Bivi bag

[mutineer]

Hi all.
First post so go easy please. After many years of thinking about bushcraft I went on a course the other weekend. I am ex army so I thought I would be fine under a tarp. 7 years has made me soft!
basically, I need to get a bivi bag and a roll mat. I have a snugpack 12 sleeping bag which I used in the army with the issue roll mat and bivi bag. It always did me well in cold weathers so I was miffed when I was freezing at night. I used an old roll mat which on second thoughts is too thin and generally rubbish. I used an old army poncho folded over as a bivi bag and the lack of breathability was a problem.
Anyway, I know from experience that foam roll mats and british army bivi bags work for me so I guess I have 2 questions.

1- Are there any comparable pieces of kit around at a good price?
2- If I bought some surplus kit, where is best?

NB- Cost is definately an issue.
Cheers, Nick

 

[Shewie]

You can pick up the NATO 4 season mat for around £10 I think, the army goretex bivvies are around £20-30 depending on condition.

 

[Lister]

There are several online surplus stores that those here use but the one that comes to mind is "the home of the £10 czech amy bed roll" lmao: http://www.militarymart.co.uk

(mandatory bed-roll linky: http://www.militarymart.co.uk/index.php?_a=product&product_id=1772)

 

[ged]

First post so go easy please.

Welcome to BCUK!

After many years of thinking about bushcraft I went on a course the other weekend. I am ex army so I thought I would be fine under a tarp. 7 years has made me soft!

Wuss.

basically, I need to get a bivi bag and a roll mat. I have a snugpack 12 sleeping bag which I used in the army with the issue roll mat and bivi bag. It always did me well in cold weathers so I was miffed when I was freezing at night. I used an old roll mat which on second thoughts is too thin and generally rubbish. I used an old army poncho folded over as a bivi bag and the lack of breathability was a problem.

All totally understandable. Improvise. You can easily beef up the mat insulation by putting some vegetation underneath it. I prefer a self-inflating mat but they are a bit more expensive.

Anyway, I know from experience that foam roll mats and british army bivi bags work for me so I guess I have 2 questions.

1- Are there any comparable pieces of kit around at a good price?

2- If I bought some surplus kit, where is best? NB- Cost is definately an issue.

Now and again you see ex-issue bags sold in the classified section on this site, sometimes at bargain prices but mostly at reasonable prices. As has been said you can find them in many online and walk-in stores.

You might find a small cheap tent keeps you a bit warmer. I've picked one up for as little as a fiver at the end of a tent show.

Even in a tent I usually use an issue bivvy bag over my sleeping bag. As well as adding a bit of insulation it keeps the sleeping bag from getting wet on the outside with condensation, which is always a problem for me as I sweat a lot whether I'm hot or cold.

 

[John Fenna]

Hello and welcome!
Military Mart is a good online shop to start looking

 

[rik_uk3]

Get a tent from Argos for a tenner.

 

[Elen Sentier]

Hello and welcome ... soooo much choice for how to sleep here

 

[crosslandkelly]

Hi Nick, Welcome and enjoy. +1 for military mart.

 

[ZEbbEDY]

dutch army mat is nice and thick

 

[MikeLA]

Stick with the tried and tested issue especially for a rollmat and bivy bag. Try strikeforce supplies sometime have the bivi bag. Silvermans have the issue rollmat but expensive

 

[andibs]

I got a nice (as new) Ex issue U.S. Bivi bag off amazon for a good price

 

[mutineer]

Hi all,
Apologies for not replying but I didnt see the post when I posted it last month. Thanks for the replies. I have since got myself the issue bivi bag and on your suggestions I will get the NATO sleep mat. Never did me wrong when being thrashed across Brecon!