To protect his anonymity I will refer to him only as the "camping guru" and have photoshopped his face with Keith Flint's (Because amongst the camping guru's many skills is an ability to kindle a fire almost anywhere).
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| Here the camping guru is showing me how to safely ignore "don't camp on the gun-range" signs. |
He's kind of like a tall Yoda.
(Thanks to Derek for the photoshop skills)
Early weight saving gear trials involved testing a 'bivvy bag' as opposed to a weighty tent. A bivvy bag is essentially a waterproof cover for a sleeping bag that sometimes comes with a pole to keep the material away from your face and/or a zippable hood for dry, if claustrophobic, protection against inclement weather. In theory they're made from an advanced breathable material so your breath doesn't fog up the inside.
In practice mine was more like a kind of portable iron maiden/sauna. I tested it in the mountains on what started as a scorching day... shortly after dusk the weather closed in and it started lashing. I smugly snuggled into my space age rain-armour thinking 'take that, Nature!'.
2 hours later with the rain hammering the sides and with the buzzing of bloodsuckers kept a steady 1.5 inches from my face by netting, sleep proved...elusive.
Still later I heard a heavy trampling and snuffling in the darkness outside getting nearer; it sounded like Shardik was outside wrecking the joint. I put on my head-torch and went to investigate.
Somewhere in the hills of North Switzerland a young deer still lives in terror of the strange, gangling, soaked and swearing mess that was disgorged that night from the grim man-cocoon amidst steam, light and fear.
I decided to go with the tent in the end.
(Thanks to Derek for the photoshop skills)
Early weight saving gear trials involved testing a 'bivvy bag' as opposed to a weighty tent. A bivvy bag is essentially a waterproof cover for a sleeping bag that sometimes comes with a pole to keep the material away from your face and/or a zippable hood for dry, if claustrophobic, protection against inclement weather. In theory they're made from an advanced breathable material so your breath doesn't fog up the inside.
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| Lies, all lies abut how he lies. |
In practice mine was more like a kind of portable iron maiden/sauna. I tested it in the mountains on what started as a scorching day... shortly after dusk the weather closed in and it started lashing. I smugly snuggled into my space age rain-armour thinking 'take that, Nature!'.
2 hours later with the rain hammering the sides and with the buzzing of bloodsuckers kept a steady 1.5 inches from my face by netting, sleep proved...elusive.
Still later I heard a heavy trampling and snuffling in the darkness outside getting nearer; it sounded like Shardik was outside wrecking the joint. I put on my head-torch and went to investigate.
Somewhere in the hills of North Switzerland a young deer still lives in terror of the strange, gangling, soaked and swearing mess that was disgorged that night from the grim man-cocoon amidst steam, light and fear.
I decided to go with the tent in the end.
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