New Member and Camping Q's

[froggy]

Welcome Terry. I too switched from a Thermarest to a Big Agnes and will never go back. It made a world of difference. I use a Eureka tent, which works well. Make sure you get a 2 person one. Even then, check it out carefully.

This one sold as a two-person tent and barely fits my mattress.


This is the Eureka, a better 2 person size. I can get most of my gear in as well as the mattress.


You can always check out the MEC in Ottawa for even nicer tents. I ride solo, so fitting it across the passenger seat is no problem.

Holly

Nice tent,I have the same one.This is my 1st tent since I just started "Moto Camping".I was unshure if I would like it so I went chea...um cost sensitive,but I did look 4 a while.Other members in this thread have great suggestions.One being about the fly going to the ground.Another item about flies is if the weather is cold enough they will trap moisture from inside of your tent (body heat) if the tent is primarily mesh.Mesh is great in the summer but with a single layer protecting you in the winter (the fly) it tends to drip moisture back on U .
This tent has 2 zip down panels that gives me ventilation,but the roof is mainly solid except 4 vent flaps.Not a perfect pic but at $50 US its a good start.
PS It turns out after 4 Rallies I love this type of camping.I will soon start looking 4 a mesh tent and use a tarp as shade and rain protection.Happy trails.

[terryjj1]

Well, I think I have more than enough information to get started and complete my search for the perfect (?) tent etc. I'd like to thank everyone for their enthusiasm in answering all my questions and even ones I hadn't thought of yet. Nice to get feedback that isn't hostile or patronizing.......I unrolled my sleeping bag I bought about ten years ago and it had a moldy type odour to it.....wash it twice and it still smells a bit..

QUESTIONS:

Should I get a new one or let it air out ousdie for a few days?....

Will the smell vanish or is this bag done?.....

BTW...A Sail store (I found out last week) opened up here in Ottawa......I went and was amazed at what they carried.....

Terry

[Paul_F]

Terri, hope that you enjoy the camping experience as much as the rest of us do. Being a slow learner, it has taken me six years, five tents and other gear to almost get the equipment just about right. The final "Eureka" moment was on my last camping trip when I abandoned the fitted soft case for the camping pannier and used two clear plastic garbage bags, one for the lid, one for part closet to the wheel, to store the camping gear. Got more packed with space left over.

An inexpensive camping item was given to me by a friend a couple of years ago. You can pick one at MEC for about $20. I carried it camping for about a year before being brave enough to use it, fearful of the consequences, despite my friend's assurance me that it was safe. It is a very small metal/glass lantern with a short, fat candle that burns for about 8 hours. He assured me that if tipped, it automatically self-extinguishes.

Well, after an extremely cold night in Vermont last summer, I broke out the lantern/candle the second night and hung it from a loop from the top of my tent. I had no cold problems that night. Friend claims that it removes the dampness from the tent.

During a whiz break in the middle of the night, I was careful to not touch it. Forgot about it come morning, knocked it with my head. It fell and the candle immediately extinguished, as I had been told it would.

Once you get all your necessary gear together, pack, pack and repack everything. Eliminate what isn't really necessary. Often you won't known what you can live without unless you try your equipment out in the field, preferably a near to home campsite for a weekend. When travelling it has not been unusual for me to be thousands of miles from home and mailing unused items home. Conversely, if you omitted to bring something, just take your debit/credit card to the nearest supplier. I don't do either as frequently now.

When it is down pouring and it is time to stop for the night, the best roof over your head is the closest motel.

April is almost here.

[terryjj1]

Paul,

thanks for the tip on the candle..I'll look it up on the MEC site....this is becoming quite a science this camping thing.....I'm getting the pieces together slowly and will attempt the pack and re-pack method.....there's a good list on this site about things one will need to take along....

BTW...I dealt with WOLF BMW for my bikes.....amazing service from Chris and Ian..

Thanks

[bmwrider88]

Terry,
best of luck to you out there! in a world full of choices, may yours be sound and effective...
yet another *angle* on camping, moto-camping, or whatever...
The MSR ParaWing...
i first saw one on this website-
somewhat expensive and heavy, but QUITE nice in nasty weather, OR super sunny mid summer camping.



i like it for various reasons. took me a short while to get it figured out but mine has held up well in some pretty horrendous weather. it comes with stakes for all 4 corners but i like to tie it off to trees or posts on the *low* corners, when it's possible- and raise or lower it according to how hard a wind is blowing.

[Blairbear]

You may want to look into a cheap set up for a season or two first! I bought a cheap tent,pad and sleeping bag. All for under $100, I used them for two seasons. On several trips/rallies per year. That way I could figure out if I wanted a larger/smaller tent ect. I walked around the different rallies to look at the different tent and then invested in a good tent/termarest that I liked. Still using the cheap sleeping bag. Besides you may find out that after a trip or two you may not like the tent thing. Some people look at me like I have three heads when they find out that I camp most of the time when I travel on the bike on the trips that I have taken! And I don't use camp grounds very often. Have Fun. I love it!

[froggy]

I agree with Blairbear.The 1st tent I purchased was the Eureka pictured earlier in the thread (blue/green).Purchased it last year for my 1st camp rally.It cost me a little over $50 on the internet.I will play-modify it for a year or two,then I will decide if its time to upgrade.$50 I can afford to make a mistake with,but some of these tents costing $200+,well thats an expensive oopseedasee.
Internet has many deals,spend days and weeks looking and at the same time dream of the fun you will have finding and using the equipment that you purchase.

[Beemer01]

A cheap Coleman quality tent may not be a good value, but an inexpensive used or discontinued Eureka or Northface at the same price would be.

Good quality tents WILL keep you dry and comfortable even in a downpour (assuming you're properly located the tent). Cheap tents tend to - well to be cheap. This often means minimal ventilation, dodgy zippers, poor seal sealing and fiberglass poles.

Just like my real wilderness camping trips I work really hard to keep the weight on my bike as low as possible so I use the same gear.

I agree the internet provides a lot of good options. This is the motorcycle camping tent I use - http://www.trailspace.com/gear/the-n...ce/tadpole-23/ I recently saw a used one on eBay for under $20.

[sdpc2]

More than a few years ago, i was at an RA rally in WV when an hurricane came through.... you want to talk about distinguishing between the quality tents and the cheap ones!!! ALL of the tents with fiberglass poles ended up flat on the ground. I slept like a baby nice and dry in my Marmot!

YMMV

A cheap Coleman quality tent may not be a good value, but an inexpensive used or discontinued Eureka or Northface at the same price would be.

Good quality tents WILL keep you dry and comfortable even in a downpour (assuming you're properly located the tent). Cheap tents tend to - well to be cheap. This often means minimal ventilation, dodgy zippers, poor seal sealing and fiberglass poles.

Just like my real wilderness camping trips I work really hard to keep the weight on my bike as low as possible so I use the same gear.

I agree the internet provides a lot of good options. This is the motorcycle camping tent I use - http://www.trailspace.com/gear/the-n...ce/tadpole-23/ I recently saw a used one on eBay for under $20.

[BUDDINGGEEZER]

Academy Sports sells a tent line called 'No Limits'. It is a very high quality line for really good pricing. I bought the Pyramid Peak a 3 person tent that packs on 20" long. It will fit in the hard bags of my Honda ST1100. 4000PU rated fly, aluminum poles, bathtub floor and thick aluminum pegs. Large vestibule. It camr down to this tent and the Eureka Apex and I felt this was the better tent. I paid Less than $100 with sales tax. The 15" rain last May in Tennessee, not a drop leaked. Has withstood 50 mph winds in Colorado.

They have several sizes.

Ralph Sims

[stanley83]

A cheap Coleman quality tent may not be a good value, but an inexpensive used or discontinued Eureka or Northface at the same price would be.

Tents WILL degrade from UV exposure and waterproofing on the floor can be difficult or impossible to reapply. Mildew from improper storage can also ruin otherwise excellent gear. When buying used, keep this in mind.

Excellent deals can be had, however, from folks who bought well but discovered camping was not for them.

[terryjj1]

there are so many options and opinionsÔǪÔǪall appreciated....I'm fairly certain I will enjoy camping and whatever I decide on buyingÔǪ..I camped as a child and thought it was pretty cool....the fun will be in practicing packing everythingÔǪIÔÇÖm trying to finish watching the Long Way Around seriesÔǪTHAT would be the kind of trip I would like to doÔǪ.but I shall probably stick with my trip to Gasp?¿ region this summerÔǪ..QUESTION: how many of you that camp actually prepare your own food? What is the general consensus for food preparation versus going out to eat?

[Beemer01]

When motorcycle camping I almost always go out to eat. Rule of thumb is to break camp and ride a 100 miles before stopping for breakfast. I rarely eat lunch, but will have dinner.

Hydration is vital, so I use a camelback w water or watery lemonaide and keep it cold by adding ice.

[Holly]

Here's a current thread on food.

[Blairbear]

A couple of things I keep in mind when I make something to eat is.
1 In the AM I put some water on to boil for coffee ( I carry a French Press) and oatmeal that I pre-measure with dried fruit. While the water is coming to boil I break down and pack up my equipment. Then eat!
2 I never make and eat dinner where I camp! It seams to attact friends from the woods! Depending where you camp that might not be good.
3 ALWAYS pack your trash out! When I leave a place where I camped for the night, you will never know that I was there!
What you cook is a personal taste thing. I carry enough for at least a couple of days at a time. That is how long a couple of gallons of water that I carry will last me. A bag of microwave rice,A can of meat/chicken/tuna and a small can of veggies. All can be heated in one container at the same time. I'm in hog heaven!
This a photo from the North Rim of the Grand Canyon, we had our tents set up on the rim overlooking the Canyon. Cooking dinner.