1!!!

Just take an old MH bag to boil in.

If anybody can’t get to poundland I’ll take orders.

and

http://www.poundland.co.uk/product-range/a-z/haribo-tangfastics/

whahey off to poundland we go 😉

oat so simple is also available from this outlet

http://www.poundland.co.uk/product-range/a-z/quaker-oat-so-simple-orignal—8-pack/

Ian,

The PHD sleeping bags are slim. The Ultra bag for example would fit perfectly inside the Alpkit PD800 and still have plenty of room to loft, probably not dissimilar to the design and intention of their Combi bags.

The vests are sized to go over a base layer and fleece so are quite roomy. I was similar to you in that I’m a measly 38″ chest but 6′ tall and went for the Med based on chest size. The fit is perfect, it certainly isn’t too short and chest size is spot on. It has loads of loft though so even in just a base layer it fills the voids to stop heat loss and the pits are slightly elaticated too.

The Minimus vest always seems to appear in their sales for £89 (keep in mind their £10 delivery!) although IMO at £125 it’s still worth the money compared with the similar spec. OMM Finch. Also it looks a lot nicer than in the photos. The Rab Microlight is similar weight and packsize but certainly won’t be as warm, but then it’s cheaper.

I suspect the 900-fill Ultra vest if anything like the sleeping bag won’t ‘feel’ as warm or cosy due to the lack of sheer bulk. More of a performance layer than a cosy cuddly down warmer 🙂

I notice Terra Nova have more lovely new kit this year, I’m interested to know if their 900fill bag is EU or US measured down, it’s still colder and more expensive than the PHD Ultra!

I can’t believe we’re a few posts into food and no picture of flatfish’s christmas dinner

I think Flatfish should do a ‘Lunchtime Christmas Bash’ all he needs to do is let everyone know by text on the morning of the second day where the location is for the ‘Mega Meal’ and it’s up to you if you choice to turn up and enjoy the feast (let’s face it you woudnt want to miss out) or carry on your way knowing that you’ve missed out on the best food your likely to see for 3 days…. Acceptance of meal invitation by text confirms your place at the table…. BRILLANT IDEA

Gels, bars and sweets for riding. Expedition Foods dehydrated each evening, w/ plenty of fluid.

Breakfast will be based on village shops when I plan a route.

You’ll have to give me a better idea of numbers than on the morning, I have to get the finest ingredients ordered, don’t cha know!

9 Bars! I should have some freebies to give away at the WRT (as long as Stuart doesn’t mind).

No trouble at all Aidan … I spend months trying to blag stuff to give away, so the more the merrier. 😀

If anyone has any samples, flyers, cards, etc they’d like handing out feel free to get in touch.