• Welcome, Guest! We hope you enjoy the excellent technical knowledge, event information and discussions that the BMW MOA forum provides. Some forum content will be hidden from you if you remain logged out. If you want to view all content, please click the 'Log in' button above and enter your BMW MOA username and password.

    If you are not an MOA member, why not take the time to join the club, so you can enjoy posting on the forum, the BMW Owners News magazine, and all of the discounts and benefits the BMW MOA offers?

New Member and Camping Q's

terryjj1

New member
Hello All,


Terry J from Ottawa Ontario Canada in the Great White North.....looking forward to some advice on camping and tents....I'm going to be new to camping from a motorcycle perspective and will ned some ideas on what king of tent to buy that will fit on the bike comfortably....I read the article on this site and it was very salutary but neglected I think to get into details about brands, models and prices of tents that would/should be recommended....so here's the question; I need to purchase a tent...just me sleeping in it..what brand should I look at, what king of mat do need and would be recommended? I have a sleeping bag so i don't need that....I would like some that doesn't require to much mucking about to get together.......so, please let me know your thoughts!!

thank you


Terryj:ca
 
For sure you need a thermarest mattress but other than that it depends what time of year you will be camping. There are tents that breathe in the summer and those that are meant for the cold that don't. Also if your sleeping bag says it is meant for temperatures down to freezing that doesn't mean that you will be comfortably warm at that temperature. Don't ask me how I know that. If you have good equipment you will enjoy it though, so don't go cheap.:usa
 
Some sleeping system ideas -

I like to use a Big Agnes inflatable / Down sleeping pad - far more comfortable than Thermarest and packs down much smaller.

I use a Northface Tadpole 2 person tent, sleeps one with extra room and has a vestibule for storing your riding gear out of the elements.

I use a 20 degree rated down bag - down compresses better then synthetic materials and is more comfortable.

This entire kit probably weighs less than 9 pounds and takes up minimal space. :thumb

I suggest you do not skip on quality with these selections. Cheap tents are no deal in a soaking 2AM downpour.

Campor is a good source for many of these items. My other hobbies include wilderness camping so I tend to be quite demanding of my gear.
 
Welcome Ottawa:).

I did a Canada crossing, West Coast to Noca Scotia, 2006 on my old classic R100/7. Thoroughly enjoyed the Ottawa visit, as I rode all Canada that year. Your capitol city is very pretty and tidy to look at, from a biker tourist viewpoint:). Ottawa and Quebec City were among my favorite Canada cities of the East. Camping? I camp a lot and recently did a tent thread on the gear section forum. Look see. I have so many tents and a life long journey of camping off my bikes. Camp/tent junkie here:). Read up! Cheap to very expensive solutions exist and many from both ends of the spectrum will suffice. I'm older and want to spend a tad more $$$ for my next tent, one that will, perhaps go the rest of my life. The "Hilleberg Tents" have my eye at this moment and are at the upper $$$ range in tents. Good luck and stay tuned here, as a welcome new member. Randy"Polarbear"Owens:usa
 
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.
366922405_LRBz8-M.jpg


This is the Eureka, a better 2 person size. I can get most of my gear in as well as the mattress.
915591578_c2ryp-M.jpg


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
 
Lots of INFO!!

thanks everyone for your input to date....this gives me some heading to start the research thing....seems to be a liking for the Big Agnes...I agree NOT going cheap is a good idea with this type of equipment....I have some reading to do for the next little while...will let you know what i've decided and maybe you can once again, give me your input(s)..

TJ


I bought a 2010 R1200RT late this year after trading in my 2010 R1200R...I originally wanted the R1200RT but thought I could use the R for the same touring bike...not even close....the R is a lovely machine for small hops and day trips but once you take the RT for a ride with all the built in luxuries...there's no going back.....I've had many OTHER bikes in the past but they don't come close to the quality, engineering and ride etc of a BMW....I am one lucky man....
 
Last edited:
If you would come out & say just how old you are that has bunches to do with the pad discussion. I use an ultralite thermarest to backpack(used army pad until age caught up!) and a Wally world inflatable if on a few day rally trip-comfort matters if your old! As to price point-you can score a great tent on ebay for little if you spend the time. Campmor already suggested is great. My Kelty 2 person is what goes most of the time on bike. Bought as a past years model many years ago and being freestanding I can put it up & move it around. Has fly so rain is OK & good ventilation. A queen mattress fits the floor! Enough room for me and gear by myself. Bought it from Sprtsmans Guide, the mailorder/web seller for under $40. You can read reviews by just a google of the subject, but many will come from various purists so beware. Your age & how deep are your pockets is the crux of it, plus how much room you want. 4 season tents are not needed by moct campers, so why waste the $.
 
Canadian Camper

Hi Terry and all!
I'm a Canadian too, but from west-coast. I ride and F800GS and the hubby a HP2enduro. We camp all summer and most of the winter so choosing camping equipment was a serious decision... especially for the amount in rains out here!!!!
We share a MSR hubbahubba tent and couldn't be happier! For starters, the hubby's a fairly large man and I'm pretty tall myself at 5.8. We both sleep comfortably in this ten with room to spare and we can both sit-upright - plus, it has a double vestibule and doors which make it a pleasure to both store our panniers out of the rain and allow us easy entry and exits without stopping all over one another. To top it all off it is only 4lbs 3 oz, which can be made even lighter in the summer if you feel like camping out under the fly alone.
If you get this tent, guaranteed you won't be disappointed we are sure not!
Other gear we love
1.) MSR Whisperlight international stove
2.) Down Camp booties.... couldn't sleep without them
3.)titanim spork... lightweight mix of a spoon and fork... what more could you ask for! ;)
I have a website launching soon that will have lost of information on camping equipment for motorcycling and some info on lessons leaned the hard way, www.motorcycletripper.com should be up and running soon.
 
Last edited:
Msr

I was looking at the MSR tents yesterday from Bushtuka (?)..on line...a camping/hiking/running/biking/lots more stuff store....I will have to drop in and have a look see...how are they for pitching?...I need simplicity.....the fact its so light helps too...do you remember the dimensions once packed?

My camping will be primarily the summer this year to acquire a taste for it or should I say experience with setting up and moving around to different sites...I'm sure it'll be fun...Will look into the msr tents...

TJ:ca
 
Hello All,


Terry J from Ottawa Ontario Canada in the Great White North.....looking forward to some advice on camping and tents....I'm going to be new to camping from a motorcycle perspective and will ned some ideas on what king of tent to buy that will fit on the bike comfortably....I read the article on this site and it was very salutary but neglected I think to get into details about brands, models and prices of tents that would/should be recommended....so here's the question; I need to purchase a tent...just me sleeping in it..what brand should I look at, what king of mat do need and would be recommended? I have a sleeping bag so i don't need that....I would like some that doesn't require to much mucking about to get together.......so, please let me know your thoughts!!

thank you


Terryj:ca

Welcome to the Forum Terry. As your camping questions are getting some good responses, I'm going to move this thread over to the Gear section, Enjoy, Gary
 
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.
This one sold as a two-person tent and barely fits my mattress.
366922405_LRBz8-M.jpg

First I agree that the Big Agnes is the better way to go for the Thermarest. A much more comfortable sleep with Big Anges. I can pack mine as compact as my Thermarest. :thumb

It seems that sleeping bag manufacturers all too frequently make mistakes when rating their low temperatures. Be certain to error on it being able to handle lower temperatures than you anticipate. My 40F sleeping bag proved to be comfortable to about 57F. A silk sleeping bag liner takes up virtually no space but gives a lot of added warmth.

Your tent selection depends on your use for it. I have a 2 man tent Eureka (similar to Holly's above) that I use when only camping for one night in each location. Light weight, easy to put up, somewhat cramped for riding gear but it does the job. This will accompany me on my 2011 trip through the southern U.S. in May.

I have been using a 3 man Big Agnes the past few years when going to rallies where everything will be setup for a few days, and possibly not used on the way to and from the rally. I appreciate having the space to lay stuff out. In my case, my riding gear almost seems to equal a second person in the tent. :banghead

Late last fall I picked up a 3 man Monaco that I have yet to use. It would fall into the same category as my Big Agnes tent; somewhat time consuming to set up but very roomy if you are staying put for any time.

The latter two tents have a feature that I recommend for campers. They each have large vestibules where stuff that you aren't going to use frequently or stuff that you don't wish to put inside your dry tent/home can be stored, nearby and yet out of sight.

If you are new to motorcycling camping (which you may or may not enjoy), every spring (usually May 24 weekend), Cdn Tire has 3 man Coleman tents marked down for sale for very reasonable prices. They tend to be heavier and do not pack as small as the more "elite" tents but I found this to be an inexpensive introduction to motorcycling/tenting. No matter which tent you do buy, consider buying a waterproof stuff sack for it.

In the spring, try out your new camping gear in the Aylmer area at our Forest City Motorrad Club's camp out during Victoria Weekend. As well in early June, near to you is the Quebec Rally and in mid-June (17-19) is Holly's Vintage Bike Rally in Paris, Ontario. I have found that camping locally is the best way to test the new gear before being far from home to discover that some equipment is just not right.

Terry, I look forward to seeing you on the road. Paul. :ca
 
camping equipment

Welcome to the boards and welcome to the wonderful world of motorcycle camping! I like things that pack up small and light that add to my camping comfort. I have a cabella's XPG Deluxe 4 person tent, it packs up to about 9lbs and is quite roomy, it is easy to set up and is absolutely waterproof:

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Camp...g-tents/_/N-1100670/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104303880

I use a Western Mountaineering down sleeping bag, it is a model they no longer make, but it packs up to the size of a loaf of bread in a compression sack and goes down to about 25 degrees. Great quality products, I'd highly recommend this company.

I use an luxurylite ultralite cot with a Thermarest Neoair mattress, the cot packs up very small and weighs about 3 lbs, the mattress packs up to the size of a nalgene bottle and weighs under a pound, very, very comfortable sleeping set up.

http://luxurylite.com/cotindex.html

http://www.cabelas.com/product/Camp...ng-pads/_/N-1100678/Ns-CATEGORY_SEQ_104484780

I'd also recommend a Jetboil Java for that quick cup of coffee in the morning.

http://www.rei.com/product/791310?p...-52E4-DF11-B690-001517384909&mr:referralID=NA

Welcome again, I hope this information is helpful. Most of this stuff may seem quite expensive, but keep in mind that you'll have a better experience with stuff that works, is easy to use, packs up small and adds to your overall comfort. Good Luck with your choices and shop around, you can find some of this stuff on sale periodically at different retailers. Don
 
Tents and Bags

Some notes on sleeping bag ratings:

Ratings assume an insulated pad and a tent. I'm a long-time Therm-A-Rest user.

Each manufacturer has its own system, so the rating numbers are most useful within a manufacture's line.

The US military developed a system that some manufacturers use. This rating number indicates the minimum temperature that the bag WILL MAINTAIN LIFE. At this temperature you will survive, but not necessarily in comfort.

People can be classified as "hot" or "cold" sleepers. Hot sleepers require less insulation, cold sleepers more.

Synthetic insulation looses its power with time and use, especially when stored compressed.

I'm going to be new to camping from a motorcycle perspective and will need some ideas on what kind of tent to buy that will fit on the bike comfortably....I need to purchase a tent...just me sleeping in it..what brand should I look at
Terryj:ca

My take on tents can be found here, but it's a good idea to decide how you plan to carry the tent. Will it be inside hard panniers? Strapped to back? In soft luggage? For most tents, the main body, fly, poles and pegs can be packed separately, giving a lot of flexibility.

I will again recommend that you head to some places with a number of tents on the floor that you can get inside. MEC is a well known Canadian outfitter and their house brand offers good value. I'm sure there are other outfitters as well.
 
You may be interested in checking out Mec.ca a Canadian outfitting company that carries top notch outdoor gear. As an avid backpacker, I always check out their stuff when I'm in the market for gear. When riding solo, everything fits into the rear top case, and when riding two up, I place our gear into two 20 liter dry bags and lash them to the top of the side bags with mesh style bungee cords. Works like a charm. When camping with my bride, I use the MEC Wanderer 2 tent, lots of room, easy set up, and two entrances

Big Agnes SL2
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_...4442593507&FOLDER<>folder_id=2534374302885936

Dry Bags
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_...4442618731&FOLDER<>folder_id=2534374302700593


Thermarest mattreses

http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_...mage=search.x&bmImage=search.y&bmImage=search





BluRidge_09_10_9.jpg
 
Infomative

thanks paul for the information...I have a couple in mind at the momnet...

maybe you and the ohthers could have a look at tell me what you think for a newbie camper....


http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_listing.jsp?bmLocale=en&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302885936&newSortType=productreview&newSortOrder=descending

I'm thinking of the MEC Camper 2

or the MARMOT LIMELIGHT 2P


http://bushtukah.com/product-list/3-season-tents-pg403/


this way I can actually see them, crawl inside and have it put together in front of my eyes.....not much selection in this city

TJ:ca
 
Both of these look fine

The Marmot is going to have more ventilation and has more bells and whistles, but the MEC will work just fine. If I were you, just starting out, I'd go with the MEC, as it's cheaper, big enough, and you don't know if motorcycle camping is your thing anyway.

Whatever tent you get, get a ground cloth of some sort. Most manufacturers make one to fit their tents or you can get a sheet of plastic or Tyvek and cut it to the shape of the floor, just a little smaller. Your tent will last longer and will be less likely to leak.
 
Back
Top