there wasn't a thread dedicated just to this so I made one! I could have added to the touring commuting camping whatever thread but I want to learn just about camping here.
I'm looking at single-person tents right now. I want one that is waterproof (duh) and packs up as small as possible (to fit in my panniers!). and hopefully isn't too expensive since I think I'm going to end up spending over 200 dollars on a rack and rear panniers for my bike.
I'm also looking at sleeping bags. they don't have to be too warm or anything; I don't plan on camping in weather that requires more than a very light blanket, but I'd like something relatively soft and comfy to lay on. the size of this is also the primary concern, because I'd also like to fit it in my panniers.
one of these two could probably roll up and go on the top of the rack rather than in one of the panniers, but that would mean it has to come with a waterproof bag or something.
so I guess my questions are:
1. where should I be looking for camping gear? all I really know of is REI and EMS.
2. any suggestions for either of the above items?
3. any other camping tips you'd like to share? I don't have a lot of (or any, I think) camping experience!
I'm looking at single-person tents right now. I want one that is waterproof (duh) and packs up as small as possible (to fit in my panniers!). and hopefully isn't too expensive since I think I'm going to end up spending over 200 dollars on a rack and rear panniers for my bike.
I'm also looking at sleeping bags. they don't have to be too warm or anything; I don't plan on camping in weather that requires more than a very light blanket, but I'd like something relatively soft and comfy to lay on. the size of this is also the primary concern, because I'd also like to fit it in my panniers.
one of these two could probably roll up and go on the top of the rack rather than in one of the panniers, but that would mean it has to come with a waterproof bag or something.
so I guess my questions are:
1. where should I be looking for camping gear? all I really know of is REI and EMS.
2. any suggestions for either of the above items?
3. any other camping tips you'd like to share? I don't have a lot of (or any, I think) camping experience!
i'm in about the same situation, except i already got a nice sleeping bag
about a month ago I was thinking about the same kind of thing. i think i found a pretty decent solution. i already had a decent standard issue foam sleeping pad which i had purchased in zurich (~33 franks, way overpriced). i went to nearly all of the sporting/biking shops in bozeman and i feel i pretty much got the best deals.
so here is the gear that i puchased
1 Deuter Rack Pack Panniers $85 (local bike shop with cute girls)
2 Topeak QR Beam Rack $45 (local bike shop)
3 one man kelty tent ~$90 (from bob wards, I don't know if they exist outside of montana, just a big sports super-store much like rei) ~ 4.3 lb
4 lafuma unlimit extreme 600 45 degree 1.25 lb 10" x 5" diameter packable sleeping bag ~ $45 (also from bob wards)
5 2x 3' straps ~$3
so the plan is that my sleeping bag can easily fit in the extra space left by my tent bag when packed then I could wrap my sleeping roll around my tent bag. altogether together they weigh 6-7 lbs and can be comfortably strapped on top of the topeak rack
as for food, water, and clothing, i get the whole 2300 cubic inches in the panniers for that.
as for tips,
1. remember to get a sleeping pad, it doesn't have to be anything fancy but without one you will be cold, the ground will steal all of your heat even if it is relatively warm out.
2. always pack enough water, dehydration will wear you out faster than the road
3. you talk about a waterproof bag, which seems to me to mean that you are implying that
you would want to keep biking even if it is raining. if you wrap your tent and bag inside your pad they should be fine for a little while but I am pretty sure you don't want to be out at all when it is raining, find a tree or roof overhanging to hide under until it blows over, if you get soaked you will never dry off
4. don't forget matches, everybody loves a nice fire to sit around and relax next to
5. if you are touring on road bikes then you don't need to worry about packing a huge amount of food, you can just stock up whenever you reach a town
hope this is helpful
so here is the gear that i puchased
1 Deuter Rack Pack Panniers $85 (local bike shop with cute girls)
2 Topeak QR Beam Rack $45 (local bike shop)
3 one man kelty tent ~$90 (from bob wards, I don't know if they exist outside of montana, just a big sports super-store much like rei) ~ 4.3 lb
4 lafuma unlimit extreme 600 45 degree 1.25 lb 10" x 5" diameter packable sleeping bag ~ $45 (also from bob wards)
5 2x 3' straps ~$3
so the plan is that my sleeping bag can easily fit in the extra space left by my tent bag when packed then I could wrap my sleeping roll around my tent bag. altogether together they weigh 6-7 lbs and can be comfortably strapped on top of the topeak rack
as for food, water, and clothing, i get the whole 2300 cubic inches in the panniers for that.
as for tips,
1. remember to get a sleeping pad, it doesn't have to be anything fancy but without one you will be cold, the ground will steal all of your heat even if it is relatively warm out.
2. always pack enough water, dehydration will wear you out faster than the road
3. you talk about a waterproof bag, which seems to me to mean that you are implying that
you would want to keep biking even if it is raining. if you wrap your tent and bag inside your pad they should be fine for a little while but I am pretty sure you don't want to be out at all when it is raining, find a tree or roof overhanging to hide under until it blows over, if you get soaked you will never dry off
4. don't forget matches, everybody loves a nice fire to sit around and relax next to
5. if you are touring on road bikes then you don't need to worry about packing a huge amount of food, you can just stock up whenever you reach a town
hope this is helpful
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thanks so much for the post, fsmart. is a sleeping pad really necessary, even if the sleeping bag I get is a little cushy? maybe it is, for the sake of getting good rest and the temperature reason you mentioned. I just don't want it to be too big! I want to be able to tour with a pretty minimal amount of panniers. no front panniers if possible. just rear ones and a handlebar bag or something.
and re: the waterproof issue, I think that ideally I'd like to fit my tent and sleeping bag in my panniers. but maybe this + only rear panniers will not work out. and riding in the rain is fun :). but I see your point about stuff drying off. some of the Ortlieb panniers have outside mesh pockets that are allegedly useful for drying small things like socks though.
i won't say the sleeping pad is necessary but i was thinking the same way you are when i was backpacking europe during the summer and for the first six nights i always woke up cold until i got my pad. of course my sleeping bag wasn't very cushy (but cushy bags are heavy and big)
good luck with riding in the rain. maybe your rain is warmer than mine :)
good luck with riding in the rain. maybe your rain is warmer than mine :)
haha, we'll have to see about the rain. I just ordered the Lafuma X650 from Amazon. I'll see how it is when it gets here and maybe order a sleeping pad.
i have done a bit of camping, although all wilderness and mostly canoe camping.
big trips i've done: 14 days, temagami ON - 14 days, french river ON - a couple week long trips, and a lot of weekend trips in and around georgian bay - parry sound, honey harbour, tobermory, orillia, etc. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgian_Bay)
i've only ever done two winter camping trips and (of course) both were hiking. i prefer canoeing and in the summer as you can take massive amounts of stuff easily and you can cover a lot of ground. and waking up and starting your paddle at 6am in the fog and still water is probably the most peaceful, relaxing thing on earth.
oh, and sleeping pads are not cool. although i tend to go extravagant on food i pack my own belongings very lightly! (that means no pad, no pillow... not very many clothes)
big trips i've done: 14 days, temagami ON - 14 days, french river ON - a couple week long trips, and a lot of weekend trips in and around georgian bay - parry sound, honey harbour, tobermory, orillia, etc. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Georgian_Bay)
i've only ever done two winter camping trips and (of course) both were hiking. i prefer canoeing and in the summer as you can take massive amounts of stuff easily and you can cover a lot of ground. and waking up and starting your paddle at 6am in the fog and still water is probably the most peaceful, relaxing thing on earth.
oh, and sleeping pads are not cool. although i tend to go extravagant on food i pack my own belongings very lightly! (that means no pad, no pillow... not very many clothes)
yeah I was wondering about pillows too… that is definitely something that I do not want to carry.
I suppose I could just use like rolled up clothes as a pillow, haha.
i actually used a nalgene bottle wrapped in clothes
i've always used a bag of clothes for a pillow
yeah, i always roll my my jacket for a pillow.
i was going to recommend a sleeping bag that uses polarguard delta as the synthetic filler. polarguard delta is supposedly one of the smallest-packing fillers available.
i think you chose a very nice tent (the msr hubba). it's lightweight and very well designed. i have the sierra designs firstlight, which is a two person tent that also weighs less than 4 lbs.
i would also recommend a sleeping pad. you should compare based on price, packing size, and insulation value (R value). the inflatable variety are nice for packing size, but i've heard that some people have managed to pop theirs while on an excursion. i'd recommend:
thermarest z-lite , or the
thermarest prolite 3
i shop at:
www.moosejaw.com www.backcountry.com
rei and local shops are nice too. note that most online retailers sell at a price close to msrp, which is also what you'll find in local shops. you can usually only get a better deal if you shop end-of-season sales--you'll find discounts of 30-50% off, both online and locally.
i was going to recommend a sleeping bag that uses polarguard delta as the synthetic filler. polarguard delta is supposedly one of the smallest-packing fillers available.
i think you chose a very nice tent (the msr hubba). it's lightweight and very well designed. i have the sierra designs firstlight, which is a two person tent that also weighs less than 4 lbs.
i would also recommend a sleeping pad. you should compare based on price, packing size, and insulation value (R value). the inflatable variety are nice for packing size, but i've heard that some people have managed to pop theirs while on an excursion. i'd recommend:
thermarest z-lite , or the
thermarest prolite 3
i shop at:
www.moosejaw.com www.backcountry.com
rei and local shops are nice too. note that most online retailers sell at a price close to msrp, which is also what you'll find in local shops. you can usually only get a better deal if you shop end-of-season sales--you'll find discounts of 30-50% off, both online and locally.
I looked up a few bags made with Polarguard Delta and it didn't seem that impressive re: stuff size or weight. the stuff sizes were larger than the 5x10″ of the Lafuma X650 that I bought and the weights seemed higher than the 1 lb. 5 oz.
how do the inflatable ones inflate?
you blow in them. they also self-inflate most of the way, if you store it blown-up most of the time.
hmm. I was just wondering if self-inflated meant it was powered somehow.
I kind of hate sleeping on air mattresses, even if they're properly inflated. do these feel similar or is it way different because they so thin?
I kind of hate sleeping on air mattresses, even if they're properly inflated. do these feel similar or is it way different because they so thin?
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self-inflation is such bs, i always blow in em. if i bring them.
my friend's self-inflates like crazy, mine only does it a little bit.
air mattresses are usually really spongy. i'd say these are fairly different, probably because they are thin (about an inch or so), like you said.
air mattresses are usually really spongy. i'd say these are fairly different, probably because they are thin (about an inch or so), like you said.
the z-lite looks interesting
hmm I think I'll stick with non-inflating. I'm scared I'll hate it. that Thermarest Z-Lite looks pretty nice.
i think that's a mistake. i'm not sure what you're looking for but every serious camper i've known has gone with inflating - better on space & weight.
what i use them for isn't really the obvious comfort as much as separation from ground to avoid rocks twigs cold wetness etc. they don't feel like a mattress at all, they are quite hard. you should be able to try one out in a store to see how it feels. non-chain gears stores tend to be really cool.
i use a thermalite in 'classic' size. rolls up to almost nothing, and although that means half your body is off the mat it is worth it.
what i use them for isn't really the obvious comfort as much as separation from ground to avoid rocks twigs cold wetness etc. they don't feel like a mattress at all, they are quite hard. you should be able to try one out in a store to see how it feels. non-chain gears stores tend to be really cool.
i use a thermalite in 'classic' size. rolls up to almost nothing, and although that means half your body is off the mat it is worth it.
myself> i would also recommend a sleeping pad. you should compare based on price, packing size, and insulation value (R value).
oops. you should compare on:
* price
* packing size
* packing weight, and
* insulation value
i do like the z-lite because it's fairly light and has decent insulation value. if you don't care about the large packing size (e.g., if you're just gonna bungee it to the outsize of a rack or bag), then go for it!
oops. you should compare on:
* price
* packing size
* packing weight, and
* insulation value
i do like the z-lite because it's fairly light and has decent insulation value. if you don't care about the large packing size (e.g., if you're just gonna bungee it to the outsize of a rack or bag), then go for it!
nestor i am not sure what you classify as "serious" camper, but i don't share your perspective towards mats at all. yes foam is slightly larger, but being how most people pack it on the outside of their bags, this isn't really much of a problem. i am pretty sure you are mistaken in thinking that inflatables weigh less than foam. the lightest mats on the market are foam. for example, lucas did not pick the lightest foam mat out there and it still weighs 5 ounces less than the inflatable one (and this is before patching). every time i go into a camping store and lift an inflatable mat, i am reminded how happy i am to have my foam one.
the Z-Lite is still looking pretty good…
wow, the ProLite 3 gets small.
being totally absent-minded, I didn't consider the tent color's effect on my ability to camp out of sight. the MSR doesn't seem ideal for this, given its orange fly. I'm looking at the Big Agnes Seedhouse SL 1 right now and there is a brand new one on eBay for about the same price I paid for the Hubba. argh; I hate when I do this.
go to a local army navy store. you should be able to get a very thin, light, waterproof, camouflage tarp for cheap. don't ditch your tent based on color!
i looked into this when i was going homeless--i think you can even get something like goretex for about $20-$40 that will fit over a tent.
fsmart > you might be right. i think my opinion is a bit biased because i. i used 3/4 mats ii. all the noninflating mats i've seen were never that nice and iii. as i said before, 90% of my camping experience has been canoeing where you can take as much stuff as you want.
so asemi perhaps you should discount my opinion on this one. where/when are you planning on going anyway?
when i get home from the uk i might grab a friend and go for a 3 or 4 day canoe trip... i need to get out of cities
so asemi perhaps you should discount my opinion on this one. where/when are you planning on going anyway?
when i get home from the uk i might grab a friend and go for a 3 or 4 day canoe trip... i need to get out of cities
I don't want to have to carry another piece of equipment because of the color of my tent though :(. I think I'm going to return the Hubba and get the Seedhouse SL 1. it's smaller and lighter too! and the same price.
soon I'm planning on just camping in state forests and parks around the area, maybe taking weekend bike trips and staying Friday/Saturday nights in two different places. I need to look into this part of my plans soon.
soon I'm planning on just camping in state forests and parks around the area, maybe taking weekend bike trips and staying Friday/Saturday nights in two different places. I need to look into this part of my plans soon.
(the Seedhouse SL 1 is also slightly bigger.)
both smaller and bigger?
haha I didn't word any of that very clearly. it's packed size is smaller, but the interior when it's set up is bigger :).
that's nice. why didn't you get this one in the first place?
Big Agnes was like the one brand that I didn't look into extensively. then I saw that deal on the Hubba and was like "oh I can't beat this!" I do stupid stuff like that sometimes.
i'm going camping at the end of august!
we take an old logging road into here. http://bit.ly/nc3Ss
paddle down long lake, then portage around a marsh into this lake http://bit.ly/2oqbjq
there's a little river between the 2nd lake and this third lake. portage over a beaver dam (was there a few years ago). when you get to the third lake you set up camp here http://bit.ly/35poME
you can pretty much catch largemouth bass on every catch. i've got one huge canoe, a 19" fiberglass swift. a friend from bc and a friend from my hometown. a couple bottles of scotch, a book, and some food. my 3.5 man tent. a perfect few days.
at night i'll be listening to coyotes and distant trains.
alternatively i could go up here :D http://bit.ly/35poME
we take an old logging road into here. http://bit.ly/nc3Ss
paddle down long lake, then portage around a marsh into this lake http://bit.ly/2oqbjq
there's a little river between the 2nd lake and this third lake. portage over a beaver dam (was there a few years ago). when you get to the third lake you set up camp here http://bit.ly/35poME
you can pretty much catch largemouth bass on every catch. i've got one huge canoe, a 19" fiberglass swift. a friend from bc and a friend from my hometown. a couple bottles of scotch, a book, and some food. my 3.5 man tent. a perfect few days.
at night i'll be listening to coyotes and distant trains.
alternatively i could go up here :D http://bit.ly/35poME
damnit messed up the last link.
my family has a little cabin on this island http://bit.ly/1HN4eS
and i have done a few trips on the temagami lake systems. it is just 8.5 hours from london ontario :(
my family has a little cabin on this island http://bit.ly/1HN4eS
and i have done a few trips on the temagami lake systems. it is just 8.5 hours from london ontario :(
.. a couple bottles of scotch.
shared between three people!
nice
Got Daphne all packed for camping tomorrow. Have a duffel bag slung over my shoulder that has tent, change of clothes, & some necessities.
I rode like this to work (will leave it overnight and pick it up tomorrow on my way) to make sure everything would hold in place driving 65mph+. It held up really well! Going to be a fun drive.
I rode like this to work (will leave it overnight and pick it up tomorrow on my way) to make sure everything would hold in place driving 65mph+. It held up really well! Going to be a fun drive.
nice!
jealous face
Has anyone camped out in/around Spokane, WA? I'm considering it.
nope. you're going to the dcfc show?
(anticipates games)
(anticipates games)
Games?
I don't know if it's worth it. I'd really like to go but the ticket + gas + camping/lodging = expensive
I don't know if it's worth it. I'd really like to go but the ticket + gas + camping/lodging = expensive
hopefully once i graduate i can finally do the rosebud to rosebud hike, some damn good camping on that hike.
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where is that, chiken? in the beartooths?
yeah, east rosebud trail head is south of red lodge, right by east rosebud lake. you can see the lake as you start to go up the beartooth pass. then the west rosebud trail head is like 3 miles north of mystic lake. i think overall it's a 13 mile hike. it can be done in a day, but most people do it in 2 or 3 just because there's so much to explore in the area.
i'm doing a short (4-5 days, undecided yet) canoe camping trip into algonquin park from august 23rd to august 26th / 27th.
this is what most of the lakes look like. lots of portaging (probably up to 3000m / day).
i'm soooooooo stoked
this is what most of the lakes look like. lots of portaging (probably up to 3000m / day).
i'm soooooooo stoked
looks pretty great
looks awesome. going with people? what do you have for camping equipment?
planning on bring a sleeping pad? :)
planning on bring a sleeping pad? :)
going with a friend
i've got a ton of equipment. tent, bags, pads, canoe (w/ rack), sealine bags, camp stove, kitchen gear.. all i need to do is get the food and get a mnr permit to camp.
canoeing allows you to pack pretty much whatever you want (you only have to carry it for the portages, which you can generally take your time on if you budget right). so yes, we'll be bringing pads :)
i've got a ton of equipment. tent, bags, pads, canoe (w/ rack), sealine bags, camp stove, kitchen gear.. all i need to do is get the food and get a mnr permit to camp.
canoeing allows you to pack pretty much whatever you want (you only have to carry it for the portages, which you can generally take your time on if you budget right). so yes, we'll be bringing pads :)
That looks like fun!
trip is planned, six days and five nights, leaving london ontario at 5am on sunday and returning friday evening. 80 km paddling (50 mi) and 15,540m of portages (10 mi), including two portages over 2000m.
i'm really excited. a map of the route
i'm really excited. a map of the route
man, that sounds so awesome.
I'm going to do a two-day bike trip by the end of the summer.
I'm going to do a two-day bike trip by the end of the summer.
and i'm back! it was a great trip.
i saw a moose
i saw a moose
what happened to friday evening?
my friend had to write his GRE and he needed to study. we also figured we could easily do two days' worth of paddling in one :)
sounds like fun :). did you take any pictures or anything? I seriously failed at taking pictures on my vacation.
i took a few - i found it difficult to take interesting pictures, to me everything up there looks the same and is normal! :) will give links later today
sorry for the wait.
a cleared farm from the late 19th century
me a few days into the trip
a beautiful morning view from the tent
a cleared farm from the late 19th century
me a few days into the trip
a beautiful morning view from the tent
Nice!
> me a few days into the trip
Doesn't look like you at all.
Doesn't look like you at all.
haha, why? i have dark hair, but it isn't that greasy normally. i also don't normally hang my mouth open like that :)
It's definitely the weird angle. Your neck looks as wide as your face! And in general, you don't look as attractive as usual.
haha
Potential trip to Davis mountains next month! I'll definitely bring my 120 camera with me and snap a few photos while out there. :D
did you end up buying film for it online?
I haven't ordered any yet ... but I will most likely order it from B&H.
anyone have any experience with bivi bags as opposed to tents?
how is your see-through tent working out for you, asemi?
you have a fly for that thing or what?
haha, I have a fly. but I didn't use it because it was really nice out.
going camping in temagami backcountry for 8 days in a week - pretty stoked to get out there, it's been three years since i've been canoeing anywhere, and almost ten years since i've been on a big trip in the temagami area.
93 km paddle and about 10 km of portages. one rest/hike day where we're climbing one of the highest points in ontario (just 350m vertical rise).
Good to hear! it's soooo camping season! :D
went camping at Umpqua hot springs in west-ish central Oregon the other week... planning on going to Coos Bay this weekend to see the coast!
went camping at Umpqua hot springs in west-ish central Oregon the other week... planning on going to Coos Bay this weekend to see the coast!
going to shenandoah national park this weekend to camp/hike a portion of the Appalachian trail
Bad ass. Enjoy!
I will! and if everything goes the way it should I should be engaged by the end of the trip!
awwwwwwwww shit
(good luck!!)
well there's a bombshell. wishing that dude luck.
popped the question on july 4th at the bottom of dark hollow falls after doing the rose river loop. I think she found it to be a great ending to a beautiful hike.
wow. congrats!
The first ttf-er to get married :-) Congrats!
thanks guys, exciting time. sorry for derailing the topic!
rightfully so! congrats, dude. that is awesome.
trip done. survived with about 100 mosquito bites. msr stove blew up on the first night, but we did just fine with good old wood cooking.
it blew up? which stove, and how?
msr dragonfly
leak in the o-ring
(...it's always the o-ring)
leak in the o-ring
(...it's always the o-ring)
so fuel leaked out, eventually ignited, and it literally blew up the connector or valve?
fuel leaked under pressure basically creating a flamethrower
flames started melting the plastic
we put the fire out to avoid a rocket / explosion (what would happen if the plastic melted away and the vapours inside were allowed to ignite)
so didn't really "blow up" but couldn't use it as it was too melted
flames started melting the plastic
we put the fire out to avoid a rocket / explosion (what would happen if the plastic melted away and the vapours inside were allowed to ignite)
so didn't really "blow up" but couldn't use it as it was too melted
off to temagami for 5 days. we're flying in this year. no bugs this year, and the stove will work perfectly. let's see what goes wrong.
Holy shit, Tenagami looks like exactly what I imagine when I think of central Canada wilderness. I blame Ren and Stimpy.
It was amazing. Probably going to do a fly-in/fly-out this year.
I made a canvas tarp and bedroll. It's not light but it gets the job done. Waiting for some time off from work to try em out!
Sounds like it would work well with a bike!
Haha, that actually was the plan for it. My camping trips have been growing more and more minimal, so I want to move to just the bedroll soon. Just haven't had enough clear days to waterproof it yet.
It's a good feeling when you can forage for supplemental food, too. Been doing that lately. The state park nearby is overrun with wild onions so my buddy and I harvest those and roast them whole in the ashes of the fire we make with two sticks. Oh. And we did all that with stone knives we knapped from a chert core.
I miss camping. :(
It's a good feeling when you can forage for supplemental food, too. Been doing that lately. The state park nearby is overrun with wild onions so my buddy and I harvest those and roast them whole in the ashes of the fire we make with two sticks. Oh. And we did all that with stone knives we knapped from a chert core.
I miss camping. :(