I've done many winters over the years, they were far easier in my 20's & 30's as I just didn't feel the cold as much back then even for the earlier parts of my 40's but I do seem to feel the cold more nowadays having now passed the half century, my feet have always been my Achilles heel no matter what socks I tried they were always stone cold and once they get cold I'm thinking about wrapping up so two nights planned used to turn into one, but then I happened upon the Aqua socks as a Christmas present off the wife a few years ago and they have been a revelation the last few winters, as with all good things Aqua have since discontinued them thankfully I bought four new pairs last winter and set them aside so should get a few more years in yet.
Are winter nights worth it? I can honestly say I've not had any more memorable captures but it does feel a bit more rewarding as you do go further and farther between bites, well on the type of lakes I usually fish but in the main it is a lot of cold long dark nights that seem to drag on but whats the alternative? for me it's sat at home with the misses so fishing wins every time.
As for gas bivvy heaters I'll admit I have in the past tried them if your careful and know all the risks accidents can be avoided, I bought one to sit outside in the chair away from the bivvy never inside for a final warm before hitting the bag and I can say the the ones that have been linked that look like mini calor gas fires with the big green Coleman gas cylinders like THESE chew through a bottle in no time and for the cost of the bottles your better of spending the money on decent clothing and sleeping bag.
Are winter nights worth it? I can honestly say I've not had any more memorable captures but it does feel a bit more rewarding as you do go further and farther between bites, well on the type of lakes I usually fish but in the main it is a lot of cold long dark nights that seem to drag on but whats the alternative? for me it's sat at home with the misses so fishing wins every time.
As for gas bivvy heaters I'll admit I have in the past tried them if your careful and know all the risks accidents can be avoided, I bought one to sit outside in the chair away from the bivvy never inside for a final warm before hitting the bag and I can say the the ones that have been linked that look like mini calor gas fires with the big green Coleman gas cylinders like THESE chew through a bottle in no time and for the cost of the bottles your better of spending the money on decent clothing and sleeping bag.
In reply to Post #44
That is bang on Bob - when you hit the mindset of genuinely 'not wanting a bite' (due to warmth) the whole thing becomes daft and therefore defeats the object of being there in the first place!
I don't have a massive cold issue (will happily stand in a river in near minus temps trotting a float) and I'm more than used to blanking but its the long periods of dark nothingness in winter carping that get me - that and packing up 3 tonnes of carp gear in the mud and driving rain - no thanks!
That is bang on Bob - when you hit the mindset of genuinely 'not wanting a bite' (due to warmth) the whole thing becomes daft and therefore defeats the object of being there in the first place!
I don't have a massive cold issue (will happily stand in a river in near minus temps trotting a float) and I'm more than used to blanking but its the long periods of dark nothingness in winter carping that get me - that and packing up 3 tonnes of carp gear in the mud and driving rain - no thanks!
In reply to Post #49
Cold I'm fine with, It's the wet and mud that put me off too. I need it to be relatively dry for a week or so before I contemplate a winter overnighter.
Personally would never use a bivvy heater but for those that do, can you at least invest in a smoke & CO detetcter. Only £20ish and could save your life.
Cold I'm fine with, It's the wet and mud that put me off too. I need it to be relatively dry for a week or so before I contemplate a winter overnighter.
Personally would never use a bivvy heater but for those that do, can you at least invest in a smoke & CO detetcter. Only £20ish and could save your life.
Just passed my 60th and I still do a bit of winter fishing, usually just 48 hrs at a time though. This time of year (still Autumn) I'm still on longer sessions and will be doing 6 nights next week.
Fishing is a personal thing for me and I don't measure it against others but I really like the solitude and rawness of it in winter time and any capture feels so much more earned to me.
I don't use heaters.
Fishing is a personal thing for me and I don't measure it against others but I really like the solitude and rawness of it in winter time and any capture feels so much more earned to me.
I don't use heaters.
In reply to Post #21
Jon's post #21
I know plenty of Italians who sleep in a bivvy with a kerosene heater like this
Portable Mechanical Fuel Stove
I haven't got one. I'm too scared of waking up dead.
I've got a parabolic heater that goes on a gas cannister that I use when packing up - I empty the bivvy, then fire up the heater for 15 minutes while I put the rods away - gets rid of the condensation so i can put the bivvy away dry. Works well.
Jon's post #21
I know plenty of Italians who sleep in a bivvy with a kerosene heater like this
Portable Mechanical Fuel Stove
I haven't got one. I'm too scared of waking up dead.
I've got a parabolic heater that goes on a gas cannister that I use when packing up - I empty the bivvy, then fire up the heater for 15 minutes while I put the rods away - gets rid of the condensation so i can put the bivvy away dry. Works well.
In reply to Post #54
Haha the link has turned my Amazon into Italian and I don't know how to change it hahaha
Haha the link has turned my Amazon into Italian and I don't know how to change it hahaha
In reply to Post #55
Google Chrome auto translates
It's unavailable currently anyway
Google Chrome auto translates
It's unavailable currently anyway
In reply to Post #55
prova a disconnetterti e riaccenderti
prova a disconnetterti e riaccenderti
In reply to Post #54
funny enough thats EXACTLY why I bought a Coleman black cat heater years ago for drying the bivvy prior to going home
funny enough thats EXACTLY why I bought a Coleman black cat heater years ago for drying the bivvy prior to going home
In reply to Post #59
Its not a bivvy heater so doesnt really answer your question
But I love a winter bbq and take a few extra coals and a couple of fire logs for after which usually last an hour or two
Its mesmerising watching a fire - cosy, warm and then jump in the bag when its time for bed - cant say Ive ever been that cold once in the bag
Its not a bivvy heater so doesnt really answer your question
But I love a winter bbq and take a few extra coals and a couple of fire logs for after which usually last an hour or two
Its mesmerising watching a fire - cosy, warm and then jump in the bag when its time for bed - cant say Ive ever been that cold once in the bag
Again, not a heater but.......
I just use good clobber and a good bag but also use a UCO Mini Candle Lantern that gives the impression of warmth (I think cosy is the word) as it is just nicer than sitting there in the pitch black or with a bivvy light on, runs off tea lights
I just use good clobber and a good bag but also use a UCO Mini Candle Lantern that gives the impression of warmth (I think cosy is the word) as it is just nicer than sitting there in the pitch black or with a bivvy light on, runs off tea lights
In reply to Post #61
>>>>>but also use a UCO Mini Candle Lantern that gives the impression of warmth<<<<<
When I used to take my DVD player to watch a film on a Winters Night, I used to put a cup of water in the kettle and place it over a Tea Light in my Trangia. After about a couple of hours when the film finished, I would have a kettle of water just hot enough to make a cup of hot chocolate to go to bed on.
But it was the flickering light from the tea light through the holes of the Trangia on the side of the bivvy that gave a warm feeling.
But also, it sums up how much heat a Tea light gives off to warm a bivvy when they are not even hot enough to boil a kettle with just a cup of water in. Somewhere on Youtube is a video of how this theory of tea lights under plant pots and the Nash Heater gives off a lot of heat is pulled apart and the heat given off is negligible and no more than what you get with just the Tea light on its own.
I also use the Bushlite that was invented in Africa and its also possible to get an adapter to fit on top so you can cook on it. UCO seems to have copied it. But the Bushlite is far more expensive.
Another idea I had years ago to keep warm in Winter was a 12V ceramic fan heater for cars. I bought one for my car when its heater broke and I needed something to defrost the windows and heat up the car, about £14, but then scrapped the car and was going to use it to heat my bivvy to just take the chill of the air as I do not think they are hot enough to get "Toasty Hot" when I am in swims with my car behind me and just run the engine to keep the battery topped up, but I never did. I have not researched it but as they are designed to work in the enclosed area of a car, they give off no fumes etc so probably they would be safe in a closed bivvy.
>>>>>but also use a UCO Mini Candle Lantern that gives the impression of warmth<<<<<
When I used to take my DVD player to watch a film on a Winters Night, I used to put a cup of water in the kettle and place it over a Tea Light in my Trangia. After about a couple of hours when the film finished, I would have a kettle of water just hot enough to make a cup of hot chocolate to go to bed on.
But it was the flickering light from the tea light through the holes of the Trangia on the side of the bivvy that gave a warm feeling.
But also, it sums up how much heat a Tea light gives off to warm a bivvy when they are not even hot enough to boil a kettle with just a cup of water in. Somewhere on Youtube is a video of how this theory of tea lights under plant pots and the Nash Heater gives off a lot of heat is pulled apart and the heat given off is negligible and no more than what you get with just the Tea light on its own.
I also use the Bushlite that was invented in Africa and its also possible to get an adapter to fit on top so you can cook on it. UCO seems to have copied it. But the Bushlite is far more expensive.
Another idea I had years ago to keep warm in Winter was a 12V ceramic fan heater for cars. I bought one for my car when its heater broke and I needed something to defrost the windows and heat up the car, about £14, but then scrapped the car and was going to use it to heat my bivvy to just take the chill of the air as I do not think they are hot enough to get "Toasty Hot" when I am in swims with my car behind me and just run the engine to keep the battery topped up, but I never did. I have not researched it but as they are designed to work in the enclosed area of a car, they give off no fumes etc so probably they would be safe in a closed bivvy.
In reply to Post #62
Just to bump this up I've just noticed Johnsonross have a new heater in , with safety features, then got me thinking why not have a built in timer in them that shuts off .
Just to bump this up I've just noticed Johnsonross have a new heater in , with safety features, then got me thinking why not have a built in timer in them that shuts off .