sean_iow wrote:
benp1 - where did you get your dropper bottles from? I had some off eBay a while back but I wasn't confident they wouldn't leak chain lube all over the inside of my frame bag as they seemed a but flimsy.

Ha, well these are cheap ones off eBay! Very cheap, with removable tops. I haven't tried them out so can't vouch for them yet. I also figured that one bottle would give me one boil on my 8g meths stove

I might just be over-thinkng it, perhaps for flimsy I should be thinking flexible so more likely to bend than split if squashed, I'll give mine a try inside a plastic bag and see how it goes.

A nice bit of on-bicycle-portage arrived from Beth & Ian at Wildcat this morning. Ordered on Friday taking advantage of their genuine Black Friday deals and arrived this morning despite me, being a miser, only taking up the 2nd class postage option. Excellent service, thanks.

put up in garden to test tonight, its mainly for winter use or really wet weather multidays when quick pitches are a must - if its not windy then no guys are needed and it happily sits fully erect in under 4 minutes out of the bag!

Just got my toasty warm new Exped mat. Didn't go for the full on down version... figured it would be at least a year and a half before I consider a proper snow adventure.

Richard G wrote:Just got my toasty warm new Exped mat. Didn't go for the full on down version... figured it would be at least a year and a half before I consider a proper snow adventure.

You’ll be fine, I was toasty on my synmat on Saturday. Definitely sub zero. I think the down mats are for serious Baltic conditions or those who need to mtfu

Richard G wrote:Just got my toasty warm new Exped mat. Didn't go for the full on down version... figured it would be at least a year and a half before I consider a proper snow adventure.

We used Synmats in Lapland in February with no ill effect. You'll be reet!

BigdummySteve wrote:

Richard G wrote:Just got my toasty warm new Exped mat. Didn't go for the full on down version... figured it would be at least a year and a half before I consider a proper snow adventure.

I think the down mats are for serious Baltic conditions or those who need to mtfu

I resemble that remark.

Bung in a late entry to Chilterns Bivi and we can all compare/heckle all our different mats

BigdummySteve wrote:I think the down mats are for serious Baltic conditions or those who need to mtfu

I've got quite a bit less... uhhh... insulation than many of the Bearbones riders. :D

Pirahna wrote:

BigdummySteve wrote:

Richard G wrote:Just got my toasty warm new Exped mat. Didn't go for the full on down version... figured it would be at least a year and a half before I consider a proper snow adventure.

I think the down mats are for serious Baltic conditions or those who need to mtfu

I resemble that remark.

Not casting aspersions upon your hardiness, merely pointing out that the downmat is overkill for all but most extreme adventures, as always YMMV (or you could be soft)

.....with an Articulated Lorry, thanks to my Black Friday extravagance...
Surly Straggler frame, hope headset, a pair of 40mm nanos, 11-40t 9 speed sunrace sproks, Superstar chainring; then for the Fat bike a pair of Maxxis Collossussussess, A new crank and 26T ring plus an F10 Vulcan sleeping bag and a plastic hip flask.

As my GoPro died near the end of the Iceland trip I have been in need of a new camera for filming. Anyways thanks to the loving fat bike folk from across the pond I've now got this new toy.
I've not had a 'camcorder' in nearly 20 years! Tis small and packed with plenty of features....
20171128_180555 by Jeff Price, on Flickr

whitestone wrote:We used Synmats in Lapland in February with no ill effect. You'll be reet!

But you're a grizzled northerner, and I'm a southern softie!

I feel as though I have surrendered any semblance of being a racer today.

I got a camping pillow in the post.

It’s surprisingly comfy and only weighs 40g.

Which one and how much?

and it also re-raises the question of how one deploys it and keeps it in whatever place is hoped-for ;-).

Cumulus 150 quilt with 22cm added arrived yesterday.

A good size for 6 foot 4 me. Weighs 418g. Has yards of spare shock cord and I only ordered it on 6th November.

Now I just need some warm weather.

Borderer wrote:Which one and how much?

It's this one - https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk ... llow-p5249

RIP wrote:and it also re-raises the question of how one deploys it and keeps it in whatever place is hoped-for ;-).

it does have some small loops on either side so could be elastic-ed onto a mat. I'll trail it a bit and see what whats needed

Looks nice. Interesting cut-outs. Bit annoyed that my Exped mat doesn't have corresponding loops to those on the pillows, hence my "fleece pillow sleeve". I'm sure they used to.

Anyway, some nice "bear paws" (8g x 2) today from some bloke (ta) for my pole ends. Seemed like a bit of a frippery until I recently went to bed with my tarp about as high as the roof of St Paul's Cathedral but woke up with it touching my nose. When not fulfilling their designed usage they also make quite nice earrings.

ianfitz wrote:

Borderer wrote:Which one and how much?

It's this one - https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk ... llow-p5249

RIP wrote:and it also re-raises the question of how one deploys it and keeps it in whatever place is hoped-for ;-).

it does have some small loops on either side so could be elastic-ed onto a mat. I'll trail it a bit and see what whats needed

It looks good. I use one from decathlon for a fiver, which isn't all that comfortable. But it was a fiver, so there's that.

Well (s)he's not been yet with it but I've just hit the button on the ultra-rare "Totally Alive" Rezillos LP - only found one copy on whole tinternet. I know, I know, I can't stop. Someone slap me please.

I'm exactly the same with books Reg. Not just rare and expensive ones mind.

Borderer wrote:

ianfitz wrote:

Borderer wrote:Which one and how much?

It's this one - https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk ... llow-p5249

RIP wrote:and it also re-raises the question of how one deploys it and keeps it in whatever place is hoped-for ;-).

it does have some small loops on either side so could be elastic-ed onto a mat. I'll trail it a bit and see what whats needed

It looks good. I use one from decathlon for a fiver, which isn't all that comfortable. But it was a fiver, so there's that.

My exped one tends to fly around a bit but once you've got it jammed under your head / neck it stays put. I tried various ways of tying it down using the loops on it but seemed to cause more trouble than it was worth.

A Hilleburg Anjan 2 tent in preparation for some new far and wide adventures starting next year.
The thinking was this is the last shelter I will ever have to buy