Author Topic: Bought any camping gear today?  (Read 331968 times)

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #250 on: 21 May, 2011, 10:12:16 pm »
Ooooooooooooooooh! :thumbsup: :D
Getting there...

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #251 on: 27 May, 2011, 03:18:25 pm »
Saw one at a decent price, so by the power of JFDI, I should soon be the proud owner of a proper sleeping bag:

http://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/the_gear/down_sleeping_bags/dreamcatcher/wmns_dreamcatcher_650_-6°c---423/

I should probably add the barakta review:

Quote from: barakta, last night
It looks a bit like an alien life form...   But it's made of warm!   And it's got a hearing aid pocket!  How much were they again?

 :thumbsup:

plum

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #252 on: 29 May, 2011, 10:21:34 am »
I've been looking for ages for a cheap and cheerful 3 man tunnel tent, hoping that the Vango Beta 350 for example would come right down in price. Today I noticed that Blacks and Millets have got in stock the older Vango Milano 350 for 60 quid delivered. Got great reviews in 2009 when it was new at £110, then was replaced I think by the Beta.

Is a great price for something to stick in the car for a couple of weeks camping as a single or a couple, loads of room for the money. I have a T2 Ultralight for actual cycle touring, but this 3 man tent has masses of storage space.

Millets Vango Milano 350 Tent

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #253 on: 29 May, 2011, 12:17:06 pm »
I bought a Multimat to replace my ageing Thermarest.

andygates

  • Peroxide Viking
Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #254 on: 29 May, 2011, 06:26:38 pm »
Oops, an Osprey Talon 33 daysack to replace my trusty Lowe Alpine Contour Event 35 - which had zipper-teeth worn smooth and photodegraded rip-easy fabric. 

New bag tested on the moors already.  Very comfy, very adjustable, a little bit of a faff to get in and out of, and quite long in the body.  Full of win and ginger caek. :thumbsup:
It takes blood and guts to be this cool but I'm still just a cliché.
OpenStreetMap UK & IRL Streetmap & Topo: ravenfamily.org/andyg/maps updates weekly.

plum

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #255 on: 02 June, 2011, 10:28:49 am »
Got my new tent delivered yesterday and stuck it up in the garden to make sure all the bits are there etc and it looks ok. Cheap and cheerful in terms of build quality but looks like easily 60 quid's worth. Meanwhile it has grown to something like three times the capacity of the bag it came in. No amount of folding, kneeling, stamping on it, tying it up with the crap little bits of ribbon it was originally tied with or shouting the names of ladies underparts at it will encourage it back into its container. It's half in half out with the zip about one third done up and the pole and peg bags sitting enviously on the conservatory table wondering when they'll get their go.

gordon taylor

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #256 on: 04 June, 2011, 12:15:35 pm »
I've ordered a Vango Spirit 300+.

My Vango Spirit 200+ is my most wonderful treasured possession, but we need something a bit bigger for our Mull and Islay holiday in August.

Yippee!!!

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #257 on: 04 June, 2011, 01:31:49 pm »
Just collected a Vango Banshee 300 from the post office that Parcelfarce deposited it at (via the delivery office where royal mail were holding another package - got to love the joined-up thinking).

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #258 on: 04 June, 2011, 02:24:47 pm »
We have all been here.......


Meanwhile it has grown to something like three times the capacity of the bag it came in. No amount of folding, kneeling, stamping on it, tying it up with the crap little bits of ribbon it was originally tied with or shouting the names of ladies underparts at it will encourage it back into its container. It's half in half out with the zip about one third done up and the pole and peg bags sitting enviously on the conservatory table wondering when they'll get their go.
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #259 on: 04 June, 2011, 10:16:30 pm »
plum, the supplied bags are never big enough.  Get a reasonably sized stuffsack and use that instead.  Even if you do manage to get your tent back in a holdall-style bag, there's always the chance that the zip will go... :-\
Getting there...

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #260 on: 04 June, 2011, 10:23:47 pm »
Funnily enough, that's not true with my Laser Photon, which has a bag at least twice the size it needs to be, even with the entire tent, pegs, poles, and even a footprint in the bag.

It is a stupidly lightweight tent however.
Actually, it is rocket science.
 

jogler

  • mojo operandi
Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #261 on: 05 June, 2011, 04:55:24 am »
Funnily enough, that's not true with my Laser Photon,Vaude Lightweight Mk II which has a bag at least twice the size it needs to be, even with the entire tent, pegs, poles, and even a footprint in the bag.

It is a stupidly lightweight tent however.

jogler version

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #262 on: 05 June, 2011, 10:42:59 am »
plum, the supplied bags are never big enough.  Get a reasonably sized stuffsack and use that instead.  Even if you do manage to get your tent back in a holdall-style bag, there's always the chance that the zip will go... :-\

I've often stuggled with getting stuff back in bags (or in the case of my mat, rolled up tightly enough for the built in straps). And then, lo! and behold, this last time, everything went in sweet as a nut, even the tent with the big porch attached. Mind you, having two pairs of hands helped there, one to hold the bag together and the other to zip.

Of course, then I assume I've left something out....
If I had a baby elephant, it could help me wash the car. If I had a car.

See my recycled crafts at www.wastenotwantit.co.uk

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #263 on: 05 June, 2011, 10:58:04 am »
Even quality manufacturers have a different approaches.   Hilleberg provide a bag so big that you could probably use it as a bivvi in an emergency whereas Terra Nova seem to have adopted the interference fit approach.   

Having a bag which is bigger allows for those emergency stuff it in moments when you're racing to avoid the next downpour or you've overslept and you might miss the only ferry of the day/week!  :)   Personally I'd buy a bigger stuffsac or drybag to make life easier. 

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #264 on: 05 June, 2011, 12:56:21 pm »
I've gravitated to not bothering with bagging the tent (other than the poles and pegs, which need containment).  Outer goes at the bottom of the "damp stuff" pannier.  Inner rolled groundsheet-out on top of that, then folding stool, drybags of clothing or whatever on top of that.  It's one less thing to faff about with, especially in the rain.

I suppose if you're doing the two-panniers-and-tent-across-the-top thing you need the bag, though.

PH

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #265 on: 05 June, 2011, 01:03:37 pm »
The TN Solar bag is twice the size needed, too big to be practical, the tent lives in it at home but it's never been on tour.  The tent goes in or on top of the pannier/s, and the poles warped in the ground sheet protector on top of the rack.

Oscar's dad

  • aka Septimus Fitzwilliam Beauregard Partridge
Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #266 on: 05 June, 2011, 02:49:14 pm »

Funnily enough, that's not true with my Laser Photonlightweight Decathlon tents, which has a bag at least twice the size it needs to be, even with the entire tent, pegs, poles, and even a footprint in the baghave bags big enough for the tent, poles and pegs plus bottles of wine or beer.  The compression straps keep everything in place and guard against zip failure.


The OD version  :smug:

plum

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #267 on: 05 June, 2011, 03:10:03 pm »
Yeah there's loads of room in my T2-UL bag for the tent and stuff to spare.

Just going to have to practise my origami skills with the new one, seems pointless buying a really cheap tent then spoiling it by spending money on a new bag to put it in.

tiermat

  • According to Jane, I'm a Unisex SpaceAdmin
Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #268 on: 07 June, 2011, 11:40:57 am »
Just been to town (main reason was to get some watch batteries fitted, but had time to waste).

So a quick trip to Wilkos (for a micro USB cable, which they did not have) bagged me:
3* self inflating sleep mats
3* micro pillows
3* space blankets
A mallet and peg puller (for when car camping)

All for the princely sum of £60.

I would have picked up 3 fleecy sleeping bag liners for ~£6 each, but didn't have any more space to carry them :(
I feel like Captain Kirk, on a brand new planet every day, a little like King Kong on top of the Empire State

dasmoth

  • Techno-optimist
Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #269 on: 08 June, 2011, 03:04:50 pm »
Travel towels and a spare torch.
Half term's when the traffic becomes mysteriously less bad for a week.

Jaded

  • The Codfather
  • Formerly known as Jaded
Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #270 on: 11 June, 2011, 05:45:14 pm »
We've just bought various folding chairs and a warm sleeping bag for Mrs J in preparation for our expedition next weekend!
It is simpler than it looks.

The Mechanic

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #271 on: 13 June, 2011, 08:53:42 am »
Just bought a small three legged folding stool.  Getting to old and creaky for swatting on the ground.  Also bought a space blanket on Sunday for future contingency use after being frozen to death on the CTC 100 mile ride on Saturday.  I was so cold I had to get the train back to Aberdeen from Montrose.  Hence my 100 miler turned into a 75 miler, all in the rain.  Who said it was summer?

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #272 on: 15 June, 2011, 10:09:34 am »
Gelert solo tent to stick on the back of the bike, particularly with Watlington in mind.

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #273 on: 15 June, 2011, 04:59:00 pm »
Today I collected a parcel that my neighbour had taken in for us. It was actually 2 parcels, containing a Blacks Good Companion Major and an extended fly sheet for it. We put it up this evening and it is totally lovely.  :D It is bigger than I expected and in fabulous condition for a 30+ year old tent. I am very excited 8)
[/quote
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we had a Blacks Good Companions Major 42 years ago it cost £25 we couldn't afford the extended fly for a few years. It was the best tent we have ever had. It was made of 3oz Egyption cotton . When the children came along and we started taking them cycle camping we split the tent up between us all and it was fine. I finally gave it the to a friend for his scouts. I didn't know that they still made them, mind you it was Blacks of Greenock then.

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #274 on: 15 June, 2011, 09:23:06 pm »
They don't still make them. Mine is 40 years old and came from ebay :)
Quote from: Kim
^ This woman knows what she's talking about.