Looking for some advice on sleeping kit set up - I'm helping out my local CCF so need to get set up myself.

Bivi bag - seems like you can pick up ex-issue gore tex bags for around £40... should I be looking for something better? Always seemed pretty good when I was issued them...
Sleeping mat - I use a Therma-rest for camping... but it's a pain in the arrse to get all the air out to pack it, and I don't fancy getting a puncture. I would've thought a regular foam mat would've been more hardwearing and easy to pack fast (particularly the folding ones)... am I missing something?
Doss bag - seems like everyone raves about the Snugpak softies... Is a Softie 9 enough for the UK? Using a mat and inside a bivi, I would've thought so... Anyone have experience to share?

Feel free to bring on the abuse for helping out my CCF

I've got a Softie 9 and just come of ex. No dramas. It got to around freezing and I had no issues at -4C
Issued bivvy and cut down foam roll mat. I'm mechanised at the mo so wasn't dug in..

Originally Posted by bigjimdangley

I've got a Softie 9 and just come of ex. No dramas. It got to around freezing and I had no issues at -4C
Issued bivvy and cut down foam roll mat. I'm mechanised at the mo so wasn't dug in..

Thanks - that's helpful.

Is this the current issue bivi? Apart from being DPM, any idea if it's different from the older OG bags?

No its not and the new is mtp I use a Softie zero Sleeper Zero Camo Sleeping Bags - Sleeper Zero Camo Code Green - Sleeper Zero Camo Military - Leading Suppliers of Clothing & Sleepingbags - snugpak.com its not the best but it cost about £40 and in the winter ( any thing below 5 ) I also where a Softie jkt and trousers.

I've got a new one somewhere, but I still use the old one. I'm always on or near wagons or in a crew shelter so being waterproof isn't uppermost. It gets coverd in exhaust soot/oil etc. seems a shame to wreck the new one!
New one looks the same materiel though.

A sleeping-bag liner gives you a little more flexibility with the Softie 9 if the temp drops, plus the usual caveat of changing into dry kit before dossing-down.

Originally Posted by bigjimdangley

I've got a new one somewhere, but I still use the old one. I'm always on or near wagons or in a crew shelter so being waterproof isn't uppermost. It gets coverd in exhaust soot/oil etc. seems a shame to wreck the new one!
New one looks the same materiel though.

Thanks!

Originally Posted by thecoops

No its not and the new is mtp I use a Softie zero Sleeper Zero Camo Sleeping Bags - Sleeper Zero Camo Code Green - Sleeper Zero Camo Military - Leading Suppliers of Clothing & Sleepingbags - snugpak.com its not the best but it cost about £40 and in the winter ( any thing below 5 ) I also where a Softie jkt and trousers.

Not too worried about it being MTP - don't think I need to worry about trying to look ally

Thanks for the link to the doss bag - looks like it packs pretty small.

Originally Posted by Mav

Looking for some advice on sleeping kit set up - I'm helping out my local CCF so need to get set up myself.

Bivi bag - seems like you can pick up ex-issue gore tex bags for around £40... should I be looking for something better? Always seemed pretty good when I was issued them...
Sleeping mat - I use a Therma-rest for camping... but it's a pain in the arrse to get all the air out to pack it, and I don't fancy getting a puncture. I would've thought a regular foam mat would've been more hardwearing and easy to pack fast (particularly the folding ones)... am I missing something?
Doss bag - seems like everyone raves about the Snugpak softies... Is a Softie 9 enough for the UK? Using a mat and inside a bivi, I would've thought so... Anyone have experience to share?

Feel free to bring on the abuse for helping out my CCF

A Softie 9 would be fine for cadets in the UK, though I would prefer to use the issued kit same as them. (cadets, not THEM)
That DPM bivvie bag looked like an issue one which (if it is) is more than adequate. also, I was issued a blow up self inflating type roll mat, used it once and reverted back to the foam type. quicker, easier, no valve to fall out and the issued foam type cover the whole body. blow up ones only the head and torso, giving me bloody cold legs. flippin devils work. hope that helps

Originally Posted by csssigs

......... blow up ones only the head and torso, giving me bloody cold legs. flippin devils work. hope that helps

Sounds like you had the short Thermarest, which, I agree, isn't much use. OTOH, the standard one I've had for about 15 years has never gone down on me.

Originally Posted by csssigs

A Softie 9 would be fine for cadets in the UK, though I would prefer to use the issued kit same as them. (cadets, not THEM)
That DPM bivvie bag looked like an issue one which (if it is) is more than adequate. also, I was issued a blow up self inflating type roll mat, used it once and reverted back to the foam type. quicker, easier, no valve to fall out and the issued foam type cover the whole body. blow up ones only the head and torso, giving me bloody cold legs. flippin devils work. hope that helps

I don't think we have plenty of kit so I'm trying to avoid taking stuff that would prevent a cadet being issued. Good to hear that somebody else thinks the foam mats are much easier to live with.

Originally Posted by cloudbuster

Sounds like you had the short Thermarest, which, I agree, isn't much use. OTOH, the standard one I've had for about 15 years has never gone down on me.

But isn't it a pain in the arse to pack up?

Originally Posted by cloudbuster

A sleeping-bag liner gives you a little more flexibility with the Softie 9 if the temp drops, plus the usual caveat of changing into dry kit before dossing-down.

Sleeping in wet kit does indeed suck