This weekend I was fortunate enough to get out and try a few new items of kit and iron out any issues with my existing Winter kit.
Having acknowledged that I need a bigger Bergan for a Winter trips, I recently bought a Berghaus Vulcan II.
Fully packed, with all Winter gear and room to spare...the zipper pulls are made of reflective paracord and are very effective when a light shines on them.
I also bought a rain cover for the Bergan fron RVOps, in multicam, with a high viz panel on the reverse for when I want to be seen.
One of the excuses for having a few nights out was to re rig a parachute canopy, which had been up over summer and was a little worse for wear. I decided to rig it as a tipi shelter, to give better protection over the coming Winter months.
Picture shows the tipi lit from inside by my Coleman dual fuel lantern...
However, I wasn't entirely happy with it, so next day converted it to a yurt style set up...seen with my Warbonnet Superfly in the background.
...and the view inside. Cavernous!
I bought a UkHammocks quilt and underblanket a couple of years ago, but have never really got on with the underblanket as I always found that it moved too much and was difficult to adjust. I think this was down to me not using it properly, so gave it another go this weekend. I'm glad I perciviered, because I got it right this time out and so will keep it...
Hanging on my ridge line you will see a string of LED fairy lights...these are run from 3 AA batteries and are great for reading by, but cause much Micky taking from other Scout Leaders that I camp with. Also on the ridge line is a poncho liner, which is tied at the foot end to the hammock and then fixed via a mini clipper to the ridge line. This set up means I can pull the liner over me, leaving about 8 inches of ridge line uncovered, like a curtain, trapping in body heat and creating a cosy micro climate inside the hammock.
Poncho liner in night mode...
Now I'm nothing if not complicated, with a good mix of modern and traditional gear. My favourite stove (this week) is a Svea123R, which I combine with Ti cookwear. I love the Svea, as it always causes a stir when a light it...people step back when they see me pouring petrol (Aspen 4T) on the outside of the stove and setting fire to it
.
Stove and pans all packed up...
Looking inside...2 billy pans & lids, Svea 123R and mug (which goes over the stove, upside down)...
Primed and lit, but not quite ready for cooking yet...
Ready for cooking...
I always use an issue 58 Patt water bottle and in Winter it doubles up as a hot water bottle. I find that filling it with hot water, then holding it between your thighs heats me up really quickly. Once I'm warm it gets thrown into the hammock to preheat it before I get in. Shown next to the water bottle is an Outdoor Research "Ninjaclava", on its first outing. I bought it because I always suffer from a cold nose when hammocking...this covers the entire head, just leaving your eyes uncovered. I had no condensation issues with the Ninjaclava and will definitely be taking it on all my Winter trips from now on.
Finally, I have to admit to a guilty pleasure...breakfast in a tin, cooked on my old faithfull Peak 1 Coleman stove...
So how did it all go together...very well, I thought.
The UKHammocks underblanket and quilt combo kept me snug and warm on the first night, with temperatures down to -4C. On the second night, temperatures stayed around 2C and I had to throw off the quilt, and "open" the poncho liner to cool down a little.
The Ninjaclava is nothing like the old balaclava I had as a kid, with no condensation issues and being very comfy to wear all night long.
The Svea is a tried and tested piece of kit, which has earned a place in my bergan because it is so reliable. As a bonus it nests well with my Ti cookwear too
Having acknowledged that I need a bigger Bergan for a Winter trips, I recently bought a Berghaus Vulcan II.
Fully packed, with all Winter gear and room to spare...the zipper pulls are made of reflective paracord and are very effective when a light shines on them.
I also bought a rain cover for the Bergan fron RVOps, in multicam, with a high viz panel on the reverse for when I want to be seen.
One of the excuses for having a few nights out was to re rig a parachute canopy, which had been up over summer and was a little worse for wear. I decided to rig it as a tipi shelter, to give better protection over the coming Winter months.
Picture shows the tipi lit from inside by my Coleman dual fuel lantern...
However, I wasn't entirely happy with it, so next day converted it to a yurt style set up...seen with my Warbonnet Superfly in the background.
...and the view inside. Cavernous!
I bought a UkHammocks quilt and underblanket a couple of years ago, but have never really got on with the underblanket as I always found that it moved too much and was difficult to adjust. I think this was down to me not using it properly, so gave it another go this weekend. I'm glad I perciviered, because I got it right this time out and so will keep it...
Hanging on my ridge line you will see a string of LED fairy lights...these are run from 3 AA batteries and are great for reading by, but cause much Micky taking from other Scout Leaders that I camp with. Also on the ridge line is a poncho liner, which is tied at the foot end to the hammock and then fixed via a mini clipper to the ridge line. This set up means I can pull the liner over me, leaving about 8 inches of ridge line uncovered, like a curtain, trapping in body heat and creating a cosy micro climate inside the hammock.
Poncho liner in night mode...
Now I'm nothing if not complicated, with a good mix of modern and traditional gear. My favourite stove (this week) is a Svea123R, which I combine with Ti cookwear. I love the Svea, as it always causes a stir when a light it...people step back when they see me pouring petrol (Aspen 4T) on the outside of the stove and setting fire to it
.Stove and pans all packed up...
Looking inside...2 billy pans & lids, Svea 123R and mug (which goes over the stove, upside down)...
Primed and lit, but not quite ready for cooking yet...
Ready for cooking...
I always use an issue 58 Patt water bottle and in Winter it doubles up as a hot water bottle. I find that filling it with hot water, then holding it between your thighs heats me up really quickly. Once I'm warm it gets thrown into the hammock to preheat it before I get in. Shown next to the water bottle is an Outdoor Research "Ninjaclava", on its first outing. I bought it because I always suffer from a cold nose when hammocking...this covers the entire head, just leaving your eyes uncovered. I had no condensation issues with the Ninjaclava and will definitely be taking it on all my Winter trips from now on.
Finally, I have to admit to a guilty pleasure...breakfast in a tin, cooked on my old faithfull Peak 1 Coleman stove...
So how did it all go together...very well, I thought.
The UKHammocks underblanket and quilt combo kept me snug and warm on the first night, with temperatures down to -4C. On the second night, temperatures stayed around 2C and I had to throw off the quilt, and "open" the poncho liner to cool down a little.
The Ninjaclava is nothing like the old balaclava I had as a kid, with no condensation issues and being very comfy to wear all night long.
The Svea is a tried and tested piece of kit, which has earned a place in my bergan because it is so reliable. As a bonus it nests well with my Ti cookwear too
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