Tents?......

[Essexboy]

So, I'm soon to set off for a week around the UK and our tent we sling in the car is a 4 person Vango. Pretty decent but may be a tad to big to strap to the bike. I'll find out more when I dig it out of the loft in a few days time. 

 

I may need an alternative and have been browsing all sorts and the ones that have caught my eye, and seem to be suitable are 3 person DofE award recommended. 

Vango Apex, Scafell, Tryfan.....

 

Does anybody have experience of these or may recommend summat different budget is up to £150 max and also  happy to buy used 

 

[Capt Sisko]

The difference between us bikers and hikers & cyclists with regards to tents is our motorbiking kit. At most the most bulky thing hikers have is a pair of boots and a now empty rucksack to store. We bikers generally much bigger boots plus helmets, gloves and ATGATT kit that does just roll up easily. That kit takes up a lot 'indoor' storage space so to a certain degree the more space you have the better. Obviously you don't want to get too big & heavy, but I wouldn't get too concerned about buying particulalry lightwieight tent, your bike is taking the weight not you. Within reason practicality of erecting and ease of use should outrank weight and given all the riding gear we have what I said about storage space is valuable. A tarp to give you a bit of extra under cover area ain't a bad idea either.

 

The much copied tunnel design is a very pupular for good reasons. A good example below, but everyone offers something similar:-

https://www.vango.co.uk/omega-250

Edited 23 hours ago by Capt Sisko

[Simon Davey]

On the V-Strom forum, there's a few threads on moto-camping.

 

https://www.v-strom.co.uk/smf/index.php?board=117.0

Edited Tuesday at 20:05 by Simon Davey

[Bender]

I would stick with tunnel tent with front porch Coleman and Vango do them, I don't like the pointy peak ones it's much easier with a simple hoop.

 

The Coleman coastline 3 plus is a fairly roomy tent, big porch and no silly tapper at other end.

 

Some tents with cross poles and then a porch pole are more awkward to put up, simple tunnel tents are pretty straightforward 

 

I've used all sorts in all weathers and most if pitched correctly will stand upto a fair bit.

 

I've taken my small mountain tent which fits in the top box lovely but it's very poor for storage and doing anything other than sleeping, but it's great in a gale if it's pointed in the right direction.

[Essexboy]

Thanks for your replies! I will report back in due course once I've dug our tent out of the loft and seen if it's suitable for the trip. Or, whether I splash the cash 🏍️

[Throttled]

I bungeed two dry bags to my pillion seat, one with the tent and a few bits and the other with the rest of my camping gear. It is easier to pack a tent into a dry bag, than its original bag.

[bonio]

@EssexboySue has a small three man Vango tent you can borrow for the week if you want, just to find out how well it works for you. I found it was just big enough for me and my kit when I was in France, although a bit more room wouldn't have gone amiss.

[Essexboy]

Thanks matey.  

[husoi]

As personal preference I would go for anything around 2m high so I wouldn't have to be a cockroach several times a day.

You can get an air tent (no frame) starting around 300 quid for 3 people.

[onesea]

11 hours ago, husoi said:

As personal preference I would go for anything around 2m high so I wouldn't have to be a cockroach several times a day.

You can get an air tent (no frame) starting around 300 quid for 3 people.

That depends:
Weather cockroach tents generally more resilient to wind and warmer in the cold,  
Air tents tend to be heavy about twice the weight of poled and 3 x price,
 

[Essexboy]

Turns out, I'd forgotten about the tent our kids had. That'll do for starters 

[S-Westerly]

If you can back the bike into the porch thing even better. Assuming it packs up reasonably?

[onesea]

14 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

If you can back the bike into the porch thing even better. Assuming it packs up reasonably?

What is the passion for bikes in tents?

 

One of the advantages of bikes you ride them hard without wineing and dining them…

[billysugger]

Beats loitering (within tent)

[S-Westerly]

1 hour ago, onesea said:

What is the passion for bikes in tents?

 

One of the advantages of bikes you ride them hard without wineing and dining them…

Dunno, just seems sensible if that's your tent. As I would poke pins in my eyes before camping while biking I've no personal experience of this exotic pastime. I'll camp when hiking into somewhere remote but that's my limit.

[Essexboy]

Well, as far as exotic pastimes go; I like bikes, camping, beer, bird watching and fanny's. 

 

This upcoming trip ticks 3 of those boxes......

[Essexboy]

Just now, Essexboy said:

Well, as far as exotic pastimes go; I like bikes, camping, beer, bird watching and fanny's. 

 

This upcoming trip ticks 3 of those boxes......

Or fannies (failed O level English)

[S-Westerly]

I'm a fan of comfy beds, dry, warm or air conditioned  room with a nice hot shower that isn't the other side of a field especially in the rain.

[Bender]

38 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

I'm a fan of comfy beds, dry, warm or air conditioned  room with a nice hot shower that isn't the other side of a field especially in the rain.

I'm adaptable, if it's raining and the tent is too far away it's simple, either don't leave the pub, or leave the pub so hammered the rain is irrelevant.....

 

[S-Westerly]

30 minutes ago, Bender said:

I'm adaptable, if it's raining and the tent is too far away it's simple, either don't leave the pub, or leave the pub so hammered the rain is irrelevant.....

 

I got that out of my system in my youth. Getting soaked, pitching up in a gale and shivering all night is something I will now go to considerable lengths to avoid. Sadly my better half still suffers from occasional lapses and insists on being accompanied.  Crazy woman.

[Bender]

2 minutes ago, S-Westerly said:

I got that out of my system in my youth. Getting soaked, pitching up in a gale and shivering all night is something I will now go to considerable lengths to avoid. Sadly my better half still suffers from occasional lapses and insists on being accompanied.  Crazy woman.

I'm lucky I tend to run hot first time I took wife to be camping it was below -10 (that's where the car temp display gave up)  she spent most of the night shivering wondering wtf she was doing in a tent in a glen in jan, I was half out the sleeping bag thinking it was a bit warm with someone else sharing the space.

[S-Westerly]

My then girlfriend (now wife of more years than i care to remember) and I spent our first night in a tent about 2/3 of the way up Helvellyn on the Grisedale side in November. It was pouring rain and I got up in the night for a pee and fell into the bloody stream which was 5 times larger than it had been. Literally not a happy camper.