I also drunkenly bought a balloonbed and also a sea to summit chinese copy matt off of ebay to try out

Done that. Lack of sobriety is also handy when you have to sleep on the **** when all but one of the balloons have poppet 😆

I made a version that takes those clapper sticks. Its not superlight but it packs small.

Love this thread and it definitely inspired me. Over the last seven years I’ve made frame bags, bar harnesses, seatpacks, stoves and tarp accessories. I’ve bought, mats, bivvies, tarps, filters and all sots of other toys. But more importantly I’ve had some cracking adventues, from overnighters near home to longer trips through Wales and the Highlands.

How is it? Does it hold air? Whats the weight?

1) No idea, not received it yet
2) No idea, not received it yet
3) Claimed 360-370g (full length)

Clapper stick balloon bed alternative sounds interesting

Definitely found this thread a source of inspiration. I’ve been meaning to go bikepacking for years, but only got around to it this year.

I did two overnighters solo last year, loved it: the simplicity, the self reliance, the exposure to the elements & the outdoors.
Also used some of the same gear to do cheating B&B packing with the missus (which was also great).

Only problem is I want to do more, maye a couple of 2-3 dayers this year hopefully…but finding the time is difficult amongst all the other life guff.

Some photos of the past 2 glorious weekends out on the bike in the hills on the Welsh Ride Thing & Jennride

Superb!! Glad to see this thread resurrected!

Just completed a 5 day tour of the Western Isles on a Cx bike with all my bikepacking gear. Will find some photos and post them up. Itinerary was:

Day 0: Oban to Lochboisdale on Ferry. Mallaig to Lochboisdale currently broken.

Day 1: Windy as all buggery from S. Eriskay, S Uist, Benbecula, N Uist -> Ferry to Leverburgh for night

Day 2: Harris inc Golden Road to Callinish on Lewis. Pouring rain, NE headwind. Nice

Day 3: After remembering that there are no open shops on the Islands on a Sunday, on a Sunday, we were somewhat undercooked foodwise. Back to Tarbert in the Rain. Ferry Tarbert to Uig (skye)

Day 4: Skye. Rain. God it;s busy these days. Uig to Armadale. Ferry to Mallaig. Sun came out so carried on. Rode through to Acharacle on Ardnamurchan in glorious evening sun.

Day 5: Acharacle to Kilchoan. Ferry to Tobermory. Race to Craignure in the pouring rain and wind. Ferry to Oban. Done.

Despite the weather it was a pleasant outing and a decent run on the legs.

@NZCol – that sounds like an absolutely fantastic trip. Forgive me, but I was struggling to picture it, so I traced (more or less) the route more or less as your described. Unless I’m much mistaken, around 300 miles riding all-in:

Did you wild camp throughout, or take any creature comfort options? How did the ferries work out, cost and timings wise?

I’m looking for some adventure options for next year and this one might have just bumped to the top of the list 🙂

The Gold Road goes via the “gh” of Leverburgh along the east side of the island but otherwise as you’ve traced. My wife and I did something very similar a few years ago but ferry to Castlebay and only went as far north as Tarbert. We also did a loop from Portree on to the west of Skye and rejoined at Sligachan. Missed a bit of the horrible busy road.

Great photos.  What sleeping bag and tent/tarp did you have ?

Jennride2018

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@daern pretty much it bar the golden road from Leverburgh. We camped 3 nights, used a pod at Callinish as weather was shite and also backapacker at Uig, Cowshed which I highly recommend. Otherwise small tent (MsR CarbonLite) , when I get laptop back will post photos

ferries: yeah so CalMac are having a mare so there have been a lot of cancellations. Generally it was OK but a bit of ferry chasing. Original plan was Mallaig circuit but no ferry to Lochboisdale although it’s back on now. Honestly I’d avoid skye as the roads were rammed and we had some epic close pass experiences with mainly foreign vehicles, I was clipped by a wing mirror. Ardnamurchan was amazing so would poss try and shortcut Skye and do a Mull loop. But a nice run round