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Camping gear

54K views 81 replies 59 participants last post by  Apatz 
#1 ·
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I've been collecting all ideas from this forum for camping on a long trip with the wing. So far I have my GPS (Garmin Street Pilot c550)

I ordered a custom fit SheepSkin cover for the wing,,,,,,,

Just finished ordering a tent, (Eureka Timberline 4 person 2 door)

Now I need a sleeping bag and some sort of mattress. I want to keep it lite and not bulky. What do you guys use?
 
#2 ·
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Yo! Get down dude! Seriously, I think down is best. There are a lot of synthetic fill bags that are very good, but there is nothing like down. It's comfortable and packs very small in a compression sack. With modern fabrics for the outer cover of the bag I don't worry about getting wet. The old down bags with a cotton outer layer could get wet, and down is miserable wet. I have a mummy bag rated to 0° for cold weatherI don'tuse, since I don't go winter camping anymore, and another much lighter square bag rated at 40°. Square bags let you move around a bit more,and yo can open it up and use as a comforter if its hot out. As far a mattress, I would use a Thermarest type self-inflating pad. Pretty comfortable, and they insulate you from the ground. Air mattressescan getcold when the temps get low (below 60° for me). If you have the room, Aerostich Rider Warehouse has a neat cot that collapses small. Keeps you off the ground, too. They also have a bunch of other motorycle camping gear.the cot is at the bottom of the page. Yeah, it is spendy.

http://www.aerostich.com/catalog/US/Sleeping-Bags-and-Pads-p-1-c-273.html

Here is a link to a great site on motorcycle camping. I disagree about the down sleeping bags, but it is a great resource. Definatly don't need to bring all 232+1 things on the list!

http://wetleather.com/reference/camping.html
 
#3 ·
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I have used both down and synthetic bags, and, I respectively disagree about the desirability of down.

The new synthetics are cheaper, nearly as warm, longer lasting, and can be machine washed and dryed.... they have the incomparable advantage of down by virtue of, if they do get wet, they can still keep you warm, and will actually dry on you while you sleep......

Try these:

http://www.wiggys.com/
 
#5 ·
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Heck, when I camp, I just use my cheap Wal-Mart sleeping bag ($26.00), my cheap Wal-Mart tent ($50.00) Several extension cords to plug in my coffee maker, and some clean clothes in case I need to change, and my fold up chair (also from Wally World, about $10.00). It has all served me well. And I haul it all in my homebuilt trailer. Along with a few other things, it carries everything I need for a week of camping with room for groceries. I try to travel light and cheap. (I'm not inherently rich like some people):D I stay dry and warm, without breaking the bank.:D

Gene:waving:
 
#6 ·
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Hmmmm. Looks like it might be time to check out the synthetic bags again. Beenmore than 10years since I've been sleepy-bag shopping. When I got the bag I use on the bike, the down packed much smaller than a synthetic fill for the same temperature rating, and size was an issue for motorcycle camping. Technology continues apace!
 
#7 ·
#8 ·
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Hey Winger!

Proud of you, Buddy! Sounds like you are on your way......

here are a few more "motorcycle camping" tips, all of which were gained by hard experience and most of which aren't often mentioned in "how to camp" books!

:D

-- carry butane lighters instead of matches, several....some on the bike, some on your person, to light your stove, campfires.... Butane lighters don't get wet!

-- if you are of a certain age, like me, and have a "beign prostrate enlargement" condition, and have to get up some at night...... make sure to take a suitably sized bottle into the tent with you... empty quart-sized Gatorade bottles are perfect. They do away for that miserable 3:00am dash to the bathroom! (Caution: wife might turn jealous and hostile!) (Double caution: if you also have a drinking bottle in the tent, mark them each clearly!)

-- My lovely Red packages our five sets each of t-shirt, underwear, and socks in five separate ziplock gallon sized bags. Take one with clean stuff to the shower, bring it back filled with your dirty laundry. When you are out of the "clean bags," stop at a laundrymat. KOA's by the way, nearly all have laundramats, and are the McDonalds of the camping world. Most are pretty good -- with clean restrooms, showers, and small grocery and convenience stores all on the premises.

-- Carry a supply of plastic garbage bags rolled tight. Many, many uses.......! Line the stuff sacks of your sleeping bags with garbage bags for extra waterproofing... When our tent gets wet, we drop the stuff sack with it into a garbage bag to keep other things dry.... we never bother to machine-dry tents, tumble drying is hard on tents and most will dry in minutes when pitched in the sun.... on cold rainy days when we must ride, we put on our socks, then a garbage bag on each foot, and then the boot (cut the excess plastic bag off at the boot top and throw away) -- this "plastic wrap" under your boot keeps the tootsies warm and fairly dry!

-- A little bitty candle lantern (from a mountaineering or backpacking shop) on a picnic table will make your dark campsite cheery and homey.... a real fire is better, but sometimes forbidden.

-- If you are a reader, carry small led hiking headllamps and one book each. Don't carry more; there are free book exchanges in many campgrounds. If you aren't a reader, carry the headlamp anyway. Invaluable.

-- If you are gonna be in high mountains or are riding in cold weather, carry two old-fashioned hot water bottles. Use them for standard water carriers, and, if it is cold at night, boil some water, pour in the leak proof (hopefully) water bottles and put them in your sleeping bags! Toasty! Will increase the comfort range of your bags considerably!

-- If you are a breakfast person, get up, strike camp, make hot coffee..... then ride a hundred miles and find a McDonald's for breakfast..... not bad stuff really, and you can't cook a breakfast cheaper than they can give you! We snack out of supermarkets during the day, and only cook once a day. Toward the end of the day, we stop at another store to get the ingredients of a supermarket stew! Do all your cooking in one pot.... it is possible!

Hope some of this is valuable! See ya out there!
 
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#9 ·
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Whoops! Just read your first post again!

If it is going to be cold, you can't beat Thermorest mattresses. They insulate you against the cold, and provide a modicum of comfort. Expensive......

My wife and I, if we know the temperature will not be overcold, now take a Coleman airbed....... much more comfortable, but much colder!

"You pay your money, you take your chances!"

:D:D:D
 
#10 ·
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I still have all my camping gear from when wife and me went back packing. works on motorcycle also
 
#11 ·
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That's great info CJ!! Maybe we can get Steve to put this in the Reference/FAQ forum. :clapper:

John
 
#12 ·
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A couple of other suggestions;

Buy an LED headlamp...I bought my first one about 3 years ago and it is the THE most useful thing I've bought for hiking in years...I can't believe how useful they are...since I bought my first one, I have bought one to keep in my jeep, one in my wing, one in my toolbox and one on my workbench.

Also, get some poly-pro undergarments, especially if you're going to be out in the cold....remember this, cotton kills. Wet cotton will wick away all your body heat causing hyperthermia...polypro underwear (and other clothing)won't...it dries quickly and keep you warm when it is chilly and cool when it is hot out...I started using it about 5 years ago, moving away from wool and what difference...there are different thicknesses for different temps.

Just my .02

....and oh, I used down bags for 20+ years...I am now using only synthetics...they clean easier, they are half (at least) the price for a given temp rating and they last at least as long, usually longer. They may weigh a bit more ,all things being equal, but overall they are alot easier to care for and although I was a "down-snob" for years and years, I've finally been enlightened....I still can't let go of one of my down jackets though....





OOPs saw that CJ recommended the headlamp already......yeah, what he said!:grinner:
 
#13 ·
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For the portable urination station we use a folgers 3lb plastic coffee container. It has a handle built in so it is easy to hold, and a snap on lid. Line it with a small plastic bag, then stuf Depends into it. No drips that way, all you do in the morning is tie the plastic shut and toss it away. The wife uses it, she had a bit of geting used to it as it is a good bit smaller than the seat on a standard commode but she manages quite well. It really is nothing more than a modern adaptation of an old chamber pot.
 
#14 ·
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Great stuff gang. I'm taking notes here. Now the Gator Aid and the Folgers trick is something to think about. Maybe I should practice my aim with these:cheeky1:
 
#16 ·
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Like GLester, I tend to go for the cheap.... Have camped in 18degree and 124degree weather and all done with the aid of a $32.00 tent and an $18.00 sleeping bag. If its cold add a couple of layers of clothing and if its hot, sleep like momma brought ya into the world.

I do use a thermorest self inflating mattress, these 69yr old bones have to have something between them and the ground.
 
#17 ·
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that eureka tent you bought.... I don't like it. Here's why. The rain cover doesn't cover the entire tent. You're going to get wet if it rains. I use an REI tent which has a rain cover that goes all the way to the ground and includes a large vestibule area.

But the best thing about REI is the life time warranty. (keep the receipt) My poles broke and the tent cover ripped in a horrible wind storm and I asked REI for just new poles, after sewing the cover myself. They replaced the whole tent instead, with a newer model!

You'll pay a bit more an REI tents but you'll never have to buy another one.
 
#18 ·
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Roach wrote:
that eureka tent you bought.... I don't like it. Here's why. The rain cover doesn't cover the entire tent. You're going to get wet if it rains. I use an REI tent which has a rain cover that goes all the way to the ground and includes a large vestibule area.

But the best thing about REI is the life time warranty. (keep the receipt) My poles broke and the tent cover ripped in a horrible wind storm and I asked REI for just new poles, after sewing the cover myself. They replaced the whole tent instead, with a newer model!

You'll pay a bit more an REI tents but you'll never have to buy another one.
Really? Could have fooled us...... been touring with a Eureka tent for years, in wind, rain, and snow..... never have gotten wet.....

Must be something wrong with the one we got...... only keep dry in it.....
 
#19 ·
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Cousin Jack wrote:
Really? Could have fooled us...... been touring with a Eureka tent for years, in wind, rain, and snow..... never have gotten wet.....

Must be something wrong with the one we got...... only keep dry in it.....
I'd demand my money back! ;)
 
#20 ·
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Here are my two cents on the sleeping bag debate. I have used both (down and synthetic) for 32 years. I have a pretty big family, so I use stuff and pass it on. That way I get to try a lot of stuff. I have also been a Scoutmaster off and on for many years. I have a rectangular down bag that has lasted me since I was 17. I'm 47 now.

It doesn't much matter whether you get down or synthetic except for the price. Both can be very good products or kind of crappy. Look at the style (mummy, rectangular etc.), quality and fit. Most (not all) of the cheaper bags have cheap zippers and fabric. However, if you shop you can find good deals. Get one that fits you. I am only 5'9", but most standard sleeping bags are too cramped for me. Try it on in the store.

Don't try to get one that is good down to 20 degrees below zero, especially if most of your camping will be done in warmer temps. The most reliable way to be comfortable in cold weather is inside of two sleeping bags (preferably a mummy inside of a rectangular bag). As a matter of fact two cheap bags are almost always warmer than one expensive bag.

As has been mentioned before, Thermarest pads are great. And, when I have room, I prefer to sleep on a roll-a-cot. You still need a pad on top of the cot to keep warm. The cot is high enough that you have a place to tie your boots when you gt up. I just came back from Scout Camp. I took the trunk off of my GL1200 and tied a big duffel bag of gear (including the cot) on the rack. It worked great.

http://www.camptime.net/roll-a-cot.htm
 
#22 ·
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Two little tips that may be useful....

take a few clothes pegs with you, that way, if the weather has been bad and then the sun comes out, or you have washed some clothes,you can peg them out on the guy ropes to dry.

If you are travelling with a tent that has lightweight pegs, take a couple of rock pegs, which look like oversized nails with a T piece welded on. Then if you come across some hard or stoney ground,you can bang these in first to make a hole for the lightweight pegs. If you have enough space and can take the extra weight, change out the pegs that are used for the outer flysheet for rock pegs before you go, and remember to take aclaw hammer, ( so the pegs are easily removed)or look for a rock to hammer in for an emergency job.
 
#23 ·
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I camp with high school students usually 15-20 days per year in and around Big Bend National Park. These are my observations.

Thermorest makes good stuff, but other brands of self inflating pads can be found cheaper. Also, you may not want a full length pad- a 1/2 or 3/4 size pads most everything that is needed and lets your feet hang over; space saving.

I agree that a tent with a good rainfly is $ well spent. A $19 Walmart tent works great-- except for when you finally hit that big storm with wind. After only one miserable cold night you will regret not having spent the extra $$. REI, Kelty, Northface, and many others..even Coleman make good tents with large rainflies. Make sure that the door has a double zipper or that the zipper closes to the top. In many parks the wildlife (esp. skunks:shock:) have learned to nose open a zipper at the bottom of a tent to enter and look for food.

Pack a sheet of thick plastic sheeting or tarp to place under your tent. It provides a moisture barrier and helps keep down abrasion to the tent floor.

In sleeping bags, I like synthetic filler, but cotton exterior (hard to find in a cold weather bag). With a nylon exterior, the bag slides around the tent if you must pitch the tent on unlevel ground.
 
#24 ·
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Hey Duds, 2 cheep sleep'in bags,one for the lady,and a plastic tarp & fish'in rod-who needs more?Besides, I ain't got no saddle bags or trailer (my OLE LADY don't mind)!
 
#25 ·
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I agree with you. We've had a 6 man Eureka since 1989. It's been on about 12 weekend canoe trips, been used about 20 days per summer for at least 15 of those years, and is still one of our tents in use today. A definite favourite. Sure, we've been wet a couple of times, in hurricane-like conditions, but it is a phenomenal product. Highly recommended.document.write('/forums/images/emoticons/emoticonsxtra/waving.gif');
 
#26 ·
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I don't trailer and prefer to carry what I need on the bike - it makes packing much more difficult.:cheeky1: I recently returned from a 45 day 14000 mile ride from Florida to Glacier, Denver to the Grand Canyon, Denver to Sturgis and the Badlands, picked up 16 National Park Stamps, and then home. Temps varied from 34F to 108F, rain lasted a week or so on the Grand Canyon leg, and I state/national park camped, renegade camped, hit a KOA or two.

I use a Sierra Designs Tengu 2 2-man tent, a Big Agnes 15F down bag, Big Agnes 25"x78"x2.5" insulated air mattress to get comfy with at night. I use a footprint under the tent to protect the waterproof fabric bottom. The down bag compressed far better than the poly/synthetic ones I found. Down bags are more expensive and if they get wet are a bear to dry out (which is why I carried mine in a waterproof bag inside my left panner). I had some misgivings about an inflatable air pad but it never deflated despite my 6' 220# mass.

The Tengu 2 compresses to about 7"x18" with poles, pegs, and footprint. The BA air mattress compresses to about 6"x10". I've been in some serious deluges (Sturgis 2008 where it blew 50mph+ and rained like water from a fire hose) and the tent never broke or leaked water.

I carried some of the MSR line: Whisperlite stove, BlackLite cook kit, 33oz fuel bottles, MSR coffee filter, and 6L dromedary. The only meal I didn't cook was lunch. The gear performed great. I also had a 450ml coffee cup, lexan cutlery, and a couple of collapsible bowls for meals.

I shopped every couple of days and ended up buying Lipton noodle mix; Uncle Ben's rice mixes, canned tuna, roast beef, and chicken; power bars, and ingredients for gorp. I also bought powdered Gatoraide so I could replenish my electrolytes at night (I mixed it about half of the directions and had good results).

The only gear exposed to the elements was the tent, camera tripod and gear bag. The waterproof REI gear bag contained colored bags so I could keep track of food (green), cooking gear (red), grooming gear (blue) and clothes (2 waterproof bags white in color that doubled as a pillow and a way to know dirty from clean riding gear). The inner bags never got wet despite some horrendous rain storms and high winds. The bag gear bag also doubled as a backrest. I bungeed the external stuff using some 1"x 42" adjustable bungee cords that lasted the entire time.

A number of the campsites were "primitive"; no running water and a dump toilet so having the ability to tote 8L of water to these sites was a nice feature. Some of the best sites were the furthest from the potable water and the dromedary and CamelBak made that pleasant too. I carried a .75L water bottle and a 24oz 2PN container for those late night urges.

I'm sure I could have gone cheaper but I decided that I was more interested in durability, size, and weight. In almost all my decisions I chose the smallest and lightest as long as the ratings were high. None of my gear broke. :shock:

Coupla tips, fwiw:

I carried 2 lengths of parachute cord (the good green stuff) so that I could hang up wet gear or tie the food bad out of reach of the critters.

I wore synthetic underwear exclusively. It washed easily and was usually dry the next morning.

I carried way too much clothing. All I really needed was 1pr. convertible pants, 2 sets underwear, sweatshirt, hat, sneakers, flipflops, and full riding gear. Gear that got washed but didn't dry out by the time I left got bungeed to the gear bag and was usually dry by morning.

I took 2 aspirin each morning after realizing that I'm not as limber as I used to be.

I was amazed how dehydrated I got regardless of temperature. I carried a CamelBak 3L and drank from it throughout the day. At the noon break I'd refill it with ice and water and was good to go for the afternoon. I tried the insulated mug and thermos with hose but the water got very warm and I found myself spitting out the warm water. The CamelBak has an insulated drinking hose and the water stayed much cooler.

I brought a couple of books to read at bedtime. The Black Diamond headlight has a brightness adjustment and I found that on low it was plenty bright. The unit uses 3 AAA batteries and I never came close to replacing the batteries.
 
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