Iceland Divide 2024: need advice on tent, sleeping mat and stove

[bonzo_bcn]

Many thanks for the advice, I'll contact you later in the year to discuss alternative routes if we end up going if you don't mind, it's getting tricky to organise all the prep trips as my son is doing his A levels soon.

I used the katabatic quilt in the south downs trip and it was amazing, a bit cold at some point, but fine the rest of the night, the strap system works very, very well.
My son was cold with the Corus, and we both had merino layers, I might get him another katabatic.

[bonzo_bcn]

I'm also very happy with the X-mid, we can fit 2 exped LW mats and it's super easy to pitch, I now just need to add the extra guylines for windy conditions.
I can fit the tent + groundsheet + quilt + merino layers in an 8L drybag!

[Alpinum]

if you don't mind

of course not
Happy to help. I always have time for such planning nerdery

both had merino layers, I might get him another katabatic.

If you plan to use eg. lightweight down/synthetic jackets/smocks you can use those to boost the sleeping bag/quilts too.

I'm also very happy with the X-mid, we can fit 2 exped LW mats and it's super easy to pitch, I now just need to add the extra guylines for windy conditions.

Yeah, it's a good tent. True, it goes up really fast, quite a bit quicker then a classic mid and removable inner and with added guylines copes fairly well in windy conditions. Funnily, our's (about second batch of 1. generation X-Mid Pro) is too narrow for 2 wide (Exped) mats. I also added an array of pockets to the nets - left and right of the entrance, makes it very liveable.

[bonzo_bcn]

All going well, this is happening in August!
Is it worth hiring/buying a Garmin Inreach for this trip? (I have an iphone 14 btw)

[voodoo_simon]

All going well, this is happening in August!
Is it worth hiring/buying a Garmin Inreach for this trip? (I have an iphone 14 btw)

Only you can answer that one!

Personally after using a spot before, I’m not keen on them (I had a ride once where the tracking didn’t update, so I had a lot of stressful calls from m dad asking if I was alright!) but what happens if you get injured and your son is left to seek help?

Think it would be better to hire one and never need it then to be in the reverse situation

[Lazarus]

Had an inreach and now a motorolla defy


IMHO its better to have and never use than need and not have ( i have ne er bothered with trqckong personally..people know I can contact them if i am in trouble so no news is good news.

It's like travel insurence or car breakdown recovery or an inner tube and pump. You probaby dont need it but if you do need it you really do need it.

[bonzo_bcn]

Had an inreach and now a motorolla defy


IMHO its better to have and never use than need and not have ( i have ne er bothered with trqckong personally..people know I can contact them if i am in trouble so no news is good news.

It's like travel insurence or car breakdown recovery or an inner tube and pump. You probaby dont need it but if you do need it you really do need it.

Thanks, I don't need a tracker just the comms in case anything unexpected happens. How do you find the Defy? it's way cheaper than the Inreach!

[Hyppy]

Had an inreach and now a motorolla defy


IMHO its better to have and never use than need and not have ( i have ne er bothered with trqckong personally..people know I can contact them if i am in trouble so no news is good news.

It's like travel insurence or car breakdown recovery or an inner tube and pump. You probaby dont need it but if you do need it you really do need it.

Thanks, I don't need a tracker just the comms in case anything unexpected happens. How do you find the Defy? it's way cheaper than the Inreach!

Does your phone have built-on satellite comms? My iPhone does. If I didn't need a tracker I'd perhaps just go down that route.

[bonzo_bcn]

Had an inreach and now a motorolla defy


IMHO its better to have and never use than need and not have ( i have ne er bothered with trqckong personally..people know I can contact them if i am in trouble so no news is good news.

It's like travel insurence or car breakdown recovery or an inner tube and pump. You probaby dont need it but if you do need it you really do need it.

Thanks, I don't need a tracker just the comms in case anything unexpected happens. How do you find the Defy? it's way cheaper than the Inreach!

Does your phone have built-on satellite comms? My iPhone does. If I didn't need a tracker I'd perhaps just go down that route.

It does, it's an Iphone 14, but I've heard mix reviews about it.

[Lazarus]

How do you find the Defy?

Its fine. Does require a working phone but only £5 per month ( but only 5 messages and no tracking ) I carry it loads but rarely use ( has always worked when i sent a text ) it as not needed to use SOS and dont really bother texting.
No " free" message like the inreach has.
Assuming no iphome it works well and £5 is affordable. Found inreach plans and annual fee a bit pricey for what it was./ the usage i got.

[Alpinum]

A lot of your route goes through area with service.
Make sure you have access to Siminn, the service with by far the best cover in the Highlands.

https://www.siminn.is/5g#dreifikerfi
You can toggle to different service types and will find there's little white spots on the map. In practise the cover is not quite as good as shown on the map, but often when you don't have any reception, just go up the next hillock.
SMS (the classic also message service) can be sent/received with less service than WhatsApp/Threema/Signal etc.

I have an Inreach Mini and always brought it along to Iceland, yet I probably wouldn't bother if I didn't already have one. Even when going solo.

Keep an eye on the weather - that's probably the single most risk factor. Have a friend/family member at home to send you brief weather updates eg from yr.no and veður.is via SMS once you run out of a good signal if you're worried. It'll help much to stay saf(er) and confident in your choices.