Camping setups while sport touring?

[Peter_MA]

I bought an Exped Synmat mattress (synthetic insulation not down) and it is the best thing I've ever used in 50+ years of sleeping in tents. I'm a side sleeper and every other pad or blowup I've had hurts my shoulders and hips. The insulation keeps the cold ground away and I have not found it to be hot as someone mentioned even in the heat of summer. The ground temp is usually lower than body temp and if it isn't it would help keep the heat away. It does blow up in a couple of minutes with the built in pump with little effort and it packs incredibly small.

[Robert Ford]

My FJR loaded and ready to go last summer. I was out for three weeks and met my wife for a few days in the Adirondacks.



The top case carried my sleeping bag, cooking stuff, food, and water. The side bags had clothing, and my wife's helmet. The tent and the rest of my wife's riding gear was on the seat.

Typical camp setup:



The tent is a mid range Coleman Exponent ($80) that has served me well for 3 years and about 50 nights.

[Giaka]

[Bigpoodle]

Well, there are several different varieties of "sport touring," and best-gear choices will depend on which one(s) you do. This thread contains some good suggestions for all of them.

If you're riding someplace to set up a base camp and then explore an area with multiple (unladen) day rides (e.g., many STN and other group rallies), you might be willing to carry a little more weight and take on a little more setup time in order to have a more comfortable base camp to return to each night. This is particularly true if you plan to spend quality time in camp, not just setup-conk out-pack up-ride out. So a tent at least one size larger than the number of planned occupants makes sense, as might cooking gear, cushier sleeping pad, etc.

A similar approach might be in line if you're not doing big mileage per day and your preferred riding style is at the touring end of sport touring.

If the camping part is strictly a low-cost crib for the night, and especially if you're moving camp every day, then the minimalist suggestions make more sense. The more riding you plan to do with all your gear loaded, the lighter you want the load.

Other factors are whether you're traveling solo or in a group (i.e., can you share some luxury items, spread across several bikes, and still keep the loads light?) and budget constraints (I don't mean buying cheapo gear, I mean do you have to camp because you can't swing the motel bills and still do the trip you want).

[Breaker19]

I have a Coleman 2-person tent that I bought at Dick's Sporting Goods 1+ years ago. I have used it 3 times camping off the bike now, it's great. It wasn't expensive and it's easy to set up. I don't think one has to use up a whole lot of brain power selecting a tent and these suggestions in this thread are excellent. Just get something that you can afford and that will work.

For a sleeping bag, I have a Cabella's (I think it's a +40 degree job), very thin and lightweight synthetic material, that rolls up nice and tight. The ones I don't like since they take up so much room. But the furthest north I've MC Camped is Hampton, GA in late Summer... I guess if I were camping in colder weather I'd think differently (but then again, I wouldn't do that anyway)...

I (we) don't cook or carry cookware/food except for that typical Walmart bought small camp burner and a little pot for some coffee.

We (the guys I usually camp with) chipped in and bought a "shelter" (tent looking gizmo) but not the easy-up, those are too heavy... this one has the flex poles just like a tent. One guy carries that (this last trip, on his tow-behind trailer towed by a Concours 1000), but it's small enough to strap on a seat or seat back. I highly recommend this, it saved us at Atlanta Motor Speedway (HOT!) We bought this at Gander Mountain in Ocala, FL.

I carry the "absolutely can't get wet" items in Walmart bought "dry bags." There are better dry bags out there, but they're pricy. The Walmart bags are like a thick plastic; I don't particularly like them, but they get the job done. I keep my pillow, sleeping bag and (2) towels in the dry bags. Everything else that needs to be protected (clothing) goes in the bike's luggage.

I also strap a folding chair to the bike... that's really important! Gotta have a place to sit!

Other than that, just remember what Beavis said, "TP for (your) bunghole!" Campgrounds are often out in the bathrooms... lol

[cruisin]

My solution when looking for a way for the wife and I to carry enough clothing for 6 to 7 days AND a tent of adequate size was to build a cargo rack that was easy to install & remove.  I fabricated this rack from 1/2" square tubing so that it fits the OEM luggage rack of an RT and is held in place with a boat trailer lock.  

I sized it at 15" x 30" to accommodate a sports bag we purchased of the required size (14 x 14 x 29) to hold our West Winds 9 x 12 tent, poles, rain fly, and ground cloths.

This exact set-up probably wouldn't work on a sport bike, but a similar one of reduced size just might be the ticket to a stable way to carry your gear if your pillion seat is occupied.

[Real ZX-10]

I'm looking for a bit of advice on camping setups.
What I'm most looking for is info on tents and sleeping accoutrements that do not take up a lot of room, but at the same time, are funtional, easy to set up/break down, and comfortable.  

Dave in Valencia
 

Dome tent, a lot of ground sucks (either too hard or too soft) for tent pegs.
Thermarest sleeping pad.
Down bag to compress small.

Don't have food in your gear/tent, ever..the smell stays after the food is long gone..Bears smell what Humans can't.
Stop at a restaurant for eating.

Basic back packing fare.

[Tripps]

I see a lot of pad suggestions, anyone else use a go-cot? My wife and I made do with pads for years, a fellow motorcycle camper showed me his go-cot, I've been a user ever since, my wife insisted. They pack really small, when I go with my wife, we pull a trailer, but solo I strap everything on the 860 lb gorilla, made it like this from Buffalo, NY to Key West and back last fall..

http://www.campingcot.com/?section=original

[stew71]

I see a lot of pad suggestions, anyone else use a go-cot? My wife and I made do with pads for years, a fellow motorcycle camper showed me his go-cot, I've been a user ever since, my wife insisted. They pack really small, when I go with my wife, we pull a trailer, but solo I strap everything on the 860 lb gorilla, made it like this from Buffalo, NY to Key West and back last fall..

http://www.campingcot.com/?section=original

You packed lightly, I see.  

[Tripps]

You packed lightly, I see.  

LOL, I expected that, On my Sprint, I do, but I could carry a cooler on the Rocket if I wanted.

[ScotchFan]

REI is your friend.  Buy good gear and you won't regret it.  I like down, but it cannot get wet.  There are many good pads, I have a thermarest and an Exped.

REI half dome tent.  A small tarp is nice.

Coleman dual fuel gas stove and a titanium cooking kit. 

Carry a soft cooler.

Fire starter, clothes, toothbrush, clothes and a credit card.

[expatbrit]

For sleeping bags, I'm a big Agnes fan. Good, warm bag and a comfy pad. Mine went with me up Kilimanjaro and has done bike trips, though it was too light for the former.

The insulated pad makes a huge difference and is truly comfy. Plus the bag packs smaller.

Also have what seemed a silly expensive memory foam and inflatable pillow. I love it; the last piece to a good nights camping rest.

Tent on the pillion seat, light sleeping stuff in the top box. Awesome.

[Rammer]

ScotchFan,  beautiful rw&b VFR!


I experimented with 4 different pads before settling on the Exped Synmat. A way too cheep pool toy air mattress, a too thin self inflater, a way too heavy, but comfy, Coleman air bed, and a too thick, too hard to pack self inflater. The Exped packs smaller than 1/2 a loaf of bread.

I have a 40° Woods brand sleeping bag that works pretty good, as long as it doesn't get too cold at night. If it's going to be cooler, I bring along a fleece bag to through over the top.

I've experimented with tents too. The biggest mistake I ever made with tents was buying one on-line and not realizing how big the "packed" tent was. I now have 2 main tents. A cheap Coleman 7x7 Sun Dome for camping in one place for a while. There's plenty of room to settle in and unpack. For traveling, I have a Marmot 2 person. Just enough room to keep things inside and off the bike.

[cyjo]

This past summer while camping with friends I tried a camping hammock for the first time:

http://www.rei.com/product/754773/eno-doublenest-hammock

It was very comfortable, no pad and was just a bit bigger than a softball packed up.

Here's a pic of the setup:


hammock camping by joeyschmitt, on Flickr

[Cheddarhead]

ScotchFan,  beautiful rw&b VFR!

+1..."Love" the Captain America color scheme!

This past summer while camping with friends I tried a camping hammock for the first time:

http://www.rei.com/product/754773/eno-doublenest-hammock

I have a Hennessy Hammock for camping.  Love it!

Too cold for hammock camping?

I'm smart enough to stay at a Holiday Inn Express!

[mxvet57]

I have always gone with a two-man for solo- it just gives you a bit more room for gear.  

Plus it's great in case you are at a dirt-bike weekend and some drunk dude crawls in there with you, right Ed?  

You just won't let that die will you.  

[mxvet57]

I have a Hennessy Hammock for camping.  Love it!

It was quite entertaining watching you set it up for the first time.  

[Cheddarhead]

It was quite entertaining watching you set it up for the first time.  

Not sure how I feel about having you "watch me" as I'l setting up a tent, Ed...

But, You (and others) did yeomans duty moving stuff out of the rain for those of us still out and about...so I guess it's OK...at least in large groups.

Of course, the hammock sleeps only one...so that's OK, too.  

[st2sam]

Very comfortable and easy to carry,
the whole deal, AC or heat, fits in my back pocket...















     

[Kneescrubber]

Very comfortable and easy to carry,
the whole deal, AC or heat, fits in my back pocket...