Busy week for me this week

Today I got:
A pair of Glacier Gloves - measured hands carefully, went for the medium, should have gone for the small :?
A pair of X-bionic arm warmers, half price from Sports Pursuit (who ever thought arm warmers were worth £48 new wants their head looking at ). Again, went for small/ medium, and for a compression garment, they're a bit on the generous size - both long and not very compressing. Still comfy, warm and nicely made though.
Lastly, 3kg of Torq Recovery

A pair of Glacier Gloves - measured hands carefully, went for the medium, should have gone for the small

I've been looking at these, do you have small hands Ian? When I measure mine they come out at 22cm which Glacier say puts me on the line between M and L ... I've never worn large gloves in my life

I don't have particularly big hands. Usually a medium when buying normal cycling gloves, but when measuring against Glaciers size guide I was on the lower end of medium. You're welcome to try them to see if they fit you. I'll probably pack them for the BB200. I may yet buy some size small for Beth, then if I discover that the small would fit me also, and the medium fitted you, we could sort something out to save me sending the mediums back?

I wanted a cheap & cheerful solo tent for car camping & specifically for a trip to the 7 Stanes coming up where we'll be wild camping in between trail centres. £35 for a Gelert Solo on ebay & for the money it's not bad at all. Very easy to pitch, seems moderately stable, although it's quite short inside. I'm 5ft 9" & I reckon on a thick sleeping pad my feet are likely to touch the inner at the foot end quite a bit. Still, for the money I'm more than happy with it.

Nothing too exciting (although I am waiting for something exciting) ... today Gwyn the postie brought me a lovely, stainless Hope BB. Quite glad that I hung fire buying one and was able to use a CRC discount code, so it cost £55. Fingers crosed it'll out-live everything else I've used in the past, some of which has been pretty shocking

I bought a Gelert Solo off another forum earlier in the year (might actually have been last year) and still haven't got around to using it! One day maybe.

The postie dropped the following on my desk today.....



A zillion lumen headtorch from China, a pair of Orca merino mix knee warmers (see post in bargain alerts) and a silicon swimcap (actually to be used for swimming and not as some sort of lightweight bivi tucker nose bag)

Tarp clips, a 2l platypus and Vargo windshield.

Skyehigh 800 and a 20l Airlok Xtra from Alpkit, Electron Nano 9 Front LED Light from Merlin Cycles and a Calvin and Hobbes book from Ebay.

AND the missus didn't shout at me at all. Result!!

I'm expecting a cold winter ... Enlightened Revelation X quilt in stealthy black, rated down to 0 F degrees (-18C) with an extra 30% overstuff ... c'mon winter do yer worst I've just measured the loft at a shade over 10"

Outstanding!

They seem like really good value Stu when compared to an equivalent bag.

Loving that, got to see it next weekend.

What did it set you back Stu?

What did it set you back Stu?

£169.47 to the door. It's the 'wide' version so there's plenty to tuck under.

I've had a few good winter bags but never felt that I could fully rely on them if things got really cold ... *not without resorting to a 'double bagger'. I've also really grown to like quilts over the last 12 months, so I'm hoping it'll be ideal ... we'll find out this weekend

*This is nothing to do with ugly ex girlfriends.

Stu, at those kind of temperatures are you not going to miss having a hood and shoulder baffles?

How do you think it compares to a PD800? (also rated at -18'c)

Not had anything bikepacking related for ages :( But did get some beautiful Tune QR's to take my now Fixed Wheel Lynskey 69er to 16lb 10oz

my now Fixed Wheel Lynskey 69er to 16lb 10oz

Must see a pic of that!

Just recieved a neoair small curtasey of outdoors magic classifieds. Figured I could live with short length as I'm not very tall. Test lye on it shows only my ankles hang off, which Is fine, but going to a pillow!

Stu, at those kind of temperatures are you not going to miss having a hood and shoulder baffles?

How do you think it compares to a PD800? (also rated at -18'c)

I've not found the lack of shoulder baffles to be an issue. The quilts can be drawn in quite tightly around the neck to stop heat escaping. As for hoods, I just wear a hat

Not sure how it compares to a PD800. Is the PD800 like the 600 with less down on the bottom? That causes me issues sleeping on my side and getting a cold back.

Anthony wrote:But did get some beautiful Tune QR's to take my now Fixed Wheel Lynskey 69er to 16lb 10oz

Ditto would like to see a pic of that! I was pretty happy with my rigid geared scandium Niner at 20.5 lbs (including Mt Zoom Ti QRs which are probably similar to your Tune ones).

Some hammocking lightness from Dutch has just arrived, no taxes. :D

no taxes.

Bitch :twisted:

Be interested to know how you get on with the quilt hooks and whoopie hooks. The latter I just don't get why they are any "better" than whoopies directly off the hammock to a tree strap. But I've thought the same about other kit and then used it to find it's just simpler and easier :?

The Flyz are great little things. I'm looking forward to trying the Stingerz I've rigged for tarp suspension when weatehr perks up and opportunity knocks.

Did you get any buckles or clips?

Didn't get the Ti clips as I have the ali ones already.
The hook/whoopie just feeds through the eye of the webbing thus negating the need for a clip anyway.
My WBBB is now 114g lighter.
One thing though, the webbing that comes with it is only 38" which rules out big tree's that the stock adjustable webbing worked great with.

Camo webbing eh ... you'll have to make sure no one strangles themselves on those, perhaps hang some lights off them

Hanging lights off 'em wont make the slightest difference if Steve's about.

Just tried the hooks on the hammock and the only difference is the tying in of the toggle to the webbing, so marginly easier, one less knot to tie. If you've got whoopies already and your happy putting in a Marlin Spike Hitch I doubt I'd bother.
I'll be trying it at the end of the month during my Cairngorm trip or maybe a trip the weekend before. I'll report back on it.

REMEMBER on the knot, not on the toggle.