Bekologist

No, it all packs up pretty small . I'm always N -1/+1 bikes and gear. I worked for over a decade in the outdoor gear and bicycle industry in big, independent shops, and was also a field tester for MSR, etc. Lots of comp and deep discounted gear and bike stuff for me in the last decade and a half. I'm still working in the outdoor industry while i continue my university studies. I've slept outdoors almost two years worth of nights in my life so far.

A word of advice for the less grizzled - if you want more outdoor living space while camping out, bring along a siltarp.

pitch it over the tent as a super awning/shade shelter, use it to cook under when it's raining, sort gear under the mist of mornings, cover the bikes if you want them to be less conspicuous, etc.

pack a tarp.

AS for tents, my current favorite tents are the Black Diamond EPIC canopy ultralite tent lighthouse series. they pack up SMALL for the interior size the provide, and are quite stormworthy. This tent, with hella room inside, although its 3 pounds, because of the fabric, packs up to the size of a one liter water bottle, plus the poles. sorry i don't have any better photos of the tent. Black Diamond lighthouse series of tents.

antokelly

always ask an expert good advice on tarp
meant to ask have you got a link for my tent mountain hardware spear gt2 on how to pitch it correctly.
seriously i looked everywhere cant get any info on it i bought it secondhand but in pristine condition.

fietsbob

I think the Golite as a 2 part thing , the mozzy net liner/floor, is an Optional , leave it at home
or dont buy it in the 1st place , as I see , they have the 2 parts optional , not bundled.

and when the Mozzys swarm, hope for a stiff wind.

tarwheel 

When I was looking for a touring tent, the BA Copper Spur was my first choice but a bit beyond my budget at the time. I ended up buying an REI Quarter Dome for less than half the price. It is about 1 lb. heavier than the BA tents, but roomier and easy to set up. It is a good design for touring because the folded tent poles are rather short, making them easy to pack inside your panniers.

Ciufalon

antokelly, is your tent a Mountain Hardwear Spire like this? It sounds more like the LightPath. Perhaps the pitching instructions at the bottom of the LightPath page would help?

antokelly

Ciufalon thanks a million for that but alas no thats not the one (nice tent though) it loks very like the hilleberg nallo gt2 except the poles are on the outside.
cheers.