B200Pilot

Hey everyone,

Most of my bike tours are in Europe and normally I go with a buddy and we split the cost of a "bed & breakfast" room. This is good in the way that I save on the weight of the gear, but it costs a bit more money to stay in such places as opposed to camping. For example, last year, I paid on average $40.00 per night for boarding (half of the cost)...

When I bike tour in Canada, I normally camp. I had an old "Walmart" tent that is still great, but a little on the heavy side. This wasn't a problem, since I used my BOB Yak trailer and 90% of the routes I do are completely flat.

For my upcoming tour of Europe I'll be going alone and I'll be camping. I can't take my BOB yak on the plane, so a lighter tent was the way to go. I found a great deal on REI's website in the US for a "last year model" of the MSR Hubba Hubba + gear shed. In total it was $245. (Brand new is about $500). This is exactly how I wanted it, because I want to be able to put my bike in the gear shed.

What type of tents do you have when bike touring? Here's mine (not the actual tent, but exactly the same model)

donalson

I picked this thing up not long ago from the evil Walmart $30 and under 4.5lbs... nice and easy to setup to boot... we'll see how it holds up in a few weeks when I ride the katy trail.... if it was any longer I'd prob have justified a nicer tent... but so far i'm impressed.


no rainfly

Cyclebum

2+ lbs, $100.

https://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/hackingSpitefire

WonderMonkey

I camp out of a hammock. It's a risk as I am dependent on trees or other such things but it is oh so comfortable...

Doug64

Sierra Designs, Lightning 2-- It roomy enough for two, and is light weight at about 4 lbs.


It is also durable and versatile.

wheelinthai

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HgPFig-jND0
This is the one I have. It came with fiberglass poles, which cracked half way through my tour. I taped duct tape around the cracked tip, and survived the remaining nights. I then got a replacement poles, which surprisingly improved to aluminium. Too bad, Slumberjack discontinued this ligh and compact tent.

soundsystem91

Eureka Tents Canada

Picked this up at the end of last season for $100. Havent got a chance to use it yet but I set it up in the backyard and loved it as soon as I crawled in. Im 6'2 and this thing is roomy as hell, love the extra space at the end to store your gear beneath the fly.

staehpj1

I too like the Spitfire 1 when I choose to take a tent, but most often lately I have been leaving the tent home and using a bivy (7 oz) or bug bivy (7 oz) and tarp (also 7 oz).

arcticbiker

Packed

Unpacked

fietsbob

Warmlite Three Person Tent | Stephenson's Warmlite

mine is all green , with a side window .... note: It's for sale ..

jbphilly

With rainfly


Without rainfly. Tent is about 2 pounds


When possible, I prefer the hammock

zeppinger

Montbell Crescent 1. $150 >2 pounds. 1 pole, 2 stakes, and its all set up. Hybrid tent design so its good in both warm and cold weather.

Doug64

Another tent we use besides the SD Lightning 2 is the Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight. It is billed as a 2 person tent, but it is better as a solo tent. We use it when we do our traditional annual tour with our 2 daughters. My wife and I take the small tent and the girls get the bigger one Another disadvantage of the Clip Flashlight is that it is not free standing. It is lightweight at a little over 3 lbs. It was our main bike touring tent prior to the Lightning.

BigAura

My Big Agnes Seedhouse SL3, rainy day, wild camping, during my Alaska Tour.

Here's another in the Yukon wilderness:


A day off by a lake. Nice to have a big comfy tent where everything fits easily inside:

alan s 

REI Quarterdome T2

B200Pilot

Wow. Unreal photos! Questions for guys who use hammocks: "Are you protected from insects? I'm mostly worried about mosquitoes and black flies..."

veganbikes

Yes I am!

I have a Eagles Nest Outfitters hammock and I got the One link system which has hammock, bugnet, straps, rain fly/tarp and stakes. You can get a Doublenest with Insect Shield treatment (1% treatment of Permethrin that is bonded to the fabric that work very well in keeping bugs away, ExOfficio makes a lot of travel gear using it) or you can also send pretty much anything to Insect Shield and they will treat it. Though you would still want a bug net.

I highly recommend hammocking as it is more comfortable and generally less weight. Plus it is a conversation starter. Only a gear junkie/nerd like myself would talk about tents and shiz like that but someone sees you in a hammock they will probably mention something positive. I always sleep like a baby in my hammock (except once when it got close to freezing and I didn't have any cold weather gear but I would have been cold anywhere outside at that point! I have some back issues as well that don't tend to bother me in a hammock. No pressure points or anything digging in.

If I were to get a tent it would probably be a Sea To Summit Specialist because it is light light light and a nice design.

Nick The Beard

Lightheart Gear Duo. 2 lbs 2 person tent.

I've only used it for backpacking and paddle trips but I plan to use it for bike trips ASAP. I'm hoping there will be a lot of crossover between the two.

indyfabz

Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 at Husky Haven Campground on the GAP:




First trip with the tent. Like it a lot. It will be coming to MT with me in June.

jbphilly

Yeah, like the other guy said, virtually all hammocks anybody would camp in (other than for winter camping or other conditions where you have no bugs) would include a bug net. You have to watch out for mosquitoes biting through the hammock fabric, but this is rarely a problem, usually because of your under-insulation (either a pad or underquilt) or because the hammock is double-layer.

B200Pilot

This is the tent I used before but although okay quality, it was heavy. It was no problem carrying it on my BOB Yak, but I needed something lighter for touring around Europe, hence the reason I bought the new MSR Hubba Hubba (which I haven't received just yet).... Here's a photo of the old tent touring in Manitoba, Canada

Some generic "Wal-Mart" tent

B200Pilot

arcticbiker, where was this picture taken? Where do you bike in the arctic?

bmike

Gerry M

Tarps (with a centre stand) are a great alternative to tents.

arcticbiker

Wrangell Mountains in Ak

I live in Alaska and ride all over the state by MTB, cross, road & fat tire bikes, loaded & unloaded. I've been eyeing some rides in the Canadian Rockies.