Anyone have any good ideas on wether to choose between a bivouac compact tent like device or a hammock and tarp set up? Also preference and beat value for money? Thanks guys.
Best lightweight cheap shelter system?
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I can no longer get in and out of a tiny tent: a tarp is so much more versatile. More space for less weight!
The cheapest and lightest option is a just to use a tarp. I imagine in the UK DD tarps work out well in terms of price; here in the US Equinox tarps will run you about $40.
If it's between a tent and a hammock/tarp combo, I would say generally you will be looking at similar price and weight ranges.
I like to sleep on the ground, because from time to time I'm in areas where there are no trees. I also need a tent that will stand up to high winds. For that reason I currently go with a small mountaineering tent (Mountain Hardwear Direkt 2)-not a cheap option.
If it's between a tent and a hammock/tarp combo, I would say generally you will be looking at similar price and weight ranges.
I like to sleep on the ground, because from time to time I'm in areas where there are no trees. I also need a tent that will stand up to high winds. For that reason I currently go with a small mountaineering tent (Mountain Hardwear Direkt 2)-not a cheap option.
And less shelter. The OP is looking for a cheapish shelter then go for a tent. As funds improve look and various tarps and various rigging methods.
Depends on what you are doing and where you are doing it.
If you are only spending nights in wooded areas a hammock and tarp setup would be better, especially in heavily wooded man made/planted woods as it's often tough to find flat level pitches that are out of the way.
If on the other hand there is a chance you'll be camping out in areas you can't guarantee will have strong trees the right sort of distance apart then a tarp and bivvy bag setup might be better.
There is also personal preference as well, some prefer hammocks others the ground.
For a cheap fairly light weight bivvy setup i'd look towards:
Alpkit Hunka XL
The XL is a bit heavier than the standard size, but you'll be glad of that extra space if you get caught out in bad weather, plus although 503g isn't ultralight it's still not that bad.
The Alpkit Rig 3.5 would be a good addition to the above bivvy.
At 270g for a 2.4m x 1.4m tarp again it's not ultralight but it's not bad.
The tarp is £35 the bivvy bag £45, you'll struggle to get much as light for that sort of money elsewhere, much cheaper and you'll have to start looking at exarmy kit which is meha heavy by comparison.
Should also add, you'll need to add cordage and pegs to that setup, a sleeping mat would be highly recommended as would a decent sleeping bag as well.
What and where will you be sleeping out?
If you are spending time up in the hills a small all weather tent would be the way to go, if you are just off for the occasional bimble in some local woods a tarp is cheaper and lets you appreciate the environment you are in all the more.
If you plan to travel abroad a tarp may not be so useful, because bitey things, deadly things, crawly things.
Thanks guys. All really awesome recomendations. Sandbender it wouldnt be used in a planned campsite kind of trip. Normally tends to be going for a roughly planned hike and stoppingnany where along the way that seems a suitable place to camp. Anywhere from the peak of pen y fan to the lone wolf forest. I guess that question answers itself in terms of versatility, not many large trees to string a hammock on pen y fan. Ive spent time lugging around large heavier tents and equally hammocks and heavy duty tents for more planned trips. I think I would have to go for some form of half decent mountain style bivouac/tent based on everyones advice?
I think Sandbender has hit the nail on the head really. Ideally you want a light backpacking tent for on the hill and a tarp/bivi set up for lower level stuff.
I use a Wild Country Voyager for hill use and it has been in all sorts of really severe weather (blizzards at -20 on Lochnagar, hoolie with torrential rain on the Cheviots etc) that I wouldn't have liked to been out in a tarp in.
That said, I've pretty much retired mine as it's a lot of years old and most of my camping is either bushy stuff or supervising D of E groups. For that I use a DD 3m tarp (as recommended above) and an issue bivi bag as it's much cheaper and I don't mind abusing it.
Price wise, the bivi/tarp option will win hands down but it depends how much protection you need for on the hill. The kind of tent that you can confidently wildcamp high up in UK mountains in poor weather is going to set you back well over a ton. In fact, I can't think of a decent mountain tent for under £200, though Vango might be worth a look.
I use a Wild Country Voyager for hill use and it has been in all sorts of really severe weather (blizzards at -20 on Lochnagar, hoolie with torrential rain on the Cheviots etc) that I wouldn't have liked to been out in a tarp in.
That said, I've pretty much retired mine as it's a lot of years old and most of my camping is either bushy stuff or supervising D of E groups. For that I use a DD 3m tarp (as recommended above) and an issue bivi bag as it's much cheaper and I don't mind abusing it.
Price wise, the bivi/tarp option will win hands down but it depends how much protection you need for on the hill. The kind of tent that you can confidently wildcamp high up in UK mountains in poor weather is going to set you back well over a ton. In fact, I can't think of a decent mountain tent for under £200, though Vango might be worth a look.
Not every trip above tree line requires a mountaineering tent. How serious of a tent you need depends on the conditions you expect to encounter. A good three season tent will take you a long way. It is likely to withstand a lot more than a tarp would depending of course on the configuration. If you expect really bad weather then a mountaineering tent is the way to go. The standard for a long time in mountaineering bivi tents has been the Black Diamond FirstLight, although it is not particularly waterproof. I find the Mountain Hardwear Direkt 2 to be better in that respect with similar features.
For some extra weight, the Mountain Hardwear EV2 is also a good, well tested tent.
For some extra weight, the Mountain Hardwear EV2 is also a good, well tested tent.
DD tarp £35, weighs ~800gm
Bivi £45, weighs ~ 500gm
Ebay last week saw a vango helium 200 go for £103, for a 1.3kg tent. If you hunt around the web, zeph 2's (~1.7kg) can be had new for ~£75.
Tent v tarp/bivi both have their pros and cons, but they are on a par price & weight wise.
ps. check out millets, they've got a half price sale on tents right now.
Bivi £45, weighs ~ 500gm
Ebay last week saw a vango helium 200 go for £103, for a 1.3kg tent. If you hunt around the web, zeph 2's (~1.7kg) can be had new for ~£75.
Tent v tarp/bivi both have their pros and cons, but they are on a par price & weight wise.
ps. check out millets, they've got a half price sale on tents right now.
I do not have one but the pyranid tents.
You can sit up in them
You can kneel in them
They have better condensation qualities on the fly(steeper angle) than other tents.
Better venting.
You can sit up in them
You can kneel in them
They have better condensation qualities on the fly(steeper angle) than other tents.
Better venting.
This is my current plan.
Bit more weight than a flat tarp but I think the closed end will give more shelter. Also, shortening the 'door' pole down and pegging out wider makes it more weather resistant. Sleeping bag in bivvy bag, of course. Current bivvy isn't the best. Hoping at some point to switch to an Alpkit hunka to save a couple of hundred grams.
Bit more weight than a flat tarp but I think the closed end will give more shelter. Also, shortening the 'door' pole down and pegging out wider makes it more weather resistant. Sleeping bag in bivvy bag, of course. Current bivvy isn't the best. Hoping at some point to switch to an Alpkit hunka to save a couple of hundred grams.
Good set up for lower level stuff but I'm not convinced I'd be keen on a night on a Mountain top if the weather's not settled tbh. The wind is likely to spirit that away.
As rg598 said, you don't need a mountaineering tent, a decent 3 season mountain tent will do (my voyager is a 3 season) but I would aim to get a freestanding design, like a semi geodesic pole arrangement, rather than a tunnel or similar, then if the ground is too rocky for pegs you still have shelter. I camped in a mate's vango hurricane beta years ago on the glyders using big rocks to hold the tent down, the weather was awful and the rocks shifted in the wind, the tunnel collapsed and we got drenched.
We issue Vaude Hogans to our d of e groups as they are decent 3 season tents that will survive mountainous wild camps in nasty weather. Money well spent.
As ebt said, there are some deals out there so it's worth having a shop around.
Last year alpkit brought out a delta tent that they sold off cheap as it wasn't up to their standards. If they fix and rerelease it it'll probably be in the 120 quid bracket and should be a performer!
As rg598 said, you don't need a mountaineering tent, a decent 3 season mountain tent will do (my voyager is a 3 season) but I would aim to get a freestanding design, like a semi geodesic pole arrangement, rather than a tunnel or similar, then if the ground is too rocky for pegs you still have shelter. I camped in a mate's vango hurricane beta years ago on the glyders using big rocks to hold the tent down, the weather was awful and the rocks shifted in the wind, the tunnel collapsed and we got drenched.
We issue Vaude Hogans to our d of e groups as they are decent 3 season tents that will survive mountainous wild camps in nasty weather. Money well spent.
As ebt said, there are some deals out there so it's worth having a shop around.
Last year alpkit brought out a delta tent that they sold off cheap as it wasn't up to their standards. If they fix and rerelease it it'll probably be in the 120 quid bracket and should be a performer!
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