Compact camping gear

Looking to pick up some camping gear that is compact and light for moto-camping. I've seen really compact sleeping bags and even tents but not sure on

1) The comfort/warmth

2) The "roominess"

3) The quality

Does anyone have any recommendations, suggestions or experience with these items?

It really depends on how many escorts / massage therapists you are trying to fit in the tent with you.

What is your price range and what is the lowest temps you plan on encountering?

Rollin

As far as air matress, I have a big Agnes insulated, and it packs pretty small. Sleeping bag is just a Marmot Trestle (maybe discontinued) for 15F. Packs to a basketball size.

It really depends on how many escorts / massage therapists you are trying to fit in the tent with you.
 
What is your price range and what is the lowest temps you plan on encountering?
 
 
Rollin

I have an REI 1/2 dome tent, and REI self inflating pad that are relatively small.  The 1/4 dome would be a little smaller.  I use a cheep sleeping bag from Target because it is small, and I don't moto camp when it is cold.  I have never been cold in it even down to the upper 30s, and I think it was 20-30 bucks.  I use a MSR white gas camp stove and walmart sells some nice cooking/ eating sets for cheap.  The Starbucks VIA packs can't be beat for compact size and ease if you need coffee like me, and you only need to add hot water.  I "barrow"  some cream and sugar packets from restaurants before the trip.  I can fit everything in a large duffle bag, and my clothes go in soft saddle bags.  I think unless you are backpacking you can get away with cheaper stuff.  A lot of what you pay for is weight savings.  I find the smallest pillow in the house and use that, but an inflatable one would be nice, and I need a chair, but there is a story about that I'll share over beers.

If you PM me I could let you barrow my tent, pad and stove to see if you like them.

[image: IMG_6457.JPG]

I have a Mountainsmith tent that works well. Folds up small enought to fit in top case, good quality tent. Imo. Amazon has them in stock. Also, don't forget a ground cover. They have lots of compact sleeping bags for good prices, but have not got one yet.

http://mountainsmith...morrison-2.html

I have a Mountainsmith tent that works well. Folds up small enought to fit in top case, good quality tent. Imo. Amazon has them in stock. Also, don't forget a ground cover. They have lots of compact sleeping bags for good prices, but have not got one yet.

http://mountainsmith...morrison-2.html

And  out  of  stock  !!

Must  be  good  ..

MSR - WhisperLite Stove

(1 review)

Price: $79.95

Save: $ 11.99 / 15% Off

Quantity: 

Nice  .

I have a Mountainsmith tent that works well. Folds up small enought to fit in top case, good quality tent. Imo. Amazon has them in stock. Also, don't forget a ground cover. They have lots of compact sleeping bags for good prices, but have not got one yet.

http://mountainsmith...morrison-2.html

And  out  of  stock  !!

Must  be  good  ..

em#: 14026       [image: MSR_WhisperLite_Stove.jpg] [image: MSR_WhisperLite_Stove.jpg] Zoom   [image: mqdefault.jpg][image: play-icon.png]  

MSR - WhisperLite Stove

15% Off  

(1 review)

Read 1 Review Write a Review       [image: United-States.png] [image: European-Union.png] [image: United-Kingdom.png] [image: Canada.png] [image: Australia.png] [image: Japan.png] [image: Norway.png] [image: Globe%20Blank.png]

Price: $79.95

$67.96

Save: $ 11.99 / 15% Off

Quantity: 

 

Nice  .

That is the stove I have.  Only thing I don't like is it doesn't simmer well, seems to be full heat or off.  Makes my coffee fast though.

August 2014 RIDER has camping equipment suggestions. Eureka or REI would be my choices for tent makers. Sleeping bag depends on the temps you encounter. Food would be local diner for me.

Take a look at the Kelty Grand Mesa tent.  It is small, lightweight, easy to set up and packs very easy.  My second choice would be Eureka APEX tent. 

As far as sleeping bags go I would recommend the Teton Sports Trailhead.  It compacts down to 8 inches and is plenty warm for what you need.

Rollin

I would go down to REI and see what works.  Get in the REI and up brand tents and see for yourself if you have room and that they are easy to setup.  My idea of enough room when I started MC camping was a 2 man backpacking tent now a 4 man is what I use.  Same thing for pads...try them out.  But get an insulated pad regardless.  As regards sleeping bags that is about the only thing that I have not updated over my decade plus of MC camping.  My bag has a nominal rating of about 30 I think...but I went quality from the start with down.  I did purchase an inexpensive liner for when it gets into the teens.

A great thing about REI is the return policy. The REI brand stuff in tents and other gear is pretty good.  I have some other comments about camping on my North Rim/Utah thread

If you get an air mattress, make sure you have an air compressor.

You really don't want to try and inflate it by mouth. :goofy:

http://www.rei.com/p...a-hubba-nx-tent

Tent:

The MSR Hubba Hubba packs incredibly small.  It's billed as a 1-man tent.  Has entry from either side and the rainfly has significant drape.  There is plenty of room outside the tent proper but under the rainfly for gear/saddlebags.

Highly *HIGHLY* recommended.

I have a Mountainsmith tent that works well. Folds up small enought to fit in top case, good quality tent. Imo. Amazon has them in stock. Also, don't forget a ground cover. They have lots of compact sleeping bags for good prices, but have not got one yet.

http://mountainsmith...morrison-2.html

And  out  of  stock  !!

Must  be  good  ..

em#: 14026           [image: MSR_WhisperLite_Stove.jpg] [image: MSR_WhisperLite_Stove.jpg] Zoom   [image: mqdefault.jpg][image: play-icon.png]  

MSR - WhisperLite Stove

15% Off  

(1 review)

Read 1 Review Write a Review       [image: United-States.png] [image: European-Union.png] [image: United-Kingdom.png] [image: Canada.png] [image: Australia.png] [image: Japan.png] [image: Norway.png] [image: Globe%20Blank.png]

Price: $79.95

$67.96

Save: $ 11.99 / 15% Off

Quantity: 

 

Nice  .

That is the stove I have.  Only thing I don't like is it doesn't simmer well, seems to be full heat or off.  Makes my coffee fast though.

I have it too.  There is a piece of aluminum that should come with it to set up around the stove to block the wind.  I've had very good luck with MSR equipment.  Most of my friends that backpack and climb use this stove.  The advantages of a stove like this are that it's very light weight and compact, reliable, and can burn gasoline which can double as an emergency fuel supply for the bike.  Gasoline does leave more carbon residue on the stove and the jets vs. white gas, but it's not a big deal.  I also use this as part of my storm / power outage / SHTF bug out kit. 

Campmor sometimes has ridiculously good prices on camping equipment.  They often beat REI on price even with the rebate. 

http://www.campmor.com/

Big Agnes makes some nice bags, check them out at REI. I got one of the Big mummy bags, gives a little more room, I found the traditional mummy too confining. The BA Big System bags don't have any insulation on the bottom, just a sleeve to slip in your mattress. (I use an REI, like the Thermarest) The mattress provides the insulation to the ground with any bag so this saves some weight and size - a bigger bag that packs small.

Get a dry bag, Ortlieb makes some nice ones. REI has others or check your local boat shop.

I have a Mountainsmith tent that works well. Folds up small enought to fit in top case, good quality tent. Imo. Amazon has them in stock. Also, don't forget a ground cover. They have lots of compact sleeping bags for good prices, but have not got one yet.

http://mountainsmith...morrison-2.html

And  out  of  stock  !!

Must  be  good  ..

em#: 14026           [image: MSR_WhisperLite_Stove.jpg] [image: MSR_WhisperLite_Stove.jpg] Zoom   [image: mqdefault.jpg][image: play-icon.png]  

MSR - WhisperLite Stove

15% Off  

(1 review)

Read 1 Review Write a Review       [image: United-States.png] [image: European-Union.png] [image: United-Kingdom.png] [image: Canada.png] [image: Australia.png] [image: Japan.png] [image: Norway.png] [image: Globe%20Blank.png]

Price: $79.95

$67.96

Save: $ 11.99 / 15% Off

Quantity: 

 

Nice  .

That is the stove I have.  Only thing I don't like is it doesn't simmer well, seems to be full heat or off.  Makes my coffee fast though.

I have it too.  There is a piece of aluminum that should come with it to set up around the stove to block the wind.  I've had very good luck with MSR equipment.  Most of my friends that backpack and climb use this stove.  The advantages of a stove like this are that it's very light weight and compact, reliable, and can burn gasoline which can double as an emergency fuel supply for the bike.  Gasoline does leave more carbon residue on the stove and the jets vs. white gas, but it's not a big deal.  I also use this as part of my storm / power outage / SHTF bug out kit. 

Campmor sometimes has ridiculously good prices on camping equipment.  They often beat REI on price even with the rebate. 

http://www.campmor.com/

One model only burn white gas (like mine) and the other burns almost anything.  Make sure if you want to burn other fuel you get that model.

Thanks all, I'll check on the stuff you all posted. I think there's an REI and/or Adventure 16 near me so I'll go check them out. I'm more into the compactness at the moment as my last trip the back was a little cramped for space. Can't imagine if the wife wanted to go along!

I fit everything but a cooler on the bike in the photo in my earlier post, and I don't have the smallest gear possible.  If you have a rack, that would help.  If the wife wants to camp you may need to get a ST1300, or do what I did and get an RV.  HAHA.

My biggest recommendation is to get easy to use gear.  My REI tent is super easy to put up, and you'll want that if you roll in late and it is almost dark, or dark, or raining.  I've set up many a tent in the dark, or rain, so that is important.  Once I had a hard to set up tent, showed up really late to shared camp at a race, so I had to sleep on the ground.  It was a long cold night, and I woke up sleeping with a bunch of bugs.  You may even want to trial things like the tent at the store to make sure it is easy.  I also pack in a way that makes it easy and leaves things I want dry put away incase it is raining.  Don't forget the details too:

-Hammer for the tent stakes

-collapsable sink for washing up

-light, I use a head lamp

-inflatable pillow

-shower shoes

Good luck, there is a lot of great gear out there, it just depends on your budget.  I used a cheap tent for years until it fell apart, and finally bought a nice one any had many good camping experiences.

Thanks all, I'll check on the stuff you all posted. I think there's an REI and/or Adventure 16 near me so I'll go check them out. I'm more into the compactness at the moment as my last trip the back was a little cramped for space. Can't imagine if the wife wanted to go along!

I'm with ridered, should all fit pretty easily on the bike. This was a 7 day camp trip, all the camp stuff fit in the dry bag.

[image: IMG_8015Large.jpg]

Having done a lot of bike touring in Europe, I'd say that carrying the least possible weight & bulk is the main aim here.
I'd recommend a Hennesey hammock tent which weighs roughly 3lbs / 1.5kg - if that and packs so small it can go inside a good back pack.

Provided you can find two suitable trees, you will be a lot more comfortable than in a tent.

No need at all for a roll-up mattress and you'll find it super comfortable compared to sleeping on the ground.

[image: hh01setup.jpg]

My family and I do a lot of weekend camping & although we use a 4 berth camping vehicle I've recently bought one of these Hennesey hammock tents to keep in the vehicle.

I'll use it either when we have guests, or if my wife & I want to sleep under the stars, or hopefully if I get a chance to go touring on the VFR in Hokkaido sometime...  :happy:

Would also recommend a http://www.kriega.com/ bag. 25L or 30L is very good. Supports weight on the chest, rather than the shoulders (I've carried around 40kg in my 30L bag for some 150km rides sometimes (Which is excessive, but not painful). A bag like this is completely waterproof incl. smaller pockets, so ideal for carrying stuff you don't want to be strapping & unstrapping from your bike every time you need to be away from it.

You could feasibly even travel with just a few clothes, a Hennesey & a decent sleeping bag inside a Kriega bag and have no luggage strapped onto the bike or tank at all. 

A mummy style sleeping bag may pack smaller, but (2) blanket style sleeping bags can be zipped together to make 1 large one......

Just saying.....

as for sleeping mat, I have a half length Thermarest. It support the "pressure" points from shoulder to hip. This where you most want it. This way you save a little bit of bul

Much of the same stuff that's designed for backpacking will work well for motorcycle camping. For the past twenty+ years I've used a small two-man three-season Eureka free standing tent which weighs about four lbs and packs small enough to fit in one of my ST1100's saddlebags or in my VFR's tank bag. This tent has a full coverage rain fly (important!) which has allowed me to stay dry and warm during some severe storms.  Also, while I own and have used several self-inflating and foam type mattress pads over the years, these days I usually carry a relatively-inexpensive vinyl air mattress. For inflation I pack a small 12v air pump which will also evacuate air from the mattress when it's time to pack up. Although this combination may be a bit heavier and bulkier than one of the roll-up foam or self-inflating mattress pads, I've learned that I'm considerably more comfortable and sleep better on a air mattress vs. any foam mattress pad I've tried.

Over the years I've accumulated a few white gas & kerosene (MSR WhisperLite), along with with some propane and alcohol-fueled stoves, plus various pots, pans & cooking utensils. Before making a purchasing decision you should consider if you may only want to boil water for coffee, dry soups, for dehydrated meals, etc. If so there are some easy to use and compact stove/container combinations available for this.  I also highly recommend packing a small LED headlamp for reading and finding things after dark, and a plastic sheet trimmed to fit the base of your tent to serve as a insulating ground cloth. I've also discovered the bags found in those wine-in-the-box containers can be recycled to serve as free, light-weight containers for fresh water.

Over time you'll probably learn (as I have) to resist the temptation of packing too many "comforts of home" when motorcycle camping.   

Edit: I forgot to mention that a rubberized weather-proof "dry bag" can be useful for carrying your gear strapped across the rear seat or a luggage rack. I picked up a large yellow one (good for visibility) from WalMart about ten years ago for less than $20 as I recall. Also, if you will be using fabric saddle, tank or tail bags I recommend placing the contents inside of plastic garbage bags in case you lose a rain cover or discover that the supposedly "water resistant" fabrics and zippers may in fact not be! I learned while back-packing in the Shenandoah National Forest over 30 years ago that sleeping under rainy skies inside a cheap nylon tent (w/no rain fly) which resulted in a wet sleeping bag does not make for a good time-especially when it's cold outside.   

Excellent  info  !!

Very important to have an insulated mattress of some kind as opposed to empty air mattress on which you'll freeze.

Another thing to consider is a dry bag into which you put only the stuff that will stay dry, in other words, not your tent.  If it rains when you're riding, you set up a wet tent, who cares.  If it rains when you're sleeping and you put a wet tent into your dry bag, it's now a steam room for the rest of your dry gear.

A lighter sleeping bag with a bag liner gives you flexibility in dealing with temperature extremes.

An inflatable pillow will provide good comfort but still pack down well.

A kids folding camp chair is sufficient and provides good comfort to relax around the fire.  It goes in the dry bag.

A basic cheap Escort 2 man tent from Walmart has served me well and is easy to set up and take down.

Dry bag contains.

- Insulated air mattress ie Big Agnes

- Sleeping bag and liner

- Pillow

- Camp chair

- Pyjamas (yes, really, you'll want them even with a bag and liner)

Not in dry bag

- Tent

Everything else in top case, saddlebags and tank bag.

Have fun

I use an Alps Mountaineering Mystique 1.5 tent -- it's more roomy than a solo tent, but not as big as a two-person.  ANother thing that's incredibly useful is a lightweigh silicon-nylon tarp and some cord.  That way you can cook, eat and even relax out of the weather if it's bad.

I use an Alps Mountaineering Mystique 1.5 tent -- it's more roomy than a solo tent, but not as big as a two-person.  ANother thing that's incredibly useful is a lightweigh silicon-nylon tarp and some cord.  That way you can cook, eat and even relax out of the weather if it's bad.

AKA Hotel

The whisperlite international is the version that burns almost all fuels. I've used it and it is pretty great. Pricey but worth it if you are going to be using it often.

Otherwise, I have an MSR Pocket rocket. It's pretty small and basic. Only can use the gas canisters though.

When you are ordering a sleeping bag, consider a bag liner. If you are not going to camp anywhere cold, a liner can be a great help. It will keep the bag from directly getting sweaty (less worry about washing the sleeping bag and ruining the insulation), and on hot nights, you can just sleep in the liner on top of the bag.

With your tent, also consider if you want it free standing, or if it is required to be staked in the ground. If you are going to use it on anything that you can't get stakes in securely, a freestanding tent would be required.

I have been using Mountain Hardwear tents for years, and they have never leaked or let me down. Two years ago at a camp, we had high winds (40-50+mph), and the tent handled it without a hitch, while other people's tents were blown down or broke.

Brand Preference.

1) Mountain Hardwear

2) Marmot

3) MSR

4) Kelty

There are a ton of other brands out there, but that's my pecking order.

I also own a WhisperLite international stove. However I would not recommend burning kerosene in these stoves unless you can't find (or afford to use) gasoline, for I've discovered the resulting soot produced can create in a hell of a mess which can transfer to and not be easily removed from your skin, clothing, tent and other items (including your expensive riding gear). Also, the use of raw fuel to pre-heat white gas stoves can produce a similar result. 

Propane, butane and alcohol fueled stoves are much cleaner burning than gas or kerosene, but these stoves also have pros & cons. Propane cylinders tend to be widely available and the stoves are very easy to use, but the cylinders & (to a lesser extent) burners can be fairly heavy & bulky.  Butane stoves & fuel containers may be more compact, but the fuel cylinders tend to be more expensive and hard to find. Alcohol stoves are very simple to use and light weight, but the fuel doesn't burn as forcefully or as hot as the other varieties-which can render these stoves nearly useless in windy conditions.  Although messy, stoves & lanterns that can burn kerosene can come in handy when you may be traveling through third-world countries where kerosene or diesel may be widely available and less expensive than gas or other fuels. There are even some small, folding wood burning stoves which are inexpensive to purchase and operate. However, such stoves generally require dry fuel along with more care and effort to operate with success.

Also, while the brand names that Yoshi mentioned produce quality and well engineered equipment,  these products also tend to be rather pricy. So unless you're confident you'll be using your new gear regularly and for a long-time, you may not want to rule out some of the less-expensive options.  

I've found everything I need for a multi-week camping trip at REI. Check out any gear designed for light-weight backpacking. I have a couple of one-man tents, both less than four pounds.

Big Agnes Seedhouse1 (3lb 10 oz.) (6" x 18" packed). I've been using this for five years. Love it.

ALPS Mystique 1.0 (3lb 15 oz) (6" x 16"). New this year; slightly more head room.

The best piece of equipment I've used is a JetBoil stove and integrated pot. Boils two cups of water in about one minute. Uses JetPower Isobutane fuel mix. Very compact and light weight. I use this mainly for coffee with a REI French Press mug.

For a sleeping pad I use a REI Flash insulated air sleeping pad. Weighs one pound and packs to 3" x 10". Very comfortable.

Sleeping bag is a Kelly Light Year XP 40; good to 40F.

All my stuff fits in two Givi V41 liter hard cases.