Bike camping gear

[DearLandlord]

My camping gear is based on 1 thing; budget. My gear is as follows,

Tent - Gelert Solaris DS 1 person. Got it off eBay for £30 I think the rrp was 70 but it's mega long plus a bit extra to keep your boots in, it doesn't have a porch area because they used that space for more inside space which I kinda prefer. All in one pitching is a good feature for when it's raining too.

Sleeping bag - Vango starlight 3-4 season £40. Nice big square bag, warm and polycotton instead of tracksuit material haha.

Roll mat is simply a cheap blue one with a reflective underside £5. I camp a lot in pine forest so the pine needles make the ground soft anyway, find it comfier than the inflating one I had(which I got from home bargains, still decent though)

Cook pots I got from decathlon, nothing special but does the job, had them so long I can't remember how much but they weren't expensive(or just take a pan or 2 from home)

Stove - vango, got it from millets for about £10, also got a karrimor one which has the little clicky to light it. Plus gas.

This is pretty much all I carry plus head torches which I have 2 and both I found whilst hiking

Don't be fooled into thinking you need to spend loads on camping gear because it's simply not true!

Pound shop ratchet straps are my favourite thing for securing my gear to the bike and a cheap pvc duffel bag from Aldi to put it in!

[Bender]

I prefer Scotland when it's cold, less tourists

 

Fewer midges as well

 

Yes that's always a bonus, they can be rather twatfull in certain parts, Glenn Etive has some great spots to camp but you can also get eaten alive, Rannoch moore, Glenn Afric actually now I know why I prefer winter

[Beans]

Sorry to dredge up an old thread but this appears to be fairly authoritative. [mention]Slowlycatchymonkey[/mention] did you get to go camping, do you have any further feedback?

[fastbob]

I prefer Scotland when it's cold, less tourists

 

Fewer midges as well

 

Yes that's always a bonus, they can be rather twatfull in certain parts, Glenn Etive has some great spots to camp but you can also get eaten alive, Rannoch moore, Glenn Afric actually now I know why I prefer winter

 

Glen Afric was the worst Midges I have ever seen and I've seen a few Midges . Like black smoke they were . That's why I always try to stay near the coast .

[fastbob]

Here you go . If it don't fit in one bag it don't come on holiday .

[Bender]

Fewer midges as well

 

Yes that's always a bonus, they can be rather twatfull in certain parts, Glenn Etive has some great spots to camp but you can also get eaten alive, Rannoch moore, Glenn Afric actually now I know why I prefer winter

 

Glen Afric was the worst Midges I have ever seen and I've seen a few Midges . Like black smoke they were . That's why I always try to stay near the coast .

 

Yup , there are places not on the coast that are ok but a breeze blowing off the sea don't half help.

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

Sorry to dredge up an old thread but this appears to be fairly authoritative. @Slowlycatchymonkey did you get to go camping, do you have any further feedback?

 

The advice on this thread is sound (with exception of the bizarre put a tent in a tent contributor).

I made a list from the suggestions here and worked through it finding the things I thought would suit. The brands suggested are still the ones to go for.

Some items I bought cheaper knock off versions of and some I didn’t skimp on but everything is still in good nick and does the job.

Tent advice is all over the shop and definitely a personal preference thing. I recently changed to a Robens teepee tent due to my other half complaining about not being able to stand up and that was an excellent change. I was dubious about the pack size and central pole but needn’t of worried, it’s easy, stable and much more civilised.

I’m yet to buy a decent solo tent.

The memory foam pillow recommendation is probably the one that’s probably saved me most sleep. I bought a shredded memory foam pillow as you can remove some of the foam to make the pillow height that suits. Well worth crushing it into one of those sealing bags you squeeze the air out of. These (non vacuum) ‘vacuum’ bags are also great for compressing and keeping dry clothes.

My air bed did not last long and I discovered no matter the fancy claims on the outside of the box it really does all come down to size. The thicker the mattress the more comfortable it is. Usually this adds considerably to the pack size. I recently found one that’s both a large matress and a tiny pack size but still extremely comfortable. At this price I won’t be crying into my soup when it perishes.

https://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07N4KK854/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

I didn’t get on with the cocoon sleeping bags, I like legroom and have two thin regular shaped ones which are warmer than one thick, still pack down small and allow a lot more temperature options depending on how you layer them.

I looked for lightweight stuff which doesn’t much matter on a bike but making something lightweight is generally done by making it small and space is always at a premium. I didn’t order much from the below website cos the markups high but you can list your search by weight and 9 times out of 10 light mean small. The inflatable solar lantern is worth every penny (also cheaper bought elsewhere). Check reviews to make sure light doesn’t equate to a flimsy short lifespan though.

https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/

Overall it’s a bit of guesswork, trial and error and priorities on your space. I gladly give up space for having both a mug and a (acrylic) glass, a decent pillow and a chair because that’s what makes me happy but other folk would consider these items a waste of space.

Finding out how well your kit works is one of the pleasures, I’ve discovered lots of great tips and bits of kit along the way.

Camping trip imminent? Obviously not in the next month I’m guessing!

[Pie man]

Found some great info in this thread, especially for someone who prefers not to camp when touring by bike (Although not totally unfamiliar to camping, as a family we like to go camping in France, taking the van, and all the gear is usually not a problem). Anyhow not knowing how next years travel/touring is going to pan out, I am now looking at options, one of them is a mixture of transitional style accommodation (Ibis/Campanile type) and then possibly 4 nights camping in Switzerland. I think I have everything covered except for a stove. Any recommendations, I only need it for making a brew or at a push camping food like Wayfayrer Chicken Tikka in a bag.  I have been looking at two types. a) the Jetboil system, but its expensive, b) Whisperlite or similar multifuel type stove. I have never used a multifuel type small stove before, any recommendations for anything else, or experience of using either would be fully appreciated.   

 

   

[Slowlycatchymonkey]

3 hours ago, Pie man said:

Found some great info in this thread, especially for someone who prefers not to camp when touring by bike (Although not totally unfamiliar to camping, as a family we like to go camping in France, taking the van, and all the gear is usually not a problem). Anyhow not knowing how next years travel/touring is going to pan out, I am now looking at options, one of them is a mixture of transitional style accommodation (Ibis/Campanile type) and then possibly 4 nights camping in Switzerland. I think I have everything covered except for a stove. Any recommendations, I only need it for making a brew or at a push camping food like Wayfayrer Chicken Tikka in a bag.  I have been looking at two types. a) the Jetboil system, but its expensive, b) Whisperlite or similar multifuel type stove. I have never used a multifuel type small stove before, any recommendations for anything else, or experience of using either would be fully appreciated.   

 

   

 

Lisa Thomas’ book Dirty Dining lists their tried and tested equipment including a great stove but it’s an expensive multi fuel stove. There are some good ideas for those who will be eating meals from their camp stove though. 

https://www.amazon.co.uk/Dirty-Dining-Adventurers-Lisa-Thomas/dp/1945703067

 

The MSR pocket rocket is the one I hear about.

 

I ended up with a cheap stove and a converter, so far so good and has a lovely meccano feel to it too. 

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07JH52NQK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

[KiwiBob]

1 hour ago, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

 

 

 

The MSR pocket rocket is the one I hear about.

 

I ended up with a cheap stove and a converter, so far so good and has a lovely meccano feel to it too. 

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07JH52NQK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

I've had one of those .. They're great for a brew or tin of soup etc! 

[RantMachine]

On 19/03/2019 at 11:57, DearLandlord said:

Tent - Gelert Solaris DS 1 person

I had one of those for a while! Very awesome 1 man tent for travelling light, up until I got caught in a massive storm and put by arm through the side of the tent while trying to remove a wet jacket in such a confined space. Will probably buy another some day but also bring a tarp to make a little sheltered area outside it!

[onesea]

On 31/12/2020 at 17:16, Slowlycatchymonkey said:

 

I ended up with a cheap stove and a converter, so far so good and has a lovely meccano feel to it too. 

https://smile.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/B07JH52NQK/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_search_asin_title?ie=UTF8&psc=1

 

How stable is that on grass, gravel etc? 

My first brew of the day is often made just inside tent on groud Sheet so i don't have to get wet.  Would you trust it inside?

 

Presently I use one of these lovely and stable but takes allot of space.

https://www.google.com/shopping/product/14637000081741871437?q=camping+stove&bih=544&biw=360&hl=en&tbs=cat:530775,pdtr0:3958181|3958182,vw:g,init_ar:SgeyBAQIx9Ig,ss:44&sxsrf=ALeKk03PxltSLGSUek3h_sWG9nP4yHJz7Q:1609569275655&prds=epd:7559485978302357035,cdl:1,prmr:1,cs:1

Edited January 2, 2021 by onesea

[Trooper74]

Trangia ... It is the way ....

https://trangia.se/en/

Mines 38 years old now and till in monthly use for brews and picnics and camping 2-3 weeks a year ... easy to convert to gas with a small coleman but equally just great with meths.

[Pie man]

7 hours ago, Trooper74 said:

Trangia ... It is the way ....

https://trangia.se/en/

Mines 38 years old now and till in monthly use for brews and picnics and camping 2-3 weeks a year ... easy to convert to gas with a small coleman but equally just great with meths.

Do you need a wind shield when using it, which would you say is the better fuel, gas or meths. 

[RantMachine]

10 hours ago, onesea said:

How stable is that on grass, gravel etc? 

My first brew of the day is often made just inside tent on groud Sheet so i don't have to get wet.  Would you trust it inside?

I have that one too (and the green handled pans shown in the photos, oddly enough) - it's pretty stable on the whole! All I'd say is you want to ensure you lay the gas pipe out smoothly so there aren't any kinks that could cause it to tilt, and of course as with any camping stove it's only as stable as the pan you put on it. The lower center of gravity makes it a lot more stable than the kind that clip directly onto the gas canister; probably the most stable camping stove I've owned aside from the large briefcase-style ones, which are amazing unless you're trying to travel light. More a treat for car-camping than something you want to hike or bike with. The fold-out windbreak that comes with it is pretty shite but that's not the end of the world. Overall, I recommend it highly!

 

And of course, I would in no way wish to be seen as endorsing the use of a camping stove inside the tent no matter how stable, if you go up in flames it's all on you 

[Trooper74]

3 hours ago, Pie man said:

Do you need a wind shield when using it, which would you say is the better fuel, gas or meths. 

If you check out the web site you can see It has it's own wind shield as part of the package ... i'm a fan of meths .... a full burner will boil 4 pints of water .... one pint at a time of course ...

[Trooper74]

50 minutes ago, RantMachine said:

And of course, I would in no way wish to be seen as endorsing the use of a camping stove inside the tent no matter how stable, if you go up in flames it's all on you 

Truly a Darwin Awards moment  .... camping stove in the tent ..never ... in the porch way open to the atmosphere only

[Bender]

Sure I posted way back  but here goes again 

 

 

I've had multifuel and cheap gas only of most descriptions, my eta has lasted well, good wind shield, gas stores in pan, can be stripped and bits taken ad required.

 

Bad thing about it was ignition broke after about a year, this was impact damage and my fault, easy fix.

 

There is something for every budget.

[onesea]

14 hours ago, Trooper74 said:

Truly a Darwin Awards moment  .... camping stove in the tent ..never ... in the porch way open to the atmosphere only

Design of tent means I can arrange more than sufficient ventilation, it also means in rain it can be under cover, in half  flooded campsite it can be on ground sheet not in puddles of water/ mud, my biggest concern is stability and it falling over, hence my question.

Using gas to heat things you soon learn that it makes more condensation than heat in most cases unless well ventilated.

I did wonder who would bite when I said inside.

[Trooper74]

1 hour ago, onesea said:

Design of tent means I can arrange more than sufficient ventilation, it also means in rain it can be under cover, in half  flooded campsite it can be on ground sheet not in puddles of water/ mud, my biggest concern is stability and it falling over, hence my question.

Using gas to heat things you soon learn that it makes more condensation than heat in most cases unless well ventilated.

I did wonder who would bite when I said inside.

It's a stupid idea !

[fastbob]

[fastbob]

Here you go . You can choose what size cylinder to take according to available space and length of trip . I have a Go Outdoors Jetboil copy that is the exact size to allow the smaller cylinders to fit inside and allow enough room on top  for the stove , lighter and plastic cutlery . 

Edited January 3, 2021 by fastbob

[Gerontious]

Plastic cutlery is the sort of thing I would consider backpacking. but on a motorbike?

really?

No.

Plastic plates and dishes, yes. practical. but I will always find room for metal cutlery. wrapped in a tea towel and stashed with the rest of the camping gear in the dry-bag.

knife, fork, desert and teaspoon. and a sharp knife with a plastic handle for cutting bread etc. sorted.

[onesea]

1 hour ago, Trooper74 said:

It's a stupid idea !

My boiling water inside is safer than allot of the “smoking”, gas lamps, paraffin lamps etc that people use tents.

 

Its never left unattended, on stable ground and nothing comes within afoot of the flame cooker and right next to an open opening.

 

Probably more dangerous on dry grass...

[Jerry1111]

On 31/12/2020 at 13:39, Pie man said:

a) the Jetboil system, but its expensive

 

   

Jetboil, you won't be buying twice - and the enjoyment is worth the price!

 

They give you an orange clip-on thingy to stabilize, never had problems on uneven ground.

You can also get a metal ring to use small pots with jetboil - I use it for Moka coffee pot.

When boiling water it doesn't need any wind shielding - been in Thetford forest few days ago. It was +1C and windy, brew was ready in promised 90 seconds. For Moka you need a bit of wind shield - because Moka pots don't have these clever fins that capture all the heat.