Superstar do the new XTR’s without cooling fins and fit/work great.

Buggybags seem to be the cheapest I know of for bespoke bags.

Ebay sometimes throws up generic frame bags, but they don’t make full use of the main frame triangle so storage space isn’t as good and I suspect aren’t quite as stable.

I’m still lusting after a Wildcat bag, but I just made one out of whatever fabric I could lay my hands on as a short term solution whilst I gather the funds. It seems to holding up well enough and although fiddly to get right, it really wasn’t that difficult other than a bit of forward planning before stitching together.

@Twang, I use the PHD bag inside a 176g Terra Nova bivvy bag (under a tarp) so the weight of the waterproof fabric isn’t an issue, the strength of the 900 down is it’s party-piece. Personally I didn’t bother with the dryshell fabric, it seems to cope with condensation ok and I’m quite particular about keeping it sheltered from the weather.

This is it in it’s stuffsac, sat on top of a 3L dry bag. If stuffed directly into the drybag, there is still plenty of room to fit in my minimus vest with ease-

I’ll admit that it is a sleeping bag with a very specific purpose and is cut quite slim. The Minimus is slightly more versatile and I doubt very much if you could notice the 100g difference once fully loaded. Having siad that if boosted with a down vest or down jacket it has coped to just above freezing and if conditions colder than that I’m in my winter bag anyway.

PHD do 2 sales a year, more often than not they do a special run of Minim 300’s for about £150. These make for a great all-round 3 season bag and IIRC are about 500g.

Blackhound the trip must have been amazing, any pros/cons of the kit you took?

Just looked at the Yeti Passion One. Its got an incredible weight of sub 350g like the PHD but its £300 and only suitable for +15’c. It makes the PHD seem good value!

Be aware that Rab quote in US fill power, so the neutrino is more like 200g of 700 EU down. I do think the 2’C comfort rating is pushing its limit.

PHD Minim Ultra (the EU 900 fill version). I spent hour after hour researching exactly the same question and found the PHD to be the clear winner if weight vs warmth is your priority.

Western Mountaineering worth a look too.

2 of us shared 1 travel tap for this years WRT and it worked fine, we probably filtered 4-6L each per day. It does sound like you maybe have a duff filter, although I have heard a few reports of people saying similar.

I went through my kit again last night and beeing ruthless I shaved off about 400g, its amazing how 10g here 20g there soon adds up.

I have no major issues filling my 3l bladder with my traveltap.

Rik- I always use the Moonlight in conjunction with my tarp, treating it more as a sleeping bag cover than a shelter as such. It protects the delicate PHD sleeping bag from wet ground, any possible weather that gets past the tarp and keeps it away from rough ground. I don’t rate any bivvy bag for use in heavy rain, it’s just not a nice place to be. Once truly soaked they never breathe sufficiently either. The tarp and bivvy bag is still significantly smaller/lighter than my laser comp, which is saved for winter or longer trips.

Looks like 2 great trips added to the thread, making the most of the sunshine. Matt- what are those fork bottles like?

Willard, the Rig 7 is pretty big.

Cheers chaps, I do love my camping kit!

Re pegs, they are 6x 6g ti wire, 4x 2g TN 2g ti wire (for polycro groundsheet) and 6x alli Y stakes. I like the reliabilty of the Y pegs for the main tarp guy points. My tarp setup puts quite a lot of tension on the guys and the soft peat found in a lot of uk areas won’t support thin wire pegs. Ti V pegs are only 1g lighter than the Y stakes so I cant justify the cost.

Yup a Montane jacket is on the wishlist.

The PHD sleeping bag is incredible. I used it in march on just a balloon bed, boosted by a lightweight down jacket and in temps nudging zero I was toasty. Their 900 fill vest was tempting but the minimus, for my uses, made more sense.

I have now ditched the caldera cone plastic case which has saved 80 or 90g.

My experience was much the same as Drain’s. Bearings fell to pieces when I removed the cranks for the first time after 3 months to regrease them.

No warranty from Evolution whatsoever but when sent directly to King they repaired it foc. I did however get stung for import duty.

I no longer buy any King products, I use Acros now.

I’ve just done the ‘lakes’ c2c, if you need any help with that part then mail me at zoe_anthony at btinternet.com. I did it solo, unsupported and bivvying, 3 days is perfectly feasible if fit, quicker if you add determined into the mix.

🙂

I can’t wait till Oliver is old enough to come along, then I can do him a nice list too. I hope he doesn’t take after me and actually has a life! His little sleeping bag currently weighs more and packs bigger than most of my kit put together 🙄

Cheers for the route link Jon.

C2C Kit list 🙂

Bars 1675g

5L Exped dry bag 47
3L Exped dry bag 36
PHD Minimus down vest 242
PHD Minim Ultra sleeping bag 352
Helly Hansen Lifa Long Johns 118
Mountain Hardwear fleace beanie 26
Lifesystems midge headnet 37
Helly Hansen Lifa LS Crew 154
M&S Merino evening socks 49
2x Large freezer bags 15
Double Bar Harness 117
Pace eVent waterproof jacket 333
Ortleib Map Case 60
Maps 1:50K 89

Saddle 1659g

Topeak Saddle Bag + Strap 236
Innertube x2 186
Brake Pads 2 sets 47
Chain tool 77
Spare chain links 18
First-aid kit 50
Zip-ties 17
Spoke key 14
Allen key set 92
Tubeless repair kit 22
Park instant patches 5
Leatherman 132
Gaffa tape 9
Tyre boot 5
Emergency fire lighter 15
Oil 14
Storage tub 19
Spare guy cord 20
Stuff Sack & Strap 26
Thermarest Neo-air short 265
Tarp Pegs 146
Integral Designs Siltarp1 inc. guys 219
Polycro 5’x2′ groundsheet 25

Frame 240g+ Food

Framebag 240
Food

Camelbak 2085g

Octane 18X 462
3L Bladder 209
Vargo Ti-lite 700ml mug/pot 132
Pour & Store x2 22
Sea to Summit Lhoon 11
100ml meths 104
Compass 14
Caldera Cone stove inc. 330ml meths 457
Pump 130
Travel Tap water filter 151
Terra Nova Moonlight Bivvy bag 176
Sea to Summit 2L Dry Bag 28
Petzl E+lite headtorch 29
Spare Batteries 9
Ear-plugs 1
Disposable lighter 15
Matches 15
Toilet Roll 56
Ipod Shuffle 28
Exped 3L Drybag 36
Food

Total exc. food and water 5659g

I have to admit a decent coffee was a very good way to drag myself out of bed on the c2c, but only a lowly coffee bag. Thanks for the comments, it really was an amazing trip all the planning and practice runs really paid off.

I slept on the campsite at Dalby for a little luxury after the trip was over, the attention I got from other ‘normal’ campers was amazing, they couldnt believe I rocked up planning on sleeping under a tarp! The owners even took pity and bought me over a towel and soap so i could use their showers. I must have looked a mess after 4 days in the wilds!

Here’s a taster of my C2C pictures. Time is hectic so I’ll have to keep it brief!

Totally unsupported and solo
MBR (Woodcock-ish route) St Bees – Robin Hoods Bay
Mon 4pm-Thur 11am
Beautiful weather from start to finish, absolutely perfect trip.
One broken saddle and bent brake lever
Trapped nerve in right hand.

I also then cycled down to Dalby for a lap with a good friend and a very kind offer of a lift home. I was keen to press on during the big day in the Lakes so I didn’t take many photos, I largely kept my camera/phone turned off to preserve battery.

I have some very happy memories from this trip.

Other than a Camelbak, this was full kit including food.

First nights bivvy spot, Wasdale side of Black Sail Pass.

From here it was a 5hr push/carry up and over to Rossett Pike/Langdale.

Angle Tarn at 7.30 in morning.

Looking up at Rossett Pike, the last hurdle before one long rocky downhill scramble!

Dinner by the stream in Osmotherly

3rd night’s bivvy.

Evening sunset on the last night.

Oh and from robin hoods bay I then rode down to dalby for a lap, so yup trail centres too!

I’ve just ridden the offroad coast to coast, fully unsupported bivvy kit and 3days of food with 1×7. It probably helped my arse from getting sore as I was stood up so much!

1×7 as in a 9 speed cassette respaced for better chainline, 35t front ring.

Im more a fan of sleeping in Lifa base layers than a liner. Slightly heavier/bulkier but double up as evening wear and far easier to sleep in.

They can be washed every trip, whereas even though the Snugpaks are sythetic I wouldn’t want to wash it that often.

–

Stuart, how often do you pass through the section of forest just north of Mach’? Im pretty sure I can let u know the grid reference of where I left my lovely lynx can stove, making breakfast sun morning. If u want it, its yours!

Nick, a summer one nighter’s worth of kit usually fits in my 18l camelbak octane quite easily with nothing on the bike. That includes tarp food evening wear stove etc. so your set up looks sound.

What an amazing weekend we had a great time and learnt a lot about beating the mental barrier that is bad weather. On phone atm just checking in to read others reports, will add some pictures. and stories tnt.

Was great to put some faces to names, Aiden sorry it never clicked who u were when we were chatting with Ian, I would have praised you for your inspirational TD stuff I enjoyed your wrt interview too. Hope you enjoyed the rest of your trip. Ian did u not stop sun night?

MORNING 🙂

Last 5am check of the thread before setting off! Best wishes to all

!! That picture doesn’t include my bar harness nor camelbak.

Southern Yeti, I have put you a red-bull stove in so if you need it then come and say hi at the raffle. Ill be on this-

Yes, I admit that is a bathroom scales measurement. Plus the bike as usual is carrying about lb of mud!!

Pretty sure I could loose another kg if the weather could be relied on.

Right, bike fully loaded and ready to rock 🙂

Complete bike and luggage weight of 39.2lb to include everything except water. This is a fully self sufficient set-up so includes all food, tools, fuel, additional clothing etc.

Bike weighs about 21.5lb bare so 17.lb of luggage (dot over 8kg). Quite pleased with that as my food list is huge!

A few more jets may help too. Wind is your enemy when outdoors, a good sheild is essential.

35:22, 26″ wheel for me.

Ski, 1.5mm holes spaced roughly 1/2″ appart.

You need to be more carefull with what height you cut the can at to get about 8mm of overlap. Too much and the jets sit too low and throw too far- missing the underside of the mug (bigger mug would help, the one pictured is the vargo/alpkit 700ml size), too little and there isn’t enough interference to keep the two halves from falling appart.

The spray gubbins can be prised off using the can opener on a typical multi tool, the rolled edge can then be cut cleanly off by carefully using a normal side cutting mechanical can opener.

It took 2 attempts to get mine right.

Aiden that looks mighty sleek. You know the rules, kit of such loveliness requires a full break down for us to critique 😀 The more photos of bike set ups I see, the more mine looks like steptoe’s cart.

Food seems to be my biggest downfall, it would seem I’m greedy compared to most.

SouthernYeti, did you still need a pop-can stove, how is the kit gathering going?

No hot drinks Ian? 250ml of meths is cutting it fine isn’t it? Can’t you just use the camera on your phone?

My food list is far greater than yours though!. I’ve got breakfast (50mls) snack (25mls) Lunch (25mls) Snack (25mls) Dinner (50mls) supper (25mls), thats 200mls of meths per 24hrs for my appetite!

I’m waiting for the official weigh in 🙂

It’s a twin wall, made from the ‘Twist’ Lynx cans that have a shoulder. In essence you cut the can in half, up turn the top half and press it into base. The norrower section under the cap is what creates the wall cavity.

There was a guide on a bushcraft forum that I followed.

The cans can still be scored to cut but as they are a lot thicker it requires a lot more effort. I clamped my blade so I could use two hands to spin the can. I also used a little araldite as the friction fit is only about 8mm deep.

7hz that looks great, nice photography too.

Been busy this weekend finishing some more MYOG for the WRT.

Frame bag done. Very rough around the edges and certainly no looker but it seems sturdy enough and the luggage space is ideal. The wierd fabric was up in the loft from an old banner so yet again it has only cost £2.50 for the zip and £3 for the velcro 🙂 Plus about 4 hrs of swearing.

Lynx can meths stove. Far stronger than my previous pop-can versions, burns a little stronger and is stlightly more stable due to bigger footprint. Weighs 22g though but the extra 13g is worth it IMO over the red-bull side burner I normally use.

‘Strada’ wireless works perfectly for me, usually with the magnet anywhere within 3″ of the rim. Sensor mounts on inner most point of the LH fork leg and points directly towards the RH leg.

I did once get very frustrated trying to get it to work in the living room before realising the low voltage downlighters were playing havoc with the transmitter. I nearly binned it!

Purring surely?

I agree, it is a perfect oportuntity for a British manufacturer to shine.

I’ll keep this thread bookmarked, so keep in touch via here.

I’ll put a red-bull side-burner to one side for you. You’ll need a pot to cook in though, and about 25mls of meths per 500ml boil. Kitchen foil works great as a windsheild if you fold it over a few times.

Poly-lina Pour&Store bags make great cheap light eating vessels. Sainsburys sell them 8 for £1. You don’t even need to wash them you just seal them until your next meal, one sweet one savory. Cous Cous and chorizo is a quick easy cheap camping meal.

If its any use, I have 2 or 3 spare meths pop-can stoves you are welcome to.

For a donation to the WRT charity I can also sort you out with a clean 700g +10’c sythetic sleeping bag that fits in a 3L drybag.