Minimalist Biving

[comanighttrain]

Cheps,

What is the least one could get away (sleeping kit wise) with in Scottish climes?

I was thinking bivi, mat, bag and some very light poncho?

[Realbark]

Spookily enough im gonna post a report tommorow (all being well) on minimal sleep kit. Unfortuneatley not for scotland but here in Lincolnshire from the other night. Might give some assisatance tho.

[comanighttrain]

Look forward to reading it!

much the same anyway I'd imagine if not just a touch colder... rain would be my main concern...

[JonnyP]

The guy who wrote the book "The Cape Wrath Trail" slept in bin liners while doing the trail.. He had his camera and equipment with him (for photo's in the book) and needed to cut down on weight during the 17 day trip.
It comes down to what you can put up with I guess. Most of us would be hard pushed to do without a lot of our comforts these days.

[Norseman]

My friend uses a mat, bag, a mosquito net and a tarp. I have used a lot of different setups here in Norway with groundcloth and woolen blanket ( froze ). Move to using a tarp as a Diamond shelter with same blanket ( froze again). So next time I will try my friends setup. Maybe except the net. Not much mosquitos here now. He uses the tarp with a rope under the middle of the tarp streching it with ropes in each corner like the roof of a house. In wind or rain, it can be adjusted to keep it away from You. But I have problems gathering good materials for insulation with just the groundcloth. Always something is poking me in the back. :-) But a mat would make that better, but at a bigger weight. Always a consideration.

[Realbark]

Its always a trade-off. Bulk and/or weight over comfort IMO. I had been using a warm set up of thermarest,sleepbag and tarp or the Gelert Solo tent but the Thermarest is massive even deflated, tho not heavy. So i have put together/bought a different set up. i must admit i would not use it in sub-zero temps through choice but then im not out in them usually either, again through choice! i have slept out in as little as a "survival bag" in the summer but even then its cold at 4.00A.M :)

[Martin]

Sleeping bag, mat and bivi bag would be fine. We used to sleep out (winter on Exmoor) in a full length polythene (survival type) bag with a normal closed cell foam mat underneath us but inside the poly bag. Just slip the sleeping bag inside.

Now having said that, as I have a perfectly good tent (and so do you Akto man!!), and that was all nearly 30 years ago, I'd be very reluctant to rough it like that again. Still I would say that your sleeping bag and a good mat are all you really need to stay warm.

Martin

[comanighttrain]

Sleeping bag, mat and bivi bag would be fine. We used to sleep out (winter on Exmoor) in a full length polythene (survival type) bag with a normal closed cell foam mat underneath us but inside the poly bag. Just slip the sleeping bag inside.

Now having said that, as I have a perfectly good tent (and so do you Akto man!!), and that was all nearly 30 years ago, I'd be very reluctant to rough it like that again. Still I would say that your sleeping bag and a good mat are all you really need to stay warm.

Martin

Ahh yes, but the atko still weighs... I was looking at going fully minimal ...just for experimentation and posible adventure racing...

[cuppa joe]

Try looking at things the other way around...look at clothing that can double as sleeping gear...instead of a set of waterproofs use a lightweight poncho which can be your shelter as well...then instead of a large sleeping bag ,a small one like a kilosoft or a highlander ranger ultra light (provided you can fit in one at 70-75cm across the widest bit ) I believe there are bags out there which though not fully waterproof are very water resistant though I would rather have a bivi bag than not if a tent was not an option , take an airpak jacket like a snugpak softie or wynnster banf ,these could be used for a belay jacket when taking brew breaks and added to the sleep system if needed when making camp for the night.
Pop can stove weighs next to nothing and take just enough fuel ...will there be wood around where you are camping ? if so then all you need is a pot of a saucepan.
You could go on forever .
Let us know how you go on .