TD campsite setup

[Veetack]

On the TD, do most people use a tent, a hammock, or a bivy? And with a bivy, is a tarp required? I'm trying to decide on my sleeping setup and I'm really at a loss. Currently I have this:

Golite Adrenaline 45 sleeping bag
Thermarest NeoAir x-lite speeling pad
Gander Mountain backpacker solo tent (surprisingly durable and light for its namesake)

I'm hoping I can squeeze all that into a revelate sweetroll (hopefully a small) and the attach the tent poles to the outside. Setup time is relatively minimal, but I'm looking for the BEST possible setup I can find.

Any advice helps.

[BigPoppa]

A bivy with a pad and sleeping bag will be lightest. But, it's a gamble that you risk suffering if you are too tired to carry on and want to sleep but rain is pouring down.

Conversely, a tent is tons of security but it's heavy and bulky.

Just trade offs is all.... to each his own.

[Veetack]

This is why I'm confused. My tent is pretty light, and I'm honestly not gonna get a ton of weight savings with a bivy. I've never used a bivy, though, other than in the Marines. and I'm wondering how they are to sleep in the rain. I think that will probably keep me in my tent.

[JEF]

This is why I'm confused. My tent is pretty light, and I'm honestly not gonna get a ton of weight savings with a bivy. I've never used a bivy, though, other than in the Marines. and I'm wondering how they are to sleep in the rain. I think that will probably keep me in my tent.

I've never done a race like the TD, but just the bikepacking that I have done, I would think a bivy would be better for an actual race.  Most of the bivys I or my mates have used weigh almost 2 lbs less then your tent and are much easier to deal with at the end of 12+ hours on the saddle.  I use a very lightweight tent for my bikepacking adventures that takes less then 6 minutes to set up, but the people that I have camped with that bivy spend less time getting set up.  In a race like the TD I can only imagine after days and weeks of pushing yourself that the little differences (like 2lbs saved weight with a bivy and less time to setup) start to become much bigger.

But don't let me discourage you from doing/trying anything.  From all the reading and following on this forum, it seems there are many ways to skin the TD cat.

[bmike-vt]

My Tarptent is lighter or close to the same weight as most off the shelf bivies, takes a bit longer to setup than unrolling, bit offers bug and rain protection.

[BigPoppa]

A light bivy is 5-6 ounces. The lightest tent out there is roughly a pound (with poles/stakes/etc).

It's really just dependent on who you are and what you are willing to deal with. I'm a weight weenie, I would rather freeze my @$$ off than carry an extra 10 oz worth of insulation. Others are comfort weenies, they would rather have a full rain suit complete with base layers and some down and they don't mind hauling the extra 6 pounds for the whole 2800 miles.

[bmike-vt]

BigPoppa what is your base weight dry? Just gear, no bike?

[BigPoppa]

Oh boy, I can't remember exactly. For 2011 I had an air niner carbon (fully rigid) and my bike with gear (no food/water) weighed about 31 pounds.

I think my niner is about 22 pounds maybe?

9-10 pounds sounds about right. I really didn't have much. So little I had to buy an extra base layer along the way.

For 2014 I'm adding a little more insulation and cutting a few things out. I'll be around the same weight (maybe a pound heavier) but I'll have a bit more security, peace of mind, and ability to sleep in any weather.

[sthig]

this is what I'm using with an air matress, light weight sleeping bag and tarp
http://www.backcountry.com/bcs/review/Big-Agnes-3-wire-bivy-2012/200152436.html

 love it

[pickupel]

I'm going to be using a Nemo GoGo Elite for the TD, along with a Western Mountaineering Summerlite bag, Thermarest Neo Air Xlite, and a Mountain Hardwear Ghost Whisperer down jacket. I debated which way to go with sleep kit more than any other gear choice, in the end I thought that the added all-weather protection offered by the GoGo over a regular bivy was worth the added weight.

My entire sleep system weighs in at 4.5lbs — this includes all of the above, along with a Revelate Designs harness, Ortlieb dry bag, spare baselayer and pair of socks. It's not the lightest set-up out there, but I'm comfortable with the weight. I feel it's going to allow me to camp out in more or less any conditions, rather than being forced to seek a motel room when the weather gets bad.

[ascar_larkinyar]

i am defiantly a comfort weenie, but i have strong legs as well so it evens out.

many different choices for me depending on trails i am riding.  for the TD i have a large tevek sheet that wraps into a triangle using my bike as the upright, two tent spikes on the opposite side to hold down the side and it wraps under me to be a ground cover as well.

this is a good system as it keeps the bike(and me) dry during all night rain and condensation is nill.  i leave the ends a bit long to fold down the flaps for protection from side wind/rain.

a simple setup, quick up/down and light enough for me.  i inherited a tyvek car cover that was mostly flat.  cut off the stretchy ends and then length to fit my bike wrap.  it's the same weight as my bigger tent, but easier to set up. 

[mtnbound]

I haven't done the TD but my bikepacking sleeping setup isn't too heavy, at about 3 lbs 12 oz, but it is not the lightest by far.    However, it is waterproof (waterproof bivy can weigh up to 2 lbs) and sets up in 1 minute.  I thought about a bivy + tarp, but I have not been able to easily set up a tarp in less than a minute (though I have not practised it) and IMO the tarp seems like a hassle to me (though I think I am in the minority on this).  I am old school and still like a tent over my head.  As others have said, it all depends on what you want and are willing to sacrifice, particularly for something like the TD.  Good luck!

My sleeping setup:
- Tarptent Contrail weighs 26 oz, sets up in 1 minute (though takedown takes a bit longer - always have hard time stuffing back into stuff sack)
- WM Summerlight bag rated to 32 degrees for 19 oz (if you cut down on weight further, their Highlight only weighs 16 oz and is rated to 35, though I have heard that is generous and is closer to 40). It's light, warm and packs down small.
- Exped Synmat UL 7 which weighs 16 oz (many use the Neoair Xlight, which is much lighter but, to me, it crinkles too much but I will likely switch to it in the future to save weight).

[BigPoppa]

To this day, the 'crinkly sound' of a neoair makes me feel sleepy and ready for a nap.

[Veetack]

I'm not sure the crinkle is an issue on the neoair. It's so comfortable, and by the time I'm on it, I'm so tired that no sound would wake me up.

[Endurance Junkie]

Love my neo!
Its been on a ton of over nighters and never has let me down.

[THE LONG RANGER]

The issue with the Neoair Xlight is that it will spring a leak if you look at it funny. The patches for it are essentially stickers. It's an interesting bit of kit, but something that UL has some disadvantages.

[BigPoppa]

The issue with the Neoair Xlight is that it will spring a leak if you look at it funny. The patches for it are essentially stickers. It's an interesting bit of kit, but something that UL has some disadvantages.

I feel the same way. I used the regular neoair in 2011. It sprung a leak half way through and wasn't much good. The Xlite is awesome and super comfortable but I seriously worry about it's fragility....

[pickupel]

I used the regular (first generation) Neo Air for two road tours, totaling more than 9000 miles. It held air no problem throughout both, but with weekend use over the last year it began to leak (from a seam) and so I replaced it with an Xlite. I haven't had a chance to thoroughly test the Xlite yet, but I'll let you know if I have any problems. Rather than use the specific patches I carry a regular inner tube patch kit that will work on the Neo Air — it might not be pretty to have black splotches over your mat, but it works!

[Woodland]

I used a Klymit Inertia X-Lite 3/4 sleeping pad on this years CTR. Weighs 6 oz. 

Actually used it inside my sleeping bag and rolled the bag, pad, bivy into one roll and shoved into a small Sea-to-Summit dry bag

However, ultra-light does not mean ultra-happy...have to find your own balance.

[sthig]

how'd you like the sea to summit dry bag?