Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

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mnichols
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Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by mnichols »

I'm reading Mark Beaumont's Africa Solo book. I'm only a few chapters in, but he has just mentioned that his Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat have a combined weight of 1.1Kg and are strapped to his handlebars. If you look at the pictures this seems impossibly small and light

Image

I haven't read the whole book yet, but says that he doesn't intend to camp, but he's using this as a backup in an emergency

I don't tend to camp on my tours, but there have been times when having a small light backup like this would have been reassuring, and for one of the tours that I'm thinking of next year this would be very useful and give me many more options

Any ideas of how to achieve such a light weight and compact setup?
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trilathon
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Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by trilathon »

Back in the day when ultra light weight 'touring' became a thing folk used to cycle about with bubble wrap for a mattress, a plastic bag for a sleeping bag, and a prayer against hypothermia and misfortune and you'd have change out of 500g

I can imagine whatshis name uses a cuben fibre tent circa 650 g, one of the those mechano like inflatable half skeleton mattresses and some phd custom bag...that would do it, cost and durability not an issue. Probably relatively comfy and reasonably weatherproof too.
Searching for, and camping in, places of antiquity and wild beauty. Former ironman, 3PCX, Rough Stuff Fellowship, fell runner, regional time trial champion and 20 odd years of cyclo camping around Europe.
Tangled Metal
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Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by Tangled Metal »

Terra Nova laser ultra one about 600g or 500g nordisk lofoten one. Inertia x light from klymit at 175g or a ccf mat at about that. I had a full sized Robens ccf mat weighing 140g which I cut down to torso length. Estimate it weighs 80g. PHD do ultra light bags. 498g is available and lighter believe it or not. OMM do a half.bag at 232g or yeti do 282g full sized bag.

So that gives you the potential for 962g or so and that's not even the lightest out of above list. Go SUL you'd not take a tent only tarp.
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andrew_s
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Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by andrew_s »

This chap has a decent kit list.
10kg, including the bike and what he was wearing, for a 4 week tour round the Alps & Pyrenees
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Gattonero
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Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by Gattonero »

andrew_s wrote:This chap has a decent kit list.
10kg, including the bike and what he was wearing, for a 4 week tour round the Alps & Pyrenees


That says all, if you like to travel living like a Monk...
Camping (506 g)
- sleeping bag
- nylon sheet
Cooking (2 g)
- plastic spoon
- plastic toothpick
Medical, hygienic & sewing kit (22 g)
- razor
- skin ointment
- white medical tape
- needle with thread


I keep an eye on the weight, but I like the luxury of a toothbrush, toothpaste and a mug for drinking tea in the morning! :mrgreen:
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Gattonero
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Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by Gattonero »

trilathon wrote:Back in the day when ultra light weight 'touring' became a thing folk used to cycle about with bubble wrap for a mattress, a plastic bag for a sleeping bag, and a prayer against hypothermia and misfortune and you'd have change out of 500g

I can imagine whatshis name uses a cuben fibre tent circa 650 g, one of the those mechano like inflatable half skeleton mattresses and some phd custom bag...that would do it, cost and durability not an issue. Probably relatively comfy and reasonably weatherproof too.


I guess that BITD it was most common to carry an oil-cloth and a wool blanket.
A plastic sleeping bag would only be effective against rain, but pretty bad against cold or hot weather: lots of condensation inside will surely make it cold in winter and boiling hot in summer. Better carry a bivy bag and a couple more baselayers!
Bubble-wrap has the disatvantage of being bulky (=more weight required for a bigger bag) and will simply "pop", i.e. when you rest on an elbow :?

I'd say if going SUL, being very radical and carry only a good bivvy bag and a lightweight tarp or hammock. Moss/grass will suffice as sleeping pad, the hammock may be used as tarp if rain turns persistent.
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
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Thus you remember them as they actually are...
hamster
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Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by hamster »

andrew_s wrote:This chap has a decent kit list.
10kg, including the bike and what he was wearing, for a 4 week tour round the Alps & Pyrenees


No change of clothes, no waterproofs, no extra warm layer, no weatherproof shelter... :shock:

I must be a total softy.
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Gattonero
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Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by Gattonero »

hamster wrote:
andrew_s wrote:This chap has a decent kit list.
10kg, including the bike and what he was wearing, for a 4 week tour round the Alps & Pyrenees


No change of clothes, no waterproofs, no extra warm layer, no weatherproof shelter... :shock:

I must be a total softy.


No helmet either
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since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
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pjclinch
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Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by pjclinch »

Gattonero wrote:
No helmet either


And this is notable because...?
Often seen riding a bike around Dundee...
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Tinnishill
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Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by Tinnishill »

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Gattonero
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Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by Gattonero »

pjclinch wrote:
Gattonero wrote:
No helmet either


And this is notable because...?


Most people would ride only with a helmet.
Would be interesting to know if the guy is sincerely not wearing one because of hot weather (though not a big problem with modern helmets), or because of weight saving.
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
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Gattonero
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Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by Gattonero »

Tinnishill wrote:Arnes knows his stuff.

http://ultralightcycling.blogspot.co.uk/


I can appreciate the thoughts and the will to stick to a plan.
But frankly, most of "us" are perhaps not too willing of taking all those shortcuts. I.e., a paper map isn't a big weight to carry 8)
Nor everybody is so fit and healthy to sleep well with no mattress, or can eat any food that is sold along the road due to food intolerance/allergies, or can cycle with only one bottle of water, etcetc.

A much better solution for the rain was to wrap my feet in cling foil.
that's just too much, c'mon.
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
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pjclinch
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Re: RE: Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by pjclinch »

Gattonero wrote:
pjclinch wrote:
Gattonero wrote:
No helmet either


And this is notable because...?


Most people would ride only with a helmet.
Would be interesting to know if the guy is sincerely not wearing one because of hot weather (though not a big problem with modern helmets), or because of weight saving.


For some values of "most people"...

How about they're just more faff and less comfort than not bothering and not necessary for touring?

The modern cycling Enthusiast has typically bought in to the idea that all cycling is a dangerous activity where falls with associated head impacts are practically certain, but it ain't so.

Pete.
Often seen riding a bike around Dundee...
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Gattonero
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Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by Gattonero »

That's the main point.
Would be interesting to know if the guy is sincerely not wearing one because of hot weather (though not a big problem with modern helmets), or because of weight saving.

To be fair, I am not for compulsory helmets, but this is a different story. The thing here is "no helmet because is heavy?"
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
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pjclinch
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Re: Tent, Sleeping Bag and Roll Mat 1.1Kg - How?

Post by pjclinch »

Gattonero wrote:That's the main point.
Would be interesting to know if the guy is sincerely not wearing one because of hot weather (though not a big problem with modern helmets), or because of weight saving.

To be fair, I am not for compulsory helmets, but this is a different story. The thing here is "no helmet because is heavy?"


Why does it have to be about weight? For millions of people, they just don't ride bikes with helmets. Never have, no need to start now. I have a helmet I use for technical MTB and sport coaching, but I never consider it for touring: a cap is much more comfortable and pops in a pocket if not wanted.

Pete.
Often seen riding a bike around Dundee...
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