Czech army bed roll mods ?

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CBJ

Native
Jan 28, 2009
1,055
0
40
Aberdeenshire
Hey folks,

Well a few months ago I opened up a present the missus got me and it was a Czech army bed roll. Apparently she had seen me reading Man of Taniths thread on them :rolleyes:.

I got to try it out for the first time a few weeks ago at the last N.E.S meet. I like it a lot. Definitely have to add a roll mat when on the ground and I wont be using it in conjunction with a hammock again :banghead:.

I was wondering what, if any modification's folks have done on theirs to make it better.

Cheers

atb

Craig
 

jacko1066

Native
May 22, 2011
1,689
0
march, cambs
Watching with interest!!!

I took the plunge and bought 1 yesterday at the Bushcraft show, I have looked for ages and didnt really think it would be any good, but having seen them in the flesh yasterday I though it would be great for a bit of daniel boone challenge or just some back to basics camping in conjunction to a tarp or basha!! I meant to have a look at the polish mat too but completely forgot!!

Maybe if, if its not been done before there could be a 'pimp my Czech bedroll' thread?

I will defo be looking at a really good ccf to accompany it!!

Just need the Norwiegian army pack to go with it!!

Cheers
Steve
 
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Macaroon

A bemused & bewildered
Jan 5, 2013
7,209
362
73
SE Wales
I got a generic nato - type quilted sleeping bag tye-in liner and it fits perfectly between cotton liner and blanket. I also replaced the blanket (not wool) with a thick woolen one from a charry, and it's one of the most comfortable things I've ever slept in..............It's permanently in the car now and if I go for a walk and then decide I'd like to stay out, just that and the DD poncho make for a comfortable night out. I reckon this set-up will do me for 9 months of the year here in the UK............atb mac
 

copper_head

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Feb 22, 2006
4,261
1
Hull
I'd used mine in winter with a Thermarest under the blanket and a 3 season bag inside, nice and warm and fairly waterproof. Bulky though and I use my Thermarest with my other sleep systems.
I like the idea of the bed roll to be a 'grab and go' bit of kit so after I did the Boone challenge I tried a more permanent mod that wouldn't cost too much.
I got my old CCF multimat and a £3 orange survival bag, the mat ges in the survival bag gaffa tape it up and slip it in under the blanket. I ditched the cotton liner on mine as it's very heavy for not much insulation.

9be4f68c-12d3-44e5-b710-bb4aa0b7ca27_zps9c52b6f2.jpg
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It'll still roll up into the hood and it's now got a waterproof base and a bit more insulation. The other other thing I added to mine is a sling, it bed roll's a bit unwieldy to attach to a backpack (at least any of the bags I own). I foolishly cut the D rings off mind before this occurred to me, but I just run a bit of paracord through the roll and clip the sling to that. Good in conjunction with a day pack.
 
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CBJ

Native
Jan 28, 2009
1,055
0
40
Aberdeenshire
Thanks chaps,

I have a few ideas , that I would like to try.

And I will probably swap out the cotton liner for something else maybe fleece, just to up the rating a bit more.


All the best

Craig
 

Globetrotter.uk

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Jan 24, 2008
2,063
5
Norwich UK
I brought mine a long time ago and my lad nicked it to use of youth camp. He has a cheap sleeping bag inside for extra warmth and a black foam mat about 1" thick. Being bulky it's rolled up into a trolley luggage bag with his clothes etc. but I am looking at making it a bit more compact and easier to transport.
 

Hugo

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 29, 2009
2,588
1
Lost in the woods
I use mine along with a mummy bag inside when it's cold, I kept the cotton sheet as this is easy to wash so you don't have to wash the whole thing too often.
It goes well using the Norwegian canvas rucksack I have, for car camping for me it is a good bit of kit.
 

Lister

Settler
Apr 3, 2012
992
1
36
Runcorn, Cheshire
Used mine in conjunction with my hammock this weekend and loved it.

The only mod i had done was attach about 10 mini-crabs to the button-loops in the sheet/outer trapping in the blanket as well. ran a center line above the DD Frontline (to attach the mossie upper and the czech bag to, bag around the outside of the hammock) and it worked rather well, it cut into the hammock space a bit but overall worked well, took it off after the first night as i was sweltering (DD Frontline, Vango Nitestar 450, Thermarest Prolite Small).
 

davidpingu

Forager
Nov 3, 2012
132
1
Cwmbran
Bit of a thread revival but interested to know if anyone has any other ideas?

I have a 3 season sleeping bag and up to now have only used the bedroll as a glorified sleep mat but I'm expecting my next outing to be a little too cold for the bag to lay on top so I'll probably sleep in the sleeping bag and in the bedroll. The only issue with that is I've been used to sleeping on a nice double layer of bedroll and if I get in to it, my ground insulation will be halved.

To help with this I've put one of the cheap foam mats in to the base of the system, beneath the blanket but I wondered whether anyone has thought of putting a foil blanket in underneath the linen lining as well for a bit of extra reflectivity? It always sticks with me when it's said that a layer underneath is worth two on top so halving my ground insulation is likely to be noticeable for heat loss as well as being less comfortable. I thought the foil blanket would add no weight or size but help to reduce heat loss. Any thoughts?

Currently, with the foam mat within, it will still just about roll up even though its now a bit thicker. So long as it rolls up I'm not too bothered as it always packs to the outside of my rucksack anyway.

Any other mods? I noticed someone had replaced the standard (acrylic?) blanket for genuine wool. Make much of a difference?

Cheers all,

Dave
 

dp0001

Forager
Apr 27, 2007
125
5
London
Is the outer nylon shell waterproof? I tried mine under the tap & it seems to be but maybe it wasn't under a tap long enough or the stitches leak or... ? Was it supposed to be like a bivi bag?
 

Reverend Graham

Life Member
Jul 2, 2012
381
1
Grimsby
Like some on here have done, slip a kip mat in the bottom and a 2 season mummy bag ( £6 from the moot ) between the sheets, works for me.

Rev G
 

ozzy1977

Full Member
Jan 10, 2006
8,558
3
46
Henley
As far as I know the base is waterproof, the top isnt, not a problem with mine as I have only used it under a tarp.
 

Gray

Full Member
Sep 18, 2008
2,091
10
Scouser living in Salford South UK
I done one a couple of months ago. I bought the bedroll unissued from MM for a tenner and bought a brand new feather/down duvet from Home Bargains for twenty quid. The idea is to make a waterproof,breathable winter sleeping bag for thirty quid.

ujyjyvuq.jpg

I laid the duvet out on top of the bivvy bag, marked it out and cut it to size

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Stitched it by hand along the seam

a2ajubu7.jpg

Unfortunately the duvet wasnt quite long enough and there was going to be a gap of about 6inches at the end. Im only 5"8-5"9 so i thought id get away with it. Maybe use it as boot space or for sock drying etc.

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Next job was to cut all the buttons off the supplied blanket, mark out the quilt, sew on the buttons, attach it to the bivvy bag and button the cotton sheet in. The duvet was also too wide by about 6 inches but this made a cracking zip baffle.

mebaqu9a.jpg

All done,it still rolls up and fits inside its own hood.

There we go, waterproof,breathable winter bag. Brand new for thirty quid.
I have since tested this out at Middlewood last month, temps only went down to about +3 i think and i roasted all night,too hot. I ended up undoing it. The bad point is that gap at the bottom, my toes just kept finding that cold spot. I've sorted that out by rolling up a fleece throw into a sausage and i've sewn it to the bottom of the duvet. Happy days.
 

davidpingu

Forager
Nov 3, 2012
132
1
Cwmbran
Nice idea Gray. I'd never have thought a duvet would still roll up within the bedroll but I guess as soon as the air is out it won't be much thicker than a blanket.

I'd not really thought of doing that but done right it should be warmer than a wool blanket due to the increased air volume its going to trap.

So you use this in conjunction with a sleep mat I take it as there wouldn't be a great deal of insulation underneath you otherwise?

As regards waterproofing I'd say it was shower proof but I've not risked laying it straight on top of damp ground. I always lay a ground sheet down first and use it under a tarp obviously..
 

Firebow Swagger

Tenderfoot
Sep 15, 2013
77
0
United Kingdom/Essex
I got a silver foil emergency shelter sheet ,form poundland and stuck it between the outer skin and the blanket , it was a bit noisy when I moved, but warm as toast and weighs nothing .

Ive also been toying with the idea of stitching a cheap net hammock inside it, but will have a few tests once the weather gets better

I love the Duvet idea too probably weighs less too than the blanket
 
I was speaking to a friend of mine today who was serving his 2 year conscription in the Czechoslovakian army when the fall of socialism happened (end of 80s). I particularly wanted advice about the bedroll. Apparently, it's also what they used in place of sheets and blankets in the bunkhouse on the barracks. It was literally THE bedroll they were issued for all indoor and outdoor activities throughout their conscription. Very similar to how Roman soldiers used theirs.
Slavs have a much higher cold tolerance than us British as, without modifications, I fear the bedroll wouldn't be sufficient to keep us warm during winter. I will try it out this year, both in its natural state and modified, under the same conditions the original army used it under, and see how well it fares.
 

Laurentius

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Aug 13, 2009
2,422
614
Knowhere
I have recently supplemented mine with an old cheapo rectangular sleeping bag I got from Woolies years ago, It fits well and still rolls up fairly compactly. Not used it in this configuration yet, but I reckon it will do nicely.
 

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