Bike Camping - What gear do you use?

[RMMark]

Hi All, 

 

Planning a lot of trips on the Tenere this year.
Looking for recommendations on lightweight 2 man tents, sleeping bags and camping mats - what do you all use and why?

 

My ideal is lightweight and small pack sizes - I can be very minimal, but also I have a bad back so comfort is also important.

[AZJW]

@RMMark. Here's a list that might be of help.  I use a Marmot Catalyst 2P tent which has a decent sized vestibule for storing dirty boots, bags etc., outside, but is rain protected.  Best camp mat I've found is a Big Agnes Air Core Ultra, which packs down fairly small.

Best of luck in your quest for gear that meets your needs as, like with bike setup, everyone is different. 

 

 

 

Catalyst 2-Person Tent | Marmot

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Buy Catalyst 2-Person Tent at Marmot.

 

Insulated Air Core Ultra Air Chamber Sleeping Pad | Big Agnes

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The Insulated Air Core Ultra has been redesigned to offer unparalleled comfort at an incredible price. Shop today at bigagnes.com!

 

[Hollybrook]

Dork in the Road has some pretty good YouTube videos on what to bring, as do others.  Bike camping is between car camping and backpacking.  Size is more important than weight in my opinion.

 

I am using a combo of old backpacking gear, car camping gear and some stuff I have bought especially for bike camping.  I already had a tent, but my lightweight summer sleeping bag is too bulky and my winter down bag is too warm, so I am looking for a 3-season down bag that compresses down to a small package.

 

My backpacking stove is a gas version that is fiddly to light.  After the first time I camped with a friend who uses a Jet Boil isobutane stove, I bought my own isobutane stove.  He was drinking his coffee by the time I was putting water on to boil.

 

One thing I am considering is switching to using a hammock and tarp instead of a tent.  There are lots of trees around here and the ground is rocky.

[duibhceK]

8 hours ago, Hollybrook said:

Bike camping is between car camping and backpacking.  Size is more important than weight in my opinion.

 

Fully agree with that.

 

My kit consists of a Ferrino Force 2 tent, Exped Synmat UL7 air bed, Millet Dreamer Sleeping bag (composite: synthetic on the back, down on the front), Forclaz silk sleeping bag liner (used as a cover for the Synmat, not in as a sleeping bag liner), Thermolite reactor sleeping bag liner (for the freezing nights),  MSR Whisperlight intl. stove and MSR Trail light duo cook set.

[Oxxa]

There is none better, lighter and more smaller than Durston X mid 2p or 1p for the price of 240$

Edited March 31, 2023 by Oxxa

[Toymaster]

This is a topic near and dear to my heart.  One of my hobbies is obtaining suitable camper gear for every type of camping: back, bike, car, RV, even equine pack train.  I have two goals, don't let the situation degrade into a survival situation and go as light as possible. 

 

In short, look to the back packing world for your needs.  Don't overspend at the beginning, let your actual usage dictate on what items you upgrade along the way.   That of course, unless it is your hobby too and have more money than sense, then buy the best of the best you'll never regret it; look to the ultralight backpacking world.  For other, mere mortals, I'd say anything above wal-mart grade will do you just fine.   Here is my current set up.

 

 

 

NEMO Equipment Tensor Insulated Sleeping Pad, Torch, Regular Wide, 811666034724

Thermarest LuxuryLite Mesh Cot-Blue-Regular, 282103   best insulation is to get off the ground

Helinox Ground Chair, Coyote Tan, 10503R1    Lightest and comfortable for what it is. 

MSR Dragonfly Stove   (will run off of gas, so fuel bottle is a reserve for the bike as well)

MSR Elixir Tent - 2 Person, 3 Season footprint included, White/Red, 10311      for high elevations, where all nights are colder.  For warmer weather I use the tent below without the stove.

 

I use a quilt, bike camping is in warm weather so I went with 40 degree, as packable as you can get.   They have sales, the big draw here is you can have it built to your specs, no wasting space.

 

Hammock Gear's Economy Burrow | Budget Ultralight Quilt

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Hammock Gear's Economy Burrow is our top quilt for those on a budget. Save weight, bulk in your pack, & make the switch to this budget ultralight quilt today!

 

 

 

Trying to get a hold of one of these.

Fjallraven Abisko View 2 Tent, Sand, One Size, F53402-220

 

 

 

 

 

 

Use this for late year camping, extend the season to way past its time.  Don't start here, and only go here if you are really into it.

 

Minipeak XL (3P) Wood Stove Backpacking Tent [40% Off]

3W Tent Wood Stove (Titanium Folding) for Camping [30% off]

 

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2023 by Toymaster

[random1781]

22 hours ago, Hollybrook said:

One thing I am considering is switching to using a hammock and tarp instead of a tent.  There are lots of trees around here and the ground is rocky.

I used a Warbonnet for a long time, and they're incredibly comfortable, I'd sleep in one of these over a sleeping pad any day. Extremely light and compact. Downside is that there's no good place to store your gear and it can get cold being off the ground in spring/fall.

 

Everyone else is already suggesting a lot of good products, so the only thing I'd say is to keep in mind that "ultralight" comes with a decrease in longevity. Our ultralight Big Agnes tent lasted 2 years before the mesh started to tear, zippers fail, etc., which is a bummer when you consider the cost.

[Oxxa]

I have a Dutchware chameleon hammock with dutchware xenon bonded hex tarp and hammockgear premium incubator top quilt and burrow down quilt.
 

Pretty nice setup that weights 2.2 kg and packs down to 15-18liters of space

[Toymaster]

 

 

[thepointchris]

On the tent side - and I learnt from bikepacking- I go with a 3-man Copperspur. Hardly heavier than a 2- man, a little taller, and packs small. Good enough for me for up to a week or so. However, if I was to spend more time in a tent, I'd spring for something that I can almost stand in.

And then I make sure that I can make good coffee - mocha pot or aeropress, life's too short!

[Mapbook]

Robens green cone tent, two or three man tent to get all your kit in and have one you can stand up in there is nothing worse than laying flat on your back fighting your way in or out of your riding kit, 

Exped inflatable down mattress, Three season bag, have good chair.

Any fool can be uncomfortable, my camping gear weighs in at around 30KGs that's with food, water  less that a third of most pillion passengers.

Edited April 1, 2023 by Mapbook

[Ray Ride4life]

This is my camp gear:

 

But my tent is just a one person tunnel type, they are available as 2 person.
I chose this type because the inner tent is hooked into the outer so you keep the inside dry when you have to erect it in the rain. Downside over the dome types is that you have to start fixing the four corners and can't move it after that.
This is the starlight 1, maybe i will upgrade to the starlight 2.

For cooking i have a Jetboil Flash with the adapter for pots and pans.
For sleeping i have a moderate sleeping bag for small packing combined with a liner for cold weather or just the liner when it's really hot.
For comfort i use an inflatable mattress, take a small and light folding chair and a tarp for multiple usage (the rope is extra).

[prowlnS10]

Full list of gear via blog link 

Camping Gear: MSR Elixir 3 Tent w/Footprint - Sea to Summit Camp Plus SI Sleeping Mat - Hikenture Ultralight Pillow - Trekology Yizi-Go Compact Camp Chair w/Sand Cover - MEC 3 Season Down Mummy Sleeping Bag - SOL Escape Lite Bivvy Sack - PakTowl Luxe Towel - Sea to Summit 3.5m Clothesline

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Yamaha Tenere 700, Yamaha Super Tenere 1200 ES, Ride Reviews

 

[Tenerider]

Three years ago, I bought a 1P Big Agnes Copper Spur for a comparatively low price for bikepacking. Have used it only twice, bikepacking sucked for me.

Pro: extremely compact when packed (weight doesn't matter that much now to me).

Con: still very "compact" when erected, the vestibule doesn't offer much space, and it's too low for me to sit and cook in it. So I would need a tarp, too, which I haven't yet.

Since it's not seen much useage, I'm thinking of selling it and going for something more roomy (and longevity).

 

Sleeping bag is old (Mountain Equipment Moonwalker, synthetic), matress is Sea to Summit Etherlight XL.

 

I'm in to Trangia alcohol stoves, but they're too big for motocamping. So I got a nice small titanium set from Boundless Voyage (bought at Amazon). Made in China but VERY well made imho. Works fine, I'm only using it for hot water (coffee, tea, instant meals) - rather an emergency cooking kit.

 

Really missed a chair when I went bikepacking. I might need to get one for my motorcycle trips.

[Toymaster]

Got this email today

 

[Ray Ride4life]

I really don't understand these, i've been in lots of places where i had no option to hang it.

[Tenerider]

11 minutes ago, Ray Ride4life said:

I really don't understand these, i've been in lots of places where i had no option to hang it.

Oh yes. Especially in our crowded continent, where it's often forbidden to camp in forest areas (even more forbidden than riding a motorcycle).

But I can imagine they are a great option when it's possible - smaller, lighter, faster than a tent.

[Ray Ride4life]

1 hour ago, Tenerider said:

Oh yes. Especially in our crowded continent, where it's often forbidden to camp in forest areas (even more forbidden than riding a motorcycle).

But I can imagine they are a great option when it's possible - smaller, lighter, faster than a tent.

But i like to see different places so i still need a tent for when this doesn't work and then it's just added weight and space.
What i want to say is to think ahead and be sure it will work for you every part of the trip. Having a bad night sucks and brings risks the day after.

[Tenerider]

4 minutes ago, Ray Ride4life said:

But i like to see different places so i still need a tent for when this doesn't work and then it's just added weight and space.
What i want to say is to think ahead and be sure it will work for you every part of the trip. Having a bad night sucks and brings risks the day after.

Agree! It's not an allround solution. A good sleep is not to be underestimated.

[Hollybrook]

Depending on how you select your gear, the extra size and weight of a hammock is not that much, maybe only a couple of pounds and a few liters. Many items work both on the ground and in the air. 

 

Many places around here are very difficult to set up a tent in, but plenty of trees. 

Edited April 2, 2023 by Hollybrook

[Toymaster]

I guess I should have wrote, I posted the sale/link for the quilt, not the hammock. 

[Cruizin]

I use same gear that I use for backpacking. I spend up a bit and get ultralight backpacking gear that compresses down and doesnt weigh much, but again, that stuff usually costs more. 

i have an REI quarterdome tent, and small inflatable mattress pad that packs down super small and a Kelty 20 degree down sleeping bag. I pack the sleeping bag into a compression sack made of waterproof material. 

[Tenerider]

Here's some pics of my not-yet-completely tested gear (new cooker and sleeping pad only tested at home so far):

 

 

 

Mountain Equipment synthetic sleeping bag, Sea to Summit travel pillow and towel, Osprey roll organizer, Sea to Summit inflatable sleeping pad, small spirit burner, ground sheet, tent and poles.

 

Fits easily in my 22l Mosko Stinger when you use the sleeping bag to fill all the gaps instead of using a compression bag in my case (tent poles excluded):

 

 

Some details of the smaller items:

 

 

 

Multi-purpose soap, toothbrush etc, contact lens cleaner.

750ml pot, pot stand/stove holder, stove and lid, pot scraper.

 

Need to add a spork or something similar.

 

I like that all these items fit in my top bag, leaving two 14l side bags free for clothes etc.

Edited April 10, 2023 by Tenerider

[john_aero]

Been looking at tents, might consider a "black out" tent next as i find trying sleep in summer in a sun lit tent difficult.

 

 

[Endopotential]

Regarding "black out" tents, do consider that they may get blazing hot inside during the heat of the day especially if there's no breeze to provide ventilation.

A sleep mask would likely be a cheaper and simpler option.