I’ve been convinced to try a mid-week micro adventure.

The main thing missing from my kit list is a tarp. I’ve had a look and they seem expensive for what they are!

Appreciate some recommendations. Thanks. 😊

I use a D&D 3×3 here, no issues with it and plenty of loops etc for hanging it.

I use a D&D 3×3 here, no issues with it and plenty of loops etc for hanging it.

Probably meets the

seem expensive for what they are!

Definition

YOu can just buy tarp material hem it and add attachment points – thats what i did

https://www.pennineoutdoor.co.uk/fabrics/Waterproof-Fabrics,-NON-BREATHABLE,-Light-and-Medium-weight%20/P2A-Silicone-Coated-Ripstop-Nylon

Is it possible to make on up out of an old tent or is that just crazy talk?

I don’t understand why you wouldn’t just take a small tent – a tarp seems like some kind of weird hair-shirt thing to me. I guess I understand if you ware travelling light/long-distance and space/weight is at a premium.

MSR Hubba NX does well for me and is tiny. Admittedly it’s not cheap but there are cheaper options, eg

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/2031317590.html?spm=a2g0o.productlist.0.0.74ff2104bWmLdH&algo_pvid=057a0ede-7a61-4817-afb3-f708a73965bc&algo_exp_id=057a0ede-7a61-4817-afb3-f708a73965bc-0&pdp_ext_f=%7B%22sku_id%22%3A%2267072764629%22%7D&pdp_pi=-1%3B75.44%3B-1%3B-1%40salePrice%3BGBP%3Bsearch-mainSearch

I should probably define expensive! 😆 £50+ seems a lot.

Saying that, I’d prefer to buy something that will last rather than fall apart after a few uses.

What do you get with the expensive ones, more attachment points, lighter and more durable (recognising that lighter doesn’t always equal durable)?

I just typed ‘camping tarp’ into ebay and there’s millions to choose from for less than £20. Surely they’ll last long enough to realise you’ve made a horrible mistake.

Like that idea TJ – I’m handy with a sewing machine so could probably do a reasonable job.

£20 Decathlon small tarp here – dump the poles – https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/multifunction-tarp-camping-shelter/_/R-p-307422?mc=8544366&c=BLUE_TURQUOISE

Vango BIG tarp for canoe days – I think it was £30 but is big enough for half a dozen of us to sleep under…https://www.getoutwiththekids.co.uk/reviews/vango-family-shelter/

I also have a DD 3×3. They’re not (IMO) actually all that expensive for what they are: if you look at the Pennine Outdoor site linked above you’d pay north of £40 for the equivalent amount of material alone, and then have to buy webbing, etc, and also spend time making it yourself.

The downside of the 3×3 is probably that it’s flipping massive.

£20 Decathlon small tarp here – dump the poles – https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/multifunction-tarp-camping-shelter/_/R-p-307422?mc=8544366&c=BLUE_TURQUOISE

Weight without the poles is the same as my tent (inc poles). 🤷🏻‍♂️

I bought a cheap one from Decathlon a few years ago complete with poles, lines and pegs. It’s still going strong.

No idea if they still make it

Weight without the poles is the same as my tent (inc poles). 🤷🏻‍♂️

Hint: it’s not about the weight…

OP – are you planning to use the tarp with a bivvy bag? If not then a larger one will certainly give you more shelter.

Get a Naturehike mongar in either 15D or 20D, the 20D is under 2kg for the full tent. You then have a tent, a free standing bivi with the outer and footprint, or microtarp with the footprint. The silnylon stretches when damp but that is a property of the fabric.

They pop up second hand on fleabay or buy full price from Amazon or fleabay

Hint: it’s not about the weight…

No – it’s also about the bulk and how do you carry it on your bike, with all of the other stuff.
If you are “car camping” then take as large and heavy and cheap a tent as you like – on a bike, you have to be somewhat more selective.

The DD hammocks small tarp is a bit more realistic balance between size and coverage (unless you really want a tent)

https://www.ddhammocks.com/product/dd_tarp_s?from_cat=33

I have the 3×3 and the small. The former is fine, if you can spread your other kit amongst other riders, but the latter is much better if you’re riding solo

Outdoor gear forums classifieds: people buy tarps, find it’s not for them and sell them on in mint condition. I’ve got a small Siltarp and a DD 3×3, both acquired for £25 each. Both have their place.


This being STW, though, I’d suggest you weave your own using organic hemp grown in your back garden.

Thanks for all the responses.

Apologies, I should have made clear I would be cycling and planning to use a bivvy bag. Saying that, the idea of a lightweight tent is appealing. I also like the idea of a cheap tent and using different bits as needed.

The DD tarps look good based on the cost/performance ratio. I’ll have a look at some of the other suggestions before making a decision.

Cheers 🙂

I’ve got an MLD Trailstar. Lots of space (you could probably get your bike in with you!) but does require two trekking poles/sticks of some sort to pitch. Not used it for bikepacking but for hiking it’s brill.

I have a DD 3×3, I actually thought it was the definition of cheap! It’s been amazing so far

Alpkit rig7 here, good size for 2 of us. Good quality but expensive. The dark green is ok but a bit too dark compared to some olive greens out there. Id be looking at the DD now though

We use it when we want to ‘bivi’ and lightweight tent when we want to ‘camp’. Everything set up in the bag ready to go – sleeping bag already in bivvy bag etc. If we see a nice night forecast we can just go to our local secret spots without much thought. Whenever we are out and about we have a quick recce for potential bivvi sites and make a mental note for another night.

Personally I prefer winter bivvying, no bugs! I remember a February night near Crichton Castle overlooking the Forth. We were snugged up in a strip of shelter belt, below us the flashing lights and lighthouses all along the coast and round the islands, winking their coded messages. At about 10pm the loudest screechiest owl we have ever heard came howling through the woods and perched right above us giving it large, it was mental. Then at 2am we woke again to the fullest brightest moon ever, in fact it was so light we got up to wander around in the silver light, out into the stubbly fields and along the woods. A sip of whisky and then back in the bags til dawn, awesome. The tent would have been great too, but probably not quite as memorable

I’ve got an almost new Alpkit Rig 3.5 tarp I’d sell you if you like? Only been on one camping trip so basically new. It’s red so it goes faster

This being STW, though, I’d suggest you weave your own using organic hemp purchase one online from Alpkit or Decathlon then drive it to Wales/Scotland/Surbiton in a German Sportswagen with 12 hrs supply of Greggs, an AeroPress, a Jetboil and some Meindl alpine boots for any muddy bits which may be encountered around the carpark 😉

ftfy 😉

Seriously though, it all depends on how much you plan to do/how much cover you want/how you mean to carry it?

I had a microtarp (bought from classified) 1.45m x 1.2m and it was like a joke for my rather large frame but then I realised I’d bought it without knowing what the hell I was doing. It was designed to cover head and torso max, with rest of me in a bivibag. I didn’t have a bivibag. I sold the microtarp and then re-bought a small tent instead (Sierra Designs Lite Year knockoff) which was great until recently put my big arse through it while trying to nail a 360 down the slim-end retrieving a sock or something.

Since then bought a poncho tarp which is great (2.1m x 1.5m) for walking in mad rain, using as a wet-weather groundsheet/picnic blanket etc, and also plan to use it as an ‘emergency’ shelter, ie somewhere to have a bit of lie down in copse if weather is mental. Have also used it as a sun-shade/rain-shelter when day-camping and as an extension to a two person tent

I scrounged some roofing membrane offcut (like Tyvek) off the old bloke so as to use as a lightweight waterproof groundsheet. This could be handy for when it gets used converted to an ‘alphatent’, which can be erected flat in a downpour or raised/propped, at other times.

Like this

Also need to source a bigger tarp and poles for covering/shading two people during plein air painting classes or wet picnics. Wet picnics rule.

Bookmarked.

This thread has got me thinking about trying a bike packing trip. I’ve been talking about it for years. I have a bivvy bag, apkit seatpack and bought a 13l drybag last week.

Started looking at reviews for those naturehike tents and they are rated quite highly. Especially the cloud up 2 – found out the grey version is lighter due to the silicone material.

anyone go bikepacking in winter then?

Lomo 3×3 tarp. Think it’s very similar to the DD one but cheaper when I bought it anyway

anyone go bikepacking in winter then?

Of course. I’m currently on 62 consecutive months. Winter is great for clear night skies, refreshing breezes, no midges and quiet trails.

awesome scotroutes. Tips for keeping warm? baselayers? big down jacket?4 season sleeping bag?

In no particular order;

Pick your nights sensibly to avoid the extremes.

Pick your pitch carefully to avoid cold spots and high winds – and have alternatives.

Check for forecast changes in wind direction. Once in your bag/tent you’ll not want to be getting out of it in the middle of the night.

Warm sleeping bag or bags. If you don’t have a 4 season bag then a 3 season bag and a quilt can make a good combination.

Good, insulated, mat. I use an Exped Synmat HL.

A bivvy bag will act as a good windbreak, raising the comfort rating of your sleeping bag – even in a tent.

Warm jacket to be used as an adjunct to the sleeping bag if necessary. I use a Montane Prism (I’ve recently acquired some Montane Prism trousers too). Either wear it or spread it over your torso.

A warm hat. I usually have some thin gloves too as my riding gloves might be damp.

A hot water bottle in your sleeping bag can sometimes work. A Nalgene bottle stuck in a woolly sock is a good option, and will mean you have water in the morning rather than having to melt ice.

Some folk use down/insulated socks. It really depends how cold your feet/toes get.

Get warm before getting into your bag. Some light exercise (star jumps) should be enough, but try not to get sweaty.

Eat something either before or whilst in your bag. You want some fuel in your body. Try not to drink too much though or you’ll be up through the night for a piss and might struggle getting warm again.

In the morning, be super organised. Know where everything is and where it packs away. That reduces the amount of time you are out of your bag and exposed to the cold before riding. The more trips you do, the better you’ll get at this. I use a variety of colour-coded drybags to help with organisation – both through the night and in the morning.

A wee tip – take some latex gloves for bundling up your mat/tarp/tent in the morning as handling them when freezing cold and damp will give you painful fingers for riding. Also, take a dry buff. That sweaty helmet won’t be pleasant if it’s been sitting out all night.

I doubt this is a comprehensive list, just some thoughts off the top of my head.

Here you go:

Of course by the time you’ve bought all the consumables to so this you could have bought a tarp and saved a bedsheet…