Saving weight (and money?)

[ZeroDarkBivi]

Back on the original topic, I think bikepacking bags must be considered as the multiple small volume concept is an inefficient way of carrying stuff.

Take the following example (from my nerd-sheet):

Wildcat Mtn Lion Harness - 130g
Alpkit Airlock Extra 8L - 95g
2 x Apidura Food pouches - 145g
Revelate Gas Tank - 117g
Wildcat Cheetah top-tube bag (rear) - 84g
Revelate Framebag (small) - 280g
Wildcat Tiger Drover - 176g
8L Alpkit tapered dry bag - 130g

I would estimate that comes to about 25L for around 1160g. There are slightly lighter options, but with increasingly fragile materials.
You could get a Haglofs LIM 25L rucksack that weighs a claimed 355g and costs a fraction of the price of that lot above, at only £60.

Not say that's what I would necessarily choose to do; depends what I am doing, and small bags can be very handy, but certainly not as efficient in both cost & weight.

[BigdummySteve]

My sinewave beacon is a very good light/charging solution. It’s got a three position switch, up is full lights at 750 lumen, middle is lights off and full charging output, down is a low level light (but still quite bright) and some charging output. There is also a port where you can plug in an ordinary USB battery which provides full output flicker free lighting, as your speed increases the dyno takes over from the battery

I’ve set it up with a twin output battery, one is plugged into the light the other into my phone, the charger output tops off the battery when no lights are needed. Bloody expensive but a very neat solution, I’m going to cut the battery size down next time out, I think a 3000Mah would do the trick.
I’m not sure of the weight advantage/disadvantage, the light/charger is 115g, I’ve a son hub which is a fair chunk but I gain about 200g back from the smaller battery plus some more from no batteries for front or rear lights.
My navigation device is an iPhone 7plus, it’s big and power hungry but I’ve not gotten on with clunky garmins and their tiny screens, this system gives me lighting and the ability use my chosen device without power worries, my phone is always on logging rides so I’m pretty happy to finish a two day ride with everything fully changed.

[windjammer]

is there a course you can go on or is anyone on here willing to give up a day/night to help fellow bikepackers

"Tramp camp' was on the cards a few years ago Matt and was intended to do exactly what you described but it never came off due to lack of interest. Maybe time for a rethink?

they have camps in america jay petervary organises them http://fatpursuit.com/winter-camp/

can we have a tramp camp please

[windjammer]

I make that either 2.3kg or 2.6kg depending on whether you take both powerbank batteries.

For reference my UK winter bivy kit (bivy bag 500g, sleeping bag 465g, quilt 365g, sleeping mat 435g) comes to 1765g, add 500g for 1 person tarp, poles and pegs

500g for a bivi bag seems to much for a item with a single use,its like having a sleeping bag with 2 layers of nylon holding the insulation in place,

my winter sleeping bag is 950g but its event shell and dry zip so no bivi bag required and the down will never get wet therefore ensuring quality sleep every night to aid recovery,i wear down trousers to boost the temprature if needed and these can be worn during the winter nights if your riding clothes are wet they pack up smaller than my merino long jons

[whitestone]

It's the Alpkit Hunka XL which I got because I can't get the sleeping pad, the sleeping bag, the quilt and me in a normal sized bivy bag. Yes it is heavy for what it is, but at the time I bought it there were few similarly sized bivvies or at least all the others were even heavier or much more expensive.

[Alpinum]

I make that either 2.3kg or 2.6kg depending on whether you take both powerbank batteries.

For reference my UK winter bivy kit (bivy bag 500g, sleeping bag 465g, quilt 365g, sleeping mat 435g) comes to 1765g, add 500g for 1 person tarp, poles and pegs

500g for a bivi bag seems to much for a item with a single use,its like having a sleeping bag with 2 layers of nylon holding the insulation in place,

my winter sleeping bag is 950g but its event shell and dry zip so no bivi bag required and the down will never get wet therefore ensuring quality sleep every night to aid recovery,i wear down trousers to boost the temprature if needed and these can be worn during the winter nights if your riding clothes are wet they pack up smaller than my merino long jons

I'm never really sure whay UK winter is meant... 5 - -5°C & lots of precip?

390 g quilt, 182 g down smock, 210 g short air mat, 30 g mat for feet, 200 g tarp and 40 g ground cloth.
What I use when we have such weather here (cheesecountry).

For colder temperatures where a winter bag is needed, a bivy bag or waterproof shell is simply not needed.

Even the thinnest fabrics will hold of snow/sleet. I've stopped using a bivy bag 18 years ago and have slept more than worth a year in winters nights, many with precipitation - never been a problem for the down.

Transpiration on the other hand has a detrimental effect on a warm winter bag in less about a weeks time with the accumulated ice inside the insulation. VBL is of much more use here, than a bivy bag.

[whitestone]

Gian, most countries would laugh at what we call winter It's basically what the Americans call a "shoulder" season. We can go from -5C during the day to 5C the following night! There's little day to day consistency in the way that you find on the continent. Here's our local forecast for the next few days - http://www.bbc.co.uk/weather/2637702

The bivy bag for me is more about draughts than precipitation. As such I could use something much lighter.

Going back many years, when the East Europeans began doing spectacular climbs in the Himalaya they would stop in the middle of the day (providing it was safe to do so) and have a meal and get their sleeping bags out and dry them of any condensation. From a Western alpine climber's viewpoint of making the most of all daylight this was a surprise. But it's simply applying fresh logic to the problems of high altitude living.

[benp1]

UK winter is hard because it's still moist and the conditions are very variable, plus it's typically windy.

Winter in Lapland was properly cold, but there wasn't much wind and it was very dry. The temperature varied from really cold to really really cold. In some ways, once you were dressed for the cold, there was less other stuff to be worried about. (with 2 kids getting dressed for the cold took ages mind)

[Richard G]

Agreed. I felt colder at zero degrees when I got back then I did at minus 20 when i was there.

Hope you had a great time btw!

[benp1]

Agreed. I felt colder at zero degrees when I got back then I did at minus 20 when i was there.

Hope you had a great time btw!

I have to say, -26C air temp with windchill from the snowmobile was probably the coldest conditions I've been. My wife was behind me and SO cold, she could barely move when we stopped, she was seriously cold. Kids were in the trailer and were savagely cold too

On my top half I think I was wearing 2 warm baselayers, a fleece hoody, a PHD down vest, a buffalo smock, and a massive oversuit on top! I was OK on the ride and absolutely roasting when we got inside

That was christmas day! But we did see Santa and go on a reindeer ride with him so it was pretty good.

it was an excellent trip, right up there with the best ones ever. How was yours?

[sorry, i know this is OT]

[Richard G]

Fantastic, and yeah... I nearly froze to death on a husky ride, so yeah I know what that's like!

[ZeroDarkBivi]

my winter sleeping bag is 950g but its event shell and dry zip so no bivi bag required and the down will never get wet therefore ensuring quality sleep every night to aid recovery,i wear down trousers to boost the temprature if needed and these can be worn during the winter nights if your riding clothes are wet they pack up smaller than my merino long jons

What bag are you using? I have a similar ‘waterproof/breathable’ down bag, but would never use it in the UK without overhead shelter as significant rain would stop it breathing and perspiration impact the insulation.

[ScotRoutes]

500g for a bivi bag seems to much for a item with a single use,its like having a sleeping bag with 2 layers of nylon holding the insulation in place,

my winter sleeping bag is 950g but its event shell and dry zip so no bivi bag required and the down will never get wet therefore ensuring quality sleep every night to aid recovery,i wear down trousers to boost the temprature if needed

Isn't that like having a sleeping bag with 4 layers of nylon holding the insulation in place?