Other than 2 weeks travelling around where I carried a tent and it varied between tenting and cabin beds, I carried my Wilderness Equipment Dart 2. I bought this for bushwalking/hiking so it packs small enough to not take up too much room on the bike. Any hiking tent in my opinion is enough. Minimum would be a bivvy bag / swag with an exped mat and sleeping bag if I chose to go for something smaller
Considered that but, sorry, no. Not due to price. Its only 42 in inside height. I need at least 48, preferably 50. Its a 'must-have' to me. BTW, I really dont understand why people need to set up their bikes close to or even 'inside' their tents. Bikes tend to fall over in unexpected moments, should eg. sidestand fail... Should be placed at least total height of the bike away
I used a Nemo Obi 1 on the COBDR with Fab and really liked it. This is my first ultra light one man tent and I can recommend it. Plenty of room to to set up and stretch out unless you are very tall. It packs very very small and kept me dry. Double wall construction. At the moment I am camping for a week in Moab and am using my two man Marmot Limelite. It uses three poles vs one for the Obi. Still easy to set ip and very roomy. I much prefer side entry as my knees don't like me crawling around on them anymore.
Tuned in for this one! I have used and abused a Eureka Tetragon 4 for years. It fits me, MrsDonkeys, and a giant schnauzer easily, with room for all the gear. It fits easily in the sidecar, but packs up a bit big for the two-wheelers. It has been a GREAT tent for motorcycle travel with the whole family though. On the flip side, I have a Eureka Spitfire that I got for $40 on sale a few years back. I take it for solo travel on two wheels, but it sucks. For $40, I can't complain. If I had paid MSRP, I would be upset. I'm definitely looking for a better option, and that Big Agnes is tempting.
I've gone through so many tents. One alternative is a hammock. I borrowed one from a friend on a weeklong ride up the California coast, through Yosemite and down through Mojave. It worked well. I only had one night where I had to sleep on the ground because I couldn't find two points to tie to. Sets up a lot faster than a tent and packs up really small.
i took my car camping, it was magical the tent is a gelet 6 man one room +1 on hammock and no one steals your cover or pillow
I've used a hammock once on a touring around the East coast back in 1980. I was on a XS850 Yam. I put the bike under the hammock and a fly above because it was very cold and raining hard. Great sleep while the bike was still hot.
The thought has crossed my mind.. but I'm also thinking of just being able to keeping me and my paraphernalia out of the elements. Pretty well sold on this one like rww has. Series II Tent
I'm beginning to notice a trend. The people from wetter climates seem to be favoring larger tents, people from dryer climates seem to like smaller/lighter tents.
I love my hammock tent, never failed me yet and very comfortable. The only down side is that it can get quite cold on your arse since you don't have the heat retention/reflection of the ground. I solved that by getting a big anges r5 rated pad.
Although I love a hammock, they aren't the ideal rig for year round camping in our area. The Big Agnes looks like a decent tent with sensible ventilation. Would like to see how it stands up in a good wind. For spring, summer, and fall I choose the "HUBBA HUBBA" from MSR. Super breathable, light weight, and room for two. The poles seemed a little odd at first but it packs up quite small. For the winter season I still rely on my 14y/o Kelty Expedition II. 7+lbs but it will keep you warm and dry in a February ice storm. I think the two most important things to consider when buying a tent are 1-Where am I going to camp? -and -2 How am I going to get there? #1 is actually a very important but often overlooked question. Yes, we all like to assume that out tents could see us through whatever mother nature could possibly dish out, and for the most part we are right. But, can we also be warm, and dry, and happy in the process??? The key to tent life(in my experience) is proper ventilation for your environment. Trust me - Being stuck in a "super water proof" tent that doesn't breath through a 2-3 day rain/sleet/ice storm isn't all that fun. Neither is spending a night in the same tent in a damp grassy field. This is where the Big Angus (and also my beloved Kelty) impress me. With a large vestibule and good ventilation you can keep the fly open a bit at the top as well as the bottom to increase air flow through the tent and keep condensation to a minimum. Important if you plan on camping near the NE atlantic coast....The beat way to keep warm is not always to close everything up tight. And of course the how are we going to get there question... Yea, I know. A MOTORCYCLE. But how long are we going for? Is weight and/or size a factor? Tent for 1 or tent for 2? If for 2 a side entry tent may be appealing. Do you like to keep allot of gear in or near the tent? Maybe a larger vestibule may be in order/maybe not. The point is...spend some time researching, then spend some more time researching, then choose something you like, and don't be scared to pay for a little extra. It'll be worth it in the long run. And above all realize that no tent is perfect in all conditions. Sometimes your discomfort may not be the fault of your old tent... a hybrid sleeping bag, Synthetic on the bottom to resist moisture absorption and down on the top to keep you warm and dry is worth it's weight in whatever...especially if you don't have a good tent. A good underpad like a thermarest can also save one from an extremely uncomfortable and cold/damp sleep. Keep theses things in mind when you get the shopping urge. Sometimes a newer/better tent may not be the answer - maybe you just need a better sleeping pad or bag - but maybe you do need a new tent. I know I always need a new tent....sorta like I always need a new bike...
