A common scenario - What would you do?

[davidpingu]

I went out for a hike last week and as I planned to be out for most of the day I packed cooking/brewing gear, some food to cook, some extra layers (as my route was up over the local mountain) and a tarp.

The tarp was for setting up should I have needed to stop for food or just rest up during a heavy downpour.

I was very, very lucky in that the two times I chose to stop and have a brew and some grub, the rain didn't come. I did narrowly miss it on my second stop though and had I been half hour later I'd have got soaked. With the threat of rain I chose to hurry my lunch and get moving but it got me thinking......

Why was I concerned about the rain if I had a tarp? Well partly because I'm still a beginner with using them and it takes me a while to get my DD 3x3 set up in a way I'm happy with. Regardless of my lack of proficiency though, I didn't really want to go to the bother of getting it all out and put up for the sake of a 20 minute stop in all honesty and then going to the same trouble packing it back up again.

I had "waterproofs" (I use that term loosely) on so the main issue would have been keeping all my eating/drinking stuff dry.

So as most of you will have found yourselves in a similar situation, my question is what would you do for a quick stop in a heavy downpour to enable you to get some hot food and drink in?

Do you have any kind of quick set up routine that you go through that's minimal effort/no nonsense?

I was looking in to a basha and pole set up just for the added bonus of not having to find that ideal spot where the trees are where you need them but it still seems like it would take several miserable minutes to get it set up.

Then I came across this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OeFfS8MCmtg

A poncho with eyelets has the added benefit of being a waterproof layer which would be good for me having discovered how useless my Regatta Jacket is at keeping out heavy rain but I also liked the idea of the bungee cords for being much quicker than faffing with knots.

For a sleep set up I'd absolutely stick with my 3x3 and paracord but this is just about having a quick set up and take down solution for keeping out of the worst of it.

What are people opinions or alternatives?

 

[Squidders]

I have an umbrella. It is a decent size and if i'm sitting, will cover me and just enough room to get a brew on.

The alternative is just taking a flask of hot drink and some cheese rolls.

I have never liked poncho's.

 

[John Fenna]

In the mountains I never bothered with a tarp and relied on a flask and sandwiches.
Mostly the flask held hot water and I had both instant soup and instant coffee so I had a choice.
I also had bomb proof waterproofs....
In the woods I find a poncho and some bungees works for shelter - or just as an extra layer of waterproof!

 

[Clouston98]

For the woods I just sit at the base of a tree with dense foliage, like a large holly or yew . Although not in the middle of a field in a thunderstorm!

 

[Shewie]

You could use a decent sized bothy bag, just sit on your pack and pull it over you. It's not ideal and I wouldn't necessarily recommend it, but it is possible to brew up inside one if you think about ventilation and prevent any possible fire risks, certain stoves being easier to manage than others.

Down in the valleys I just look for somewhere half sheltered, if it's truly miserable I'll probably skip the brew and just eat on the hoof.

 

[santaman2000]

I have a couple of those ponchos, one of them the newer (by comparison) lightweight ripstop nylon from the late 70s, and the other one of the older ones of heavier nylon form the 60s. The downside is they are fairly small, only about 4.5' X 7' when stretched out.That's not much if the rain is coming anything but straight down.

The plus side is that two or more can be snapped together to make a larger shelter.

for just a quick day trip or shorter I'd go with what others have said and just use a thermos for a hot drink; indeed, I'd even use a wide mouthed one to carry hot stew, chili or similar for a hot meal.

 

[tent peg]

agree with Shewie, I have a terra nova bothy bag. £20 or so, you chuck it over you takes 30 seconds and it warms up nice, stick a walking pole up of you like a little more stability, weighs next to nothing. UK mountain rescue use em so i'm told.

http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/tarps-bivis-bothies/all-bothies-bothy-bags/bothy-2/

 

[ex-member BareThrills]

if it's truly miserable I'll probably skip the brew and just eat on the hoof.

^^This. Have some water and a flap jack and push on.

 

[petrochemicals]

the larger fishermans/pack xl poncho suffices, along with your brimmed hat. Sit down pull your bag underneath and you are your own shelter, to cook, or just sit and watch. They are a bit of a tent to walk around in too though.

 

[rik_uk3]

John has got it right, Thermos of hot water, sandwiches/soup/coffee and few chocolate bars and good waterproofs will see you through a day on the hills. Bothy bags are great if your stranded but for a downpour on a day hike then just gap it home asap.

 

[david1]

ive given up with a thermos over a small stove of some kind alcohol or gas. it means I can always have a hot drink even if its the next day and I found a nice pub the day before ... these things happen out there in the wild you know.

 

[greensurfingbear]

Stay home.....the Outside is overrated allegedly

http://www.thedailymash.co.uk/news/society/outdoors-not-as-good-as-indoors-2014013183126


It's a spoof (before anyone gets upset)


Orric

 

[petrochemicals]

“The outdoors doesn’t have a roof on it, which is why it’s always raining. The streets and hedgerows are full of old plastic bags, cans and crisp packets."

spoof ?!?, I think not.

 

[davidpingu]

Those bothy bags do look ideal. The Vango 100 looked absolutely perfect and then I found they don't make them any more!

Can't seem to get anything smaller than a 2 man any more which for the most part means carrying needless weight.

You're right though. A flask and not faffing with a stove is the obvious answer. It was just for part of the fun really. I don't get to do many overnighters so its one of the few times I get to play with fire!

 

[Harvestman]

Some days you just get wet. That's how it goes. An awareness of the weather forecast is often a big help though.

It is also surprising just how much shelter can be found, even in open country. Getting low to the ground gets you out of the wind, and that often means protection from some of the rain too. Trees are great sources of shelter. Years ago I remember getting to a leaning tree just as a short-lived but torrential downpour struck. I sat it out under the trunk, dry as a bone. My companions, elsewhere on the hillside, were soaked to the skin.

 

[tent peg]

Those bothy bags do look ideal. The Vango 100 looked absolutely perfect and then I found they don't make them any more!

Can't seem to get anything smaller than a 2 man any more which for the most part means carrying needless weight.

You're right though. A flask and not faffing with a stove is the obvious answer. It was just for part of the fun really. I don't get to do many overnighters so its one of the few times I get to play with fire!

2 man ones are 300g or there abouts, I find it just right for me with a large pack, a struggle for two with packs. hope that helps.

 

[Bonzo Frog]

Used these when I was with a SAR team, great bit's of kit when the weather's really bad and they do make a difference but as others have said waterproofs and a flask/ sandwiches is what I carry as a rule.

agree with Shewie, I have a terra nova bothy bag. £20 or so, you chuck it over you takes 30 seconds and it warms up nice, stick a walking pole up of you like a little more stability, weighs next to nothing. UK mountain rescue use em so i'm told.

http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/tarps-bivis-bothies/all-bothies-bothy-bags/bothy-2/

 

[rickyamos]

Those bothy bags do look ideal. The Vango 100 looked absolutely perfect and then I found they don't make them any more!

Can't seem to get anything smaller than a 2 man any more which for the most part means carrying needless weight.

You're right though. A flask and not faffing with a stove is the obvious answer. It was just for part of the fun really. I don't get to do many overnighters so its one of the few times I get to play with fire!

I have the Vango 200, dont matter if your on your own just gather up the excess and tuck it under your feet.

 

[Duggie Bravo]

I have a 200 and I remember reading an article which essentially said that a bothy bag isn't just for an emergency and can be used anytime you stop, keeping it in a mesh pocket on your pack.
We also have a 12 man one for the scouts.


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[jacko1066]

Have you considered one of these - http://www.amazon.co.uk/Weather-Blanket-Reusable-Orange-Silver/dp/B000BS01SW

I use 1 as a bath tub ground sheet, but has eyelets on it for making into a tarp or you could just drape it over your head!!


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