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May I humbly recommend a couple of things that we've used for camping that may make your lives easier? I realize they're not cheap things, but if you've got the budget, they're exceptionally helpful. #1 - The Biolite stove. This is a small campstove. Easily packed, pretty light, and makes a great cookstove with the added bonus of charging your USB devices. It boils water in a matter of a few minutes. Actually we ended up with 2 due to a shipping mishap, so if you want one, PM me and we can work something out. The nice thing about this versus a gas canister stove is that you can just pick up sticks and grass and whatnot that are around (obviously not maybe something for people in the desert) and use them as fuel. You don't need to pack anything but maybe a little firestarter or some dryer lint to use to get a fire started. http://www.biolitestove.com/products/campstove/ #2 - Battery charger/jumpstarter. This is a little brick (yes, it's kind of heavy, but pretty small) that can charge your devices, jumpstart your bike (or a diesel engine, if you get a decent one), and has a built-in flashlight. I got one a while back, and then got my dad one since he goes out 50 miles into the ocean with his boat to fish, and sometimes has battery trouble. http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00D42AFS8/ref=oh_details_o07_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1 Here's a hammock question: would you guys use a sleeping bag pad (inflatable maybe?) with a hammock? I really want to try out a hammock, and I'm really excited about doing some cold weather camping later this year. It seems like an inflatable pad might help with the cold/compression issue.
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Jun 26, 2014 06:04
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I have a hennesey expedition asym hammock and I find that some kind of sleeping pad is very nice. Even if my hammock is pretty wide by design the pad gives you a bit more space and room to sleep on, so your face isnt mooshed into the fabric if you turn during the night. I use a reflective bubble foam one when it was dropping to freezing but I prefer a pretty firm 4cm thick inflatable one now in the summer. But, there is no need for a fancy new one, an old style non inflatable foam one works too.
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Jun 26, 2014 08:28
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Lynza posted:Here's a hammock question: would you guys use a sleeping bag pad (inflatable maybe?) with a hammock? I really want to try out a hammock, and I'm really excited about doing some cold weather camping later this year. It seems like an inflatable pad might help with the cold/compression issue.
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Jun 26, 2014 17:50
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Lynza posted:Here's a hammock question: would you guys use a sleeping bag pad (inflatable maybe?) with a hammock? I really want to try out a hammock, and I'm really excited about doing some cold weather camping later this year. It seems like an inflatable pad might help with the cold/compression issue. For getting started, absolutely, a sleeping pad will work, though an underquilt is pretty great. I've doubled up a sleeping pad, underquilt, and hot bottle of water in between the legs to sleep comfortably into the single digits. The hammock forums are a good resource to peruse. An additional stove suggestion... for 9$ shipped, a guy on ADV Rider makes some great alcohol stoves that I personally like better than my 80$ primus gas stove.
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Jun 27, 2014 01:10
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OSU_Matthew posted:An additional stove suggestion... for 9$ shipped, a guy on ADV Rider makes some great alcohol stoves that I personally like better than my 80$ primus gas stove.
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Jun 27, 2014 01:56
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That is pretty cheap but you can make your own with a can if you're inclined. I'd always seen em with the holes like the ADV guy does, but this guy uses slits and it seems to work well http://www.wideopenspaces.com/make-camping-stove-youll-ever-need-using-beer-can-knife-video/#_gus&_giguuid=23e0ae4e659140e6a791dce992f1616e
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Jun 27, 2014 03:00
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Hammock forums? There is not a thing I've seen about hammocks that makes me think I want one.
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Jun 30, 2014 19:00
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I set mine up (I got a cheap one just to see if it's something I even want to do) this last weekend and slept in it Friday night. Verdict: Holy poo poo, that is comfy. I ended up putting an old (huge) sleeping bag under my actual mummy bag for insulation, and it was like being in a nest. So good. I actually think I slept better/was less stiff and sore than when I sleep in my own memory foam bed. The only real issue I had was getting to sleep. I usually fall asleep on my side or my face, so being on my back was weird at first. n8r - maybe borrow someone's? See if you like it. Who knows! My dad saw the hammock and was horrified: It was hell on my back! I was all hunched over the next day! Then again, my dad hasn't actually slept in a hammock since probably the 60s. And in his mind, nothing ever improves, so...
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Jun 30, 2014 19:20
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Lynza posted:My dad saw the hammock and was horrified: It was hell on my back! I was all hunched over the next day! Then again, my dad hasn't actually slept in a hammock since probably the 60s. And in his mind, nothing ever improves, so...
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Jun 30, 2014 19:38
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Insulation issues, inability to shift around / lay on stomach, less privacy, more hassle setting up. I understand it's a lighter setup but I'm just a tent dude.
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Jul 1, 2014 06:47
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n8r posted:Insulation issues, inability to shift around / lay on stomach, less privacy, more hassle setting up. I understand it's a lighter setup but I'm just a tent dude. Fair enough, everyone has their preferences. For what it's worth, I'm a stomach/side sleeper, and I always find a way to easily accommodate that with a hammock. Besides, who says you don't have any privacy? 
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Jul 4, 2014 15:12
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My Therma-a-Rest Neo Air Camper came in the mail last night  Inflated it in ~2 minutes. I've never been fond of air mattresses but it is surprisingly comfy, at least on my hardwood floor for a few minutes. I need to get a pillow of some sort. I'm glad I went with the Large like reviews suggested: it's still basically just wide enough for me, and I have a rather slight frame for someone my size (185cm). There is definitely no way you'd get a second person on there. I think it's going to be a bit long for my tent (on the small side, to be fair), might need to lay diagonally. I'm not into backpacking (in the hiking sense), so I guess the ultralight air mattresses must weigh absolutely nothing. This one is regarded as being rather heavy in reviews, but I was really surprised by how little it weighed. According to the little scale on the card in the box, it's most of the way towards the sun (hot weather). Thought it was about as good as one could get for summer camping, but maybe there's even something less insulating out there. Not the end of the world or anything. Overall feels pretty well-made, hopefully be getting use out of it for many years to come! ==== Also, this will probably be of use to basically nobody on this forum, but for posterity: I also picked up the Touring Mapple for Hokkaido (Japanese only), which seems to be a pretty fantastic motorcycle touring guide. Identifies campgrounds, hot springs, good roads, good restaurants, dirt roads, and other places of interest. If I could go back in time a few months, would pick them up for all the regions of Japan and enter the best stuff in my Google Maps. Pompous Rhombus fucked around with this message at 01:03 on Jul 8, 2014 |
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Jul 8, 2014 00:59
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clutchpuck posted:Bead riders are magic. I missed this post earlier but it is true. Especially when you're trapped in traffic in the heat and you have an undertail exhaust that goes directly beneath the seat. nsaP posted:That is pretty cheap but you can make your own with a can if you're inclined. I'd always seen em with the holes like the ADV guy does, but this guy uses slits and it seems to work well http://www.wideopenspaces.com/make-camping-stove-youll-ever-need-using-beer-can-knife-video/#_gus&_giguuid=23e0ae4e659140e6a791dce992f1616e Also I tried this method and failed, mine kept going out. I must have messed it up.
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Jul 27, 2014 07:45
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nsaP posted:Also I tried this method and failed, mine kept going out. I must have messed it up. Mine kept going out, and I almost lit my kitchen on fire because I was experimenting with it late at night and managed to tip it over. It was sort of working at one point, though, so I may try again.
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Aug 6, 2014 19:22
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Pham Nuwen posted:Mine kept going out, and I almost lit my kitchen on fire because I was experimenting with it late at night and managed to tip it over. Honestly freezer bag meal/freeze dried meal + jetboil is compact and light enough to make the ease of use worth it. But that's just IMO.
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Aug 6, 2014 19:41
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ShaneB posted:Honestly freezer bag meal/freeze dried meal + jetboil is compact and light enough to make the ease of use worth it. But that's just IMO. it was a neat thing to play with, though.
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Aug 6, 2014 20:52
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How much you want for your Biolite, Lynza?
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Aug 7, 2014 17:18
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Radbot: I'm happy to sell it cheap if you want it! Call it $40 + whatever the shipping is? PM me, or email me lyn at lynsapartment com
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Aug 8, 2014 01:18
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I run a Omnifuel TI campstove which is magical because it burns any petrochemical or gas you throw at it, but you've got to have the fuel around obviously. I've been sort of down on the Biolite because in comparison its pretty huge, but I guess once you compare it against the size of the fuel bottle as well it starts to look more reasonable. I've always just figured if theres no fuel but I can start a fire, whats the point of the solid fuel stove? You can dig rocket stove alikes in the dirt. Charging devices best handled by your bikes electrical harness I figure. Does anyone have a recommendation for making a hammock work in cold temperatures without adding a large amount of bulk? I like my hammock because its 1/4th the size of my tent+bag+mat but if making it work in the cold makes it just as big, its kind of pointless.
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Aug 8, 2014 07:09
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devians posted:Does anyone have a recommendation for making a hammock work in cold temperatures without adding a large amount of bulk? I like my hammock because its 1/4th the size of my tent+bag+mat but if making it work in the cold makes it just as big, its kind of pointless. I've never camped with a hammock, but as I far as I'm aware the cold comes from the compression of the insulation on your back. You can either modify your sleeping bag to slip over the hammock and you or buy a hammock specific bag that does just this. What sorta bag are you running with now? Failing that, cold weather camping usually involves bulk unfortunately. You could switch to a pad and bivy bag instead and not gain a whole lot of bulk. Much smaller than a tent would use up. Solo tents can be insanely compact as well, my Eureka Soloist is basically a roomier bivy bag and packs up to about the same size. astrollinthepork fucked around with this message at 12:14 on Aug 8, 2014 |
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Aug 8, 2014 12:11
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You can use some closed cell foam, like that blue sheet at walmart, or you can use an under quilt if you're willing to shell out $$ or stitch up one yourself. http://www.hammockgear.com/under-quilts/
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Aug 9, 2014 03:29
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I had an idea for debulking stuff like duvets and sleeping bags. Aren't there vacuum bags which are used for this purpose? But instead of using a vacuum cleaner, you could just use engine vacuum with a tee off the petcock vacuum or similar.
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Aug 9, 2014 11:08
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Ola posted:I had an idea for debulking stuff like duvets and sleeping bags. Aren't there vacuum bags which are used for this purpose? But instead of using a vacuum cleaner, you could just use engine vacuum with a tee off the petcock vacuum or similar. I think this is over thinking a simple problem, really. Sleeping bags compress into what are called "stuff sacks" for a reason: you stuff your bag in there as hard as you can and cinch/roll/etc it down and the air comes out pretty much as much as you need. If you are using really old/giant gear that isn't designed for backpacking, that's going to be a better investment that rigging up some portable vacuum bag system that runs off your motorcycle.
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Aug 9, 2014 15:34
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When I used my hammock, I just slung another sleeping bag under the hammock and tied it with little bungee cords. It doesn't have to be mega bulky to keep the cold air off you, it just needs to create a pocket of air for insulation. If you're going into super cold (sub 30s) temperatures, this may not be enough, but for regular summer/fall camping I'd thinking you don't need anything that's creating too much bulk.
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Aug 9, 2014 18:56
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Wouldn't something like putting a normal self-inflating/inflatable backpacking sleeping pad between your sleeping bag and the hammock work just as well and pack down very small?
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Aug 9, 2014 21:04
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Yep! It just needs to make a little air pocket.
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Aug 10, 2014 07:08
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Lynza posted:Radbot: I'm happy to sell it cheap if you want it! Call it $40 + whatever the shipping is? PM me, or email me lyn at lynsapartment com Just saw this now! Think I'm going to skip based on the reviews saying its charging capability is limited - thanks for the offer though.
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Aug 11, 2014 20:41
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Winter backpacking is my favorite time to go, and my experience has been that hammocks are substantially warmer, comfier, and dryer. A good underquilt is by far and away the best winter accommodation, but a foam pad works great too. If it's way down in the single digits, combining them has worked really well for me. The best trick for cold weather is to boil water before bed, put it in a nalgene bottle, and stuff that between your legs on your femoral artery. It circulates warmth through your body and works all night long. I just feel like the biolite stoves are just too much work to gather fuel and start a fire... plus those Stever stoves on ADV rider are just nine bucks shipped, weigh nothing, are efficient and foolproof, and drat near indestructible Catatron Prime fucked around with this message at 04:00 on Aug 14, 2014 |
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Aug 14, 2014 03:54
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Dunno if this is better for the gear thread or what but whatever. Just wanted to say that after taking my little Cortech bags on a camping trip for a week, they held up admirably. http://www.revzilla.com/motorcycle/cortech-super-20-saddlebags I got them originally for general purpose carrying stuff on the bike because they were small and light and looked good, and I didn't want to go as far as hard cases. They can be zipped into a narrower or wider configuration...I leave them narrow most of the time but opened them up for the trip. They carried all the clothes, tools, food, stove, fuel, etc needed for one person spending a week up in the mountains just fine, plus enough leftover space for a 400mm telephoto lens and a hardcover book. (tent and a self-inflating pad didn't fit, obviously, those were tied on top). Bags didn't shift, slide or move once across 1800 miles of interstates, two-lanes, and washboard dirt roads. They started to sag a little bit after some particularly bouncy stuff (pretty sure I had them overloaded anyway, eg. with the giant chunk of metal and glass sitting in one) but roping the handles together and pulling them tight across the seat fixed that for the rest of the trip. I recommend these if you're looking for a simple set of soft bags for around town and short trips, but that will also hold up well for occasional several-day excursions.  (I have GOT to get a smaller sleeping bag) Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 21:01 on Aug 18, 2014 |
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Aug 18, 2014 20:58
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Sagebrush posted:Dunno if this is better for the gear thread or what but whatever. Just wanted to say that after taking my little Cortech bags on a camping trip for a week, they held up admirably. That's right near my grandparent's old place! Tuolumne county owns so hard.
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Aug 18, 2014 23:56
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Those look pretty nice. I've done a good job destroying my soft Nelson Rigg bags in the two bigger trips I've done with them. Seams keep pulling apart and I also let them rub the wheel once. I think I was overloading them as well.
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Aug 19, 2014 00:26
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I'm curious - with soft bags like that, aren't you guys worried some fucker is just going to open them up (by hand or with a sharp object) and steal whatever's in there? It seems like it's just a big "STEAL ME" sign, but apparently no one is super worried about that. I don't leave anything on my bike when I park it at the grocery store, for instance. Am I too paranoid?
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Aug 19, 2014 01:13
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I don't leave anything valuable inside them when I'm parked on the street -- just some maps, shop towels, crescent wrench, some rope, etc. But they're also really simple to take off: you just undo the four buckles (which are the plastic snap-fit kind like on a backpack) and lift up the bags as one unit. The handles line up with each other in the center, so carrying them around is like carrying a slightly awkward suitcase. To put them back on the bike, it's just drop them over the seat and connect the buckles back up. Very easy.nsaP posted:Those look pretty nice. I've done a good job destroying my soft Nelson Rigg bags in the two bigger trips I've done with them. Seams keep pulling apart and I also let them rub the wheel once. I think I was overloading them as well. It would depend on the bike, obviously, but I don't think these ones really hang down low enough to rub the wheel. The top of the bag lines up with the top of your (pillion) seat when they're mounted, and they're only like a foot tall at the deepest point. If your passenger's legs aren't in danger of touching the tire, these bags probably won't be either. Sagebrush fucked around with this message at 02:58 on Aug 19, 2014 |
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Aug 19, 2014 02:50
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Lynza posted:I'm curious - with soft bags like that, aren't you guys worried some fucker is just going to open them up (by hand or with a sharp object) and steal whatever's in there? It seems like it's just a big "STEAL ME" sign, but apparently no one is super worried about that. I was also very paranoid when I went on my last two long road trips with soft bags. My solution: Going off the bike to get food/gas/whatever? Park the bike in a sightline and keep an eye on it. Off for longer? Bags off, they come with you. Honestly though, I think very few people (in Canada) will mess with bike bags. No one even came close or looked suspicious, ever. Most of the other bikers I saw on my trips just kept their poo poo on the bikes all the time without too much care.
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Aug 19, 2014 08:31
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The black market for camping gear is really big you know... I've never heard of anyone having gear stolen off their bike in first world countries. I'm not a big fan of leaving my helmet / riding gear loose on my bike but otherwise I'd leave soft/hard bags on a bike without much worry. The main downside to soft luggage is they are a pain in the dick in the rain. Twisted Throttle is producing a dry bag solve luggage system that looks pretty badass which would soft the rain issues. The best setup I've had is using hard top case with a rack to put it back behind the pillion seat. All your personal gear/tools go into that. Then you use a dry bag and lash your tent/pad/sleeping bag to the hard case - the givi luggage has spots for bungees to attach. With that in mind - I'm selling two large givi cases - someone buy one or both  .
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Aug 19, 2014 15:09
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n8r posted:a dry bag solve luggage system that looks pretty badass which would soft the rain issues. That has to be one of the most unusual typos I've seen.
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Aug 19, 2014 16:40
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I just had my sunglasses stolen out of my tail bag in a parking garage. They were my cheap backup pair, as I wouldn't leave my Maui Jims unattended like that, but take that as you will.
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Aug 19, 2014 20:25
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I took a 4 day weekend last week and went camping around Colorado. I need a better camera, and more vacation time. This is the best state. Owl Creek Pass  Ophir Pass  Highway 141, near Gateway  Colorado National Monument  State Route 57, south of Maybell
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Aug 20, 2014 04:29
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The depth of blue in that sky is just incredible... God I'd love to live out west
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Aug 22, 2014 02:28
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n8r posted:The main downside to soft luggage is they are a pain in the dick in the rain. Twisted Throttle is producing a dry bag solve luggage system that looks pretty badass which would soft the rain issues. With that zipped kind sure, but I've got some roll-closure Ortlieb bags that do a perfect job keeping the rain out.
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Aug 26, 2014 22:10
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