Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

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Tempo10
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Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by Tempo10 »

Spring summer 1 night bivi with cooking.... Just wondering what size bar bag, seat pack and frame bag you all use
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whitestone
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by whitestone »

No frame bag but possibly a small top tube bag acting as a mini-frame bag.

Seat pack with dry stuff like quilt, sleeping thermals will be 5 litres or so.

Bar bag with "wet" stuff like tarp plus sundries will be 5-8 litres.

A lot depends on what kit you have - a synthetic bag will take up more volume than a down of equivalent warmth. A lightweight water resistant bivy bag is lighter and more compact than a fully waterproof one. A jetboil is bulkier than a meths stove. Etc.

If the question is to figure out what size bags to get then consider getting harnesses and use various sized dry bags with them. That way you can match the bag to what you're taking for that particular trip.

Edit: This is what I had for last year's JennRide: 3L Alpkit Gnaro on the front; Wildcat Tomcat in the Jones Loop bars, 1L?; frame bag is approx 2-3L; rear bag is 5L; top tube bag is 1L.

Image

My bivy for the night:

Image
Last edited by whitestone on Wed Aug 26, 2020 9:47 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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lune ranger
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by lune ranger »

Bar toll 9L
Seat bag 9L
Frame bag 4L (ish)

In addition 1L toptube bag, 1L water bottle and a few bits in a waist pack.
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by RIP »

Hmm.

8L bar bag, 13L seatpack half full, 1L gas tank, stemcell, no frame bag. And a pocket for some sweeties.

Or: one Brompton S bag.
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Lazarus
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by Lazarus »

a synthetic bag will take up more volume than a down of equivalent warmth
Not if you spend a lot, mine is 330 g and packs down to about 2 -3 litres ish [10 degree rating mind] or 13 x 21 cm size.*
Either way i can fit all camping kit [ tent poles, mat and bag in a 8 litre front bag and its not full
its true for warmer [ or ones for colder temps] ones mind and definitely sub zero. Its a small penalty to pay for ethical smugness :wink:

Mine looks same as his did tbh Might take a camelbak and not bother with a seat post bag [and use a dropper post] if its technical riding and not proper hot.
Winter I add a frame bag and just take heavier and bulkier everything.

* I think its fair to say , especially if you dont get " ethical down" you can get one cheaper - think i paid about £150 for mine in a deal [ £200 ish normally which is steep for a summer bag IMHO]
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sean_iow
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by sean_iow »

If it's just one night, local and the forecast is good then I can get away with taking very little with me

Image

11L saddle pack (which isn't full) has

Bivi bag
Quilt
3/4 mat
pillow
buff
insulated jacket
waterproof jacket - just in case, never fully trust the forecast

Half frame bag has

400ml mug with 8g stove/spoon/windshield/coffee inside
Fuel bottle
Pump/tube/multitool
snacks
dinner and breakfast in ziplock bags
phone
toothbrush/toothpaste
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Boab
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by Boab »

Not all of us have been in this game long enough to have lightweight, highly packable kit. I run a (mostly) Restrap setup, with their large bar bag (14 litre dry bag and 3 litre pouch, have only used the pouch once); medium frame bag (3.5 litre); saddle bag (14 litre); top tube bag (0.85 litre). I've also started running a couple of Alpkit stem cells (2x 1.8 litre).

Image

I don't think I'm carrying too much stuff, it's just all my stuff is old, repurposed, and really bulky. For my last bivvy (201.52 km):
  • Bar bag - Army Gore-Tex bivvy bag, Exped Down Mat, base layer for sleeping in, hat, buff
  • Stem cell 1 - food (flapjacks, wraps, gels)
  • Stem cell 2 - gas canister, stove, lighter, Ti mug, coffee bags, porridge, spork, toothbrush, toothpaste
  • Top tube bag - more food (flapjacks, wraps)
  • Frame bag - battery for light, inner tubes, tools, pump, hand sanitiser, gillet, packable 2L water bottle, ID, phone, etc
  • Seat pack - sleeping bag, primaloft jacket, lightweight waterproof
The stem cells, top tube, bar and frame bags weren't totally full. I didn't use the Buff, and even though it rained a bit, I didn't need my waterproof, other than that, I used everything else.
Last edited by Boab on Thu Aug 27, 2020 10:46 am, edited 2 times in total.
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sean_iow
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by sean_iow »

K1100T wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2020 9:33 am Not all of us have been in this game long enough to have lightweight, highly packable kit.
In my list above the quilt is very packable. The bivi is a myog and probably a similar size to your army one. The mat was a klymit inertia x-frame 3/4. It does roll down to about the size of a can of redbull - the trade off is it's not much comfier or warmer to sleep on than a can of redbull :lol:

I didn't take any clothes to sleep in, so slept in my riding kit. I did take the bibshort straps off my shoulders, I'm not an animal :wink:

I could get away with taking so little as it was just a local overnighter for a BAM and I had work the ext day so headed straight home after my first-light porridge. I had a quick shower, put on fresh riding kit and rode the other bike to work.

Also, as it was so local I only took a pump, 1 tube and a multitool. I had just enough water in the 2x500ml bottles, one for the cooking and 1 for drinking.
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jameso
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by jameso »

Recent trip to Wales with that sort of kit list was ~4kg. 4l seat pack (sleeping), 700ml 'bottle cage bag' for WP shorts and jacket, 9l bar box (everything else with space to spare). Have done summer overnight trips with about 10l of space.
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JoseMcTavish
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by JoseMcTavish »

I did a couple of bivies last year with minimal kit to see what I could get away with:

Image

This consisted of a Klymit Ultralite V pad, a SOL Escape bivy and my old silk sleeping bag liner. Think I had a light polartech alpha insulated jacket and slid a pair of knee warmers down my legs to avoid any cold spots - worked well, even sleeping up quite high.

Image

Same setup on the MTB, I think it's a 3L Alpkit dry bag up front and a small RockGeist seatpack. I did cheat and take a flask for my hot drinks each time though. Stove setup would be a bit smaller and lighter regardless.

Image
Tempo10
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by Tempo10 »

Thanks it helps all the ideas, love all your setups
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TheBrownDog
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by TheBrownDog »

Don't listen to The Minimalists. They just know stuff. If you're only out for a night, and not going far, you want to go BIG and be comfy.

I tend to go with a hammock as it's fun to set up (I like faff) and stupid comfy for sleep. But if that's not an option, and it's local, I will happily stick a big 2-bloke tent in a backpack, and strap all manner of nonsense to my bike, including two options for stoves, perhaps a grill. a deck chair, 10kg of firewood and some fairy lights.
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whitestone
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by whitestone »

I wrote a post on my phone earlier this afternoon but it disappeared :cry:

It just so happened that when we started bikepacking I needed to replace quite a bit of my kit, including sleeping bag, so got something decent. It cost but five (plus) years down the line that kit is still going strong so the cost has been somewhat blunted.

For dipping your toe, just use what you have.

Yes, as a minimalist ™ I know things, usually stuff that's in no way related to the task at hand :lol: Generally it's a matter of knowing where you can "cut corners" so as to have space for "nice stuff" :-bd
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RIP
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by RIP »

TheBrownDog wrote: Thu Aug 27, 2020 8:12 pm Don't listen to The Minimalists. They just know stuff. If you're only out for a night, and not going far, you want to go BIG and be comfy.

I tend to go with a hammock as it's fun to set up (I like faff) and stupid comfy for sleep. But if that's not an option, and it's local, I will happily stick a big 2-bloke tent in a backpack, and strap all manner of nonsense to my bike, including two options for stoves, perhaps a grill. a deck chair, 10kg of firewood and some fairy lights.
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Cheddar Man
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by Cheddar Man »

I think it's all about the ratio between "how comfortable you are with being uncomfortable" vs "how much space do you have"

If you are easily uncomfortable then just take everything that will make you comfy that you can squeeze in. If you don't mind being uncomfortable, then I guess the minimum for a half decent experience is just take a brew kit and a bivi bag and you will be fine.
Tempo10
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Re: Summer bivi... Luggage sizes

Post by Tempo10 »

I'm running 10 litre bar bag, 12 litre seat pack and 3 litre frame bag.... Seems OK size wise... May add a 16 L lightweight daysac for multiple days.... Thanks all for the advice
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