Planning a 4 day adventure with around 370 miles an 30000ft climbing. Will be to raise some money for the displaced/war-affected Syrian orphans (hopefully sponsor 5 or 10 for a year via one of the human rights charities...

Need to go ultralight to ensure my knees hold out and will try and use youthhostels as much as poss which hopefully allow me to forgoe the sleeling bag (my light one is the super hugh qual one i bought of Ian off here but it'd be too warm probably). The ones made by that custom kit geezer (forgot hus name)..

So... the plan is to take a bivi and use my Gorejacket and socks etc to snuggle in and sleep if the need arises to bivi in the national parks (Bristol to Barnstaple and back round to London to catch train home). Only prob I is having is that my army syrplus type bivi, weighs around 800g and is xl..

My Q to you bearded and non bearded bivi pros is, is there such a thing as a lightweight bivi for under 50 quid that won't make me pour in sweat (and hence my xl army goretex bivi would be the smarter choice!?) ??

Thanks in adnavce for ur help

I have an old normal sized Hunka you can have.
It packs down smallish and will probably do what you need if paired with sleeping bag liner. That combination will keep you warming if you pick the right spot.

It's a bit 'used' but still works fine.

Otherwise moon on a stick. Cheap or light. Pick one

Ultralight bivvy bags in the main aren't waterproof, even damp-proof can be pushing it, so little use as a standalone shelter. Chew's right. Hunka would be your best bet - especially a free one.

Chew wrote:I have an old normal sized Hunka you can have.
It packs down smallish and will probably do what you need if paired with sleeping bag liner. That combination will keep you warming if you pick the right spot.

It's a bit 'used' but still works fine.

Otherwise moon on a stick. Cheap or light. Pick one

Chew. Thanks buddy. Gives me a good excuse for a ride. When shall i pop round to collect it please kind sir...

Paul hutchinson design... thats the lightweight sleeping bag I have which IanFitz kindly sold me. Might be a bit hot for this climate. What think you guys if I just took some thick merino socks and gore windprroof softshell with some arm warmers as backups...

Is that ^ just a daft thing to do and better to take a proper sleeping bag liner. Sorry, i think I already know the answrr is gonna be, why not (take with my plan) but thought to double check in case I'm missing owt...

Thanks again BBs

are you planning to take a mat of some kind?

I have the thermorest air mat... the highly rated one which was recommended on here at some point and used it for winter and it was good. So that with my clothing and the bivi... should get me by yes chiefBB ??

should get me by yes chiefBB ??

Maybe

I find soft shell to provide limited insulation - good a keeping the wind out but not great at insulating. If it were me, I'd look to buy some kind of jacket that will provide a higher degree of insulation. Doesn't need to be down and doesn't need to be expensive. It'll still likely pack smaller and weigh less that the Gore.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/trek-100-m- ... 92908.html

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/trek-100-me ... 02266.html

or in down for a little bit more.

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/trek-500-m- ... 97296.html

Oh... ok. So will leave the softshell and take my the Rab microlight jacket instead....

That should do it then right

Was trying best to go ultralight (maybe I shouldn't have watched James Haydens vid of his pre TCR bike/gear showcase ) but thanks for knocking the sense back into me

Oh... ok. So will leave the softshell and take my the Rab microlight jacket instead....

Bingo

Thanks very much Stu and Chew... (and anyone else I need to thank... thanks). Now lets just hope my legs, bike and lungs (and mind) hold out

How was the ride? Please share the link to your fundraising site. Thx

https://mydonate.bt.com/fundraisers/shafiqhussain2

Above is how much was raised and below is the strava links to the days... had to get off the train (London to Dewsbury) and go complete some missing elevation by doing Shibden Wall (ones of the hardest cobbled climbs for many many miles) maybe to make it feel that little bit more realistic that I had hit The Peak !

Shafiq Hussain:
Check out my ride on Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/17972 ... m=referral

https://www.strava.com/activities/17984 ... m=referral

https://www.strava.com/activities/17996 ... m=referral

https://www.strava.com/activities/18017 ... m=referral

https://www.strava.com/activities/18038 ... m=referral

https://www.strava.com/activities/18048 ... m=referral

https://www.strava.com/activities/18057 ... m=referral

KamelTrek wrote:How was the ride? Please share the link to your fundraising site. Thx

Kamel. Thanks for the inquiry. Managed to raise above the target for the 10 children which was good. The ride was indeed tough and on day 2 I had to cancel my plan to ride from Minehead to Ilfracombe and back as there seemed to be a tough wind with mind-breaking rain/hail at the tops. I still managed to get a few thousand feet in by staying local at Minehead.

I will try and do a longer report but suffice to say that I was indeed glad to get home and didnt end up using any bivi afterall as the executive decision wasmade to use the hostels throughout to ensure good recuperation post ride each day...