What gear have you bought since joining Bearbones

[pushbikemike]

I was interested to see if anybody else was as tempted as me and as rubbish as me at resisting temptation for buying gear.
The sale of a bike and some outdoor gear plus a birthday and christmas has helped me fund:

2 tarps,
2 frames (one came with a frame bag), one set of forks, 2 rims,
a wildcat harness front and rear,
a new very bright front light (cheers Stu), a new meths stove (cheers Stu), a ti mug, a lahoon, ti tent pegs, polycro material, bubble wrap stuff for pot cosy,
a new sleeping bag and mat, a bivi bag, material to make my own bivi bag (it is shonky but brilliant)
an ikea cuttlery drainer to make a wood burner (brilliant),
a febreeze cannister to make a meths stove (not so brilliant but that was my cack handedness),
tubeless stuff, a 2l mineral water bottle to make a ghetto tubeless tyre inflator (love this :) )
And a Bearpaw lair (Stu again)
I blame myself mostly for this list but you lot do tempt me with stuff :D .

Ive had a few adventures along the way. Cheers Bearbones.

[Ray Young]

Tarp, bivi bag, down bag, down jacket, gortex jacket, 3 dry bags, lightweight cook set, ti spork, frame bag, rigid 29er.
Basically the basics for bikepacking.
What I no longer have or use is a 26" hardtail, panniers, rack, tent, ancient synthetic bag, gas stove, large aluminium pan, bulky fleece top.
Thanks Bear Bones and everyone who contributes, offroad touring is just so much more fun now :D .

[pushbikemike]

How's the tarp tent coming along ray? And the cushions for that matter?

[Ray Young]

No sign of cushion cover material yet, going to look into a few more tarptent designs yet as i'm starting to think my first one may have too much material in it.

[sillybigfella]

Alpkit Hunka XL
Wildcat Tiger and Mountain Lion
Bikepack.eu gastank
A whole load of Alpkit dry bags
Alpkit Skyehigh 800
Alpkit mytimug
New singlespeed rigid
Meths stove (although I am thinking of bucking the the current trend and going back to gas)
Silwing tarp
Gramcounter bivvy poles

And too many upgrades to mention; new helmet, shoes, lights, etc etc. Last year's WRT gave me a whole new enthusiasm for riding my bike.

[pushbikemike]

Alpkit Hunka XL
Wildcat Tiger and Mountain Lion
Bikepack.eu gastank
A whole load of Alpkit dry bags
Alpkit Skyehigh 800
Alpkit mytimug
New singlespeed rigid
Meths stove (although I am thinking of bucking the the current trend and going back to gas)
Silwing tarp
Gramcounter bivvy poles

And too many upgrades to mention; new helmet, shoes, lights, etc etc. Last year's WRT gave me a whole new enthusiasm for riding my bike.

Nice looking kit list there. I've bee looking at the gramcounter bivi poles. I totally forgot about drybags. Got a few of them from alpkit. I used gas on a few nights out this winter, with a little ti stove. Fits neatly in the my ti mug.
What single speed did you get?

[Dan_K]

3 grams of smack and 2 bags of pills.

2 bivvy bags, silnylon tarp, tarp tent, meths burner, gas stove, 2 mats, summer down bag, winter down quilt, Ti mug... The list goes on! Probably getting on for £1000 worth of gear

[Bearbonesnorm]

Probably getting on for £1000 worth of gear

Yeah but just think ... if you hadn't spent it on that you might have wasted it

[Cheeky Monkey]

I refuse to join in for fear of heart failure

[jameso]

Not much, had a lot of the gear from fumbling-climbing days and had done a few trips before joining - late to the party.

But then my Wildcat Tiger arrived today - the best bit of kit in a while. I don't need any new stuff but took a punt on what looked like a better way to pack and I'm impressed with the design and execution. Works well on a trial fit, stable / easy to use. If it's as bag-wag free on the descents as it seems then the last problem of my perfect-packer ride is solved and Ian (think he posts here right?), I owe you a drink / brew if I make it to a BB event this year )

[Brothersmith]

I refuse to join in for fear of heart failure

I refuse to join in for fear the wife might read it :D

[sillybigfella]

Alpkit Hunka XL
Wildcat Tiger and Mountain Lion
Bikepack.eu gastank
A whole load of Alpkit dry bags
Alpkit Skyehigh 800
Alpkit mytimug
New singlespeed rigid
Meths stove (although I am thinking of bucking the the current trend and going back to gas)
Silwing tarp
Gramcounter bivvy poles

And too many upgrades to mention; new helmet, shoes, lights, etc etc. Last year's WRT gave me a whole new enthusiasm for riding my bike.

Nice looking kit list there. I've bee looking at the gramcounter bivi poles. I totally forgot about drybags. Got a few of them from alpkit. I used gas on a few nights out this winter, with a little ti stove. Fits neatly in the my ti mug.
What single speed did you get?

Trek Marlin 29er cheap from Summit cycles in Aberystwyth. Pure torture, but I kinda like it...

[Kumquat]

yeah me too...
Go lite down bag
wildcat gear mtn lion and tiger
alpkit mat and hunka. and dry bags.
already had the meths stove and gsi pot. (bit of a canoe crossover there.)
cheap lite chinese gas stove.
still havent invested in a shelter yet................

[Mart]

I refuse to join in for fear of heart failure

I refuse to join in for fear the wife might read it :D

think it might be the wife having heat failure , I'm oot

[gairym]

Brilliant - it's like a 'exactly how much Stuart to blame for what I've spent' thread!

So......I couldn't possibly separate the purchases that this forum is solely responsible for from those which would've happened anyway but.....I do know that without the knowledge and intel that this mighty fine forum has been kid enough to impart I would have spent a lot more money on kit a lot less suitable and, as a result, wouldn't have enjoyed my bikepacking half as much as I have.

Thanks all!

[sillybigfella]

Brilliant - it's like a 'exactly how much Stuart to blame for what I've spent' thread!

So......I couldn't possibly separate the purchases that this forum is solely responsible for from those which would've happened anyway but.....I do know that without the knowledge and intel that this mighty fine forum has been kid enough to impart I would have spent a lot more money on kit a lot less suitable and, as a result, wouldn't have enjoyed my bikepacking half as much as I have.

Thanks all!

Here here!!!

[pushbikemike]

No sign of cushion cover material yet, going to look into a few more tarptent designs yet as i'm starting to think my first one may have too much material in it.

Any photos of your first one?

[Ray Young]

Any photos of your first one?

Just the design sketch already posted.

[barney]

for my “dip my toe in the water” bivi I bought some very cheap kit to see if I would enjoy it…

army surplus bivi bag
cheap-ish sleeping bag
bivi bag (from TK-Max)
alpkit numo air mat
euro-hike tarp
cheap solid fuel stove
some of my ‘normal’ camping equipment

despite being a bit cold I fell in love with it and although money is tight (family etc.) I’ve managed to improve in a few areas…

rig7 tarp (alpkit)
4 season mat (second hand off Stu)
4 season Northface down bag
down jacket
drybags, ti cup & mug, headtorch & spork (alpkit)
bar & saddle bags from Pavel
22gm meths stove (Stu)
surly anything cage

unfortunately I’m restricted on getting out due to other commitments, if I was able to get out more often I would really push the boat out but to be honest that lot does me ok for now.

my big problem is that I always still over-pack and end up coming back with unworn clothes and water, I guess that will come with experience though.

cheers to everyone for all the advice, keep it coming

[Ray Young]

I too used to pack too many clothes, I now only carry one light set of clothes to change into at the end of the day and like my sleeping bag I make damn sure they stay dry. Down jacket with hood, base layer top, pair of tracksters, pair boxers or cycling shorts and thermal socks. If it's cold I'll take long sleeve thermal top and thermal long johns. As for water I invested in an Aquamira Frontier Pro filter, £22.50 from go outdoors with discount card. There a bit of a pain to use as it's really hard to suck through but if you attach it to a squeezable bottle then no problem. I reckon if I do six three day outings a year it should last me three years, only don't let it freeze as it will damage it.

[Bearbonesnorm]

As for water I invested in an Aquamira Frontier Pro filter, £22.50 from go outdoors with discount card. There a bit of a pain to use as it's really hard to suck through but if you attach it to a squeezable bottle then no problem. I reckon if I do six three day outings a year it should last me three years, only don't let it freeze as it will damage it.

I screw mine straight onto a Platypus flexible/foldy up 2L bottle thing ... works a treat.

[pushbikemike]

for my “dip my toe in the water” bivi I bought some very cheap kit to see if I would enjoy it…

army surplus bivi bag
cheap-ish sleeping bag
bivi bag (from TK-Max)
alpkit numo air mat
euro-hike tarp
cheap solid fuel stove
some of my ‘normal’ camping equipment

despite being a bit cold I fell in love with it and although money is tight (family etc.) I’ve managed to improve in a few areas…

rig7 tarp (alpkit)
4 season mat (second hand off Stu)
4 season Northface down bag
down jacket
drybags, ti cup & mug, headtorch & spork (alpkit)
bar & saddle bags from Pavel
22gm meths stove (Stu)
surly anything cage

unfortunately I’m restricted on getting out due to other commitments, if I was able to get out more often I would really push the boat out but to be honest that lot does me ok for now.

my big problem is that I always still over-pack and end up coming back with unworn clothes and water, I guess that will come with experience though.

cheers to everyone for all the advice, keep it coming

Same here. First trip confirmed it for me. Updated a few bits of old camping gear I had used. The big tarp I bought gets used on adventure walks in the woods with my little 'un.

[Cheeky Monkey]

Aquamira Frontier Pro filter, £22.50 from go outdoors with discount card

Ta. Good tip that 8-)

[Ian]

my Wildcat Tiger arrived today - the best bit of kit in a while. I don't need any new stuff but took a punt on what looked like a better way to pack and I'm impressed with the design and execution. Works well on a trial fit, stable / easy to use. If it's as bag-wag free on the descents as it seems then the last problem of my perfect-packer ride is solved and Ian (think he posts here right?), I owe you a drink / brew if I make it to a BB event this year )

James - some very generous comments there - thank you :D
I'd be glad share a brew with you sometime. Not going to make WRT this year (doing HTR instead). BB200 will be next up after that I suppose?

[Ray Young]

quote]
I screw mine straight onto a Platypus flexible/foldy up 2L bottle thing ... works a treat.[/quote]
Not tried it but will give it a go.