Bedroll/Shelter

[Home Guard]

I need to make myself a bedroll on a budget, that would be suitable for lightweight bushcraft that requires as least items as possible.
It must consist of the following:
A groundsheet
Ground mat
Blanket
and shelter.

The idea being that all this lot can be folded/ rolled up together and tied at both ends with rope and with a sling, carried on my back.

Has anyone had any experience with these, or can suggest where/what/how I can source these items?

Thankyou

 

[Miyagi]

Hi Home guard,

Search for posts by andybysea on here. I'm sure he made a bedroll or two over the years.

Liam

 

[Adze]

I'm a long way from an expert, but here's my best guess:

Czech army bed roll from Military Mart for a tenner would be a good start - I used mine in Scotland a short while back with a 3 season bag inside it and was very toasty despite the dog's water bowl freezing 8mm thick overnight - I suspect that's more to do with the 3 season bag though than the bedroll.

One of these or similar if you've the wedge:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/THERMALIT...s_SleepingMats_Airbeds_CA&hash=item231e1235d9
£approx 17.50

Or one of these, if you've less wedge:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/HIGHLANDE...s_SleepingMats_Airbeds_CA&hash=item1c28d260e0
£approx 7.50

Tarp for shelter:
http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/3m-x-2-4m...018?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_3&hash=item1c282ddaa2 (ok it ain't pretty... but it's cheap!)
£approx 5.00

Under £25 and add in a little for some cordage and you're pretty much good to go. Might be ugly and heavy, but it's cheaper than Premier Inn

 

[shootfive]

Might be ugly and heavy, but it's cheaper than Premier Inn

I'm assembling my first set of the "main" essential kit to help me get out and really experience the outdoors for more than a few hours at a time and have been looking at the bedrolls. They look great value and a good idea but the weight is an issue. I assume there are no slightly bigger-budget options that cut out on the weight and bulk when .. Everyone says they are good for car camping but wouldn't walk far with them.

Think I may need to investigate bag/bivvy/tarp combos, but this seems a minefield on a budget also!

Aaaagh.

 

[Adze]

I assume there are no slightly bigger-budget options that cut out on the weight and bulk when .. Everyone says they are good for car camping but wouldn't walk far with them.

Providing the weather isn't too cold and you don't need to take czech roll & a sleeping bag it'd be fine to carry - again, not the lightest perhaps, but hardly back breaking. Once you add in a proper groundsheet, thermarest, 3 season bag etc and it's definitely too heavy.

You could just use the outer section of the czech roll, someone posted on here about doing that a while back - it might have been in the 'cheap bedroll thread'.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Why not put your sleeping bag on one of these, UK issue Closed Cell Foam sleeping mat

Put both in side this, UK army bivvy bag

and roll up to make a water proof bed roll, then sleep under one of these, UK issue basha

All to be had for a reasonable price, no relation to sellers just found them on the bay, depending on your sleeping bag it could be a very light bed roll, I use this very system though the sleeping bag lives in side my bivvy inside my bergan, basha in its own dry bag and ccf roll on the out side of bergan,

 

[sandbender]

I need to make myself a bedroll on a budget, that would be suitable for lightweight bushcraft that requires as least items as possible.
It must consist of the following:
A groundsheet
Ground mat
Blanket
and shelter.

The idea being that all this lot can be folded/ rolled up together and tied at both ends with rope and with a sling, carried on my back.

Has anyone had any experience with these, or can suggest where/what/how I can source these items?

Thankyou

If you look at older images of folk 'slinging' a bedroll over their shoulder, the blankets are quite sizeable, Dave Canterbury had a few videos where he demonstrated a blanket roll type carrying set up, however the blanket he uses is quite small. I think if you plan to use a blanket for your sleep system in the UK in anything other than the summer then you may want to think about a much bulkier setup than you may be imagining. Additionally rucksacks were created to carry loads more comfortably, carrying any weight slung over your shoulder for any distance isn't good for you back, I've tried it and if you want to go the minimal gear route make sure you can knock up a Roycraft pack.

I have used a Swanndri bush shirt instead of a blanket, that can work and it is a little more convenient than trying to faff around your camp in a blanket pin cape.

Post some pictures of how you get on, here are few old ones for you.

 

[Angst]

hi sand!.....still usng that oak tree pic i hope?

home guard.....seems me and southey are of identical opinion....i have and use all three of the items hes mentioned....and if you bung an army issue jungle sleeping bag into that youve no worries whatsoever....light as hell....all rolls up into compression sack.....job done. oh and youll need some paracord ideally too...

a

Why not put your sleeping bag on one of these, UK issue Closed Cell Foam sleeping mat

Put both in side this, UK army bivvy bag

and roll up to make a water proof bed roll, then sleep under one of these, UK issue basha

All to be had for a reasonable price, no relation to sellers just found them on the bay, depending on your sleeping bag it could be a very light bed roll, I use this very system though the sleeping bag lives in side my bivvy inside my bergan, basha in its own dry bag and ccf roll on the out side of bergan,

 

[shootfive]

hi sand.....seems me and southey are of identical opinion....i have and use all three of the items hes mentioned....and if you bung an army issue jungle sleeping bag into that youve no worries whatsoever....light as hell....all rolls up into compression sack.....job done.

Why not put your sleeping bag on one of these, UK issue Closed Cell Foam sleeping mat

Put both in side this, UK army bivvy bag

and roll up to make a water proof bed roll, then sleep under one of these, UK issue basha

All to be had for a reasonable price, no relation to sellers just found them on the bay, depending on your sleeping bag it could be a very light bed roll, I use this very system though the sleeping bag lives in side my bivvy inside my bergan, basha in its own dry bag and ccf roll on the out side of bergan,

Thanks guys - that's very helpful! I've got to work out a good way of lugging all the gear I assemble as it is put together during the coming weeks and months. I've been gifted an army 38l (I think) NI Patrol pack which I will attempt to use as my kit bag for now to keep the costs down. This may help keep the amount of non-essential kit down (as noted by Wolf on here).

I'd like to go for more natural/earthy colours than DPM so will shop around. The bag is DPM already but I don't want to look like an Action Man wannabee.

 

[rik_uk3]

Thanks guys - that's very helpful! I've got to work out a good way of lugging all the gear I assemble as it is put together during the coming weeks and months. I've been gifted an army 38l (I think) NI Patrol pack which I will attempt to use as my kit bag for now to keep the costs down. This may help keep the amount of non-essential kit down (as noted by Wolf on here).

I'd like to go for more natural/earthy colours than DPM so will shop around. The bag is DPM already but I don't want to look like an Action Man wannabee.

Who cares what you look like?

Gortex bivvy bag
Cell foam mat
Sleeping bag
Small tarp/basha
Job done.

 

[Retired Member southey]

Thanks guys - that's very helpful! I've got to work out a good way of lugging all the gear I assemble as it is put together during the coming weeks and months. I've been gifted an army 38l (I think) NI Patrol pack which I will attempt to use as my kit bag for now to keep the costs down. This may help keep the amount of non-essential kit down (as noted by Wolf on here).

I'd like to go for more natural/earthy colours than DPM so will shop around. The bag is DPM already but I don't want to look like an Action Man wannabee.

not sure whether to be offended by the implied insinuation there

 

[Miyagi]

Hahahahahaha!

Liam

 

[Globetrotter.uk]

Hey mate I got one of the Czech ones, if you fancy meeting up to have a good look at one. we are meeting in norfolk on the 21st if your free.

 

[mountainm]

not sure whether to be offended by the implied insinuation there

You ain't no wannabee, I've seen the slider at the back of your head that makes your eyes move.

 

[sandbender]

hi sand!.....still usng that oak tree pic i hope?..."

Indeed, many thanks.

 

[lavrentyuk]

I am a bit into American Civil War re-enactment stuff and recently made myself a period style poncho using lightweight canvas, about 6' x 4' hemmed, with a hole for the head etc. I then painted it with PVA glue mixed with black poster paint to imitate the rubber/tar mix used at the time and to waterproof it. It makes both poncho and groundsheet. I wrap my woollen blanket in it. and sling it over my shoulder tied at one end. My next task is to make a shlter half - an oblong of heavy weight canvas with strategically placed grommets at the corners that is to be used with two sticks and a couple of pegs to make an impromptu shelter. Two together make a tent. Obviously a bit heavier than might be desired but I love this kind of stuff.

Spent Saturday playing with percussion cap muskets in some local woodland which is another bonus. "I love the smell of gunpowder in the morning."

 

[KIMBOKO]

You could buy an orange survival bag. £4.00 .25kgs
A camping mat Argos £5.49 .14 kgs
A Pro Action sleeping bag also Argos £7.99 1.6kgs
You place the mat down on the ground then the survival bag on top then the sleeping bag. If it rains in the night it will wake you up. You then quickly get yourself and the sleeping bag into the survival bag.
Alternatives are to put the camping mat in the survival bag, protecting the mat or the mat on top of the survival bag reducing the slide factor of sleeping bag on polythene.

 

[tiger stacker]

Sounds silly have you looked at a rare unused 58 pattern sleeping bag. The concept was poncho clipped ontop made it water proof.
Thankfully i outgrew my bag and discovered the bouncing bomb was warmer bulkier and roomier.

 

[rg598]

Who cares what you look like?

Gortex bivvy bag
Cell foam mat
Sleeping bag
Small tarp/basha
Job done.

+1

If you want cheap gear that still works, army surplus is the way to go. That's how I started out. All my gear used to be army surplus from a store next to my school. I would say the most important part of the set up is the sleeping bag. It will give much more insulation for the weight than a blanket. If you get a large enough tarp, you can skip the bivvy bag.