I know I'm being a little bit previous here and no one's got a crystal ball ... but has anyone made any decisions about kit yet ?, I'm nosey

Basics

• Vaude Bivvy
  Sleeping bag (to be decided either TNF Blue Kazoo or Alpkit 1000) w/ Exped Down mattress
  MSR stove w/ Ti Kettle
  Biltong, Droewers and dehydrated meals.
  Rab down socks & mittens, Peak smock bringing super warm rather than ultralight, Vapour Rise Smock for riding and VR Pants for evening
  Bar mitts and winter gloves.
  Balaclava, Merino skull cap, Mountain Hardwear windproof hat
  OMM Waterproofs, which if the weather looks like it will be needed for most of weekend will mean swapping all down clothing for primaloft equivalents
  Northwave boots w/ Pearl Izumi Overshoes
  Winter Tights w/ overtrousers
  Kahtoola Micro Spikes

Things to be decided;
snow-claw (useful for building snow walls and clearing bivvy area)
Mountaineering Gloves (in case of long push)

Will have soon figured out the whole list, it won't be lightweight.

snow-claw (useful for building snow walls and clearing bivvy area)

I've got one of those ... I call it a stick

We called it avalanche rescue and a plate Plus it's hard to build a snow wall with a stick!

Wales ... earlier on today

I'll leave the bike at home and bring my ice climbing gear :) Is that tree a grid ref?

Being Northern I will not be bring a namby pamby snow claw but will be sporting Bermuda shorts and a t-shirt.

On a slightly more serious note, I see you don't have a tarp on your list Did nowt ... experience tells me that in winter it can be a very long night laid up in a bivvy bag if it's raining, tarp gives you a few more options.

My kit list, probably underkill, but it's only 1 (long) night:

Laserlite tent
Rab Top bag
Sleeping mat
MSR pocket rocket
Ti pan
some clothes
some food
some spare bike bits (a tube)
tools (gas canister + multitool)

nothing adventurous up there, but I don't have a tarp or bivvy bag, so a tent it is then.
And the Top Bag is the only decent sleeping bag I have

Notable alterations to the summer kit-

PHD Minim 600 or Alpkit PD800 sleeping bag
Neoair full length
Photon 1 tent
Montane Antifreeze down jacket
Carrier bags for snow pegs
3/4 Waterproof shorts
MW80 boots and Woolie Boolie socks
Spare batteries!

I'm hoping a framed bivvy will be enough, but if not i will go with the Laser comp. I'll watch the weather reports, etc. before making final decision though. Cold and snow is preferable to wet, I have better gear for dealing with the cold than soul destroying welsh rain. Could change I am heading to the Outdoor Shop this next week :)

Unless it gets REALLY cold I'll be in my hammock.

Alpkit PD400... Sleeping bag
Alpkit Filo Down Jacket
Alpkit Numo Mat
Flysheet from a Quechua Ultralight Tent
Hunka bobby bag
Thermal long johns
Thick Socks
Fleece shirt
Polar buff
White box stove, meths and alpkit myti mug
Whisky
Food

Plus whatever I am riding in.

Might give it a go on Sat night, -6 forecasted. If I'm cold I might bring a second sleeping bag to Mach and back.

Alpkit Nick?

Alpkit Nick?

Anthony I believe it's a different Nick ... although AlpKit Nick has entered.

Yeah different Nick, still with lots of Alpkit :D

Ahhh I sees!

Anyways, lets get back to this Rab top-bag. In Wales in winter Slarge??

Add a good book to my list.

Good book for keeping a fire going I assume?

I have slept in it in -6 on the tops of Forest of Bowland, granted that I also slept on heather (no, I wasn't that lucky!), and wore every single item of clothing I've owned since I was 6.

It'll be fine, Wales isn't that cold/wet/snowy/miserable in January is it?

slarge wrote:It'll be fine, Wales isn't that cold/wet/snowy/miserable in January is it?

What shall we tell your loved ones? :D

Look at this way, if it's silly cold and snowy, how many people are going to be able to get to the start? We have 1" of snow in this country and stop moving! Just getting to the start will be a hassle. So my new thinking is if the weather allows my 'bloody useless on slightly wet roads BMW' to get me to the start we should all be ok with our summer gear.

No it's not, you'll live :)

Well the weather has gone mild, but will it last? :?

Mountain Equipment Titan 850 bag
Trekmates Bivi
a tarp (yet to be bought!)

If its really windy and raining I will be bringing the Vaude Taurus UL tent.

Not decided on stove yet, see if its cold enough. Primus 1L etastove if it is, along with 800cal Expedition foods chicken curry

Riding in a variety of layers with Mountain Equipment goretex jacket. bib tights, some overtrousers, Northwave shoes with Sealskinz socks.

Arcteryx primaloft jacket for the evening, may bring less and plan to spend all my time laying in my sleeping bag!

All on top of a pannier rack, over the bars, In a Revelate Designs frame bag or in the Osprey Talon 22 pack. Not tried any of this out yet so its going to be an experience to say the least!

G

Mountain Equipment Titan 850 bag

You'll be plenty warm in that bag, I used mine on the winter bivi last year and I was sweating at -10*c with a thin layer of clothing.
Tarp and wooded area will do the job of seeing off any wind and rain in conjunction of a bivi bag.
Make sure the bivi bag allows the sleeping bag to loft, my regular Hunka is too small for the Titan 850.

flatfishy wrote:

Mountain Equipment Titan 850 bag

You'll be plenty warm in that bag, I used mine on the winter bivi last year and I was sweating at -10*c with a thin layer of clothing.
Tarp and wooded area will do the job of seeing off any wind and rain in conjunction of a bivi bag.
Make sure the bivi bag allows the sleeping bag to loft, my regular Hunka is too small for the Titan 850.

thanks FF

I also have a starlight 3 but its heavier hence taking the 850. The only other option is my Mountain Hardware Lamina 35 but its probably not up to it... Unless it gets really mild! Tried the 850 in my trekmates bag a while ago and it is a little tight (75cm wide) so I may also be buying a Hunka XL

G

-10c !

Must have been colder where you were

Just quoting the figure that was mentioned by others there.

Must of been colder in Steve's annexe though.