Perfect bike touring tent?

[andym]

There are times when crazy guy on a bike seems quite literally true, and sometimes people do seem to get into a competitive thing: who can suffer more pain and misery.

A shellter is for more than sleeping. Say you ride between 6 and 8 hours a day and you sleep for ten, that still leaves a fair number of waking hours. If the weather isn't cold and it's not raining then OK, but what if it's cold and it's been raining all day? Being stuck in a small tent is bearable, but in a hammock?

OK, maybe, for short trips, but for the long haul - i'm not convinced.

 

[Crankarm]

There are times when crazy guy on a bike seems quite literally true, and sometimes people do seem to get into a competitive thing: who can suffer more pain and misery.

A shellter is for more than sleeping. Say you ride between 6 and 8 hours a day and you sleep for ten, that still leaves a fair number of waking hours. If the weather isn't cold and it's not raining then OK, but what if it's cold and it's been raining all day? Being stuck in a small tent is bearable, but in a hammock?

OK, maybe, for short trips, but for the long haul - i'm not convinced.

As I said. it's a wind up ................. .

 

[vikingcyclist]

A shellter is for more than sleeping. Say you ride between 6 and 8 hours a day and you sleep for ten, that still leaves a fair number of waking hours. If the weather isn't cold and it's not raining then OK, but what if it's cold and it's been raining all day? Being stuck in a small tent is bearable, but in a hammock?

The non-sleeping, non-riding hours are what pubs are for. It's nothing to do with wanting to experience more pain and misery, just wanting to take the bare minimum in terms of camping equipment. I'm not really planning to do much in the way of cooking (stove and a selection of meals for emergencies), and I'm also not planning to go completely off the beaten track.

 

[andym]

The non-sleeping, non-riding hours are what pubs are for. It's nothing to do with wanting to experience more pain and misery, just wanting to take the bare minimum in terms of camping equipment. I'm not really planning to do much in the way of cooking (stove and a selection of meals for emergencies), and I'm also not planning to go completely off the beaten track.

I hope it goes well.

The reason I'm sceptical, is because I once spent 24 hours in torrential rain in a tiny ultralight tent in a campsite miles from anywhere where the only shelter was the toilets. Not fun!

 

[greenmark]

I've seen one of these things in action - out wild camping next to a swimming hole in a river near Taipei. It wasn't raining at the time, but he hammock seemed quite versatile. He had lowered the hammock so he could sit sideways on it and use it as a chair with his feet on the ground. While sitting on it he was busy preparing a BBQ on the ground. All of this while sitting underneath the main covering - so he probably would have been able to sit down like that for a while even if it were raining.

I didn't watch him when he pulled up the hammock up horizontally so that he could lie down, so I can't really comment on how it would work for sleeping.

 

[andrew_s]

The non-sleeping, non-riding hours are what pubs are for. It's nothing to do with wanting to experience more pain and misery, just wanting to take the bare minimum in terms of camping equipment. I'm not really planning to do much in the way of cooking (stove and a selection of meals for emergencies), and I'm also not planning to go completely off the beaten track.

I hope it goes well.

The reason I'm sceptical, is because I once spent 24 hours in torrential rain in a tiny ultralight tent in a campsite miles from anywhere where the only shelter was the toilets. Not fun!

I once spent 24h in torrential rain and high wind camped in the field attached to a pub. Get changed to do 100m between tent and pub, indoor clothes in drybag, quick dash, change back in the loos.
Even spending as long as the opening hours would allow in the pub, I wouldn't have liked to not have a proper tent to retreat to for the rest of the day. Not cheap, spending that long in a pub either.

 

[bigjim]

I once spent 24h in torrential rain and high wind camped in the field

I could not do that. I'd have wimped out and found a B&B or gone home. there is only so much suffering I will put up with.

 

[chrishodges]

Depending on what you need it for I used the vango spectre 300: http://www.fieldandtrek.com/vango-spectre-300-tent-783120?src=google for 2 of us and it was plenty big enough, very lightweight and easy to carry.

I would recommend it to anyone.

Chrus

 

[Ticktockmy]

In the right location the Tarp and hammock are great, the only problems I every had with them was if you dont make sure the tarp is covering the surporting cord of the hammock, then in Heavy rain the, the rain can run down the ropes into the Hammock, and you get a tad wet. which can be a tad annoying, to say the least.

 

[chrishodges]

I used the Vango Spectre 300 with 2 others, for a fair few consecutive nights of torrential rain and everything including all kit stayed perfectly dry.
Probably more suited to 2 people and kit, but I would recommend them to anyone!

http://www.theoutdoorshop.com/showPart.asp?part=PN70202

 

[greenmark]

Stumbled upon this on the net yesterday. Personally it seems a bit like a solution in search of a problem...

http://www.slipperybrick.com/2009/12/bike-tent-ride-a-bike-pitch-a-tent/

 

[andrew_s]

That's the sort of idea that surfaces about every 10 years, after the previous attempt has been forgotten (like puncture proof foam tyres).


a) you can't use your bike to go down to the pub, shops or whatever
b) it's not very weatherproof - OK if the bike is at the downwind end, but you'll get damp if the wind swings round.
c) small & cramped, no under cover storage or cooking space
d) it's no lighter than a decent proper tent

 

[coddy]

If I am going posh, I'll take the £300 Terra Nova Solar 2.2 with it's two sizeable porches. If I am slumming it, it's out with the £17 Argos Pro-Action 1 man tent in glorious orange.

I like them both. The two porches are very handy on the Solar 2.2 and the green fly sheet helps in stealth mode. The Argos pro-action is perfectly alright for the job though, apart from the "I am here" colour scheme. The poles are shorter and can be stored vertical in an ortlieb rear pannier. I have modified the Pro-Action and it weighs about 1.6kg and packs down smaller compared to 2.1kg with the Solar 2.2. Looking back I wouldn't have bought the Terra Nova if I knew I'd be happy with the Pro-Action at a fraction of the cost.

My personal criteria in tent selection is:

1. comfort - need a good nights sleep
2. strength and shelter - needs to stand up to the unexpected
3. storage space - room inside the tent for the panniers
4. pack size - needs to be small if using just two rear panniers although can go on the rack top
5. Midge/mosquito barrier - they like biting me for some reason
5. Weight - why carry more.
6. Price - why pay more.
7. Cooking - space to cook in relative safety if the weather is poor

Would I but a Hennessy hammock?

No

Why not?

I'd rather buy a tent for less money and just a bit more weight which would provide far more shelter especially in UK conditions. I would want to be able to pitch in most places and have the ability to put my cycling gear inside. In my opinion the Hennessy just wouldn't be suitable for populated places and camp sites and unfavourable weather conditions can be found in most places around the world.

 

[HelenD123]

If I am going posh, I'll take the £300 Terra Nova Solar 2.2 with it's two sizeable porches. If I am slumming it, it's out with the £17 Argos Pro-Action 1 man tent in glorious orange.

You have exactly the same tents as me! The Pro-Action is fine for a night or two but any longer and I really appreciate the extra space and the porches on the Terra Nova.

 

[furball]

[QUOTE 1220293"]
Hammocks are great. All this nonsense about not finding trees, the point of a hammock is the convenience for wild camping. Is anyone seriously suggesting that anywhere in the UK you are more than a handful of miles from two trees 10 feet apart ?
[/quote]

Have you been to Shetland?