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Camping Equipment

Joined
Jul 22, 2020
Messages
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Location
Decatur, Tx
Howdy,

I'm starting to look for a new tent for motorcycle camping. I have a cheap $20 Coleman 2 man right now and it is way too cold. I don't think I can pack enough blankets in the saddle bags to make it comfortable on a cool night. If anyone has suggestions on motorcycle camping tents I would be glad to hear them. I'm wanting to take a trip to Montana this fall and would like to camp along the way.

Thanks,
Darty
 
A good down sleeping bag and some way to keep it off the ground works wonders. Not cheap,though.

Look for a "4-Season" tent for cold weather camping. Again, not cheap, but more than once I've crawled out of my Mountain Hardware "Mountain 2.5" and found Ice on the rain fly. Part of the trick, I think, is choosing one on which the rain fly does not touch the tent itself, making a sort of insulating air layer between tent and fly.
 
If you buy a cheap tent , bring a roll of duct tape. The zipper will break in the middle of the night when you go pee.

+1 on what @garfey said

nothing beats down filling
 
All I've ever had was a 4-season tent and I must admit, I'm a bit spoiled by it. Setup takes a couple minutes longer than my friends with their tents which is ok except in the rain which stinks. Same for tear-down. Ventilation is awesome but they can be a tad bit sticky in the summer months unless all the vents are open. I've woken to snow and ice and never felt like this was a bad idea. (Been as low as 19*F for a night or five in it). A bit long in the tooth now at 20 years old, I find myself needing to replace it (Marmot Sanctum) as the waterproof tape in the interior seams has begun to fail. Not a manufacturing defect, just age.

A strong recommendation would be to get a two-person capacity even if it's just you. Having that extra space for dressing and gear storage is wonderful. I'd also recommend you have a front portico of some flavor - something you can get under if it's raining and then strip, or to stash wet gear instead of bringing it inside. And having 2-person capacity is nice when, well - you have that second person. :-) Look for some hooks or hoops on the center top interior to hang a small battery LED camp light. That's a nice treat. Side storage netting is also nice when you setup for multiple days in one location.

I think the 3-season tents are just fine as well seeing all my friends with them, camping with them etc. One of the biggest upgrades was a ThermoRest or some similar blowup mattress pad. Doesn't need to be thick as an inch or so is all you need to get you off the ground with an insulative layer. I'd also recommend the longer ones versus shorter. Your legs want to stay warm too, right? And don't skimp on the width. Nothing worse than turning the slightest and falling off the edge. Between the pad and a premium down bag, you should be set for a comfortable night with these two items.

My 4-season tent/ThermoRest and down bag have been my constant companion through 49 states of riding and camping. When you wind up with the right combination of gear, your stress is removed about 'lodging' on the road and you can enjoy the trip that much more.
 
I've slept in tent that got too hot several times when it was in the low thirties. But...I had an electric cord powering a small heater. On the other hand I had a miserable night once because the forecast was wrong and I only brought warm weather gear. Gear is the key. Down is a wonderful insulator for a sleeping bag. An insulated ground pad adds to your warmth and warm clothes. Since some of your riding might be in the lowlands, gear that handles warm, cold, and rainy weather would be my choice.
 
I've been in my tent shivering twice. Once I had a propane lantern that I would turn on a for a bit and let it heat up the tent, but since it was a summer tent the heat never lasted so I essentially stayed up all night maintaining the lantern. Another night I got dressed up in all my motorcycle gear linings and everything and got back in my sleeping bag and just shivered all night. I've decided I'm to old to repeat those experiences.

Yes I have camped where it's been too hot, but I'll take hot over cold any day.
 
Another thing you need to consider is convenience. I just spent 16 nights in my REI Trail Hut 2. That thing goes up and down in MINUTES. Had a good test Monday night up in Winding Stair Campground. Tons of rain, hail and wind. Tent worked perfect. Packs small. About $200.00, including a built in footprint, which rocks. It is a summer tent, but I have a Big Agnus 20 degree bag and an insulated Air Core mattress.
 
I would recommend a decent 3 season tent and a really good ground pad and sleeping bag. You said you wouldn’t be able to pack enough blankets and that right there is your problem. Blankets are actually pretty poor insulators.

I’ve been cozy warm down into the low teens with a 3 season tent like my Nemo and a really good pad and down bag.
 
Is there really such a thing as a 4 season tent? What would my hammock be considered since I sleep very cozy down to about 26 degrees.
 
I use a academy 3 person tent, air mattress and sleeping bag. I sleep pretty comfortable. One camp out at Wichita Mountains it got down to 40* and a chill close to 32*.
 
Wichita Mountains
20210320_182952.jpg
 
When shopping for sleeping bags remember that their temperature ratings shouldn't be confused with comfort ratings. A 40 degree bag will have you shivering like chilly willie all night at 40 but you won't freeze. Being comfortable means a lower temp rated bag.
 
Its not the tent, get the right down bag and a pad underneath. Also wear a wool watch cap to bed and socks.

Two man at least with a good fly and waterproof bottom and mosquito nets on windows for air.

Be bear aware in MT.
 
Cheap tents definitely have their down sides but in the end, you want something that keeps out the rain, keeps out a bad draft and does not condensate on the inside bad. I recommend a two man tent with the front porch. (Not sure what it is called but my son and I went backpacking and it was a life saver to have the front area outside the tent for muddy boots.) For sleeping pads, air is not always better as depending on the night, the air mattress temp will drop and you will stay cold all night. At the least, a good form pad and since you have the room just do both a closed cell foam and a small air pad. I actually have one from academy that is both. As far as bags go. Just know you need to add 15 degs to the rating to tell you how good it's actually down to. I have used fleece liners to drop another 10 degs or so which is handy considering the size. In addition, keeping a decent emergency blanket to throw over you on a cold night will do wonders.
Last but not least, if you want to stay toasty warm, throw an electric or gas hand warmer down your sleeping bag in a sock. I did that growing up camping in the snow and it would run you out of there. That was with a Zippo style hand warmer but I would probably use electric now. May not last the hole night but it would do the trick for a few hours of sleep.
 
I have the Kelty Salida 2 person tent that I like and has served me well. This tent is very easy to set up and has always been dry for me. The poles are really short and will fit into any pannier. I camped in it 20 or so days of my 29 day trip to Tuktoyaktuk. As stated by others a down bag and insulated sleeping pad are key to staying warm. I camped in this tent down to 20 degrees a few times and stayed comfortable in a Marmot Pinnacle 10 degree down bag (no longer available) and an Exped SynMat MW R4.8 insulated pad (the MW version I have does not use the inflation bag, it has a built-in hand pump). I know these are not bargain items but they do work well.

Dease Lake, Waters Edge Campground, British Colombia.
IMG_4310.JPG
 
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Is there really such a thing as a 4 season tent?
I have a semi-retired Mountain Hardware 'convertible' tent. Skyview 2. It has TONS of mesh for viewing the sky (duh). But also has solid panels that zip over the mesh to make it a winter tent. The thing is cool in summer, and warm in winter. Has a vestibule big enough to sleep a 3rd person. But it weighs 11 lbs and is a real pain to put up, so I only use it for car camping now.
 
Still using my 22 year old North Face Evolution 45 4 season tent. Not as often as I'd like though. Camping in Texas, to me, is murder unless it's fall and winter.

For me, the 4 season aspect keeps the extreme elements away from me. I can always not use the rain fly in warmer, drier cliamates.

4 season is sturdier, heavier duty fabrics and usually has some kind of panels in strategic places for keeping out/deflecting heavy winds and rains., Usally the fabrics have better coatings too to prevent wind from passing through the weave but are still breathable. Coatings like Gore are generally not found because they're not flame retardant. An ember could set a tent ablaze quickly with that stuff. The downside is they are always heavier and larger/bigger diameter rolled up. Poles are usually larger diameter too. So size is an issue for many. My Evo 45 is about 12-13 lbs. If I were backpacking, I'd give a hoot. On a MC, I don't. I goes across my backseat and saddle bags just fine.

The coldest I've used my 4 season is in the high teens all over the PNW and on the Trans-Lab. I got away from using sleeping bags years ago. I use a low profile air mattress and bed sheets and blanket. They pack flat. I use rolled up clothes as a pillow. All I need is socks and a beanie and I'm fine sleeping into the 40s. Colder than that and I wear thermals.
 
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