To tent or not to tent (at the Silk Road Mountain Race) - that is the question.

A few ponderings alongside some photos of my really lovely camp in Kyrgyzstan:

https://www.instagram.com/p/DOEJqnQjEvf/

#SRMR2025
#SRMR2025cap201
#silkroadmountainrace
#bikepacking
#ultracycling
#weitradeln
#Kyrgyzstan
#Kirgisistan
#sleepkit
#tent
#bivy
#MSRHubbaHubbaBikepack
#HomeIsWhereYouStakeIt

Torsten Frank on Instagram: "Faff Master Super Scenic Camping Spots of the Silk Road Mountain Race. Loved how the scenic side of using a tent and my luck with the weather turned out! But really need to think about the whole tent isssue. It adds sooo much faff! (And weight and volume). Yes - it's more cozy than a bivvy and the MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack performed well. The vestibule helps keeping your stuff dry (even prevents freezing in mild minus temps). The whole tent certainly adds 1-2 degrees more comfort range to the whole sleep setup, too. Also quilt/sleeping bag has more room to fluff up, adding even more potential warmth. But would I really have missed it? Maybe if it had rained on me for hours and also in the morning? But unmounting and then packing everything in the rain would add sooo much more time in it than just stuffing the bivy and go... @adampalin had I nice idea as I just saw after jotting down my first notes on this: https://www.instagram.com/p/DNS62EMs34K/ That's a cool idea! Actually I arrived at the exact same idea: somehow having just a rainfly or singlewall tent just in case. A webbing for a set of poles of e.g. your naturehike tent sounds like a great idea! What was/is your take on sleeping outer shell for the SRMR? A tent? A bivy? Something inbetween? #SRMR2025 #SRMR2025cap201 #silkroadmountainrace #bikepacking #ultracycling #weitradeln #Kyrgyzstan #Kirgisistan #sleepkit #tent #bivy #MSRHubbaHubbaBikepack #HomeIsWhereYouStakeIt @silkroadmountainrace @msr_gear"

38 likes, 4 comments - torsten_frank on September 1, 2025: "Faff Master Super Scenic Camping Spots of the Silk Road Mountain Race. Loved how the scenic side of using a tent and my luck with the weather turned out! But really need to think about the whole tent isssue. It adds sooo much faff! (And weight and volume). Yes - it's more cozy than a bivvy and the MSR Hubba Hubba Bikepack performed well. The vestibule helps keeping your stuff dry (even prevents freezing in mild minus temps). The whole tent certainly adds 1-2 degrees more comfort range to the whole sleep setup, too. Also quilt/sleeping bag has more room to fluff up, adding even more potential warmth. But would I really have missed it? Maybe if it had rained on me for hours and also in the morning? But unmounting and then packing everything in the rain would add sooo much more time in it than just stuffing the bivy and go... @adampalin had I nice idea as I just saw after jotting down my first notes on this: https://www.instagram.com/p/DNS62EMs34K/ That's a cool idea! Actually I arrived at the exact same idea: somehow having just a rainfly or singlewall tent just in case. A webbing for a set of poles of e.g. your naturehike tent sounds like a great idea! What was/is your take on sleeping outer shell for the SRMR? A tent? A bivy? Something inbetween? #SRMR2025 #SRMR2025cap201 #silkroadmountainrace #bikepacking #ultracycling #weitradeln #Kyrgyzstan #Kirgisistan #sleepkit #tent #bivy #MSRHubbaHubbaBikepack #HomeIsWhereYouStakeIt @silkroadmountainrace @msr_gear".

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Es ist meine Woche der kurzen und knackigen Blogbeiträge. Schon der 2. Artikel in kurzer Zeit. Heute ein "Werkstattbericht" zum Thema Schlafsysteme: "Schlafsysteme: kurzer Temperaturtest zur Vorbereitung auf das Atlas Mountain Race 2025"
https://torstenfrank.wordpress.com/2024/12/06/schlafsysteme-kurzer-temperaturtest-zur-vorbereitung-auf-das-atlas-mountain-race-2025/

#Bikepacking #Sleepkit #Schlafsystem #Overnighter #Schlafsack #Quilt #Bivy #Biwak

Schlafsysteme: kurzer Temperaturtest zur Vorbereitung auf das Atlas Mountain Race 2025

Hier ein kurzer „Werkstattbericht“ eines kleinen Tests, den ich für mich selbst in der Nacht des 29.11.2024 durchgeführt habe. Und zwar habe ich neulich einfach mal eine Nacht auf meine…

Torsten Frank . : : . tfrank.de - Das Blog
Szukam - na razie daremnie - worka biwakowego (#bivi #bivy #norka) na 165 cm wzrostu. Ktoś coś podpowie?

Have been thinking over doing more overnight sleeps in the mountains (in nature, not huts). What has holding me back over the years, is the weight/volume of my (2p) tent. Although it is not that heavy, it would require me to use my old big pack, which weighs 3kg on its own. It would also be harder to find a good spot.

It all sounds all overkill for my use case: on a day with good weather predictions, walk up late afternoon, cook/read a bit, enjoy the views, spend the night, walk down early morning. Ideally a sleeping bag / mattress would do it, but you never know.

So I'm now contemplating buying a bivy, which opened up a bunch of questions on its own. Have found good blog https://www.carandtent.com/guide-to-bivy-camping, but would be great if you could also share your experience. What are pitfalls, do's and don'ts, etc.

Happy to share more detailed info on gear or expectations in case needed.

Thanks a lot!! 🙏

#Mountains #Bivy #Camping #Hiking

The Guide to Bivy Camping - When to Use, How to Use, and How to Choose

Bivy camping is popular among backpackers and mountaineers. Come inside to discover when to use a bivy, how to use a bivy, and how to buy a bivy.

Car and Tent
Messing about, looking like Strider-In-Glasses in my "new" 1988 Belgian Army #Bivy Bag

Last night, this was my roof as I slept in the garden in my bivy bag.

#outdoors #outdoorlife #camping #bivy

Spotted this grass snake (?) on a bivy last night
#bivy #bushcraft #wildlife