NGD (New Gear Day)

[Darryl of Sussex]

I’m assembling a reasonable essential kit and need your help with gear for sleeping, having never slept outside of a tent while camping.

I will soon have a 3x3 tarp and i’m trying to figure out which bag and bivvi to get, in which to remain warm and dry during wet, damp and chilly nights in Southern England.

Can you give me any guidance regarding what’s currently available worth considering. What has your experience lead you to choose for your go to kit?

Many thanks,

Darryl

 

[MrEd]

I use a Brit army arctic bag and a Brit army gortex bivvy bag.

I can bring both Saturday if you want to look at them?

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

I use a Brit army arctic bag and a Brit army gortex bivvy bag.

I can bring both Saturday if you want to look at them?

That’s kind of you to offer but won’t you have enough gear to lug to site? If you’re bringing them anyway, then i’d definitely like a look at your setup but please don’t burden yourself if you don’t have to.

Speaking of Saturday, would you know if I need to pay in advance or is money at the gate for a day okay?

 

[MrEd]

That’s kind of you to offer but won’t you have enough gear to lug to site? If you’re bringing them anyway, then i’d definitely like a look at your setup but please don’t burden yourself if you don’t have to.

Speaking of Saturday, would you know if I need to pay in advance or is money at the gate for a day okay?

No idea re: money - I haven’t been before.

It’s no bother, I am
Only bringing a small amount of stuff as I am not staying overnight. I can easily bring it, it’s already in a grab bad

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

No idea re: money - I haven’t been before.

It’s no bother, I am
Only bringing a small amount of stuff as I am not staying overnight. I can easily bring it, it’s already in a grab bad

That is very kind of you. No idea of ETA and I hope the parking layby is big enough for us all. I’ll be the bloke who looks like a total novice who is making a vague attempt at appropriate dress code.

 

[MrEd]

Lol no dress code, I will have a black jacket on, and green combats.

Possibly in a truck cab Land Rover defender.

I may be wearing a Danish combat jacket, depends on weather.

I want to try a couple of different ways of rigging my tarp aswell

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

Name badges....

 

[Philster]

Darryl
As mentioned, you can't go wrong with the British Army sleeping bags and bivy. They both work really well and are pretty affordable - some Folks complain they weigh slightly more than top end brands but I've never had as issue.
The latest issue "Medium Sleeping Bag" is a fantastic piece of kit, available for about £45 new on ebay - the perfect winter bag. And the issue bivy (the latest ones are in MTP camo) are totally bombproof and very breathable, a no-brainer. £35 gets you a new one if you hunt about on Ebay. Tons of room inside for you, a sleep mat and your gear!
Best thing is, if you decide to "upgrade" at some point you'll be able to move them on and get your money back.
Hope this helps - I've spent fortunes buying gear over the years and honestly wish I'd stuck with these two items
Cheers
Phil

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

Darryl
As mentioned, you can't go wrong with the British Army sleeping bags and bivy. They both work really well and are pretty affordable - some Folks complain they weigh slightly more than top end brands but I've never had as issue.
The latest issue "Medium Sleeping Bag" is a fantastic piece of kit, available for about £45 new on ebay - the perfect winter bag. And the issue bivy (the latest ones are in MTP camo) are totally bombproof and very breathable, a no-brainer. £35 gets you a new one if you hunt about on Ebay. Tons of room inside for you, a sleep mat and your gear!
Best thing is, if you decide to "upgrade" at some point you'll be able to move them on and get your money back.
Hope this helps - I've spent fortunes buying gear over the years and honestly wish I'd stuck with these two items
Cheers
Phil

Thanks Phil,
i’m on first name terms with eBay at the mo as well as a few bushcrafty websites, so i’ll find both bags somewhere and tick them off my list.
Would you consider it worthwhile to put a wanted ad on the forum?
Best wishes,

Darryl

 

[Barney Rubble]

British army bivvy bag has to be your best bet. Their only downside is that they're a bit heavier than other bivvy bags. It's big enough for your doss bag and mat and the goretex fabric feels very robust. Main thing to check when you get one is that the seams are still nicely sealed (easily rectified if they're not).

It's closest rival is probably the Alpkit Hunka XL. It's a similar design, albeit lighter and gets good reviews for waterproofness. Downside - it's costs almost twice as much a british army bivvy!

As for sleeping bag, the arctic bag is lovely, warm and cheap. But often it's overkill, especially if, like me, you camp "daan saaf"!!. It'll also take up a large chunk of your rucksuck! (sacrificing important beer and sausage space!). I generally just use mine if it's exceptionally cold and I'm close to the car!

I imagine the new issue Medium sleeping bag (as mentioned above) might prove to be a happy compromise. Otherwise, have a look at getting a good three season sleeping bag with a comfort rating just below zero. Snugpak make very good bags, I use their Travelpak 1 season bag from late spring to early Autumn and have been very happy with it. My winter bag is an Alpkit Mountain Ghost 300 (3 season) with a comfort rating of -5. It's very warm and comfy and compresses down to about half the size of a compressed arctic sleeping bag!

A good thing to look at if you want to boost a 2-3 season bag is a cheap down jacket and a pair of issue softy trousers. Both items can be picked up cheap and easily stow away in your rucksack.

 

[MrEd]

The only thing I would say about the Brit army bivi bag is to get the one with the extra gusset in the opening for wider shoulders - it’s muh more comfortable and easier to get in if your anything other than a racing snake,

Hold off buying until the weekend, will bring mine for you to look at and show you the gusset bit and you can have a look.

Great bits of kit, and very warm. You won’t want to use the Brit doss bag in the summer lol

 

[MrEd]

Oh and second a softy set, they are ace

 

[Philster]

All the MTP bivi's have the extended front so go for one of those. And another vote for softie jacket and trousers - lovely and warm, squash down to nothing in the pack and give peace of mind in cold weather. Make sure you buy a size smaller, they are massive!!

 

[MrEd]

All the MTP bivi's have the extended front so go for one of those. And another vote for softie jacket and trousers - lovely and warm, squash down to nothing in the pack and give peace of mind in cold weather. Make sure you buy a size smaller, they are massive!!

didnt realise the MTP all had it, i have one of the older green ones from circa 2000

 

[Nice65]

I’ve got a couple of the British Army bivi bags Darryl, both unused. You’re more than welcome to one if you want it. I’m only a few miles from Waynes place, so let me know and we can arrange a pick up/drop off.

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

Thanks so much for all of the support and help you’re giving me. As a gesture of thanks to those who have made this possible for us all, i’ve joined as a full member and I hope to one day be in a position to help and advise others in the same ways as you’re helping me.
I’m looking forward to meeting some of you at the Sussex meeting and hopefully at other meetings during the year.
So back to business. I’ll no doubt absorb much advice this weekend and i’m bringing a notepad but for now there are other things missing from my essential kit list and I can’t help looking at the endless lists of possible things. It’s all slowly becoming clearer.
I’m looking at this kit list from a day out, to a 1-2 night stay, in hopefully happy weather, which we Southern Softies, call ‘damp and a bit chilly’.
Right, dogs need walking. Catch you all soon.

Darryl

 

[Darryl of Sussex]

I’ve got a couple of the British Army bivi bags Darryl, both unused. You’re more than welcome to one if you want it. I’m only a few miles from Waynes place, so let me know and we can arrange a pick up/drop off.

That would be great and save me a lot of shopping around. Very kind of you to offer. Let me know how much you’d like for one and i’ll either Paypal or pay you when I see you.
Thanks a lot,

Darryl

 

[Nice65]

I’ll drop you a PM later.