What's the minimal kit you'd take for staying out overnight on the bike?

The big bivi thread, and the big bivi kits described in it, got me thinking – Say you had an all-dayer planned in the highlands that, ideally, would be done in that one day. Non-ideally, you might find the going a lot tougher than expected, and need to split it in two with an overnight stop. What's the minimum kit you'd take to cater for staying out overnight? (an emergency bivi kit if you like).

Say the conditions are really pretty good – summer, plenty of running water, you can stop low down in a valley etc. Might you just say f-it, if I need to stay out I'll take a spare top and kip under a tree? Anyone done this?

condom and a tooth brush…

I just take lights and non ideally continue in the dark til I'm hame 😉

Nope – I wouldn't dream of doing so unless I got stuck in an emergency. It can get down to around freezing point any month of the year in the "sheltered glens" I hate being cold.

A hotel or nice B&B – gets heavy but it's comfy.

What TJ said weather is unpredictable imagine a night in the rain with just your jumper.
AMases me how ill prepared for the mountains that MTB are. I am eqaully guilty ride places with basically nothing non bike relted but would take spare evrytihing if I walked same route.

As above, a torch, zip ties and a supply of energy bars. Far less likely running into trouble by heading back to a main road and continuing on to your destination.

If I knew I was staying out, I've done it with just a tracksuit/softshell and a bivvy bag + the usual camelback stuff. Hot food is good but not essential, for 1 night I'd just take flapjack, maybe some meal replacement shakes (essentialy protein, fibre, complex carbs and vit+minerals in a just ad water poder to make a 'milkshake', very filling, but no extra calories, just what you need to bulk up without extra calories if your a body builder or an athlete trying to cut down their body fat percentage).

I've tried this on occasion under slightly different circumstances and nearly always regretted it.. (even on the med).. you will almost definitely want more kit than just a spare top..

It can get bloody cold and uncomfortable around 3 or 4am.. and that's even if everything is in your favour..

What TJ said weather is unpredictable imagine a night in the rain with just your jumper.

But you'd have your tree 🙂

OK, so a bivi bag is sensible. Just wondering what extra stuff you would take to keep things as minimal as possible whilst affording some level of comfort O/N.

Garry – minimal and comfortable / safe simply does not work for me in the highlands

Very minimum if I knew I was overnighting would be sleeping bag and a bivvy bag.

Aye, do you want to sleep in comfort, or do you just want to be alive in the morning?

One of the great things about living in the South. Kipped on the beach in just my lightest weight sleeping bag last weekend.

>One of the great things about living in the South. Kipped on the beach in just my lightest weight sleeping bag last weekend. <

Nail on head.

Bivvying is all very well in warm / dry conditions but what about when it's pissing wet and you are already soaked through from riding? Yup, do not pass go, proceed directly back to base 😉

reminds me of a phone call i recieved last year before transwales – mike ayles occasionally of this parish "can you try and get me a tent & sleeping bag to the start line please – im on the moors riding to the event with very little kit"

next morning – scrap that – cold wet and going home – took longer than expected so slept(in the loosest sense of the word) under a rock !

if going into the highlands even for a clearly day ride id at the very least have warm layers and an emergency bivy – if any risk at all id be out overnight ie a long day id strap my sleeping bag under the bars.

On the road i dont take nearly as much stuff because A on road you generally see folk/services/shops/Bnbs/hostels/places to stop at even if its a house people are generally understanding of the situation if its come to the point where you are basically begging for shelter somethings gone wrong !

Credit card

You just need a big knife and some wet wipes. When you get benighted simply ambush a cow, hollow it out, climb inside for a nice womb-like nap. In the morning a quick lick and spit with the wetwipes to get the worst of the entrails off and on your way.

you wont need a light mid summer in the highlands!, half dark for just a few hours,
alpkit bivvy bag & silk liner and the midge net, i always pack a spare merino LS top for long days,be ideal to change into to sleep ,
if weather turns foul head for a bothy,farm shed,
carry oat cakes and jam for breakfast 😮

Stopping is one sure way to get yourself into a hell of a lot of trouble. Keep on going even if you dont want to as it me save your life. Another thing to remember is midges.

what everyone else said, you'll need to carry quite a lot of stuff even for your emergency biv. if you carry all that extra crap around, you're almost guaranteed to be so slow that you'll actually need it 😉

juan – Member
condom and a tooth brush…

Save weight and go tubeless