Best is the foil bag as it's the lightest you'll get and fairly cheap too. It must be a BAG and not a blanket though, so check carefully if buying one ~ they look the same.
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My thoughts were to use the Bivi bag with my sleeping bag inside when in the tent, therefore have a little more warmth if it is cold. My kit overall would not weigh more and I would have a better mountain shelter if things did go pear shaped.
This is only my second MM so advice is much welcomed.
ATB
Tahr
I don't have experience of this, but have been told that sleeping bag inside BiviBag is NOT the way to go, as any moisture you create has nowhere to escape, resulting in a damp sleepingbag and all the trappings thereof. Whether foil bags are more breathable I don't know.
Use the BiviBag as an extra layer of insulation under you/makeshift boat when you get flooded out in the night.
I've been pondering these as alternatives to the foil-backed foam. Slightly heavier but much warmer :w00t:
If it's cold then I take a silk liner, which adds a few degrees to the temperature.
The only time I've ever bothered using my (foil) survival bag was in the infamous Borrowdale OMM, in a futile attempt to stay dry.
Nice option. Room in your porch for a little 'un?
I think whichever way round you were to use a survival bag/sleeping bag combo condensation will be an issue. Have had to lay my surivival bag over the top of me before to shield drips in a single skin tent. I think it probably added a bit of warmth too.
Derby Tub, that might put the be a tight fit in my 32lt OMM rucksack.:confused: As my RAB survival bag is Gortex I was hoping that condensation would not be a problem, maybe wishful thinking:o, I will try it out next weekend while I am camping. I have a couple of silk liners too use.
ATB
Tahr
I've posted this in Sales and Wants as well, but I have a team entry available for the bargain price of £80, if anybody's been thinking about it but not committed yet.
Cheers
Finding the 3.1kg figure amazing. I was at 4.8kg for the Rab (solo) and thought I was doing pretty well.
I've been through my kit list, and if I wear leggings instead of shorts (to save packing the leggings), invest in a new warm top and lightweight head torch, switch to solid fuel, and take a partner instead of going solo, I think I can get to 3.8kg.
Sleeping bag is 566g, and the rucksack is 210g, so I don't see much scope for improvement there, nor on the rest of the kit (e.g. waterproof top 220g, pertex overtrousers 130g).
So it must be the food??
My breakdown for solo in the Rab was:
2 * couscous == 200g
dry pasta 65g
200g fruitcake. It goes down well, and has lots of calories.
Porridge for breakfast 110g
tea bags + sugar - 26g
energy bars 130g
energy gels 300g. Extra weight because they're isotonic, but I've tried the ones which need lots of water, and the hassle of planning my water pickups/drinking around gels outweighs the (small) weight saving.
electrolytes 100g
SIS rego 50g
hot chocolate powder 17g
custard powder 28g
cadburys chocolate 56g
dry pasta 65g
supplemented by picking up a cliff bar at the 2nd day start as my emergency food for day 2.
Base on the left-overs, and some bits of limited value, I could save about 160g. Leaves me with 540g to find to get down to a 3.1kg weight. I have actually considered re-sewing my sleeping bag to a shorter length, but I don't think it'll save much....
Do people just take much less food than me?!
I'm not sure how anyone manages to get their pack down to near 3kg on solo classes. I'm reckon I'm usually something like:
Pack, tent and sleeping bag: 1.6kg
Waterproof jacket (200g) and kegs (200g – not Pertex), warm layer (250-320g), hat/buff, gloves and leggings (can’t run in them): 750-800g
So I’m at about 2.4kg before any food:
10-12 gels – 500g
3 x super noodles – 300g
Something sweet and a sachet of custard powder – 200g
Couple of flapjacky/cereal type bars for the morning – 200g
Coffee bag – 10g
That’s another 1.1kg, so 3.5kg before first aid kit, stove, fuel, lighter, pan, mug (for stream drinking on the move), probably a cap, protein drink sachet, sleeping mat, compass, spork, headtorch, survival bag and anything else I might’ve forgotten. All of which must put me somewhere getting on for 4.5kg before I add fluid, which I’d set off without depending on location and temperature.
I reckon I could save weight with new waterproof bottoms and a lighter pack, so sub-4kg might be possible. Beyond that I think I’m looking at seriously compromising what little comfort that lot offers, and I can’t see that improving my performance.
Edit: the above gels would only be enough for say a 6/5 hour score event, I'd probably take additional Mars/Snicker type bars for longer events.