Shelter advice from those in the know please

[Alan Stubbs]

I have a 2 man Cyrpry dome... it's huge... great if you're going to do a long session. The 1-man is more like a small 2-man from other brands.

 

As for sleeping on the floor, at about £15, self inflating mattresses are light and actually very thermally efficient, bot to say more comfortable than the thin foam hikers' mat people have mentioned.

This is what I mean:

 

http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/sleeping/vango.../COREDBBAO07SD8

 

I'm told you can even get them from Netto, so the prices of these are coming down rapidly.

 

I have one like the one in the link, which I use as an additional mattress on my bedchair when my back is playing up. I wouldn't be without it.

[corydoras]

Cory wants to be educated, I'm not looking for an argument or anything but what would be wrong with just a decent tent like this one?

 

http://www.campingworld.co.uk/Models.aspx?ModelID=756

 

I used to to 'all nighters' at various spots on the Mull of Kintyre when I was a youngster and because my transport was a motor bike and not a car I just used a two man ridge tent and that suited me fine?

 

Just a question.

[Houseplant]

Cory wants to be educated, I'm not looking for an argument or anything but what would be wrong with just a decent tent like this one?

 

http://www.campingworld.co.uk/Models.aspx?ModelID=756

 

I used to to 'all nighters' at various spots on the Mull of Kintyre when I was a youngster and because my transport was a motor bike and not a car I just used a two man ridge tent and that suited me fine?

 

Just a question.

 

my long stay trips are well behind me, but i think the problem with regular tents is that they are often too low, especially at the door way for rapid and graceful exits. also, they tend not to give a great view of the water.

 

i know what you mean though, i have serious trekking tent that i may push into fishing service one day. it also happens to be green

[Anderoo]

Yes I saw from my search that you had one Anderoo, and was looking forward to your thoughts. We camp at least once a year (although admittedly in summer) and sleep on the floor, on foam mats, so if need be I can double the mats up for winter. I stayed awake for 36 hours once as a lad when I was doing 12 hour shifts, had to cover for the next shift guy who didn't turn up, then work my shift again. I didn't want to sound like a lightweight! I have afternoon naps now! It's not that I don't WANT a bedchair, I can't justify yet MORE expense!

 

5 years use eh, and how often do you use it? Big footprint that I've heard about a problem for you? How long to erect, how long to put away, working at relaxed pace in bad weather? Sorry for all the questions.

 

No problem old boy. Cypry domes and other similar bivvies are very unfashionable, and I suppose if you're a real bank tramp you'd want something sturdier, but it suits me fine. Over the time I've had mine a couple of the poles have developed splits, but that hasn't made any difference. More importantly, it's never once leaked, even in really bad weather. The twin skin draws moisture/humidity out, the built in groundsheet keep the creatures out (mostly!) and I like the option of zipping up the mosquito net front panels, so you can still see out but bugs and drafts are kept out. Like I said, it packs away very small and is light, which are both very important to me.

 

I use mine about 10-20ish times a year, usually for 2-3 days at a time. I've never been aware of a particularly big footprint; I've never had a problem fitting it in anywhere. Setting it up and putting it away takes about 10-15 minutes at a casual pace - much longer than the quick erect bivvies, but still only 10-15 minutes. I tend to get the rods set up and everything else sorted before getting the bivvy up.

 

The main downside is that it's nowhere near as sturdy as an expensive pram-style bivvy. In really high winds, it can 'flatten' a bit in the blow. That doesn't bother me, and in my opinion is worth the huge space and weight saving.

 

I've just remembered a funny story which illustrates why I'm so fond on built-in groundsheets. A few years ago in winter I was zandering at the Cut-off with a friend. It was painfully slow, neither of us had so much as a beep. On the final morning, I woke up and noticed the ground under my bivvy was sort of mushy...looking outside, the drain had risen about 4ft overnight and I was a little green island in the middle of an ocean, little waves lapping up the sides I had to get wet feet getting back up to dry land and rescuing everything from inside the bivvy, but it didn't leak at all and all my stuff inside was bone dry It was quite a shock though!

[tincatinca]

For the type of use you describe in your original post, I would go along with Alan Roe and suggest that you have a close look at an easydome type of shelter from Fox. Some of my friends have been using them for many years both at home and in France and highly recommend them. It may be worth looking on e-bay as they often come up. There is one at the moment see attached link

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FOX-EASYDOME-X-BIVVY...A1%7C240%3A1318

[Elton]

And keep an eye on Ebay bivvies here:

 

http://www.bivvies.co.uk/shop/

 

All AN friendly links on there

[Angly]

We have three tents, two dome and a ridge that we take camping, but they'd be totally useless for angling as the doorways are so low and tight. I have trouble getting out in time to wee! Also, each of our tents was more expensive than the Cypry. I'm sure some tents are suitable.

 

 

Cory wants to be educated, I'm not looking for an argument or anything but what would be wrong with just a decent tent like this one?

 

http://www.campingworld.co.uk/Models.aspx?ModelID=756

 

I used to to 'all nighters' at various spots on the Mull of Kintyre when I was a youngster and because my transport was a motor bike and not a car I just used a two man ridge tent and that suited me fine?

 

Just a question.

[Angly]

No problem old boy. Cypry domes and other similar bivvies are very unfashionable, and I suppose if you're a real bank tramp you'd want something sturdier, but it suits me fine. Over the time I've had mine a couple of the poles have developed splits, but that hasn't made any difference. More importantly, it's never once leaked, even in really bad weather. The twin skin draws moisture/humidity out, the built in groundsheet keep the creatures out (mostly!) and I like the option of zipping up the mosquito net front panels, so you can still see out but bugs and drafts are kept out. Like I said, it packs away very small and is light, which are both very important to me.

 

I use mine about 10-20ish times a year, usually for 2-3 days at a time. I've never been aware of a particularly big footprint; I've never had a problem fitting it in anywhere. Setting it up and putting it away takes about 10-15 minutes at a casual pace - much longer than the quick erect bivvies, but still only 10-15 minutes. I tend to get the rods set up and everything else sorted before getting the bivvy up.

 

The main downside is that it's nowhere near as sturdy as an expensive pram-style bivvy. In really high winds, it can 'flatten' a bit in the blow. That doesn't bother me, and in my opinion is worth the huge space and weight saving.

 

I've just remembered a funny story which illustrates why I'm so fond on built-in groundsheets. A few years ago in winter I was zandering at the Cut-off with a friend. It was painfully slow, neither of us had so much as a beep. On the final morning, I woke up and noticed the ground under my bivvy was sort of mushy...looking outside, the drain had risen about 4ft overnight and I was a little green island in the middle of an ocean, little waves lapping up the sides I had to get wet feet getting back up to dry land and rescuing everything from inside the bivvy, but it didn't leak at all and all my stuff inside was bone dry It was quite a shock though!

 

Excellent, thank you Anderoo. Love the Cut-off story.

 

One other thing then I'll leave you in peace, can the front porch flaps be folded back and left unused, or is it essential they are pegged down for stability?

[Angly]

For the type of use you describe in your original post, I would go along with Alan Roe and suggest that you have a close look at an easydome type of shelter from Fox. Some of my friends have been using them for many years both at home and in France and highly recommend them. It may be worth looking on e-bay as they often come up. There is one at the moment see attached link

 

http://cgi.ebay.co.uk/FOX-EASYDOME-X-BIVVY...A1%7C240%3A1318

 

If I could get one for Cypry money, then all well and good. Unfortunately the eBay one ends too late to be of any use, I need it by 27th Feb, auction ends 24th. Even if seller was really on the ball and posted 25th it wouldn't arrive until 26th earliest, a little late to decide whether or not it's good to go and arrange a replacement if it's not.

[Elton]

It ends on the 24th January, not February