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What is the biggest camping equipment investment

Which is the more important equipment investment?

  • Sleeping Bag

    Votes: 7 22.6%
  • Tent

    Votes: 15 48.4%
  • Maritini Fixings and you can always swap for lodging

    Votes: 6 19.4%
  • Other

    Votes: 3 9.7%

  • Total voters
    31
  • Poll closed .

BRADFORDBENN

Slowpoke & Proud of It!
Oh wise ones, I am puzzled. Both my 15 year old sleeping bag and tent have decided that they would repay me for having them in storage for 15 years by disinegrating as soon as unpacked. So now I am shopping for replacement stuff.

The question is fairly simple, which is the more important thing to not skimp on, a tent or a sleeping bag?

Comments? Oh yeah, I have already read the camping section of the site in depth.
 
Sleeping bag

I can tell you that as an experienced backpacker and guide, sleeping bags are where you want to spend the money. Spend the bucks and get a nice bag from REI (they're having a sale right now) and then go buy a tent at Target.

During one trip, in order to save weight, I left the tent at home and just took a tarp with me. Oh, I should add that it was summer and I checked the weather forcast for rain (none). Anyway, I didn't miss the tent even when the temp got down near freezing. There is no way I would've done the same trip with a tent only, and no sleeping bag.

For about $150-$200 you can have a nice synthetic mummy bag that is lightweight, packs down small, is made from quality materials and will keep you warm to 20??F. There's no way a bag from Wal-Mart will do all that.
 
I think the pollsters are playing with you.A good bag will get you through times of cheap tent,better that a cheap tent etc...the big issue either way is to stay dry.
 
That's easy....
a nice hand made sterling silver martini set, of course!:bliss

RM
 
I find the most expensive piece of camping equipment is the motorcycle that hauls everything else. :p

Next most expensive item in my inventory is my tent, followed by my sleeping bag and then the matress pad. All three of those items should be good quality if you want to enjoy your camping experience.
 
Has to be the Kermit chair........:)

I usually manage to get the rest of my equipment at fairly steep discounts either by shopping surplus houses, buying last years models, or even buying used equipment when it presents itself. I just haven't managed to find a dicounter for the Kermit chair.......YET

:p
 
I voted Tent although one of my bags cost more than one of my tents. Reason is I travel mostly in the late Spring, Summer and early Fall. Therefore, I don't need that good of a sleeping bag. Most of the time I sleep on top of it! A good tent will last forever. The only problem (in my experience) is you might grow tired of your tent's size, style or design long before it's shot.

MarkF
 
MarkF said:
I voted Tent although one of my bags cost more than one of my tents. Reason is I travel mostly in the late Spring, Summer and early Fall. Therefore, I don't need that good of a sleeping bag. Most of the time I sleep on top of it! A good tent will last forever. The only problem (in my experience) is you might grow tired of your tent's size, style or design long before it's shot.

MarkF

That's my experience. We bought an REI half dome and wound up selling it after a couple years. Then we bought a Mountain Hardwear 3 man, with a big ass vestibule. We've had that a good 7 or 8 years now.

Tina doesn't like to camp in cold weather, so we don't have real cold weather bags. I think our bags are probably due to be replaced, so we may go with something along the lines of a 0F bag or so. Even in the summer it gets cool in the Sierras at night.
 
Re: Sleeping bag

Tarren Shaw said:
I can tell you that as an experienced backpacker and guide, sleeping bags are where you want to spend the money. Spend the bucks and get a nice bag from REI (they're having a sale right now) and then go buy a tent at Target.

How warm is that sleeping bag if it's soaking wet? I find being wet far worse than being cold and dry. Not to mention the tents job of keeping the bugs out, too!

MArkF
 
Tent vs Bag

I have found that a good tent will keep you dry and a good bag will keep you warm.

Warm is good.

Dry is good.
Warm and dry with appletini is great.

Don't skimp, the last thing you want to do is be stuck in a wet tent with soggy bag kicking yourself for not spending a couple of extra bucks for the better gear.

And get the sleeping pad.

I like the synthetic bags because they maintain insulating quantities when wet and they can be dried out on the road while a real down bag is very difficult to dry. I have slept in my bag in Yellowstone in the winter at subzero. It was cold so you have to layer. I like to use one of the light fleece bags inside when we do winter campouts with the scouts.

Also check to see if you can launder the bag. Some of them cannot be laundered or all of the insulation ends up in a lump. I use a Wiggy bag, it's machine washable, lifetime guaranteed, packs down real small and meets the MilSpec requirements for cold weather survival gear for aircraft.

Best recomedation is to try the bag on before you buy it. You don't want a bag that is too narrow for you. Mountain Hardware has new bag out that allows you to adjust the girth by closing or opening a zipper.

I have some Mountain Hardware Gear and its to be top of the line stuff. They ought ot put a BMW logo on it for what they charge.

The Eureka tent with the vestibule is a good buy for the money and will stay dry in the rain. Just make sure the rain fly doesn't touch the tent as several of my scouts have found out.
 
Cabelas

Ride on over to Prairie du Chien, WI. and check out the Cabelas store on 35 north. They have a great selection of tents and bags. I got a fantastic deal on a two man tent. Great riding in southwest Wisconsin especially if you like sweepers.

If you go fast enough does a sweeper become a curve?

JON
 
I checked "Other"

Because the biggest investment I have made in my camping kit is a Helen 2 Wheels duffle and straps. (I'm not complaining, rather, I'm just making the observation).

The other stuff was all (1) received as gifts, or (2) found on sale at a retail store, or (3) scavaged from a garage sale -- cheap.

Cheap is good -- especially when one camps only two or three times a year, in good weather, and near a decent restaurant.

:brow
 
THIS is the most expensive 2 up camping equipment.
 

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Sweet

That is a really sweet rig, who manufactured the trailer and what kind of hitch did you have to install?
 
Thats the UNI-GO trailer made in New Zealand. The hitch is specific for the trailer and made by the same company. I would advise to try and find a used one which took me several months as they are very pricey new. Go here for the manufacturer web site:UNI-GO . I had it painted locally to match. It will hold quite a bit of gear and tows great.
 
I voted for the bag as mine has a membrane that keeps water out and the down dry. I like my :snore :snore :snore dry. I like to be comfy while camping .I will hotel it in Spokane though, as after my trek from the Fla Keys I will need a room to regroup.:jester

That UNI-GO trail sure looks nice if you ride two up and thus need more storage. How does the bike ride/handle with the trailer behind it???
See y'all in Spokane, Cody or Paonia!!
 
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