Lightweight touring kit

[Vantage]

I'm with @jay clock on waiting for water to boil. When I want a cup of tea/coffee, I don't expect to wait forever for it.
My own rig is a stand alone stove with a preheat tube and if needed, an alloy windshield. 500ml will be boiling in about 1min 30sec. Roughly.
Setup camp and then sit and relax with a brew.
I've struggled finding meths and the bottle cages on the bike are used to hold water.
If I need a guess at how much gas is left in the cannister I give it a shake. I have an adapter to use those cheapo long upright cannisters if I'm desperate. The cannister fits inside the pots and the stove is stored in a bag with a lighter and spork set.

 

[mudsticks]

I'm with @jay clock on waiting for water to boil. When I want a cup of tea/coffee, I don't expect to wait forever for it.
My own rig is a stand alone stove with a preheat tube and if needed, an alloy windshield. 500ml will be boiling in about 1min 30sec. Roughly.
Setup camp and then sit and relax with a brew.
I've struggled finding meths and the bottle cages on the bike are used to hold water.
If I need a guess at how much gas is left in the cannister I give it a shake. I have an adapter to use those cheapo long upright cannisters if I'm desperate. The cannister fits inside the pots and the stove is stored in a bag with a lighter and spork set.

Its horses for courses I guess.

I quite like sitting and looking at the view, whilst waiting that whole five minutes for the water to boil.

Plus meths/alcohol is quiet* and you don't have spent canisters to dispose of.

Both systems have their place, and pros and cons really though, if they didn't, we wouldn't still have such a variety of options.

*Then I cancel out all this peace and quiet by taking one of those little fan pumps - depending on which sleep mat, I'm taking.

 

[MichaelW2]

I have made a fair few roadside cuppas and noodles and never really had an issue with time. Some people empty out the burner but I have travelled with a shot of meths in it. As soon as you stop, whip it out and within a minute you are cooking. You can then admire the view, do some navigation or whatever and in about 8mins you are done. Boil time varies with fuel.
I carried mine in a 1L tough plastic bottle that German fuel come in. I also used a 250cc yogourt drink bottle for transition to a new 1l purchase. 2xTrangia 500cc bottles are probably better to pack and use. The fuel weight you need to carry depends on local supply. I never needed more than 1l which lasted much more than a week, maybe 2.

 

[Vantage]

*Then I cancel out all this peace and quiet by taking one of those little fan pumps - depending on which sleep mat, I'm taking.

Haha yep. They're noisy wee buggers.

 

[mudsticks]

Haha yep. They're noisy wee buggers.

It always feels a bit intrusive to start it up in some wild and peaceful upland place, even if there's only me to disturb..

OTOH I've seen how much grim gunk that can grow inside air mats blown up by breath, so needs must.

Pump sack / schnozzle bag is ok if you've got reliably dry weather to use it outside, but it's a bit tricky inside a smallish tent in the rain.

atm I'm mostly using a thermarest with one of those funky speedvalves. But even doing that inside can be a bit awkward..
You have to sort of lie underneath it, while you blow into the aperture.

 

[Vantage]

I bought one today that has a built in camp light that I swear is as bright as the sun if need be and weighs half what my previous one did.
Money well spent imo

 

[Blue Hills]

I bought one today that has a built in camp light that I swear is as bright as the sun if need be and weighs half what my previous one did.
Money well spent imo

came across these a while ago but admit to being a bit dubious.
If the inside of my mat is less than sterile does it really matter?
also I like to minimise electronic gubbins and the noise seems hellish, particularly if I'm trying to lurk in a wood.
(and admit it vantage you bought the new one because it colour co-ordinates with your mat)
But I'd be interested in a link for the new one.

 

[mudsticks]

I bought one today that has a built in camp light that I swear is as bright as the sun if need be and weighs half what my previous one did.
Money well spent imo

How much did your previous one weigh.?

I've had the thermarest (little grey fliptop) one for several years, and without the battery it weighs practically nothing.
Well maybe 20 grams or so.

Doesn't the light add unnecessary weigh back in, given you presumably have a head torch and or bike light with you.

Oh lor, get me nerding over grams I'll stop now.

came across these a while ago but admit to being a bit dubious.
If the inside of my may is less than sterile does it really matter?
also I like to minimise electronic gubbins and the noise seems hellish, particularly if I'm trying to lurk in a wood.
(and admit it vantage you bought the new one because it colour co-ordinates with your mat)
But I'd be interested in a link for the new one.

Depends on the type of mat.

The expensive lightweight insulated ones with lots of delicate internal baffles can get damaged by moisture plus bacterial growth .

i know someone who bought a same model replacement, for their mat, and found that the old mat weighed nearly 100 g more.

Can only have been the black mould, from moist breath, growing inside.

Apart from the serious yuck factor, and potential damage caused, that's extra weight.!!

Oh lor , there I go again..

 

[Vantage]

came across these a while ago but admit to being a bit dubious.
If the inside of my may is less than sterile does it really matter?
also I like to minimise electronic gubbins and the noise seems hellish, particularly if I'm trying to lurk in a wood.
(and admit it vantage you bought the new one because it colour co-ordinates with your mat)
But I'd be interested in a link for the new one.

@mudsticks gives a reasonable explanation on the performance issues due to bacteria although my own mat is a pretty simple affair. To date, my mats have been changed/upgraded more or less every year so I'm not sure how much bacteria has grown in there, but just the thought of it on/in otherwise pristine gear? Ugh. No thanks.
I turned to these wee pumps after feeling like I was about to pass out while inflating a 2" thick mat and pillow on the wotr tour.
I'm with you on the electronic gizmos issue. It's more sh** to drag around and go wrong. The noise from the pump could probably wake the undead in a nearby pyramid but as long as I don't pitch too close to others I doubt anyone will mind. 2 minutes total run time to inflate the mat and pillow. I'd rather that than 10 mins torturing my already wussy lungs.

@mudsticks going off Amazon's listings, the previous pump is 150g. The new one is 80g.
It's about half the size but apparently runs for 20 mins on a single charge. I don't believe that includes run time for the lamp. I'll be testing that myself later.
My old tent lamp weighs at a guess...50g....ish.

Linky

 

[mudsticks]

@mudsticks gives a reasonable explanation on the performance issues due to bacteria although my own mat is a pretty simple affair. To date, my mats have been changed/upgraded more or less every year so I'm not sure how much bacteria has grown in there, but just the thought of it on/in otherwise pristine gear? Ugh. No thanks.
I turned to these wee pumps after feeling like I was about to pass out while inflating a 2" thick mat and pillow on the wotr tour.
I'm with you on the electronic gizmos issue. It's more sh** to drag around and go wrong. The noise from the pump could probably wake the undead in a nearby pyramid but as long as I don't pitch too close to others I doubt anyone will mind. 2 minutes total run time to inflate the mat and pillow. I'd rather that than 10 mins torturing my already wussy lungs.

@mudsticks going off Amazon's listings, the previous pump is 150g. The new one is 80g.
It's about half the size but apparently runs for 20 mins on a single charge. I don't believe that includes run time for the lamp. I'll be testing that myself later.
My old tent lamp weighs at a guess...50g....ish.

Linky

Yours must have been seriously noisy then.

Mines probs sounds like the combined whine of say ten mosquitoes.

A few yards from the tent you can barely hear it .

I've never had it fail on me , except a failed battery , but that's user error.

A couple of triple A batteries isn't monster heavy back up to carry.

 

[Baldy]

https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.c.../mat-accessories-c60/neoair-micro-pump-p12953
48g I think, runs on two AAA's can't hear it more than a couple of feet away. Made for the new style nozzles, I have the old style. A little bit of plastic hose fixed it.

 

[mudsticks]

https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.c.../mat-accessories-c60/neoair-micro-pump-p12953
48g I think, runs on two AAA's can't hear it more than a couple of feet away. Made for the new style nozzles, I have the old style. A little bit of plastic hose fixed it.

Mines 72g (with 2x AAA batteries)

You win..

Not that it's a competition mind

 

[Blue Hills]

ta mudsticks and vantage for replies - will keep an eye on but still dubious.
Find it hard to believe that internal bacteria will destroy anything of any substance but then I don't go for the new superlight mats - I don't trust them.
I have an "old fashioned" thermarest which is 20 years old.
Plus some other things including two air only things (no insulation) from Lidl and Alpkit.
Any bacteria inside a mat I see as no more threat to my health or stomach than whatever might be lurking in my domestic plumbing - breathing out all over me as I sleep. ooh yuk shock horror probe!
I stay away from anything using AAAs as much as possible.

@Vantage
>>To date, my mats have been changed/upgraded more or less every year

What on earth are you doing to them, if I dare ask?

by the by vantage I appreciate your individual health concerns.

 

[Vantage]

@Blue Hills Upgrades dear sir! Upgrades
First mat was a Lichfield 1 inch self inflating thing that could only be rolled up to the size of steel bollard. Gone to homeless folk.
Second was a 2 inch something or other self inflating thing that could only be rolled up to the size of a small traffic island. That's gone to homeless folk too.
Third was a Decathlon air only thing that is the size of a coke can. I bought 2 of those.
Fourth were 3 more Frenchie things that self inflated for the kids but Pam and I tried them last weekend. 1 inch of horribleness.
Fifth was a Klymit ultra light blah blah longest name ever for a mat that I used on wotr and still use from time to time.
And then there's the newbie Trekology UL80 which asides from a lack of thermal stuff, is bloody awesome.
There's a double self inflating thing in the camping cupboard too. Again, 'orrible.

I seriously need to get rid of some mats

 

[Blue Hills]

And then there's the newbie Trekology UL80 which asides from a lack of thermal stuff, is bloody awesome.

would be interested in how you get on with this - what temps you have used it at.
Also how durable it proves to be - have read varying reports.
Hope it lasts more than a year.
I plan to be using my alpkit airmat in a wood very soon - warmish temps of course.