noguffjeff

what kind of sleeping bag/tent do you use when traveling extended tours?
do you use regular camping supplies, such as a Mountain Hardware Airjet 2 tent and a Kelty Light Year 25 sleeping bag? or do you have "specialty bike touring" supplies?

i plan on biking from Champaign, IL to Estes Park, CO next spring and around lake michigan next fall (circle tour)...hopefully it will be a lot of fun.

Machka 

I've been making adjustments to my touring comfort collection over the past few years.

On my first significant tour, I brought a very tiny, light sleeping bag and no sleeping pad. I FROZE!!! And my hips hated me.

On my second tour, I brought two very tiny, light sleeping bags and layered them. That part was fine and for the most part I was warm enough. I also brought a small foam mattress which I had cut down to the size from my shoulder to my upper thighs. My hips were happier with that, and it didn't take up much room, but still after about 5 nights my hips and back would beg me to stay in a hostel so I could sleep in a real bed for a night or two to recover.

On this year's tours I brought the same two tiny, light sleeping bags and again, they've been just fine. But this time I bought a small thermarest mattress ... and what a difference! Comfort!!!


So I guess my supplies have been just regular camping stuff. I got the sleeping bags at the local Army and Navy, and the mattress at MEC.

NoReg

I think it is a mistake to think of it as bicycle specialized gear. Afterall, it is still easier to carry a load on a bike than backpacking. So the real issue is to look at your real needs. Do you need max bug protection, free standing, or compactness. Whatever the criterion are that really mater, do your best to fill them, so the gear will actually work. However, do put everything through the wringer to ensure you aren't taking too much, or carrying needless weight.

roadfix

I've always experienced minor lower back pain even moving up to Thermarest mattresses until I borrowed my friend's Big Agnes air mattress. Just one evening on that thing sold me and it packs down to like just 1/3 the size of the Thermarest. I'm debating whether to get the regular or their insulated version.

Two tiny, light sleeping bag idea sounds great. My 20 year old Slumberjack is somewhat large and heavy so that also needs chainging........besides its too warm for the type of short local tours that I do. I was even thinking about one very light sleeping bag and a liner or even use one or two liners by themselves and forget the sleeping bag all together. I can basically leave the air matress in the liner or sleeping bag when compacting and those can easily be stuffed inside a pannier. I'm looking for any other ideas for mild night sleeping comfort.

Camel

Which model/size Big Agnes pad do you use? I (still) need to replace my de-laminated thermarest.

Thanks.

roadfix

I used my friend's non-self-inflating regular red full sized rectangular air core Big Agnes. I plan on purchasing their air core insulated mummy mattress, about $70....

Machka 

When the two little sleeping bags I use are packed into their stuff sacks, they measure about 6 or 7 inches long and about 4 inches in diameter. They are really small!! One was way too light, but two were great - that layered effect really works in cooler temps. Also, when I was touring Queensland and it was very hot, I could use one as an additional mattress, and just throw the other one over me if it cooled a bit overnight.

I have toyed with the idea of getting one bigger and better sleeping bag, but I actually really like having the two of them ... versatile!

roadfix

No kidding.....they're tiny.... what are they?

Machka 

One (the slightly larger one) is the Chinook Big Knuckle

https://www.sirmailorder.ca/show_prod...ID=&PHPSESSID=


The other is a North Trail VeryLite Mummy, which looks almost identical to the Chinook, except that it is just a bit smaller. There is some evidence that the North Trail company might have changed hands recently, and it was the first one I bought, so it is possible that the North Trail is now Chinook.

roadfix

Hey thanks for that link, Machka. That sleeping bag and a thermolite liner might just well be what I'm after......

Bekologist

I think the lightweight backpacking equipment is going to be better quality with more features than anything bike specific offered by nashbar or performance or whoever.

However, The mountain hardwear airjet tents are nothing more than a fitted waterproof tarp with vents,and has a bad reputation as being a pretty damp sleep, you might want to further research possible shelter choices.