Author Topic: this camping malarky...  (Read 9232 times)

Kim

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Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #50 on: 19 June, 2021, 08:14:37 pm »
Has anyone eulogised about packing a hot water bottle yet?

Perfect winter companion to a Trangia, which is (apparently) the One True Stove.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #51 on: 19 June, 2021, 08:21:09 pm »
Has anyone eulogised about packing a hot water bottle yet?

Perfect winter companion to a Trangia, which is (apparently) the One True Stove.

The trick here is multi use.

If you use an HDPE nalgene bottle for your water, fill it with boiling water, place it in your spare sock, stick it in bottom of sleeping bag. One hot water bottle, one preheated sleeping bag. I carry a pair of 500ml bottles, (1000ml doesn't fit in my socks), I put one near my feet, one near my back. The extra bonus is that I have prewarmed socks for the morning, as well as able to make tea/coffee faster in the morning by using warmer water...

Don't use the polycarbonate ones tho, as the water cools it creates a vacuum. This will crack the polycarbonate as it's not flexible enough. The HDPE ones work great tho.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

mmmmartin

  • BPB 1/1: PBP 0/1
    • FNRttC
Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #52 on: 19 June, 2021, 11:51:16 pm »
Borrow stuff if you can. Buy on eBay if necessary, then sell back on eBay if you want to change it. Trangias, used, are simple and easy to use, fuel is easy to find. Camping opens up a whole new world where you can kip anywhere from Gibraltar to Nord Kapp. It's seriously life changing.


Recommended. 😁
Besides, it wouldn't be audacious if success were guaranteed.

Kim

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Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #53 on: 20 June, 2021, 12:06:31 am »
Has anyone eulogised about packing a hot water bottle yet?

Perfect winter companion to a Trangia, which is (apparently) the One True Stove.

The trick here is multi use.

If you use an HDPE nalgene bottle for your water, fill it with boiling water, place it in your spare sock, stick it in bottom of sleeping bag. One hot water bottle, one preheated sleeping bag. I carry a pair of 500ml bottles, (1000ml doesn't fit in my socks), I put one near my feet, one near my back. The extra bonus is that I have prewarmed socks for the morning, as well as able to make tea/coffee faster in the morning by using warmer water...

Don't use the polycarbonate ones tho, as the water cools it creates a vacuum. This will crack the polycarbonate as it's not flexible enough. The HDPE ones work great tho.

This seems eminently sensible.  As does (in theory) using your Ortlieb water bag as a pillow.  (I've never had the nerve to try that one, though - my sleeping bag's stuff sack doubles as a pillow, with less serious consequences if it leaks.)

Personally, if it's cold enough for hot water bottles, it's too cold for much in the way of cycling, so I don't give a stuff about the extra weight.

Oh, and the advantage of a meths stove (doesn't have to be a Trangia) here is that you can light it up in the middle of the night without disturbing anyone, to re-heat the hot water bottle water while you're peeing at bladder o'clock.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #54 on: 20 June, 2021, 09:34:46 am »
Even better than a bottle might be one of those drink pouch things. Then it's not a hard lump in your sleeping bag.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

velosam

  • '.....you used to be an apple on a stick.'
Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #55 on: 22 June, 2021, 05:27:13 pm »
Thanks all, lots of food for thought

Regulator

  • That's Councillor Regulator to you...
Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #56 on: 11 August, 2021, 11:00:22 am »
We're off again this weekend with the dog.  Managed to find a site in Wisebech - https://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/sites/details.asp?revid=13316 - but it was a bit of a struggle, being the school holidays and Covid...
Quote from: clarion
I completely agree with Reg.

Green Party Councillor

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #57 on: 11 August, 2021, 03:45:07 pm »
I was at Beeches Farm between Chepstow and Tintern last night, known to quite a few otp. Based on previous midweek experience I was expecting it quite quiet. I had of course failed to reckon with school holidays and the not-really-staycation. Not full up, but busy. However, I was pleased that they haven't put their prices up – still only £8 for the self-propelled – and impressed by how quiet it got at ten o'clock. Also, despite being mainly families with small kids (Oscar, I told you to get your pyjamas on! Now!) it was also almost entirely tents (big ones). A couple of camper vans, didn't see any caravans. And the views are as good as ever, and my new sleeping bag is toasty!
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

citoyen

  • Occasionally rides a bike
Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #58 on: 11 August, 2021, 03:57:48 pm »
I cycled past one of our local campsites yesterday evening. The site has an overspill field that is rarely used, even in high season, but it was rammed. I don't think I've ever seen it so full.
"The future's all yours, you lousy bicycles."

Nick H.

Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #59 on: 11 August, 2021, 05:22:31 pm »
Too lazy to read the thread, just popping in to say that a tent should be free-standing. Tent pegs not necessary. Then you can wild camp on concrete or whatever, and your tent won't droop in the night and you won't trip over the guy lines or lose the tent pegs or break them. Just forget tent pegs, they're shit. They're only for mountaineers who camp on a ledge in a gale. Obviously a free-standing tent will blow away with the slightest puff of wind, but you have a bike and panniers with which to weight it down. So get a tent which is big enough to accommodate your bike so you can sleep with it and not worry about foxes eating your Brooks etc.

Kim

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Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #60 on: 11 August, 2021, 05:38:14 pm »
Too lazy to read the thread, just popping in to say that a tent should be free-standing.

I think this is a good rule of thumb that can be broken on a case-by-case basis as necessary.  Free-standing gives you so many more pitching options.

(The Akto approach of achieving a passable pitch with only 4 anchor points is a grey area - I've successfully secured mine to things other than pegs in the past.  Lightweight imitations that rely on 27 off-cuts of titanium wire to achieve something resembling a tent shape need not apply.)


Quote
foxes eating your Brooks

Is that a thing that happens?

Nick H.

Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #61 on: 11 August, 2021, 06:11:21 pm »
Some foxes will chew anything which smells interesting. In Portugal a fox pinched my shoes and threw up in them.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #62 on: 11 August, 2021, 06:43:38 pm »
This probably says more about your shoes than foxes...
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

velosam

  • '.....you used to be an apple on a stick.'
Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #63 on: 17 August, 2021, 11:01:33 am »
So I finally went camping. Had to share a tent which was ok but was woefully under prepared. I just had a sleeping bag and yoga mat, others came with airbeds, pillows, and duvets!

It was only one night but fun. I would definitely do 9t again but only in dry, warm weather, can't see the point otherwise.

Not sure how I would cope with the cold and boil in the bag food.

Was a little wierd seeing everyone in pj's in the morning, washing dishes etc

Kim

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Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #64 on: 17 August, 2021, 01:39:39 pm »
To a great extent, dealing with cold and indeed wet is about having the right kit.

Airbeds, for example, are wonderfully comfortable if it's warm, but lose a lot more heat than your closed-cell foam.  Things like the Exped mats achieve the best of both worlds, with an associated cost.  The same sort of thing can be said for clothing.

I mentioned before that big tents are, by their nature, a lot colder than small tents.  On the other hand, keeping your dry stuff dry while getting into a small tent dripping wet is something that requires practice and a bit of forward planning.  I have about two night's patience for that sort of thing.

Boil-in-the-bag food is, fortunately, not compulsory.  But neither is camping in bad weather.

mmmmartin

  • BPB 1/1: PBP 0/1
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Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #65 on: 17 August, 2021, 08:41:01 pm »
Boil-in-the-bag food is, fortunately, not compulsory.  But neither is camping in bad weather.
Kim is, as usual, correct. It's worth investing a few minutes working out the cost of camping kit, then several nights in a hotel during a year and comparing that with the cost of a nice warm campervan. I've found a load of camping kit offers a lot more flexibility for cycle touring and nights in nice warm hotels cost a lot less than a nice warm campervan.
Besides, it wouldn't be audacious if success were guaranteed.

Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #66 on: 17 August, 2021, 09:28:37 pm »
If you are in a car then a heavier tent with a decent porch for sitting in if wet and back from any activities works well. The Vango three person tunnel tents are good for this in wet weather. Doors either side so at least one side can be left open in wet weather. If on bike then a lightweight tent and tarp can give a good sheltered area for cooking and relaxing in wet weather.  Tent one end of tarp and bike other end and some guy lines attached etc.


Re: this camping malarky...
« Reply #67 on: 17 August, 2021, 09:30:24 pm »
I have a Luxe Sil Hexpeak, it's light weight, has room for two people (you need to buy a different inner for 2 people, but worth having). Stands up to storms very well, and it's outer first pitching. If you want to save a bit, then they do a non silnylon version for a bit less (at a higher weight). If you want to have more people, they also do other sizes. backpackinglight.co.uk are the uk stockist I believe. The nice thing about a Luxe Hex peak, is it will serve you just fine on a campsite in Kent, as it will on the way to Cape Wrath in Scotland. It is not cheap, but assuming you don't destroy it, it will last, and have good resale value.


Assuming you use a midge proof inner, i.e. not the stock one