I need some help with selecting a tent, sleep mat and most importantly a sleeping bag for a couple of wild camp trips i've got planned for next month My problem is being 6'6" and 16 stone i won't fit in the normal gear I think i have decided on a Helsport Ringstind 2 tent which weighs 1.6kg with an internal length of 250cm and costs £374.00 with Tamaracks current discount. But i am tempted with Vaude power lizard which is lighter and cheaper but internal length might be tight at 230cm For the sleep mat i was thinking about a thermarest neoair (large) for around £100 on T'interweb. Will this be OK with my weight ? Is it durable enough ? The sleeping bag is the one giving me the most problems. I am after a bag that gives a comfort rating somewhere around zero / +2ish I have looked on the PHD sale site and i am tempted by the Minim 300 long which IIRC is around £150, but i have heard its quite a tight cut which may not suit. Can anybody who has got a minim give me some feedback on the cut. I don't want to spend more than a couple of hundred quid and i would want down for the compressibility factor. Any suggestions ? Lastly i have got an Osprey Atmos 50 sack which i have earmarked for the trips (2 night wildcamp). Do you think this will be big enough with the above kit? Thanks in advance GG
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 Rucksack should probably do it, although it depends on what else you take. The neo air/bag/tent will certainly all pack very small. As for width obviously best to phone PHD to check if marginal but their DIY program gives a guide. Widths from PHDs DIY bag program. Given as maximum of chest/waist measurements. Standard = up to 109cm (43"). They will do wider bags if required but unfortunately not at sale prices! Length a standard option and so returnable etc but width not. A straight up long/wide 300 from that program seems to £267. For that money also worth looking at a straight up long combi bag. Very similar cost, a bit warmer (& heavier but still light enough). They're wide by default to fit slimmer bags inside them. Not sure how much luck you'll have elsewhere for long and wide ultralight bags. Even length fittings seem to be relatively rare.
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Thanks for the swift response guys It looks like the Minim may be out then as i appear to be a couple of inches too big in the chest department I know RAB have got a new range of bags out but i can't find any info if they do them in long lengths like they did with some of their old range. I will send an email to them me thinks
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 I have a minim 300, not as close fitting as people seem to assume, I was nearer 15st when I bought it and I'm only 5ft10in with biggish shoulders... having said that, I have a combi too and it is a lot more spacious when used on it's own. Not sure if they are in the sale however.
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Right - took a tape measure to my minim 300 - its 29in across INTERNALLY, so that's 58in to play with. I have 43 inch chest so I'm supposed to be right on the limit but it's fine for me. Hope it helps. BTW, I had a full length zip fitted, so I can open it out in summer.
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Someone on here is selling a large neoair - less mon  ey than that
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 It's Lucky Jim, worth a look - they're lovely comfy things, and relatively small and light for the comfort With the sort of kit you've got on your wish-list, you should be fine with a 50l sack, and one of the advantages of the Atmos / Aura series is that because of its curvature, you can hang a hydration bladder inside the back-mesh so you've more room in the sack.
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Well if thats the figure then its 1.5" more than RABs new range. (they give very detailed sizing figures on their website.). Best I can tell with the new range they upped the standard length a bit (up to 190cm internal as per their website) but cancelled the length options. Needlesports aren't offering length options on their website for instance. (they do for the old ones.). Oh well. MEs helium 400 in extra long gives its shoulder width as 76cm so a little bit more room than the others (and than their zero's). Comfort limit +1 and 780g in standard size so not insanely out of spec.
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Another possibility with the sleeping bag would be to see if Mountain Equipment do longer length bags, because some of their top end down ones have stretch baffles around the torso.
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Kelvin, Thanks for the measuring of the minim. I do like a bit of spare room in my sleeping bag so i will see if the MEs helium is more suitable as suggested above. I will PM lucky Jim re the Neoair I'm glad it looks as if the Atmos 50 will be big enough to save more expense on new kit. I tend to go for Osprey as they come in different back sizes but even i was surprised that when i put my latest osprey rucksack (Stratos 36) in the "walking wardrobe" i found it had 6 osprey friends!
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 I have always found the long mountain equipment bags to be more than long and wide enough i am only 6ft 4inch but am 19 stones and fit into my mountain equipment snowline very nicely, and i have room to spare especially length wise.
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I've had a look online but can't find anyone who sells the ME Helium 400 XL . I have found the ME Xero 350 however which looks suitable. Its slightly more expensive than i was hoping but do you think the cut will be as generous as the helium as it seems to be aimed more at the minimalist market.
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It might seem like a strange option but have you looked at quilts? I recently bought a Golite 3 season quilt in XL suitable for up to 6'6" from outdoorswarehouse. It was the old model but is stil similar to the current model. It is about 700g or so. It also means you have no issue with girth. The mat insulates underneath so you just roll up in the quilt on your mat. I'd suggest a silk liner, very light and nicer than the mat against the skin. Unfortunately I bought the last XL one but you can get them from backpackinglight.co.uk as well. I'm only 6'5" and quite slim. I've yet to try it out but people have recommended them. I use a single skin tent myself or a tarp and bivvy as they are really the only ways to get plenty of space without spending so much money. £100 my tent, £45 for my tarp although cheaper avaiable.
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Ta for the Golite info, i didn't know about the quilt range. i will have a look i did see the Golite Venture 40 sleeping bag which i believe is a more generous cut which looks about right for me. I will have a hunt and see if any real shops have any in stock locally (but i doubt it)
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 I'm 6'4", a bit lighter than you. I've been using a long Montbell Ultralight Downhugger 2 for a couple of years now (I was in it last night), and love it. Bags of room, elasticated stitching, a great quality item let down only the odd shaped stuffsac and a flimsy velcro tab on the neck baffle. Stated temperature range is bang on the money. The range has changed now, but this would be right if you can afford (and find) it.
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GG, I'm 6'6 and 17stone, the ringstind is a great tent, bags of length. Just make sure you pitch it oriented the right way to the wind otherwise things can get interesting. my bag is a north face blue kazoo in long version, roomy, very long. I have a normal thermarest and its fine as I don't sleep fully stretched out.
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