Moto Camping

[Rotten_Ronnie]

What do you bring, a pic of it loaded on your bike.
How has it evolved for you?
What would you change about your setup given the money or time?

 

[matthew]

The only item anyone needs is an iPhone.

 

[Rotten_Ronnie]

I used to say Visa, it's the only waterproof thing on my bike.

 

[shanekingsley]

^awesome pic Ronnie. It's about time we had a moto camping thread for 2014.

I much prefer moto camping to moto moteling. While I don't like the time spent setting up and tearing down and dislike riding with the extra weight of all the gear, I feel it's worth it to sleep outside. Especially if it's possible to set a base camp for a few days and then explore the roads without the gear on the bike.

I bought a bunch of stuff from LeBaron and MEC and am pretty happy with it all. Everything is 4 years old.

Tent: Eureka El Capitan 3 (3 person tent, 2 vestibules, rain fly, well vented). This is an excellent tent for longer trips and sleeps 2 people comfortably.

Sleeping: I use the Eureka Puffin 400 sleeping bag which is good down to -13deg and fine for summer nights below 20deg. I also have 2 Thermarest Prolite Plus air mattresses, which are a little narrow, but still good enough for 10-day camping trips. I also have inflatable pillows which are nice to have.

Food:
I use a MSR Dragonfly stove for most of my cooking needs - nice stove, though a little loud in the quiet mornings. I have collapsible pots, bowls and utensils.

I also have a small folding camp stool - very important! I also ride with a 2L hydration knapsack which I find very useful for anything needing water while moto camping.

The gear all fits in my Givi luggage - 2x E41 side cases and 1x E46 topcase. I also bring a 55l drysack when needed for longer trips. I also have compression sacks for my clothes when needed.

Things I would improve:
I need to get one more sleeping bag that we can use to zip together with my current one so that it's more comfortable for two people. I would also like to have a mattress that is about the same thickness as the Thermarest's, but about 2x the width.

On a warm summer night without the rain fly - nice to see the stars out.

With the rain fly on a cold October evening at Iron Horse.

And since it all fits in my cases...

 

[Arkay]

What do you bring, a pic of it loaded on your bike.
How has it evolved for you?
What would you change about your setup given the money or time?

Where do you keep your little pup?

 

[Riceburner]

Tent, sleeping bag, Thermarest wrapped in the orange ground sheet. Clothes, cereal/snacks and bowl and utensils in saddle bag. Camera, rainsuit, etc in tank bag.


...for a 2x width Thermarest, just get another one and a couple kit to hold them together.

 

[Bettyvee]

I dream of motocamping...one day! When I get more experience riding and can recruit friends ..I can't wait to do this!! And bring my stinky <3

 

[Rotten_Ronnie]

http://rottenxxxronnie.blogspot.ca/p/gone-to-dogs.html

Suzi loves camping especially when there are chipmunks close by.

I find I have a problem with the foam sleeping pads, perhaps the quality of the one I bought, Woods, so I use a larger and heavier Woods self inflating air mattress that keeps me off the rocks in a sort of comfort. I'm looking for an inexpensive replacement that bulks less, an inflatable perhaps?

 

[shanekingsley]

I don't know what you consider inexpensive, but the Thermarest pads and similar types roll up pretty small, are very light and are inflatable. Some are a little thin and narrow, so they may not be suitable for all body types, but for more $ there are wider ones and thicker ones. I paid around $100 for each of the ones I have. http://www.mec.ca/shop/sleeping-pads/51404/

edit: here's the Lebaron online catalogue if it helps - http://www.lebaron.ca/pdf_access_sp11/index.htm

 

[Motorcycle Mike]

In this picture, see the black bag on my passenger seat? That is my entire camping gear kit:



1) Sleeping pad is a Z-lite SOL and that is the rectangular thing you can see in the bag.
2) an old sleeping bag, rated to -10... but not really. Warm enough, compresses small enough.
3) Pillow: I use a cheap seat meant for hunting... supposed to heat up. I think it works because it kept my head nice and warm. $10 or so at Lebaron.
4) Tent: just a $25 walmart special. Kept the rain out in Churchill Falls, set up easy enough, and cheap enough that if it ripped, pole broke, or got mildewy I would just throw it out and buy another one at the next walmart.

 

[Rotten_Ronnie]

I like that pillow/seat. It has to be better than a riding boot or my dirty laundry. Lol.

I used to have a thermarest pad when in the Army, but the rubber valve let go, and it packed heavier than the cheap woods one I currently have.

How are the thermarest pads to sleep on?

Diesel, what were you using for cooking?

 

[Motorcycle Mike]

I didn't cook. I have a little stove from dx.com that works great and boils a cup of water in about a minute, but I figured I would just eat at restaurants and forgo the whole cooking/carrying food ordeal. I did carry water, and something like a lifestraw in a just-in-case water emergency.

I was impressed with my SOL Z-lite pad... it doesn't look like much, but it kept me comfortable and warm the night I used it. I like how it can fold up and serve as a quasi pillow if needed -- it also worked well as a back rest the way I had it mounted on the passenger seat.

 

[Rotten_Ronnie]

I dream of motocamping...one day! When I get more experience riding and can recruit friends ..I can't wait to do this!! And bring my stinky <3

If you are on the road now, then gradually increase the load on your passenger seat until you approximate your camping gear. Learn to handle it on twisty roads, and you are in business.

You could always tow a cage with you for the dog... (Invite a friend to follow you in the car).

 

[Riceburner]

I've used only Thermarest since the mid 80s. Started with their thinner pad (kids use them now and they are from the mid 80s), but wanted ...ummmm more ...anyways use the thicker CampRest version now.

MEC brand is probably the same stuff....or at least as good as?



I took my hiking stove with me on my first tour in 88, but never again afterwards. If pure camping, I would though.

 

[Rotten_Ronnie]

Yeah, that's me and my 47 year old back. It likes a touch of comfort.

I'll keep my eye out for a sale at MEC and see if anything comes up.

 

[shanekingsley]

That pillow reminds me of a whoopee cushion, but the price is right and if it's heated that's awesome for cold nights. The thermarest pads are good to sleep on if you don't move around a lot, since they are narrow. I would guess they are getting lighter with every new model that comes out, but the two models I have are 1lb and 2lbs. I hope I never have to sleep with my clothes as a pillow again.

 

[Rotten_Ronnie]

I use an old SVEA123R to do the cooking, a mini naphtha stove that has been around since the sixties, pretty much bullet proof, but a tad heavy. It nestles inside the pot I use for boiling water, with a cup/lid, and a spork along with a spare bottle of fuel.

This weekend at the VRRA I'm trying to go lighter still, so have a beer can alcohol stove with smaller pot set that I'll be trying for the second time in the field.

It doesn't work well in -18 degree weather...

But in the summer will boil water with a 3oz fill of methyl hydrate or alcohol, or HEET in the yellow bottle from the states, a gasoline additive.

 

[Riceburner]

and the tent at the Iron Horse that has served me well all these years. Still going strong, but might need the fly seams retaped.

 

[Jayell]

Very useful thread, thanks for starting it. Plenty of great tips here.

http://rottenxxxronnie.blogspot.ca/p/gone-to-dogs.html

Suzi loves camping especially when there are chipmunks close by.

I've read your blog, but came away wondering: what does Suzi eat when on the road? Are you loaded up with tins of dog food or a bag of kibble?



Here's my tent:

This tent has a thin nylon floor. I guess I ought to get some sort of ground sheet? Any suggestions?


The heated seat used as a pillow is genius! Thanks Diesel!

Also, Shane's recommendation of a folding stool is a good one. I'll add that to the list. Thanks.

 

[wonderings]

I keep all my camping gear strapped to my panniers lids in dry bags. In the one dry bag I have my tent and usually would squish in a small travel pillow. I have since purchased an inflatable pillow from MEC that is super small and much nicer support. On the other pannier I keep an air matte which I find essential for camping, I just can't sleep if on the ground. I also put in that dry bag two very small light spring sleeping bags, gives me warmth if I need it or is a good single light bag if it is hot outside. I usually stick a pair of walking shoes in there as well. With this all strapped to the lid leaves me with plenty of room in the panniers for whatever. Left pannier I keep my rain gear, laptop, tools, oil and a few pairs of gloves. In the right, I keep all the cloths I have brought for the trip, usually bring old stuff and just toss as I go which leaves me with more room as I go. Top case, water, power cables for the various devise I have, kindle, iPad, meds, etc. The bike is a real pack mule if I want it to be, it is nice having lots of options.