Camping light - what to take???

[Woody]

I'm very pleased with my 'Feathercraft' inflatable sleeping mat. When inflated it gives me 4 inches of mattress thickness. It doesn't have any closed cell insulation inside the mattress but I put a heat reflecting survival sheet underneath the matttress and that keeps me warm enough. It packs down very small and is well made with material similar to sailing dinghy buoyancy tanks.

[cyclochris]

I slept in a bivi bag for a couple of nights on a tour in russia I just about managed to sleep but water seeped in through the bottom and condensation drenched my sleeping bag goretex may be better but i'd have to try before i buy to get my faith back. The idea is solid though get in a water proof sack and sleep!

[rualexander]

In dry conditions or if you can get under some kind of shelter/cover bivvy bagging is superb, in exposed damp or wet conditions its not much fun at all!
In mosquito territory it is a nightmare because even if you can seal youself into your bag, which isn't very pleasant unless you get a hooped bivvy with some headspace, you will end up with quite a few mozzies in there with you and unlike in a tent you can't easily hunt them down and kill them off one by one.

[Swizz69]

Cheers for the link to your site Stan, got it bookmarked and as well as the touring advice i'm looking forward to reading some travelogues.

Different people have different ideas about what makes a good tent. My personal preference is for tents that pitch outer tent first and ones with a good thick groundsheet.

The Eurohike tent I mentioned we have is good enough don't get me wrong. Pitch's outer first, has a good groundsheet and porch area - even after the flysheet ripped in France at a stress point, since being repaired/beefed up (cheer Mum ) it is comfortable and I won't hesitate to use it with the bike at some point. Its downside is that being a 3 man dome tent & porch, it has 3 poles that don't fold up to short & neither does the tent, so for a trip alone its a bit too big compared with some of the single man tents or compact 2 man tents i've seen. Having said that, as many of you have advised, the comfort factor isn't to be under-estimated as shouldn't the weather

Not sure if the bivvy bag is what i'm after - hadn't thought of midges but having camped a few times at Crowden, just off the Longdendale trail and next to a big reservoir, i'm afraid it'll have to be a tent If I ever get the chance to do some kind of audax distance event that might involve grabbing half an hour here n there through a nights ride, i'm all for crashing out in a bus shelter but a catnap isn't the same as a good nights kip. In fact thinking about it we had a few good nights kip in the Eurohike in France, but fromage, pain (if thats not how the French spell bread soz - I meant bread of the French Stick variety) & vin rouge were probably the main factor in that

Like the Hobo stove Mr Taco! Googled it and got some great descriptions of what, how to make & use. Might well have a toy with the idea. I've got a compact gas stove but am up for something more eco freindly any day - no shortage of fuel near most campsites too.

[Tako]

Like the Hobo stove Mr Taco! Googled it and got some great descriptions of what, how to make & use. Might well have a toy with the idea. I've got a compact gas stove but am up for something more eco freindly any day - no shortage of fuel near most campsites too.

They are comparable to a meths stove but much more fun! I experimented with tins and construction techniques with some credible results (if you want l can send you some useful bookmarks). Last year l splashed out on a Bushbuddy and love using it.

[simonineaston]

I'm very pleased with my 'Feathercraft...

I've just had a look at the FC web site - their standard sleeping mat looks exactly like what I've been dreaming of... assuming I get off to sleep in the first place
Only trouble is I can't seem to find a UK supplier - any ideas?

[syklist]

They are comparable to a meths stove but much more fun! I experimented with tins and construction techniques with some credible results (if you want l can send you some useful bookmarks). Last year l splashed out on a Bushbuddy and love using it.

Thanks for posting that, I've been looking a bit half heartedly for a while for something just like that and got as far as a fire box. The fire boxes I found were rather heavy whilst the Bushbuddy is really light in comparison. Have you any idea about durability?
Cheers
Stan

[Tako]

They are comparable to a meths stove but much more fun! I experimented with tins and construction techniques with some credible results (if you want l can send you some useful bookmarks). Last year l splashed out on a Bushbuddy and love using it.

Thanks for posting that, I've been looking a bit half heartedly for a while for something just like that and got as far as a fire box. The fire boxes I found were rather heavy whilst the Bushbuddy is really light in comparison. Have you any idea about durability?
Cheers
Stan

I agree the Firebox design is rather cumbersome. I have the BB Ultra which l got 2nd hand otherwise l would have bought the regular BB for the same reasons of durability. I think mine weighs 136gms! and the walls are terrifyingly thin! However, it has been solid. No worries at all, store it with the cooking pot it was designed for, pack it into a rucksack or pannier and away you go.

Re: durability. The most weight l had on it was a 2.5litre pot full of curry and it coped with ease. There is some heat discolouration which is to be expected and still feels very solid. After nearly a year of fairly heavy use l don't have any doubts. In this time, l would have gotten through at least 5 DIY double wall hobos which corrode and become brittle. I think l can expect a few more years of hard service with this stove, at the end of which l will likely buy another!

Strangley l don't have a field pic so desk pics:

[andrew_s]

They are comparable to a meths stove but much more fun! I experimented with tins and construction techniques with some credible results (if you want l can send you some useful bookmarks). Last year l splashed out on a Bushbuddy and love using it.

Thanks for posting that, I've been looking a bit half heartedly for a while for something just like that and got as far as a fire box. The fire boxes I found were rather heavy whilst the Bushbuddy is really light in comparison. Have you any idea about durability?
Cheers
Stan

If you want to try the idea out without importing the genuine article from Canada, alternatives are the Bush Cooker (a straight copy), and the Einzel Kocher (made from cans, £20)

[andrew_s]

to get back on topic...

i'm considering fitting in some s24o's this year (sub 24 hour overnighters). I read about this style of touring in an american article by the guy who runs Rivendell. The idea is to ride out/camp out/ride home within 24 hours.
I've been looking at a Gelert Solo tent for starters at 20odd quid, but having never cycle camped before am wondering what people generally carry, having usually driven to the campsite before rather than pedalled.

Be warned: it's not necessarily a cheap thing to take up

I've just come back from a "try to get everything in the Longflap" s24o


Kit List:
Tent: Hilleberg Akto (might use a Laser Comp if I get serious about reducing weight)
Sleeping bag: PHD Minim 300 & silk liner (in an eVent compression sack)
Mat: Thermarest Prolite 3 3/4 length.
Off-the-bike clothing: lightweight trousers, warm thermal top, undies, Rab Generator jacket (lighter/warmer/smaller-packing than fleece)
Brew kit: small (100g) gas cylinder plus clip-on feet, Optimus Crux fold-up stove, Optimus Terra Solo pan, fold-up spoon (a set similar to this), lighter, tub of powdered milk, 5 tea bags, 1 helping of muesli, fold-up mug and bowl (Orikaso). The evening meal was down at the pub. I didn't use the powdered milk, having stuffed a pint bought en-route into the spare bottle cage.
miscellaneous: mp3, paperback, toothbrush
2 tubes, normal touring toolkit (LH side pocket)
Waterproof jacket (RH side pocket) & hat



I reckon that's about the minimum you would want to take.
You need some sort of breakfast stuff, as trying to stay only where there was a suitable cafe would be pretty restricting.
If you don't take off-the bike clothing, you could end up spending the evening in soggy cycling gear, and you would generally need something warmer than your cycling gear anyway.

[Tako]

I would definitely recommend experimenting first. You will never look at a supermarket shelf in the same way again.

My first try was simply a large pineapple tin with a holes drilled top and bottom and cut out feeding hole. The pot rested on 2 tent stakes skewered at the top. This is one of my old prototypes. Its a double wall design, fire-grate was steel mesh, windshield/pot stand was shortened and bottom half ash pan was discarded in a later effort:


Andrew_s
Excellent ultralight effort!
Good point re: change of clothes. Our weather is a bit different to sunny San Francisco.

[syklist]

If you want to try the idea out without importing the genuine article from Canada, alternatives are the Bush Cooker (a straight copy), and the Einzel Kocher (made from cans, £20)

Interesting links, I had no idea Qvist existed. Given that we have to pay around 20% import duties the Bush Cooker is only just cheaper than the BushBuddy. I think I'll go for the original.
Cheers
Stan

[zonc]

lots of really good advice - remember LESS IS MORE.

only take what you really need - afterall if you are heading to the wilds you'll want a wild experience.
Experiment at home first of all with ALL your kit. I would tend not to choose gas as a cooking system although there are some good ones out there - namely jetboil - rather use trangia or
look at backpacking light's stove, I have been testing this since last autumn and i cannot fault it.( my job is as a wildernessguide)
http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product397.asp
Bob who runs the place is SUPERB.

Supper is couscous or pasta with appropriate sauce - one pot cooking.
I like hot chocolate and either museili or crunch bar for breakfast - wonderful combination! mule bars or honey stingers.
I have used bivvibags ad tarps and wee tents - sticking with tents now laser light on low levels Akto on hills - decent night's sleep with a inflatable mattress and decent sleeping bag. I use down - always have and have always managed to keep em dry.I also use Peter hutchinson design down jacket as well as his sleeping bag. Superb again and british!

I tour with a saddlebag and for longer trips with bar bag too.

If you want anymore info just pm me.
Zonc

[jake]

I've been thinking about the durability of the Bushbuddy Ultra for a while. For the sake of an extra 40gms I'm going to go for the B/B standard. It should last longer and it's $20 cheaper as well. Over the years I've avoided import duty on various items purchased in the US by getting the sender to do a "hand-written" address label and to tick "gift" on the customs declaration. Fritz Handel is a very helpful guy so I'm sure he could be persuaded on these.

[cycle_tourer]

I'll be doing a 5 day tour of West Coast of Ireland over Easter and attempting to get everything into my Camper L/F and Super C handlebar bag. The person i'm going with is carrying the tent, so hopefully I shouldn't have too much trouble. I've recently upgraded to a down sleeping bag (Alpkit) and lighter self-inflating mattress (also Alpkit) which is making it a lot easier than my old synthetic bag. I'll be taking a mini trangia and my friend will have a Pocket Rocket gas stove. I've been gradually acquiring stuff like merino base layers etc so that i don;t need as many clothes as i used to take with my on tour. I'm very impressed with andrew_s (above) getting everything including his tent into just the L/F!