Touring Equipment

Anker have a good reputation. I've not tried their solar panels (they get good reviews though I remember from when I was looking into it) but their batteries are pretty good.

You need to buy a battery and a solar panel though. They don't come with one.

Wouldn't a dynamo be a more reliable option? Even I've invested in one. #buyer

eventually, but right now I'm working with what I've got, and the wheels have barely earned their keep so need a few more miles out of them before a rebuild is on the cards.

#nonbuyer

I've got the smaller anker solar charger and a battery cheap in preparation for touring later this year, not used them properly yet but did a bit of a test run and was impressed that it even charges with indirect sunlight, I'm confident that in the direct sunlight it will charge well, you can also choose a bigger battery (I got the smallest) some of which can charge 2 or more devices at the same time. I've got a couple of anker lightning cables too which are well built.

Which panel did you get?

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/aw/d/B00J3NQG26/ref=mp_s_a_1_2?qid=1436959324&sr=8-2&pi=AC_SY200_QL40&keywords=anker+solar+charger&dpPl=1&dpID=510ltGDlLfL&ref=plSrch

Cheers!

Also buying my first camping stove and bits-and-bobs to go with it (utensils, pot, whatever). Any thoughts on this stuff? Cheap is ideal, to be honest.

Something like this? http://www.amazon.co.uk/Vango-ACXSTOVE-DAJZ36-Compact-Stove/dp/B0039VOWUQ/ref=sr_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1436961874&sr=8-7&keywords=camping+stove

Picking up in London wouldn't be bad though.

I prefer Trangias. They burn pretty much anything, they're bombproof and nice and stable. Prices get higher as you start going non-stick or lightweight etc but the basic one does the job just fine.

i love my trangia mini, great weight when you compare to having seperate cooking pots
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Trangia-Mini-Trangia-Cookset-Spirit-Burner/dp/B000LN7HUC/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1436964405&sr=8-1&keywords=trangia+mini

I've always been a Trangia man. You can do so much with them.

PROTIP: if cooking pancakes, use the saucepan upside-down. Works lots better than the frying pan.

On this note, I went to the outdoor shops in Covent Garden today looking for a summer sleeping bag that packs down nice and small. Was prepared to spend a couple of hundred but the choice was distinctly underwhelming from North Face/Cotswolds/Ellis Brigham etc.

Basically Looking for something suitable for the UK summer (down to, what, 7 deg?) that packs up as small as possible. I have a 4 season thing that's quite old. I can't remember the brand but it's got a Norwegian flag on it. Really warm bag but and quite bulky but by comparison to what I saw today it was positively svelte.

EDIT: my current bag is a Nanok

So much Trangia love. Looks like that's the way I'll go! Thanks, everyone.

Mountain Equipment Xero 200, bit pricey though. Something from this article?

Cheers. Snugpak stuff also seems good and lots cheaper. Can't work out why particulary.

snugpak are bulky and i find them not as warm as their rating

Alpkit Pipedream 250, anyone? Again, a bulky 17x22cm pack size

Snugpack Softie Kilo not massively bulky will do job in summertime. Not sure if still in their current range tho.

That is pretty good I would say, you have to have something in there.

http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/minimus-down-sleeping-bag and other sleeping bags on the site are probably some of the 'best' money can buy due to high quality down/minimal design (for the lightweight bags), very well regarded in the mountaineering community and made in Stalybridge which is nice. The one I have linked is the one 'most' adventure racers go for, but is down so you need to be a bit careful about not getting it wet (pack in a drybag).

Decathlon do (used to?) a lightweight decent quality fill down bag, sure its now mountain hardware, but they retail around £90-120. The one i've got is 910g on my scales and I think comfort to 0C and survival to -5C. Its not full size though, i'm 5'9 and I wear it like a sock. Cost me about £10 in their sale. Has a really well thought out baffle too.

Force Ten in 2014 model range had some really really competitive down bags but you might struggle to find them, price since then has gone through the roof for the stuff (I remember it increasing by like 80% in a 3 month period in 2013) so newer bags will be more money.

I've got a Mountain Equipment Phantom 32. They also do a 45 which is for warmer climate.
http://www.mountainhardwear.com/mens-phantom-32-regular-OU8486.html

I love my bag. If it's warm I use it as a quilt. If it's cold then snuggle up and it's good.

I've slept down to about -10 in a bivi bag, phantom 32, silk liner in just boxers with it with no issues at all.

That said, for UK summer short trip. I'd just take the silk liner an wear my clothes.
I'm doing a 2 week trip thrrough eastern europe in a month and I'm not taking a sleeping bag. Don't see the need. Silk liner and polartec jacket will be enough.

Don't waste your money on alpkit.
Someone posted PHD above, spend it there. I got my ME bag at a steal, or I'd have got PHD bag. You can also get a legs on bag, so just wear a coat to keep top warm.
http://www.phdesigns.co.uk/delta-150-down-sleeping-bag

@laner You taking a sleeping bag out east with you? I wasn't going to bother.

I'll definitely be taking a bag, as it's only 450g (Western Mountaineering Highlite Down )

I will be sleeping at fairly high altitude at points, and i still remember being too cold to sleep in the dolomites last year in august!

Another recommend for PHD, I have one of their sleeping bags, and a jacket. Their stuff is quite addictive. Very good quality, unbelievable light weight warmth.

20% off all Trangia stuff here at the moment.

Cheers, got the 27-2 from the Amazon link above which is a bit cheaper (and I think that means VB gets a bit of pocket money). Also grabbed some spirit and the spirit bottle, but from Cotswold where it actually ended up being cheaper than Amazon. Go figure.

I need a water filter and advice re an affordable small packing sleeping Matt, have bought a 3/4 length self inflatingb with foam core from go outdoors which is comfy but bulky, weighs 560g, any options around £20-30 that weigh less and are compact?

Not really compact, but for cycle touring you'd strap it on top of your other stuff anyway, and for hiking etc on the outside of your pack:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Therm-a-Rest-Z-Lite-Sleeping-Pad-Regular-x/dp/B00453NA1E/ref=sr_1_14?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1437254593&sr=1-14&keywords=Thermarest

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Therm---Rest-RidgeRest-SOLite-Mattress/dp/B004534D6K/ref=sr_1_13?s=sports&ie=UTF8&qid=1437254593&sr=1-13&keywords=Thermarest