Slowlycatchymonkey Posted July 16, 2018 Author Share Posted July 16, 2018 [mention]Gerontious[/mention] you’re not kidding on the rolls royce price! I don’t mind spending on things that are an appreciable improvement and if the truth be told I’ve no shame in saying I like nice things but I’d struggle if to spend that on a tent unless it was an real upgrade.[mention]Tango[/mention] Love the chairs they’ll go on the list but will have to wait til I’ve decided it’s for me. How do you charge your electronics? On the bike or battery packs? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Throttled Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 I use a battery pack that I can charge during the day from the bike. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 I just started to install USB charger on the bike, I take a USB battery pack that usually gives 3 charges, have a small solar if going to be away from civilisation for a while.This is our current compact campy thingy, we do middle of winter and bad weather, have a larger generic tunnel tent for general camping. https://www.ukclimbing.com/gear/camping/tents+bivvys/marmot_grid_tentwhy_not_buy_an_pound80_budget_tent-2099 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted July 16, 2018 Share Posted July 16, 2018 Camping .... You spend a small fortune to live like a homeless person... don't get it . No you can spend a large fortunehttps://scandinavianoutdoor.com/hilleberg/gear/tents/hiking-tents-lavvus/saitaris/?currency=GBP&delivery_country=GB&gclid=CjwKCAjwhLHaBRAGEiwAHCgG3tpnKg3LJh6ToQ9jT2vqTPhaXCswYg2IRqDtnvTSE2c1xD13ZT15HRoCl_4QAvD_BwE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowlycatchymonkey Posted July 16, 2018 Author Share Posted July 16, 2018 [mention]Bender[/mention] the marmot grid does look good. I’ve put it on the list. Good article really didn’t understand any of that before reading it. Didn’t appreciate that some tents aren’t made to withstand rain- would have thought that was a given. Now I’ve seen the Hilleberg I think I’ll go for that..... not, jeez for that price I’d expect someone to turn up before I arrive and pitch the thing! Don’t understand what fly sheet, footprint, ground sheet stuff is about, thought you just shoved a tarpaulin under the tent and that was it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowlycatchymonkey Posted July 16, 2018 Author Share Posted July 16, 2018 I agree with Gerontious's recommendation. The Exped synmat or downmat are excellent and what I'm looking to get in future. The Thermarest Neoair series are also good.Any of the tents I listed will give years of service if looked after. Treat them with nikwax UV proof and air them out when you get home - never store them wet for any length of time. The OEX tents from Go Outdoors look good too if you look at their EV (higher end, lighter) range. Might be worth getting some extra pegs suited to rocky ground though. I like the MSR needle set.The size of the tent isn't too important to stability, the design makes more of a difference but obviously a big one will catch the wind a bit more. Again any of the ones listed will do the job but I prefer one that can be free standing and doesn't require the guy lines to stay up. Hydrostatic head is the measurement of waterproofness. Goretex has a hydrostatic head of 10000 for example. Most tents are much less but that's fine. Flysheets will normally only leak through if you touch them from the inside. I don't usually have space for chairs when taking the bike, I took the car for the above trip with the tent as we wanted to do some walking and I brought along an engagement ring. There's ultralight chairs that will work but I've not bought any yet. The Trangia, IMO, is one of the best complete cooking systems out there for not a massive investment. It does take up a bit more space than a small pan/kettle with a gas canister and burner inside though. Somehow missed this post earlier. Have put the recommendation on my growing list which is most satisfying thankyou. What is a fly sheet? I take it the engagement ring was accepted?! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerontious Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Don’t understand what fly sheet, footprint, ground sheet stuff is about, thought you just shoved a tarpaulin under the tent and that was it? The fly sheet is the outer layer of a tent that is waterproof.. its the important part. a lot of ultralight tents dont have one because the entire tent is waterproof. These are fine. However.. most ordinary tents have a double layer.. an 'inner' which is where you sleep.. and above that is a fly sheet.. which keeps you dry. having a double layer like this is much better as it cuts down on condensation. having this inner and outer double layer creates a much nicer sleeping environment.so this is an example photo of the inner tent.. without the flysheet. As you can see the inner tent hangs from the frame... the fly sheet then goes over the top.. so there is a gap between the two. Air can then circulate between the two layers in summer.. or, it can help create a layer of some insulation in winter. The groundsheet.. is the floor of the tent. Its aways waterpoof and is what you sleep on.A footprint... is something more expensive tents have as an optional extra.. All it is, is an extra layer that goes underneath the groundsheet. What it does is protect the ground sheet from anything sharp that could pierce it. (so easy to miss) It also acts as a layer that prevents condensation. even dry ground will become damp with a tent on top of it. (as a side effect it helps keep the tents groundsheet clean.)Its called a footprint because it is the same shape as the floor of the tent... so what you do is lay it on the ground. peg it down and then put the tent on top.here is a picture that might help explain. one final comment from me on flysheets and so on.a single layer tent is usually the lightest of all.. and most popular with backpackers.Tents with a flysheet are better... more 'comfortable'. and come in two types."Inner first" - where the tent comes in two parts... you erect the inner first and then lay the fly sheet over the top and peg it down."all in one" - where the inner and fly sheet are connected.. and erected in one go. and as this is done the "gap" appears automatically. This is the sort to buy as its a lot simpler, as an example in windy weather a separate fly sheet will be blown all over the place while you peg it in place. which can be frustrating.The description of the tent will tell you what type it is.. "inner first". or 'all in one" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowlycatchymonkey Posted July 17, 2018 Author Share Posted July 17, 2018 Aah I see, thanks for the explanation and pics, its made it all clear. So it’s going to be worth buying a footprint even for a cheaper interim tent then. I really had no idea about any of this. Campings a far more indepth subject than I had given credit for, makes it all the more enjoyable. I’m starting to see why it as difficult to get any sensible advice from Professor Google. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Post above pretty much explains it. One thing to note is that if you touch the inside of a flysheet when the outside is wet then the area you touched will get wet on the inside so its good to have a decent gap between the two layers. I definitely recommend tent with an inner and flysheet over a single layer for comfort reasons. The hilleberg kit is superb but you don't need to spend that to get a good weatherproof tent that will stand up to pretty much anything you're likely to find in the UK. Might be different on a mountainside but for what you're intending it's not necessary. It is worth buying something decent though, plenty of options for around £200-£300, sometimes less if you're lucky. I'm actually planning to get a Nallo at some point to give us a more spacious option on longer trips though, it is a fab bit of kit.And yes, she accepted the ring. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Don't think they do the grid anymore. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerontious Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 So it’s going to be worth buying a footprint even for a cheaper interim tent then. They're not essential... most people who camp don't use one or even have any idea that they exist.I think they are a great idea.None of my tents came with one.. so I made one. I simply bought a cheap tarp from ebay. (you can buy them in different sizes) and when I set the tent up in my back garden as a practice run, I laid out the tarp and cut it roughly to size (it doesn't need to be perfect).. so it was hidden under the floor (groundsheet) of the tent. and voila - I had a footprint.It came in really useful one year when I was camping in southern Italy.. the ground was covered in small stones and twigs.. so laying the footprint over that meant the groundsheet was protected from any of these stones or twigs puncturing the groundsheet (a disaster). And another year when it was really quite wet... the footprint kept the groundsheet dry and clean.. when i lifted the footprint the next day there was a pool of water underneath it and literally hundreds of tiny slugs. The footprint kept all of that away from the groundsheet.Also.. it gives you a dry area to fold and pack the tent away on.. without you having to kneel on wet ground.when i say a cheap tarp.. i mean exactly that. when you decide on what tent you are buying and know its size. then go to ebay and a sellers page like this: http://tinyurl.com/ycrgtd3fthe smallest they sell is 2mX3m at £4.99 (you can probably get them cheaper than that.. they're not expensive.)When i carry it on the bike.. i generally just fold it up and put the camping bag on top of it.. as shown in my first post. My footprint was in that photo.. but you couldn't see it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowlycatchymonkey Posted July 17, 2018 Author Share Posted July 17, 2018 The slugs is enough to sell the ground sheet without any further persuasion of the benefits! I do like the idea of an extra protective layer on the bottom of the tent and that it’ll keep the tent clean so when I get the tent I’ll def do the tarp thing.Looking at campsites, some offer electric hook ups which I think would be a nice softener. I know I’ll need a thing to connect up with but will I need a certain length of cable or an extension lead? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerontious Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 never seen the need for one.. so never looked into them. however, they are mostly for camper-vans and caravans and you might find that they're not in an appropriate place for a tent. or in a part of the campsite where tents are usually placed. vehicles are usually on gravel or hard standing.. even if there is grass its growing through gravel.. and getting tent hooks into that kind of surface can be next to impossible. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 Look its camping on a bike your supposed to be minimalistic, I'm sure a 20m 16amp extension and then the rcd protected strip at the tent end will hardly take up any room.There is no need for such things, led camping light, gas cooker, need to dry your hair? Ride round with your visor up lol.Start off with what you need, see how that goes then you can add things where you find gaps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowlycatchymonkey Posted July 17, 2018 Author Share Posted July 17, 2018 I get it, it’s supposed to be minimalistic.At the moment I need to be conatactable 24hrs a day so the phones a necessity. Not to mention handy if you get into difficulties. A hook up is £5, decent chargers aren’t cheap and cheap ones need recharging. Only oddballs and the lucky few have the luxury of completely cutting themselves off from the outside world and I don’t know anyone that minimalistic these days “......I just started to install USB charger on the bike, I take a USB battery pack that usually gives 3 charges, have a small solar if going to be away from civilisation for a while.”We all like a bit of lecky. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 https://www.evanscycles.com/topeak-smart-phone-holder-with-powerpack-EV316401?lsft=esvt%3A60518-GOUKE4943966%2Cesvq%3A%2Cesvadt%3A999999-0-1348932-1%2Cesvcrea%3A248626086863%2Cesvplace%3A%2Cesvd%3Am%2Cesvtg%3Apla-346099902425%2Cesvo%3AEV316401-NA-BLK%2Cesvaid%3A50080&esvt=60518-GOUKE4943966&esvq=&esvadt=999999-0-1348932-1&esvcrea=248626086863&esvplace=&esvd=m&esvtg=pla-346099902425&esvo=EV316401-NA-BLK&esvaid=50080&gclid=CjwKCAjwp7baBRBIEiwAPtjwxDXqZg228q6LfVEoV3PO8CKPEnTS8S2FTO_SRkLIAneYCGtvsxfAPBoC7woQAvD_BwE Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 https://www.evanscycles.com/topeak-smart-phone-holder-with-powerpack-EV316401?lsft=esvt%3A60518-GOUKE4943966%2Cesvq%3A%2Cesvadt%3A999999-0-1348932-1%2Cesvcrea%3A248626086863%2Cesvplace%3A%2Cesvd%3Am%2Cesvtg%3Apla-346099902425%2Cesvo%3AEV316401-NA-BLK%2Cesvaid%3A50080&esvt=60518-GOUKE4943966&esvq=&esvadt=999999-0-1348932-1&esvcrea=248626086863&esvplace=&esvd=m&esvtg=pla-346099902425&esvo=EV316401-NA-BLK&esvaid=50080&gclid=CjwKCAjwp7baBRBIEiwAPtjwxDXqZg228q6LfVEoV3PO8CKPEnTS8S2FTO_SRkLIAneYCGtvsxfAPBoC7woQAvD_BwENo need to cut yourself off but you don't need 240v to keep connected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 If you need a phone either get a decent sized powerpack to keep it charged or charge it in the local pub near your campsite. Either that or buy a cheap old school phone with a battery that lasts a week or charge on the bike.If you really want an electric hook up just use any old waterproof extension. I just didn't charge my phone at all on my recent Skye trip. Powersaving mode and not using it allowed it to last.No need for anything else IMO. I carry a spare charged old school phone on a different network for emergencies. Even in remote parts of Scotland there is traffic though. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Gerontious Posted July 17, 2018 Share Posted July 17, 2018 I take a cheap phone with buttons. it has a 12 day standby... but is generally switched off for the duration. I change my answerphone message to something like - "Hi.. I am on holiday and will be back in the UK on Sunday the (whatever) any messages will be listened to then." In the past.. i have seen that there is a message waiting for me... I ignore it. Until Im home.When I'm on holiday.. I ride away from the "Grid".. and think "Good riddance"I also have people relying on me.. when we go away in September and they are my number 1 priority.. to the exclusion of everything else. everything. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowlycatchymonkey Posted July 18, 2018 Author Share Posted July 18, 2018 Well I certainly prefer the ditch the phone type break and that’s what I usually do but it’s not possible at the moment. If I take to this camping malarkey then I’ll look into spends like expensive battery packs or another phone but at the mo they’re another chunk of money on something I might not use again hence considering the £5 hook up. I could go and sit in a pub for an hour to charge it up but Id rather power up overnight and not have the (insert own swear word) phone on my mind during the day.Prior to this when I’ve gone out on my bike I’ve left my phone at home which is most liberating. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mikestrivens Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 fit a USB charge port to the bike so it charges during the day whilst you are out and about Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 Generic battery packs can be had mucho cheapo, I have one that's 6yr old and gets 3 full charges, enough to keep my phone going for over a week in battery saving.Anyhow what you decide you need is ultimately what you will have with youOut door gear lab have some useful reviews also backpacking light also have some good reviews Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimR Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 get a tent you csn stand up in or at least get out of bike gear without laying down .... or one you can park bike in ..To highlight Tent is i the green bag on seat this is the size of tent Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slowlycatchymonkey Posted July 18, 2018 Author Share Posted July 18, 2018 Will fit a USB at some point. Have a cheapo charger but only get one full charge out of it. Other problem is that my phone is currently also my sat nav which is a real battery killer. Will have a look at gear lab thanks. So is your bike in the middle section of the tent? I really rather like that idea but how long does it take to put up a tent like that? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bender Posted July 18, 2018 Share Posted July 18, 2018 Tunnel tents take no putting up, had a few like the above, not tall enough to stand up in but tall enough to sit on a chair with a table. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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