Bikepacking - a viable alternative to racks & panniers

As your leaving so soon alpkit is the most likely to have stuff in stock that will get to you in time
https://www.alpkit.com/bike-luggage

Consider if you really need a stove for 4 days, as you're likely to not be sick of cold food in that time. If you definitely want a stove then a trangia mini is cheap and cheerful, i'm happy with mine.

Happy to spend lots of money? this site sorts things by weight http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/

Good things to take are microtowel, musette for food shops and a down jacket for evening/sleeping.

Just take a backpack. Unless your doing really long days. For 4 nights it'll be fine. If you enjoy the trip then invest in more kit.

Borrow a stove if you can. Then again if you like it buy one.

4 nights, thought about just saying at a hostel or similar instead?

^ Yeah. Maybe drive instead of riding too.

Or just stay at home.

Or have fun doing as set out in OP.

Given what you have isn't likely to be lightweight bikepacking stuff maybe a pannier rack setup would work well this time round? Depends if you have access to that & bags/bungees tho?

Otherwise +1 for Alpkit bags etc.

Enjoy.

One guiness can stove, a bottle of meths, turkeytray windblock and a cheap pair of alu mugs just did all my cooking on a week+ wild camping. A multifuel is overkill and noisy, and the trangias are underpowered imo. A good thermos is the best tip I could suggest. Heat water in the morning and don't worry about tea or coffee again until the next day.

Ebay has meter long webbing straps and plastic clips for about £3 a pair. Perfect for this and I made a sweetroll with some.

Ebay Linky plz?

Happy to spend lots of money? this site sorts things by weight ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/

Oo, that sounds interesting, I should check... Wow that is a bit pricey... But I can understand...
Wait...
How much?!
http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/tents-shelters-c25/all-tents-c148/terra-nova-voyager-ultra-2-tent-p3661
Seriously?

yeah Alpkit mates, lovely kit
otherwise
Revelate is what Im using this year

quick poll - favoured stowage option for sleeping mat?

Get a smaller inflatable one!

what do you mean?

I prefer the more durable construction of the thermarest expedition types, which means rolled, not folded. previously have put tent and other stuff inside, then rolled and into ortlieb, then onto top of rear rack

but your suggestion for an ultra light direction is interesting

liking the look of these > http://www.cascadedesigns.com/therm-a-rest/cots/luxurylite-ultralite-cot/product

I have this, so does scoble.
I sleep well on it. Very well.
It's small, so will fit anywhere eaisly.

http://www.klymit.com/index.php/static-v.html

FYI It's super expensive in £ but a lot nicer in $

v interesting, cheers skinny, and scobel approved too

#testertickchain

The Thermarest Neoair x-lite is meant to be very good, a bit lighter too. But a bit more around £100.
The Klymit is good if you can get it at a good price. But I think they're £80. Which it's not worth. I'd spend a little more on a thermarest if so.

That was really comfortable, the shape make it easier to stay put too.

Size of a small water bottle which make a massive difference in packing.

(Will respond to your pm soon).

is the neoair x-lite a lot better than the klymit inertia x- lite (pretty sure i still have yours)?
Packs to a similar size?

Anyone needed a new bag, this looks good for the price.
http://www.sportsdirect.com/terra-nova-nova-voyager-600-sleeping-bag-781205?colcode=78120590

PHD sale on too... for £20 more this can pack a bit smaller, is a few g lighter and rated slightly lower... http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/minim-200

I was going to post that. But for some reason a lot of the interface buttons aren't working on the website.

You have mine, the Inertia X-Lite pack a lots smaller but the Neoair X-Lite look much more comfortable as it's a full size mattress.

In fact, the Neoair X-Lite look to have similar volume size as the Static V;

As far as mats go, I use a 2/3 length one, and don't see the need for a longer one. Feet can sit on a cheap foldy foam thing, or clothes. More versatile and less pack space. I use an old thermarest prolite. Cheap (£30 ish), robust, smaller than a nalgene bottle, worked fine at -3 and should still be of some use if it were to puncture.

Ebay won't let me log in right now. But I just searched 'webbing and buckles'.

http://pages.ebay.com/link/?nav=item.view&alt=web&id=121594141745

There's cheaper than this out there. I wanted narrower webbing but it's harder to find with buckles. You DO want the slides, they make everything much more secure if you use them to make loops for securing to tubes.