Author Topic: Bought any camping gear today?  (Read 331873 times)

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1600 on: 04 May, 2021, 12:20:37 pm »
You got a sleeping bag with a bottle of wine?

Kim

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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1601 on: 04 May, 2021, 12:25:46 pm »
You got a sleeping bag with a bottle of wine?

Huh  ???

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1602 on: 04 May, 2021, 01:12:47 pm »
When I clicked on the link the first image I saw was a bottlenof wine beside the packed sleeping bag.

Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1603 on: 04 May, 2021, 01:16:39 pm »
It reminds me of the sleeping bag from Woolies I had when I was 10 or 11 for a school expotition, only vastly more expensive.  :D
Yeah, it's also a lot lighter and packs smaller.
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Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1604 on: 04 May, 2021, 01:30:00 pm »
Also struggling to see the difference between the Cloud Nine and a quilt, other than the zip.
https://alpkit.com/products/cloud-cover-down-quilt
This is a general comment on quilts rather than specific to the Cloud Nine.
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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1605 on: 04 May, 2021, 03:19:41 pm »
Also struggling to see the difference between the Cloud Nine and a quilt, other than the zip.
Size, the bag will make a bigger quilt than needed. I have a decent quilt, it's plenty big enough, though when folded over to make a bag it's narrower than ideal.

Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1606 on: 04 May, 2021, 03:46:04 pm »
Right. Perhaps the question should be why manufacturers of camping quilts (it's not just Alpkit who do this) usually show photos of them folded over like a sleeping bag?
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Kim

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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1607 on: 04 May, 2021, 03:57:05 pm »
Also struggling to see the difference between the Cloud Nine and a quilt, other than the zip.
Size, the bag will make a bigger quilt than needed. I have a decent quilt, it's plenty big enough, though when folded over to make a bag it's narrower than ideal.

Exactly.  I've been tempted by a quilt for ages, but BRITISH summers being what they are, this seems like a more versatile option.  There's a decent amount more elbow room than the Dreamcatcher, which is Proper Sleeping Bag Shaped from the waist up in the interests of warmth.

Unzipped, it's a reasonable quilt for two of the ISO standard small friendly people that tent sizes are quoted in.  Barakta and I could fit under it if our shoulders hips and knees were feeling cooperative.

Anyway, it's nice to see someone filling the niche of a rectangular bag that's not engineered down to car-camper prices.  I know many people struggle with the leg restriction of mummy bags but still care about pack size.


When I clicked on the link the first image I saw was a bottlenof wine beside the packed sleeping bag.

It was the last one in the roll for me, and I hadn't spotted it.

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1608 on: 04 May, 2021, 04:17:55 pm »
Speaking of being cold, I recently invested in one of these:  https://alpkit.com/products/cloud-nine

Strictly a summer camping and indoors proposition.  One day I hope to have an opportunity to use it.  If nothing else, it'll prolong the life of my much-loved and extremely discontinued Mountain Equipment Dreamcatcher.

It's a shame, the Dreamcatcher being discontinued. I originally got it on your recommendation as I need it due to the way I sleep. I'm wondering whether to send it off for a professional cleaning to get it to loft better - I always use a liner with it and it seems clean enough but it has never been washed. I had very cold feet in it the other night (for the first time) but then there was ice on my bivvy bag in the morning.

Incidentally I also got a Cloud Nine (quilt not bag) from Alpkit in their recent sale, as the Dreamcatcher was far too hot during last summer's heatwave. It has poppers to use like a sleeping bag but that would be too restrictive for me.

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1609 on: 04 May, 2021, 04:50:54 pm »
https://www.mountaineering-designs.co.uk   or  https://www.scottishmountaingear.com/down-services/cleaning


Both of these places have good reputations for cleaning & refurbishing down sleeping bags.   SMG will work on most other outdoors stuff as well.



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Kim

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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1610 on: 04 May, 2021, 10:00:10 pm »
It's a shame, the Dreamcatcher being discontinued. I originally got it on your recommendation as I need it due to the way I sleep. I'm wondering whether to send it off for a professional cleaning to get it to loft better - I always use a liner with it and it seems clean enough but it has never been washed.

Yeah, mine's clean enough and still reasonably warm, but it's noticeably less lofty than barakta's which we bought just before they all disappeared, and has only seen a few weekends of use.

It's one of those things that works really well for me, so when the time comes I'd be happy to pay £ouch to get it properly refurbished, or if it came to it, commission one of the custom molishers to make the sleeping bag equivalent of Basil's Mercian Super Galaxy.

But I'll probably nick barakta's first, as she's at least a couple of major surgeries away from doing any more camping.

mmmmartin

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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1611 on: 04 May, 2021, 11:03:38 pm »
https://www.mountaineering-designs.co.uk   or  https://www.scottishmountaingear.com/down-services/cleaning


Both of these places have good reputations for cleaning & refurbishing down sleeping bags.   SMG will work on most other outdoors stuff as well.
proper cleaning by proper people is well worth the money for decent down equipment in my experience. You can always do it yourself using proper down wash but bloody hell it is an absolutely massive faff, and i mean really really.
Besides, it wouldn't be audacious if success were guaranteed.

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1612 on: 05 May, 2021, 06:44:07 am »
I've not found quilts any good for camping. I've tried two, a Jack's R Better down and a RayWay synthetic.
I am a side sleeper, foetal position and I turn over in the night. Warm air always escapes from under the quilt and it takes an uncomfortable time to rewarm the new cold air.
If you roll over in a sleeping bag the warm air travels with you and, as is mentioned elsewhere, an unzipped sleeping bag is a quilt. My RayWay quilt was effectively a sleeping bag without the zip.

My reason for being here is, however, that yesterday I bought a new Exped UL pillow.
The old non UL one has come out of lengthy storage with a half dozen leaks from the rolled seams.
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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1613 on: 05 May, 2021, 09:53:30 am »
https://www.mountaineering-designs.co.uk   or  https://www.scottishmountaingear.com/down-services/cleaning


Both of these places have good reputations for cleaning & refurbishing down sleeping bags.   SMG will work on most other outdoors stuff as well.
proper cleaning by proper people is well worth the money for decent down equipment in my experience. You can always do it yourself using proper down wash but bloody hell it is an absolutely massive faff, and i mean really really.

Yes, I reckon this is what I'll do, maybe in the summer. Thanks for the recos Andrew.

Like Kim's, it hasn't seen a huge amount of use, it's just older now. It's been stored in its own cupboard relatively uncompressed too. I'd probably also get one similar made if I had to, as I just can't get on with traditional mummy bags.

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1614 on: 05 May, 2021, 10:37:44 am »
Try American brands like Marmot or Mountain Hardware.  They tend to be built on the larger side, so a bit more wiggle room.   Also try mens bags rather than womens.   Getting a bag made to measure would be possible, but I'd think horribly expensive. 
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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1615 on: 05 May, 2021, 10:45:52 am »
Mountain Equipment down quilt on Fleabay if anyone's after one.  https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/124706814432?hash=item1d091af9e0:g:h7UAAOSwMxRgjwAZ
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mmmmartin

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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1616 on: 05 May, 2021, 12:26:15 pm »
Lixada titanium meths burner from eBay, £14 inc supports.

Weighs 60 grams inc the supports. We'll see how it compares to the ex Swedish army Trangi-type thing which has been great but weighs a lot.
Besides, it wouldn't be audacious if success were guaranteed.

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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1617 on: 05 May, 2021, 01:27:29 pm »
Try American brands like Marmot or Mountain Hardware.  They tend to be built on the larger side, so a bit more wiggle room.   Also try mens bags rather than womens.   Getting a bag made to measure would be possible, but I'd think horribly expensive.

Also worth looking at the Snugpak modles with the baffle, which gives extra room for lardarses like me...
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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1618 on: 10 May, 2021, 10:08:29 pm »
Snugpak Travelpak 2 sleeping bag; from the ratings it should be warm enough for my use, but it seems quite thin. Hope to make a 2-night trip to Norwich in a couple of weeks so I'll find out, although a garden test might be a good idea. Replaces 20-year-old ones bought for our children with a similar pack size, so should be okay.

Berghaus Peak 3.1 tent too, which I bought sometime last year but haven't used yet; a smaller alternative to my Vango Banshee 300.

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1619 on: 13 May, 2021, 10:16:04 pm »
I find snugpak add your clothing to to the warmth equation


Cudzoziemiec

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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1620 on: 14 May, 2021, 09:47:02 am »
This is true of all manufacturers. In fact, it's written into the relevant standard as "one base layer of thermal underwear".
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/EN_13537
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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1621 on: 14 May, 2021, 11:42:20 am »
The primus multi fuel stove has been playing up . Its about time for a service ,bought the pump and stove service packs. Main problem was the fuel filter and an o ring with a slight leak. Not bad for 15 years using auto fuel,only changed the jets as they wear out and greasing the pump leather pad. A quick fix for the filter is boiling water poured over the filter but soon clogs up again.
It worked well with gas as its a direct fit to gas canister .

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1622 on: 03 July, 2021, 05:42:28 pm »
A pair of PlanetX 5.5L drybags with fork mounting kits.

Was torn between the 4L pair and the 5.5L, it looks like the mounting kit is the same though so for only £2 more went for the larger. If the bags are too big I can get smaller bags I figure.

This should move a bit of bulk out of the panniers. I can carry my current camping load as is so not an essential purchase but then my Mum normally brings the food and my beers for our camping trips so this should help me out if I ever get round to some solo trips.

I think I'll move the air mat and sleeping bag forwards as I've already got my tent and chair on the bars so don't want any more weight making the steering interesting.
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Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1623 on: 03 July, 2021, 08:23:12 pm »
A pair of PlanetX 5.5L drybags with fork mounting kits.
I was just looking at those. They are a a lot cheaper than the Gorilla cage and bags.

Would be handy for a bit of bikepacking, along with a big handlebar bag.

Re: Bought any camping gear today?
« Reply #1624 on: 03 July, 2021, 09:35:03 pm »
Over the last couple of days.
3 season bag
Merino leggings to go with existing top
Inflatable pillow
Titanium cup