What’s your go to set-up at the moment?

[Frumious Bandersnatch]

I use a simple oilcloth shelter, I use sticks to keep me off the ground as I do most of my trekking in winter. I lay my pure wool blanket over the pile of sticks. I use my knapsack for a pillow. I find this set up light & efficient & easy to set up. On the trail if I get caught in a rain storm, I use this oilcloth shelter to cover myself & my pack until the storm has passed, or to keep me dry until I find a decent campsite.
My blanket is tied to the top of my knapsack, & the oilcloth is secured under the flap closure of my knapsack. Securing pegs (tent pegs) I make on site. I carry extra clothing rolled up inside my blanket roll; a wool waistcoat, a wool shirt, a wool Monmouth cap. I wear these over my other clothing on cold nights. My shelter having an open front I am able to take advantage of a fire for warmth & cooking. I store extra kindling in the back of my shelter, & at the head of my bed outside & make a store of firewood so I can keep the fire going all night without having to leave my bed.
Keith.

Woah - this is some impressive stuff Keith! I have actually got a great woollen blanket from a Swiss army reserves store and was extremely surprised that it dealt with moisture very well - for some reason I just assumed it would be awful.

Do you find all that wool particularly heavy to take with you along with kindling etc? I’d love to give a more traditional set up a try soon!


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[Le Loup]

Woah - this is some impressive stuff Keith! I have actually got a great woollen blanket from a Swiss army reserves store and was extremely surprised that it dealt with moisture very well - for some reason I just assumed it would be awful.

Do you find all that wool particularly heavy to take with you along with kindling etc? I’d love to give a more traditional set up a try soon!


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The one wool blanket is not that heavy, & the wool clothing is less weight than another blanket. The kindling & firewood I collect from the forest floor. The heaviest item I carry is my water bottle.
If I can be of any assistance FB, just ask. There is more information on my blogs: http://woodsrunnersdiary.blogspot.com/ http://australiansurvivalandpreppers.blogspot.com/ And on our group's forum which you are welcome to join if you wish FB: https://neclhg.freeforums.net/
Regards, Keith.
An ex West Sussex lad.

 

[Paul_B]

Not wildcamped for a few years now due to family pressures but my kit was always tarp and bivvy. Specifically Kathmandu tarp from that small manufacturer from Wales iirc who unfortunately passed away shortly after my purchase thus ending the business. His tarp was best buy in an outdoor magazine. I use it with a rab survival zone bivvy and a Rubens CCF mat in spring to early autumn. The mat was 130g before I cut it down to torso size and shape.

I use a golite quilt and a wool beanie hat for my head. I sleep fully clothed and use a synthetic insulation smock (rab with primaloft) inside for extra warmth. A quilt allows for heat dump earlier on in the night when im often too warm but I often get cold early morning so by then im fully wrapped up snug.

Later on in life I've been cycle touring with the family which means a Scandinavian brand of extended tunnel tent in a 3 man size. It's light enough but with enough room and storage too. The porch opens on the side and one panel in the front taper as doors. It also fully opens at the front end, as in fully open. Great for sitting out a summer rainstorm before setting off again.

My tarp and bivvy has given me a good night's sleep in storms when hilleberg 4 season tunnels got an absolute pounding. Ever seen a sleeping campers sleeping face through the inner and fly sheet fabric due to the wind flattening it then releasing it for a couple of hours. That had me fascinated from my nice, warm and dry tarp and bivvy setup. Seriously she didn't wake up despite one gust must have covered her mouth completely for a good 30 seconds during which she must have been unable to breath. Got me worried. I started to get up to wake her.

My point is a well pitched tarp is as secure as any tent. People don't think it can cope with much.

 

[Barney Rubble]

Really appreciate the review - sounds like it will definitely be on the cards for my next purchase - rare to find a genuine two man that doesn’t have major compromises in other aspects - hopefully we can get out again properly soon!

Cheers fella!


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For what it's worth, I also have the Elixir 2 and would echo everything that Van Wild said, it's an awesome little tent. A genuine 2-person tent, and a palace for one plus kit!

 

[Barney Rubble]

My go-to setup at the moment is thus:
Dutch Army Hooped Bivy bag
Helikon-Tex Poncho or DD Superlight 3x3 tarp (I look to the weather forecast when deciding on the tarp).
OEX Fathom EV 200, 2 season sleeping bag - being in Kent, things are generally quite mild, this kept me plenty warm enough through last winter.
Exped Flexmat Plus foam mat - this is a posh 38mm thick foam mat and I've been very impressed with it so far. I will however swap this out for my Exped Downmat if I want more luxury/comfort.
Quechua Helium pillow from Decathlon.

One possible addition to this set-up will be a newly acquired merino wool blanket that I've bought from Outhaus. It'll be coming out on my next trip and potentially used as a mattress topper for my foam mat or draped over the doss bag if things do get cold. I liked the look of it because it's much more compact than your usual mil-surp wool blanket.

I'm absolutely besotted with my Dutch hooped bivi at the mo, I managed to get a brand new one from surplus and outdoors just before lockdown and have been using it a lot since we were allowed to go camping again. I used to be very biased towards hammock camping, but I've really fallen out of love with the hammock lately and much prefer the simplicity of tarp and bivvy camping. I also love how I can store the majority of my kit in the head end of the Dutchy, ensuring everything is dry and secure and also create a nice pillow.

 

[Suffolkrafter]

I've been reading this thread with interest. I've not lived in my current area for all that long and I'm hoping to start wild camping come spring, to explore and get some peace and quiet. I have a 3 by 3 tarp and a very old Rab breathable bivi bag of some description so I'm most of the way there kit-wise.
But my local forests have tics and are a known area for Lyme disease and this is putting me off somewhat. Of course there are mesh tents I could use instead of the bivi. DD do some decent looking ones which I think are also midge proof, although they add some weight and at that point I figure I may as well go down the tent route.
For the tarp dwellers among us, have tics been an issue for you? Am I overestimating the risk possibly?

 

[MikeeMiracle]

Mine is:

3x3 DD MC tarp - £40
Nemo Switchback Close Cell Foam Mat (R2 Rating I believe) - £45
Cheapest air mat I can find on amazon, usualy £20-£30 for some comfort
Carinthia Defence 4 sleeping bag _ Retails for £180
Cheap as chips 2x2 tarp as a ground sheet - £5

I usually enclose 2/3 sides with the tarp and leave 1/2 sides open even if it's drops below freezing. Not a tent fan as I want to see the outside, not be cut off from the environment I went out to enjoy being surrounded by. The Defence 4 bag has a claimed temperature rating of -15C, been out in -2/3C without any feeling of getting cold.

 

[Le Loup]

I've been reading this thread with interest. I've not lived in my current area for all that long and I'm hoping to start wild camping come spring, to explore and get some peace and quiet. I have a 3 by 3 tarp and a very old Rab breathable bivi bag of some description so I'm most of the way there kit-wise.
But my local forests have tics and are a known area for Lyme disease and this is putting me off somewhat. Of course there are mesh tents I could use instead of the bivi. DD do some decent looking ones which I think are also midge proof, although they add some weight and at that point I figure I may as well go down the tent route.
For the tarp dwellers among us, have tics been an issue for you? Am I overestimating the risk possibly?

There is always some risk of something when wild camping S, probably more so for me here than there was for me when I lived in West Sussex in the UK, but we do it anyway.
Like you I just use an oil cloth shelter, & I make a bed of sticks to get me off the ground. I clear a good area around where my shelter is going so the ground is clear of debris. Not sure what you can do about the ticks mate, we had trouble with ticks when camped out in Queensland some years ago. Due to climate change lots of nasties are now moving into other areas where it was once unsuitable for them. If you get a fire going first & let it die down, you could try spreading ashes over your proposed shelter site.
Best wishes.
You take care out there & stay safe.
Regards, Keith.

I failed to clear the ground for this video, bad mistake. I was not spending the night there & this was just a demo, but I should have shown clearing the ground just the same.

 

[Erbswurst]

The ticks live where animals live.

On my brother ground we have two roe deers living and sleeping in a corner. There we have ticks.

150 metres away are no ticks, because they don't run around there.

 

[cipherdias]

In 2021 I really need to up my game as currently I take a tent that weights about 3Kgs, an inflatable air mat that weights about 1.2Kgs and a down sleeping bag that easily weights about 2.5Kgs so before you count anything else I am carrying over 6Kgs!

Really looking at reducing this weight right down for 2021, I do have a British Army jungle bag which is about half the weight of my my down bag so that would save me some weight but need to look at an alternative to that big heavy tent!


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[Suffolkrafter]

There is always some risk of something when wild camping S, probably more so for me here than there was for me when I lived in West Sussex in the UK, but we do it anyway.
Like you I just use an oil cloth shelter, & I make a bed of sticks to get me off the ground. I clear a good area around where my shelter is going so the ground is clear of debris. Not sure what you can do about the ticks mate, we had trouble with ticks when camped out in Queensland some years ago. Due to climate change lots of nasties are now moving into other areas where it was once unsuitable for them. If you get a fire going first & let it die down, you could try spreading ashes over your proposed shelter site.
Best wishes.
You take care out there & stay safe.
Regards, Keith.

I failed to clear the ground for this video, bad mistake. I was not spending the night there & this was just a demo, but I should have shown clearing the ground just the same.

I love that setup leloup, something very appealing and authentic about it. I've had some great camps in Australia, your pictures bring back some good memories. One of my most memorable wildcamps was somewhere in the mountains in Tasmania (admittedly a far cry from Queensland). Some of the roughest territory I've experienced. Very hard walking but stunningly beautiful.

The ticks live where animals live

Oddly enough that hadn't completely occured to me. It makes sense that they might be concentrated around the actually deer trails and nesting areas nd not randomly distributed. I'm going to have a go cutting a small ground sheet out of an old plastic bivi sac and fixing some mozzi netting to it that I can hook from the top of a shelter. When it all inevitably fails I'll eventually buy a proper one.

need to look at an alternative to that big heavy tent!

Take a look at the lanshan 2. It's onamazon and AliExpress. Cheap, light, and seems to get great reviews.

 

[cipherdias]

I love that setup leloup, something very appealing and authentic about it. I've had some great camps in Australia, your pictures bring back some good memories. One of my most memorable wildcamps was somewhere in the mountains in Tasmania (admittedly a far cry from Queensland). Some of the roughest territory I've experienced. Very hard walking but stunningly beautiful.


Oddly enough that hadn't completely occured to me. It makes sense that they might be concentrated around the actually deer trails and nesting areas nd not randomly distributed. I'm going to have a go cutting a small ground sheet out of an old plastic bivi sac and fixing some mozzi netting to it that I can hook from the top of a shelter. When it all inevitably fails I'll eventually buy a proper one.



Take a look at the lanshan 2. It's onamazon and AliExpress. Cheap, light, and seems to get great reviews.

Good advice cheers mate!!


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[henchy3rd]

I favour the tarp/hammock, so versatile & easy to set up in most terrains..mostly I use the diamond configuration.
I've also managed to tear my ACL in my knee because I rolled onto my side whilst in a deep sleep.. oh the pain in the morning, then had to walk to the car with a heavy pack.
so I’ve been doing a lot of armchair bush-crafting for the last six weeks for my escapism.

 

[Kaktusfin]

I have three setups to choose from.

Summer setup:
DD ultralight tarp + hammock (if on area where I can find trees)
Carinthia tropen sleeping bag
Exped synmat

Spring and autumn, when temperatures are between +5 to - 10
Tarp or nova explorer tent + titanium stove
Carinthia defence 4 bag
Exped synmat

Winter setup:
Same as above, only sleeping bag is carinthia xp down.
Sleeping mat should be upgraded for colder days, my synmat is rated about -15.