Bivi bags??

[appleby]

If it rains Appleby I will turn the tent upside down as the HH of the groundsheet is 10,000mm! Or just get back inside the bivi..

. . . And if that fails, you still have a cracking beach shelter!:whistle:

I went for the Terra Nova Superlite Voyager!

200g more than my Army bivi - it's a no brainer really!

[scouse]

Hi there,

The guys at the Great Escape Adventure Motorcycle Club in Wiltshire insist on you using tarps and Bivi bags - tents are banned! Great guys - give their ride outs and adventures ago.
www.geamcc.com

Cheers

John

When I was a lad and tents relatively expensive... I kipped in bivi bags and kipped under real tarpaulins drapped between a bike and a fence... it was crap.

Now tents are relatively cheap and lightweight and tarps and bivis expensive and used by those who weren't allowed to do it when they were kids... :whistle:

Because if they had done it they would now enjoy the luxury of a tent! Bashas outside of a war zone are for poseurs.

[snaphappy]

I only pitch a tent if its raining when I need to sleep
apart from that I use an Army Goretex bivibag,
Exped air mat, sleeping bag and bivibag all rolled up together and in a stuff sack not much bigger than the dos bag on its own
The stuff sack gets put over my boots to stop dew or creepies getting in

[scouse]

I only pitch a tent if its raining when I need to sleep
apart from that I use an Army Goretex bivibag,
Exped air mat, sleeping bag and bivibag all rolled up together and in a stuff sack not much bigger than the dos bag on its own
The stuff sack gets put over my boots to stop dew or creepies getting in

Okay so helmet, riding gear, the clothes you take off to get in the kip bag?

I never sleep fully clothed if I can help it as it traps moisture. Also prefer to let the bag do the work of keeping me warm with an increased air gap. So you need to carry more stuff than just a lightweight tent. The extra waterproof bags for stuffing gear in will take up a lot more space! I really hate putting a helmet on when it has got soggy with condensation, it is uncomfortable and for those of us who are follically challenged feckin' freezing.

Actually as a sweaty person, one who does perspire a lot more than average male , the times I have used bashas and bivvy bags I have ended up colder and wetter with condensation in the kip bag than just crashing out on the spot with no covers.

Lightweight quick pitching tents win hands down.

[appleby]

I only pitch a tent if its raining when I need to sleep
apart from that I use an Army Goretex bivibag,
Exped air mat, sleeping bag and bivibag all rolled up together and in a stuff sack not much bigger than the dos bag on its own
The stuff sack gets put over my boots to stop dew or creepies getting in

So you carry a tent as well in case it's raining?

Like Scouse say's, the whole bivi, tarp or basha thing is for overgrown action men!

It's heavy, bulky & not at all comfy.

I have been known to put the basha up over my inflatable canoe & kip in it - but to be honest, I just watch too much Ray Mears.

Sub 1.5kg tent, sub 1kg sleeping bag & a short inflatable mattress is the way to go.

[Lancastermick]

Motorcycle diary Scotland 041.jpg (67.25 KiB) Viewed 2052 times

Single skin tent and tarp..under 1.5 kgs in total. The tarp lets me leave the flap open to reduce condensation and also gives me a workspace in the rain. Suits me.

[CRAIGREVO]

Can you run the bike like that to warm up, or dry clothes, or will it burn something?

[Lancastermick]

You could run the bike mate, but I can't see it warming anything up effectively. However if you look to the left of the orange bag you can see where I had a small fire which warmed the place up nicely without setting the me alight.

[shambolic]

Lets be honest, use as necessary. In February freezing weather my Hubba Hubba had icicles hanging from the frame. I was toasty in my gortex bivi with inflatable roll mat and 3 season bag with silk liner. Getting out of it into the cold was a challenge.....! Used a tarp over the tent at the RTTW for the first time-nice to pack away in the dry and tie the rolled wet tarp to the rack.

[snaphappy]

I prefer the bivibag, that does not make me a Bear Grylls or Ray Mears quite the opposite. I'm too bloody lazy to faff around pitching and packing away a tent.
I leave my helmet on the seat with my waterproofs over the top which also keeps the sheepskin dry. Jacket and trousers if dry down by my feet if wet they go in a bin liner or bag.
As for being Heavy, Bulky and not comfy. I ride a varadero do you think I care about weight, its no bulkier than a cheap sleeping bag and comfort... as long as its cold enough to stay wrapped up its good, in the heat yes a tent or tarp would be better, depends on the morning dew and moskitos