Dry bags

[jann71]

When do you start your trip Crankarm?

 

[smeg]

You can get your conventional tent up in 2 minutes? 'Course you can.

I could get my Vango Spirit 200 up in around a couple of minutes it's pitch-as-one not that I've timed it and been in that much of a hurry, it's fine just with 3 pegs at the rear and 2 at the front. When you're backpacking pitching & packing it every day you get pretty quick at it.

 

[Crankarm]

When do you start your trip Crankarm?

Now there's a thing ................

Was thinking of heading off tomorrow morning toward mid Wales for a few days even though the forecast is now a bit iffy. But then again there is tiling that needs doing .......................... Tiling or touring? Tiling or touring?

Would like to go further a field for a short trip ideally some where warm for a couple of weeks before Christmas or in the New year. Morocco looks good - riding in the high Atlas, perhaps take a look at the Western edge of the Saharra and the coast is pretty spectacular.

 

[smeg]

Are you taking a pop-up tent Crankarm? You could strap it on your head and wear it as a hat to keep the sun off More room on the rack for something else then i.e. cherry cakes Thinking more Morocco/Saharra than Wales with that idea... Or could it act as an umbrella also?

 

[battered]

I can also recommend Andalucia at that time of year. Cheap flight into Malaga, alicante or Valencia, and off you go. Daytime temp 15-20C, more in the sunshine, nights tolerable, light from 0830 till 1800 at end Dec. Cheap food/ accom when you get tired of slumming it in the dark, 14 hours is a long time to lie in a tent, I know.

 

[battered]

Are you taking a pop-up tent Crankarm?

Perhaps he'll take a pop up bike.

 

[billflat12]

hi. don't believe in spending a small fortune on kit unnecessarily myself, I originally bought a very good 40ltr max dry bag from clas olsen (cat no.34-8648),12.99, for my tent,mat,bag on my rear rack , Instead decided to spread load by using front waterproof panniers (cat.036/4533 ) ,11.99 each from argos to keep the front end from rearing on pulling-off/climbing , Whoa !!! tent always takes some drying though so goes on the rack loose whenever possible to keep any mildew/damp from forming within a waterproof cocoon. As far as the weight police are concernd i would prioritize usefulness/enjoyment first an take the weight penalty.

 

[Ticktockmy]

I put my tent in a dry bag (which is then strapped to the rack) but I do try and dry it as much as possible before packing it, using a dishcloth specially devoted to the purpose. I pack the inner and outer separately in polythene bags so that the dry inner tent is not made wet by the outer, and then put both into the dry bag (along with poles and pegs). I'm aware that packing tents wet isn't good but either the tent is pitched that evening or, if I'm arriving home, I will hang it out to complete drying.

I'm curious to know how willem and ticktockmy transport their tents? I'm always looking to plagiarise other people's bright ideas

Depending if I am using my Vaude Hogan or my TN Lazer comp, the lazer fits in my pannier no problems including poles, as it is very light wieght and folds down compact, the Hogan also fits into the pannier but takes up a little more room as not so compact, but because the poles are longer than the pannier, I strap them to my crossbar, using a speicial bag I made which hold them nice and cuddly to the bar.

 

[willem]

I see I did not answer Shirokazan. The answer is quite simple: my small Helsport tent longitudinally on the rack, in its supplied nylon bag. This way I can still easily get into the panniers. The larger Hilleberg that I use with my wife transversely on top of the rack and the panniers, and similarly in its Hilleberg bag. I use Helsport and Hilleberg tents with outer and inner connected, plus their connected footprints. When the tent is more or less dry, I pull the whole thing down in one movement, and put it in the bag together, outer, inner and footprint connected for fast and easy pitching. If the tent is wet, I disconnect the inner and pull it down first to pack it separately. The wet outer and the wet and dirty footprint then go into another bag. I honestly see no reason to put a nylon tent in a dry bag. The factory supplied tent bags are made from flysheet materiaal that is waterproof and weighs next to nothing. Moreover, a tent is made to handle some water in any case.
Willem

 

[jay clock]

Two things. One is Crankarm, I can echo the comment about Andalucia. Went there last October - perfect weather and great cycling. see here http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/malagatofaro

Also Willem, I am curious. Are you Dutch. Your name is and I think you live there. If you are then you writing stonking English....

 

[willem]

Yes I am Dutch and I live in Holland. I did live, work, and ride my bike in England for a number of years, both in the past and more recently. I also twice lived and worked in the States.
Willem

 

[whodabear]

The next items I must purchase are some Ortlieb dry bags for my tent, sleeping bag and Thermarest as I would like these on top of my rack. Combined weight is 3.4kg.

I am after the really rugged ones that have the thicker fabric PS 490.

Does any one have one of these bags and from where did you get them?

I have done a search on the internet and looked in the Adventure shops in Cambridge and all I can find are the PD350 medium weight fabric dry bags which is a step up from the quite thin Exped bags. I have at least determined what size I need XS 13 litres and S 22 litres. Wiggle don't do them and John Street/Thorn Cycles only do the larger 35 litre medium weight PD 350 dry bags.

PS 490 dry bags in the 13 and 22L sizes.

I have a PS 490 in 35L, which is great, though too big for the bike really. I also really rate the Ortlieb Rackpack, which I also use regularly (cheaper via this link than from SJS cycles).

 

[MockCyclist]

Question about the Ortlieb rack pack: How do they attach? Most pics show them at right angles to the rack but I'm thinking of the smallest one along the rack, will it work ?

 

[shirokazan]

Ticktockmy and willem thanks for your replies. Sorry for not replying sooner but...I was away touring all of last week (up in Yorkshire and Lincolnshire)! And yes, I had my tent in the dry bag. Virtually the first thing I did upon returning was hang the tent out to finish off drying it. For most of the week it was packed fairly damp (mostly condensation but some pre-dawn rain affected it on a couple of days).