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Camping Stuff

MarkF said:
[/I've heard that about Walmart, Home Depot and a few others. That what looks like the same product is actually made cheaper. Might be true, might be urban legend and could also be becuae the big chains buy in bulk at huge discounts. Maybe the manufactures dump their sub-par products in bulk.]

I called Coleman customer service several years ago and asked about this. I was told that Coleman made a line for mass merchandisers which was manufactured with lighter sheet metal, etc. to sell at a lower price point. She also told me how to identify the mass market items and the "premium" line. I went to a Sports Authority and there was no mistaking the differences when you could compare the items side by side.

The customer service rep also told me that Coleman had licensed their name and trademark to Walmart for textile items and sleeping bags, tents, etc. were not actually Coleman products if purchased at Walmart.

Walked through a Walmart the other day and noticed the Coleman name by it's relative absence. Maybe Coleman has decided to go back to being a premium quality manufacturer?
 
In the summer we use some CHEAP foam blankets that compress to almost nothing! Our tent is a Coleman "back-pack" that weighs 4 lbs. and fits in a 5"X10" cylinder. We trimmed a pair of military insulation pads to fit the bottom of the tent. The only problem is the tent is SMALL, but it cost only $55.00 at Sports Authority and we don't spend a lot of time in it except to sleep. Good luck.

MTBATP
 
BradfordBenn said:
Yes, I can and I usually set mine up before I set up the tent, that way other people will help with setting up the tent.

Actually a visit to REI or Cabela's or any sporting goods store is a good start. The one plus I will give you about getting "backpacking" or "hiking" tents is that they pack well. I know that I can fit my three person tent in the left saddlebag of my RT with the ground cloth, and a stove and coffee pot.


What Brad said. REI, for example, has some excellent tents that pack light and small and are a bargain to boot (if you consider <$200 a bargain).
 
Eureka I found it!

Geoff (and y'all), OK here's my 2 cents for a read/review on a tent.

I have a Eureka "Backcountry" tent (earlier model then the new version).

I like this model because it packs in the saddlebag (aluminum poles and all)... That's a great option for me. The aluminimum poles are much better then the fiberglass poles. I have been in some nasty storms with no leakage. Camp Dry is good stuff. This tent has been very good to excellent for the past 5 years. The only problem I have is the sealer on floor seams is coming up. I will be calling Eureka on this issue. :type I will post results and future research. Remember this: You get what you pay for.

Here are some links from the Eureka! Tent Company site:

Main Site: www.eurekacamping.com

Check out the Factory Outlet section (looks like a keeper): www.eurekacampingctr.com/special_sales.html


Tent spec table: www.eurekatent.com/spectable.asp Set up and PACKED DIMENSIONS

Internet Sales links: www.eurekatent.com/ondeal.asp This is a good list of links for your camping needs.
 
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knary said:
What Brad said. REI, for example, has some excellent tents that pack light and small and are a bargain to boot (if you consider <$200 a bargain).


Actually, the REI model my son's Boy Scout troop used costs $99 and with a larger fly including vestibules it's $129. You can also find Kelty's at the same price. Don't forget to check ebay. They often sell new old stock there.
 
Just went to Campmor and bought another thermarest for half the price of what it is at my local camping store! The bag for it was one third the price!

P.S. It came in ONE DAY for a flat shipping charge.
 
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Price and Product Comparison Sites

Here are several Price Comparison and Product Rating sites.
This should help you with product research and purchasing items online:

www.bizrate.com (This one has a Good Product Comparison option)

www.shopzilla.com (Good for Pricing)

www.pricegrabber.com

This one is good for searching just about anything: www.snap.com Just type in the box in the top left corner of the page to narrow your search. Its like a search engine for search engines for products. Imagine that :brow (I just found this one and have not used it much, but it looks pretty good to me)

I like to read some product reviews before spending my fun tickets.

"The night was dark & the sky were blue. Down a alley where I swang & flew.
Hit a bump & somebody scream, You shoulda heard justa what I seen" -Who Do You Love- G.T.
CLEVELand Rocks :rocker
 
I use a L.L. Bean 2-person dome tent that costs $99 new with fiberglass poles. It is incredibly easy to set up, very good quality, and guaranteed for life. They also have a Discovery Camping Set which includes: Camp Pack Pillow, Pathfinder Self-Inflating Sleeping Pad, Camp Bag, Cotton-Blend-Lined 40??, #2 Dome Tents. That costs $159 and will give you everything you need in case you want to go camping.
 
tent! who needs a stinking tent???


good bivy sack, good sleeping bag and good therm-a-rest and all you need is a camo tarp, spent 2 months using this last fall, if you count the bikes as poles it increases the cost of the setup significantly

bike%20tent%2C%20pa.jpg
 
/BUMP....

To continue this great thread. I'm also searching for a tent, but am curious how all of you load the tent on. I'm assuming crosswise on the pilon, or in a saddlebag for the smaller tents, but I'm curious. Also, I keep seeing reference to Helen2Wheels packing system. How many of you have it? Also, which bags did you get, and in what sizes? I tried to send her an email asking a few questions, but got no response.
 
einnar said:
/BUMP....

To continue this great thread. I'm also searching for a tent, but am curious how all of you load the tent on. I'm assuming crosswise on the pilon, or in a saddlebag for the smaller tents, but I'm curious. Also, I keep seeing reference to Helen2Wheels packing system. How many of you have it? Also, which bags did you get, and in what sizes? I tried to send her an email asking a few questions, but got no response.

I purchased a boat bag, waterproof bag really, from the local sporting goods store and strap it across the seat. All of my camping gear goes into that bag. I can get the tent, the chair, the sleeping bag, the thermarest pad, the humidor, and of course the Appletini Assembly Tools in there. A H2W would probably work better and take less space, but I am frugal.

Also once I get to the site or get home, I only have one bag that has all the necessary parts to setup camp. Also some of the tents have great packing solutions on their own, like the REI/Sierra Design Taj 3 that I have even has tie down straps on the bag already.
 
einnar said:
Also, I keep seeing reference to Helen2Wheels packing system. How many of you have it? Also, which bags did you get, and in what sizes? I tried to send her an email asking a few questions, but got no response.
Thats what I do on my R1100R. Got the H2W bag after almost loosing a tent in the slippery nylon bag once. The material and loops on the H2W bag prevent it slipping off. Use a couple of straps and not bungies. I also stay away from snap buckles as they can unbuckle too easily. She is probably on the road selling at rallies. Leave an email and someone will get back to you.

BradfordBenn said:
I purchased a boat bag, waterproof bag really, from the local sporting goods store and strap it across the seat. All of my camping gear goes into that bag. I only have one bag that has all the necessary parts to setup camp.
I prefer the 2 bag method. Stuff that I want to keep dry - sleeping bag, pillow, thermarest go in a waterproof bag. Stuff that may already be wet - tent, fly, ground cloth go in another bag, not water tight. That's the H2W method.
 
I have the Taj 3 that Brad mentioned. I put the poles in the H2W bag- without them, the tent bag can be fit into a hardbag. The H2W bag (which I've only been using since April) seems to work really well and also swallows the sleeping pad and bag and clothing. Everything else is kind of a random fit in the hardbags or maybe the tankbag, depending on my attire (the tankbag is full of rain gear if I'm in the mesh suit). I used to use a big square Tour Mater tankbag left over from my old K100 as a tail bag, but with the H2W bag I have much more packing space and no longer need it.
 
2 C worth

I did a lot of looking and ended up with a Aspen series Eureka tent made for Galians. Fits two and is easy to setup. I also found a differential sleeping bag. One side is warmer than the other. On warm nights I sleep with the thick side down. The only problem with the bag is that it is a little bulky. A compression sack helps a little.
 
Tents...

WillieP said:
I have owned the same Eureka Timberline tent for 25 years. I have camped in this tent in some of the worst weather imaginable. On one occation this tent withstood a 60 mph wind and rain and kept everything completely dry. The Timberline is a fantastic tent.


I had a Timberline, but switched to the Alpenlite and it's a great tent. I had an advantage since I am originally from Binghamton, NY and that's where they make Eureka tents.... It's supposed to be a 2nd but after almost 8 years I still haven't found the "flaw". I don't know that you can do better for a 4 season solo trip than that.

:thumb
 
The Norh Face

Almost All of my camping gear is from The North Face. My sleeping bag in the winter is a North Face Cat's Meow -10, and a Backside (I forget the model name) in the summer. My tent is a North Face tadpole solo tent. The tent is really light and has only 3 poles. I carry all of my camping gear in a North Face Box Boy Duffle Wolfe Trapped on top of my Mags Bags Adventure Small bag.
 
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