alpkit

[tommy the cat]

One or two on here have had some of them lovely alpkit bed rolls how about a lovely review with some smashing pics?
Been thinking of an air type bed but want a cheaper alt to thermarest.
You lot are ace you are D

 

[Aliwren]

Erm well I have got the fat airic and can recommend it - its long and green quite thick and very comfortable. Alpkits customer service is excellent - No photos Im afraid as it really isnt anything that interesting to look at!!

 

[tommy the cat]

Isn't the fat airac a bit of a beast? Was thinking ultimate comfort for least size and weight.
Thanks for the comments on customer service nice to know D

 

[weekend_warrior]

Another vote for the Fat Airic - strong, well made, very comfortable and rolls up pretty small. Come with straps, bag and repair kit.

 

[Jodie]

I'll be trying out my shiny new Regular Airic, which is thinner than the Fat Airic, this
weekend in the Lake District so will let you know next Tuesday when I'm back in
London.

Alpkit have put together an excellent mat comparison chart which you can find on
their website and I also put a link to it in my mammoth "things I might take when
going camping" thread, which will be updated, again on Tuesday, to "things I used
when I went camping and things I didn't really need after all but enjoyed buying
nonetheless"

I might take a picture of my factory-rolled Airic actually to encourage me when I'm
putting it back together again after a couple of nights' kip. It's at this point that I
tend to start swearing at stuff sacks and getting a bit weepy and irrational

 

[tommy the cat]

Have a good 'dry' (hopefully) time Jodie. I noticed you had bought I think the one I was thinking of and hoped you might pipe up!
Enjoy D

 

[Jodie]

This was a good buy (Regular Airic from Alpkit) - it was nice and foamy, fairly easy to
pack down again (the one thing that was ) and kept me off the ground and very
comfortable. No problems with turning over on it - I didn't have to lie flat, it was OK to
sleep on my side as I prefer, without being dug into by the ground.

It gets my thumbs up.

To be fair I didn't test it to endurance or anything as I made sure I parked my tent on
a flattish straightish spot of woodland and there weren't any stones beneath me; I'm
not sure how it would do on tougher terrain but I didn't have it puffed up to its full
extent (didn't need it) so I expect that there's more protection available from it if you
need it and blow it up a bit more.

The only problem is that I cannot sleep out of doors these days and had about four
hours uninterrupted sleep - however curiously I didn't feel that tired as it was quality
sleep!

Although about five times as expensive as a cheapy foam mat (the £5 ones) it takes
up the same space and definitely provides a LOT more comfort and padding.

From what I understand the one I have is the 'normal' one and the 'fat airic' is for people
who'd be travelling by car and so can carry a bit extra weight to benefit from even more
comfort. They also have a shorter one which is presumably lighter for people who are
shorter themselves or who don't mind their feet hanging off the end.

I think there was another one as well but once I'd seen the Regular one I was happy with
that. Also while I was on their website I picked up a headtorch for a fiver which is cheaper
than some other places. It did the job fine (got me back to the tent and helped me find
my ticks!) but it wasn't as high tech as some of the others - it angles though and has
two or four bulb options with three AAA batteries.

I like the Alpkit people - they were prompt (startlingly so) and pleasant with it. I'm not
affiliated with them.

 

[giancarlo]

Sounds good Jodie.

I emailed them a few days ago and they replied the next day and were very helpful with their replies.
They seem like really decent people working there and solid products. From reading the website it's good to come across a company that doesn't take itself too seriously but still offers good service.

I saw that headlight too, were out of stock when i looked though, seems a very decent buy now

 

[led]

Can't recommend them too highly. I've three Airics (2 Fat and 1 regular, plus a load of their other kit). They've been through the wars a bit, but still as comfy as ever (albeit with a few patches now after some sparks landed on them). I sleep better on the fat airic than I do in my bed. It's not something I'd take unless I was going by car though, that's what the regular airic's for.

 

[twisted firestarter]

the Fat Airic is a cracking sleeping mat. I just spent a week sleeping on mine including two nights on large pebbles which I couldn't even feel. Not the smallest mat on the market by a long way but worth making room for if you're after a decent nights sleep.

 

[tommy the cat]

Thanks for all that guys especially Jodie for going to the extra trouble of typing up that review. I suppose I will easily fit it in my pack if you packed all of that on your list Jodie!!!! Regular Airic may be the answer.
Anyway many thanks you guys rock
D

 

[Jodie]

Just to add to this. I was out on my Airic on Friday and Saturday night and discovered
on Sunday morning that I'd punctured it quite badly - there's a small tear in it now, which
I will have to get on and fix - it made not a jot of difference to my comfortable night's
sleep on it as there was still plenty of air in there! It is still excellent 'in the field'.

I noticed on Saturday night that I had to pump it up a little bit, not much but it wasn't as
firm as it had been the night before - I realised I'd managed to gouge it on Friday night,
rather embarrassingly with the hook from my bra I think! It was a warm night...

I didn't realise about the gouging until Sunday morning when I was rolling it up.
It's absolutely fine though and will be good as new when I find where I left the repair kit!

 

[leon-1]

I have the slim Airic and I am more than happy with it, I f I get a chance I'll do a review of it after the Wilderness Gathering along with the Hunka (bivvy bag).

 

[Drop]

I have a Wee Airic with a slow I cant locate and a Gourdon 30 thats had the velcro come loose and a strap starting to pull away where it joins the bottom of the bag. When I get the chance I'm going to check out the customer service.

Funnily enough I'd still recommend them to people, I just seem to be unlucky with kit, esp self inflatable mats.

I have my eye on the Hunka.

 

[leon-1]

I have my eye on the Hunka.

Well it's not the lightest Bivvy Bag out there, there are three that come to mind which are lighter, all of them pack down small. Alpkit even provide links to the others on their site.

The Hunka weighs in at 388 grams and is 215cms long according to Alpkit and that it packs down to a 15cm sphere. Well for the first time in my life I found a manufacturer that I agree with on their stats, I would infact say that it will pack down smaller.

I have only used it a couple of times since I got it, but so far I have been impressed. I always tend to find some condensation on the inside of Bivvy bags after a night in one, however the Hunka just felt mildly clammy which is a bonus.

The low weight and small pack size are a bonus as it packs smaller than a Lowe Alpine LiteFlite Jacket and weighs less. I wasn't too bothered about the colour either as it comes in Alpkit black or Alpkit Black (I think they took a leaf out of Henry Ford's book on that one) and lets face it it mainly gets used at night when you cannot see colours anyway so who cares.

It has the drawcords on both sides and the integral stuff bag which is a nice touch as well. It is actually a nice little bag.

As I said there are others out there which are lighter, The Black Diamond Winter Bivi weighs in at 277 grams, The mountain equipment Ion Bivvy bag weighs in at 280 grams and the Snugpak Code Green weighs in at 340grams.

Now the good News is that all the others are more than double the price of the Hunka before delivery, the Hunka itself costs £25 delivered which I find pretty amazing.

Now the only other viable bag for this money is really the Army surplus one however it is more than double both the size and weight of the Hunka and it costs more.

Now personally I really like this bag there is not a lot more to say about it, from my use of it so far it does what it says on the tin and it does it well.

 

[obediah]

I dont have the sleeping mat but I do have one of the alpinedream bags and just to echo the remarks about customer service,the guys were top notch (next day delivery and queries answered).Following up leons note about the hunka,I believe the guy that designed it is the same chap that designed the rab.Its my next purchase when they get them back in stock

 

[Shepard]

Their Myti mug is infantry proof, extremly handy, light and durable.

Bought the Hunka and the Wee Airic last week.

Such quality and service per £ makes me a returning customer!

:You_Rock_

 

[Jodie]

I seem to have a terrible memory

In post #12 I mention tearing my Regular Airic and approximately one year later I
remember this fact tonight while inspecting the contents-to-be of my rucksack for
my next trip outdoors (next weekend - Woodsmoke Trailbreaker). Imagine my
embarrassment

Anyway, I have access to more bicycle repair kits than to the original Airic repair
kit which seems to be off camping itself at the moment...

My question - can I use any old repair kit to mend my Reg Airic? Any particular
advice on adhesives? Instructions suggest I should stick the patch when it's deflated
but I can't help thinking it should be when it's a bit inflated otherwise inflating it
will just pop the patch off. You can tell I've not done this sort of thing before, but
I expect one of my neighbours can help me as they're quite outdoorsy. And there's
always duct tape.

It's hanging limply over my clothes horse at the moment looking a bit sorry for itself,
and I'm going to puff a bit more air in to firm it up, close the valve and see how it does
overnight (not a very good test as there won't be a me on it, the me being in my
bed next door) but I'll get an idea of how much damage there is. Probably it's actually
OK as it is, even wounded it's vastly superior to the foam mats I used to go camping
on.

Jo

 

[Glen]

My question - can I use any old repair kit to mend my Reg Airic? Any particular
advice on adhesives? Instructions suggest I should stick the patch when it's deflated
but I can't help thinking it should be when it's a bit inflated otherwise inflating it
will just pop the patch off. You can tell I've not done this sort of thing before, but
I expect one of my neighbours can help me as they're quite outdoorsy. And there's
always duct tape.

I think the idea of sticking the patch on when deflated is so that if anything it sucks a little adhesive in, forming a little plug that won't just pop out, plus the negative presure drop keeps the patch down tight while the adhesive dries.

 

[bushcraftbob]

has anyone got the Filo down jacket? I was thinking of getting one when the weather gets a bit colder. The price is brill compared to down jackets such as the North Face ones.