Touring Equipment

I get what you are saying Ed. But I mean literally put them on a Friday evening, take them off Monday morning. The typical plastic cage stays on, once it is fitted - no?

Hexi cookers/tablets
Don't use in confined space because of fumes.
Long shelf life for tablets, easy to transport and store.
Over time poorly stored tablets can go off, may be crumbly will still burn but not as hot.

The hexi cookers are still in service and stock as they are safe to handle and transport (unlike gas and liquid fuels)
Squaddies like Jetboils and some get issued them on frontline duty.
The crusader system sort of replaced Hexi cookers and went with alcohol jelly as the main fuel, they can also run hexi tabs, but the alcohol jelly is designed to burn as hot but with less visable flame than hexis, and less smell, this is a tactical advantage as being shot at while making a brew dosen't go down well.
You can also slip a hexi tab into a kendal mint cake wrapper and pass it on to (soon to be ex) mate and see if they try to eat it :) oh happy days..... of course eating a hexi tab is not ideal for you or your mate.
Some bargins for bulk buying hexi tablets online so a cheap fuel source, way cheaper than Esbit blocks which are a bit whiffy but efficient.

Thoughts on a sleeping bag that'll keep me toasty on Dartmoor in October?

Western Mountaineering if you have the dough.

Let's say I don't have dough...

Not really familiar with UK brands, sorry.

I forgive you.

I wish MEC existed here.

Only ever use hexi burners in training. As soon as you are with your unit its straight onto gas of one type of another. Hexi is a fuel of last resort.

Need to replace my old and tatty bungee cord for tent on pannier securing purposes. Any recommendations? Anyone use a mesh / net style one?

I've got a couple of the net style ones; they work ok though I had to re-tie them in a couple of places to even out the spaces and change the location of the hooks. All very doable though.
Only real caveat is to keep watch for UV damage where the stretch disappears over time.

I found net style a bit shite. Wilkinsons (do you have them down south?) do some great 3m approved ones, really tough and good quality, about £3 for a 2 pack.

Not sure what your budget is but I've just purchased a RAB Summit 800. Good price from Rock and Run (or some such shit) too. Seems to be rated to - 15 deg c.

Whoa. Cheers. Looks nice but more than I'd like to spend. 100 quid is really where I'd like to be.

Won't that be way too warm for cycle touring?

I bought a second-hand Western Mountaineering MegaLite (200cm, 710g, -2degC, 850+ down). Have a liner to take it down another few degrees if it's really cold.

Probs, yes, but I do a fair bit of non cycle camping and hiking and wanted one decent sleeping bag to rule them all, all year round.

Just get a whatever sleeping bag and wear your clothes.
Snugpak travel pak are cheap and pack down small.

So wear a hat, down jacket, merino T, trousers and socks to bed in a summer sleeping bag and you'll be fine.

So what if you wake up a little cold at 4am. Just shake it off and go back to bed. You'll live.

Just make sure you're off the ground will a blow up matt. That'll keep you warm.

https://www.alpkit.com/products/pipedream-250

£115 on sale.

Should be ok for October but as mentioned you could wear some layers if it get's a bit nippy.

Thanks - I looked at that, but I think it's too short for me.

Ah shit!

What about this,

http://www.blacks.co.uk/equipment/133692-eurohike-down-500-4-season-mummy-sleeping-bag.html

220cm with a similar comfort level.

I have one of these-super toasty it is...

Cheers, guys. I'll pop into Black's this afternoon.

Anyone know where I can buy those vacuum packed bags that can be compressed with a bicycle pump? I don't want to have to carry around a designated pump with me

Years ago (2004) I went backpacking for a month in Borneo and I used those laundry compression bags where you just squeeze/sit on them to get the air out. They weren't camping specific. Something like this:

http://www.robertdyas.co.uk/packmate-3-piece-suitcase-set-2m-1l-roll-bag

They're slightly susceptible to tearing but served me OK.

Or this is more expensive and seemingly tougher:

http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/eagle-creek-pack-it-compression-sac-set-m-l-e1732007?id_colour=110

I've used similar, roll them up to squeeze the air out normally. The issue is you end up packing more weight.

Yep, kind of anti to the long distance walking crowd; they tend to go for ultralight packs that are packed to capacity in volume but not weight.