Vegasclimber

I figure this is a good one for some discussion. What is your camping/sleeping setup, and why did you choose it?

I come from a backcountry camping history, so I like to keep things light. For a tent, I use a Black Diamond HiLight (2 person, 4 season, 2 pounds) a Mountain Hardwear 15 degree synthetic bag and a Big Agnes air pad.

If I know there is going to be a lot of trees and I really want to go simple, I sometimes go with a lightweight Eno hammock along with a Bibler hooped bivy sack for rainy weather.

stardognine

We've actually had this discussion before, at least once, lol. But things change, so let's have at it. 😁
I just recently went through Denver, the slow way, and scored an old Eddie Bauer Kara Koram down sleeping bag. The blue one, that says Blizzard Proof on the tag. 😎 I'm not so sure about that claim, so I'll keep using my Gore-Tex bivy, outside it. 😋😉 My tent is an old North Face 1-man, very highly rated, but I still haven't slept in it yet. Probably in bad weather, I will.
EDIT: After rechecking, my tent is a North Face Windy Pass, apparently made before they went their separate ways. I like it, it's very light, but very sturdy. 👍

skidder

A hotel room bed (I've been doing a lot of credit card trips lately) .

For a camping set up its what I used to use while backpacking: 30F sleeping bag (Marmot Neverwinter), single wall tent (Tarptent Cloudburst, not made anymore), and a 1" thick closed cell foam pad under the bag (I don't mind a 'stiff' or 'hard' bed).

elcruxio

I tour with my wife and we have pretty similiar gear which has worked perfectly for dozens and dozens of nights.

Down sleeping bags having a comfort sleeping temps below freezing. They actually work even during heatwaves as blankets when temps drop during the night. And of course it's nice to have a bag that can handle the occasional surprise freeze.

cocoon bag liner. Easier to wash than the bag or pad.

Inflatable full length sleeping pad. I have a thermarest, she has an exped. Very comfortable when inflated correctly. You get a feel for that stuff.

Inflatable pillow and a cotton pillowcase. Probably the most important item on the list.

MASSIVE three person tunnel tent. This one is actually pretty new but it transformed my ability to sleep on tour. In our old small two person tent I was always a light sleeper but in the new one I sleep the same as I do at home ie. very well. Having space to sleep and live in ias a total game changer for me. Having the huge abs for gear, cooking, hanging out is a bonus too. The kicker? Weighs less than our old smaller tent and has way better ventilation.

Oh and the tent has an extra footprint because that's just nice

J.Higgins 

What's the brand/model of this tent, brother?

mev

I like a two person tent with room for myself and gear. I've most used my Quarterdome T2 plus since it also has headroom to sit up. My Neo Air pad has a slow leak but have still been using it. Sleeping bag varies with the trip and temperatures, between a 20F, 35F and 50F bag.

On a recent trip on the Great Plains I tried an experiment. I was mostly expecting to stay in motels but brought a tube tent as a backup. When I arrived in Onida SD, there was a hotel, but there was also an ethanol plant under construction. The workers had all the rooms. There was still enough daylight to reach next town 27 miles further, but decided to use the tube tent anyways. Other than mosquitoes right after sunset this worked ok.

robert schlatte

Just bough an ENO double hammock and a tarp for my next trip at the end of August. I usually use a tent but with the hammock I hope to set up and tear down faster for the occasional stealth camping along my route.

andrewclaus

I use the Tarptent Protrail, 24 oz. For summer touring in low country, I use a down quilt from enLightened Equipment, 30F quilt at 20 oz. I sleep well with a cheap CCF pad like Z-Rest. That whole set up cost under $500 about five years ago. So far I've used it for more than 100 nights with little visible wear and tear. I hope to get hundreds more.

I tried a hammock once, and as you approach 30F it feels cold without an underquilt, which adds weight, bulk and cost.

Nice thing about the single wall tent and quilt, I dropped enough bulk to reduce the number of packs I need on the bike, and was able to go without a front rack or HB bag, which lightened the load even more.

A single wall tent has a learning curve to it, dealing with condensation.

revcp 

When I am touring where there may not be trees, tent is Hilleberg Enan, cozy one person with ample vestibule space for all my gear. It's a double wall tent, but it can be pitched with the inner already "in", or the fly can be pitched first and then the inner put up inside. Also have a footprint for it. It's only one pole, so it pitches in under 2 minutes. I love it. Burrow Econ 40 quilt by Hammock Gear. I sleep warm, so it works well for me into the 30s, and if I need warmer I have a few down bags. Pad is REI Flash pad. Pillow, Exped Air.

If I know it will work (i.e. abundant trees) I use my Warbonnet Blackbird Hammock and tarp, Hammock Gear underquilt and the Hammock Gear quilt or one of my sleeping bags.

jefnvk

Only used twice on a bike trip, but my camping setup worked well enough for me:

Two person tent for myself. I'll take the space/weight penalty for space for my gear. The odd times the wife agrees to camp, I'll give up the extra space to her, but if she were doing it regularly, I'd buy at least a three person. I've got both a fifteen year old Kelty and a Big Agnes that replaced it, mostly for a much better rainfly design that doesn't catch wind as much.

Blue foam sleeping pad. I've had two inflatable pads go out on me now, I simply don't trust them. Plus they're all of $6 at Walmart.

Sleeping bag is a decade old 30F synthetic fill bag from Gander Mountain. Its due for an upgrade, probably with down. Temp range works well in any camping I realistically do. Summers in MI can get down to the low 50s or even 40s at night, if its warmer I just unzip it.

elcruxio

Robens Osprey 3EX

It's a bit atypical in more ways than one but the main difference is that it's made out of polyester. No sagging due to rain or humidity.

reppans

zacharyhoyt

I have been using a Eureka Spitfire 1 tent with an army surplus sleeping bag and a foam pad. I got the Eureka because of the shape, I am 7 feet tall and the tent is 9 feet long and up to 3 feet wide, but with pointy ends, so I can just lie down in it without touching the ends. I also can sit up fairly straight in it. The last couple of years I have also been carrying a Kelty tarp which makes a handy porch area to hang up wet clothes to dry and such.

fietsbob

I liked my Marmot Component Bag system .. of 30 years ago..
Bottom sheet held the thermarest in it and zippers attached a quilt top onto it.

Leebo

Small 3 lb 1 person tent with fly. 55 degree bag( I only do summer) and a sea to summit 1lb air mattress, way comfortable, side sleeping too.

niknak

Tent: MSR Hubba Hubba
Ground pad: original NeoAir
Quilt: Jacks R Better 25º 900-fill down
Pillow: lightweight inflatable pillow

On the rare occasions I'm not touring with my wife, I'll substitute the tent for a tarp and bivy to save weight and space.

TiHabanero

Thinking of going to a pop tent. Anyone out there have experience with these? Pros-cons?

ricrunner

I use a Companion Pro Hiker 2 person 3 season tent, dual skin it has two vestibules with is good for my panniers ,plus foot print 2.7 kgs, Roman Palm Passport -5 C synthetic sleeping bag (best for average 0 degrees Celcius nights), Sea to Summit - 8 C thermolite liner, Vango 3 cm self inflating foam mat regular, and a Sea to summit blow up pillow regular size. This sleep system works extremely well for me, although it would normally be 3 season, it does get used in winter more then summer as summers here in Australia are usually 45 C during the day so don't do much riding in this season.

cyccommute 

I have used a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 in the past (still have it) but I currently use a Big Agnes Flycreek UL1 and have since about 2011. The Seedhouse is adequate for 2 people, if a little cramped but the Flycreek is much better for one person, in my opinion. The smaller tent means that I lose less body heat just heating up the air in the tent so I sleep a little warmer. I also don't bring a lot of stuff into the tent when I sleep so I don't need a lot of room for extra stuff. The Seedhouse in Texas


IMGP1619 by Stuart Black, on Flickr

and the Flycreek in North Carolina and Colorado


IMG_0037 by Stuart Black, on Flickr

DSCN1257 by Stuart Black, on Flickr

For a sleeping bag, I use either a Big Agnes Ranger which is a 20°F down bag or a Big Agnes 45°F Yampa (or something similar) down bag depending on where and when I'm touring. I've had to spend some very uncomfortable nights in the 45°F bag if I don't choose correctly. That bag is extremely uncomfortable at 22°F, especially when the wind is ripping off Lake Erie! It worked for a trip I did this week but it was a tad cold at 10,000 feet. On the other hand, the Ranger is just too hot for spring or summer in the eastern and southern US.

For a pad, I use a Big Agnes (seeing a tend here?) Q-core inflatable pad. It integrates well with both bags and is thicker and lighter than most other pads I've used. It also pack smaller than most pads I've used. I've used a Big Agnes pillow...I told you there was a trend...in the past but picked up a Sea-to-Summit Aeros Pillow recently that is significantly lighter and more comfortable.

For solo trips, the weight of the whole thing is around 4.5 lbs with the heavy bag and just under 3.5 with the lighter bag.

reppans

Paul Barnard

Great, timely topic for the folks that are getting into touring. I have been exploring tents online. How are all of you transporting your sleeping gear? Are you leaving the tent, bag and pad in their own packaging or are you making it into one larger roll?

Leebo

For the Karate Monkey, I use a handlebar roll and two XL fork cages, A medium Revelate tangle frame bag and a rear rack with one small bag. It provides fender support and extra space when needed. Say firewood and beer.

stardognine

I put the tent poles (& stakes) in my backpack, and the tent itself in a pannier. Sleeping bag(s) on the back rack's platform. 🙂
I found a cool compression bag, that's bright yellow, and way bigger than actually needed, for $5 at a thrift store. You can definitely see me now, except from the front. 😁

steve-in-kville 

Firewood and bourbon and I'm in.

cyccommute 

I must have made an error in calculation. You are correct that is is loser to 5 lbs. That's still fairly light compared to what I've used in the past.