TCAT, RAP and other trips for summer - the gear list thread...

[alon]

As per some of the other threads here, I am planning a few overnight dual sport trips for the 2016 season - the Ontario section of the TCAT, the RAP and a few days in the Bancroft area, etc...

For those who want to join, be aware that we will be planning a blend of camping / cabin / motel for lodging so you'll need to be prepared for some camping; some of it wild camping on crown land (rather than at Ontario provincial park camp sites). For any trips longer than two nights, I will figure out the perfect blend of camping and motel / cabin lodging so we can mix in at least one comfy night indoors for every two nights of camping under the stars. Having said that, here's a list of gear I use and bring for these types of trips (my personal list of what I do and don't bring):

The following assumes multiple riders so some items are not required for EACH rider, one is typically sufficient for a group...

i just came back from two weeks in the UK on Friday so my body clock is totally off and I've been waking up at 4:00 am - it's quality alone time before anyone in the family wakes up allows me to document all of this here...

 

[alon]

Let's start with the bike gear:
1- KTM does a great job of providing a comprehensive and compact tool kit. I bring it plus a few other items in my Kriega tool roll:
- a small bottle of locktite (blue - one is enough for the group)
- tire pressure gauge (pen style, cheap and reliable)
- a small bag of extra common KTM bolts and nuts
- two tire irons (short - I usually get someone else to carry two long ones)
- combo open/closed end wrenches in 8mm, 10mm, 13mm
- plastic tie-wraps (about 12" long)
- a pair of rubber gloves
- spare electric fuses (various amperage)
- Leatherman multi-tool
Additional items outside of the tool roll:
- spare front tube (you can jam a spare 21" into the rear, you can't stretch a rear 18" onto the front - one spare for every two riders seems to be fine)
- spare spark plug in a waterproof container (one spare for every cylinder of every bike)
- backup Lithium battery with jumper leads (on of these for every four riders is plenty)
- rok-straps and electrical tape
- micro tire pump (one for the group is fine)
- emergency flares and whistle

Believe it or not, all the stuff above fits very neatly into the Kriega tool roll and a Kriega US5 waterproof bag (see links list below for details on rolls, bags, etc.)

 

[alon]

Camping gear:
let me start by saying that I'm big and fat (6'3" and 100kg) which presents two problems; everything I need and carry is typically larger/longer than the average sized stuff and I tend to buy ultra-lit weight stuff to offset my personal girth as there's nothing worse for me than carrying additional weight on my little KTM 530 when riding off road - when it comes to camping gear, the cost increases exponentially as things become more and more ultralight. Camping gear is a very personal thing (size, weight, price, etc) but there are a few things that I consider must-haves even when camping minimalisticly:
- tent or hammock; this can be debated until the end of time but a tent vs a camping hammock comes down to personal choice combined with the terrain chosen for camping. If you're riding a trip through the desert, a tent is the obvious choice given the typical lack of trees but when you're on trips through Ontario (and wild camping rather than at park campsites) you'll likely run into more trees than any flat, level and soft ground. Consider how hard it is to find a perfect clearing for multiple bikes and their riders when wild camping. Chances are that you'll end up pitching your tent over uneven ground, roots and rocks. A hammock packs up lighter and smaller than almost end tent and all you need are two trees that are 11' apart but hammocks have their disadvantages too. A tent will provide you with a floor and is typically better for any type of sleeper (back, front, side sleepers) while providing either enclosed space or at least so,e covered space for some of your gear. A hammock is usually best for someone who sleeps on their back but there are some designs that work very well for side sleepers. Most hammocks do not accommodate people who sleep on their stomachs very well. A hammock also lacks any storage locations for gear which means your gear is either on the ground underneath you or in your bike bags. Hammocks are NOT ideal places for changing clothes either and they are NOT ideal places to spend any time in apart from sleeping (example: rain for hours - a tent is a much better place to be stuck in vs a hammock). If you choose a hammock, be prepared to stuff your riding gear into garbage bags and tuck them underneath your hammock to prevent dew, rain and creepy crawly bugs from getting all over them. Animals - this is another thing that is different in a tent vs a hammock. Most people in hammocks tend to feel more exposed to the elements including animals. A skunk, raccoon or other animals walking around the campsite at night will often approach tents to take a sniff or two - this can be alarming but there's some comfort most people take in knowing that there's some space and some tent fabric between themselves and the animal. In a hammock, there is much less "personal space" between you and that animal. Both solutions offer equal protection from rain and wind (if pitched or hung properly) but hammocks will always be colder inside as air passes underneath and there's no ground warmth emminating upward into your space either. Think of it as a bridge over an open space in the winter - bridges always ice-up before roads do...I won't bother getting into the physics; you'll need a warmer sleeping bag in a hammock vs a tent. Any tent that I use is a two layer design which will incorporate the tent main body plus a rain fly but my hammock uses a large tarp that acts as the wind and rain barrier, typically much more open space that can remain dry versus the limited coverage that a tent's rain fly offers. The trick with a hammock and tarp is pitching it strategically; when it's cooler, hang the hammock and pitch the tarp to protect against the prevailing wind and in the heat, hang and pitch it to allow prevailing wind to breeze through your space to help keep you cool.
Hammocks: almost all camping hammocks can be bought as complete solutions which will include the hammock, bug netting, hanging cords and tarp. All these will bundle up into a compression bag that can be as small as a cantaloupe and weigh under 2 pounds total. This makes for a very compact and lightweight camping solution. There is one brand that appears to be very popular: Hennessy hammocks and they produce various hammocks in varying sizes and weight capacities. The one I bought after exhaustive research is called a Grand Trunk Air Bivvy. Essentially, it's made of very strong parachute material (as they all are but varying degrees of strength, weight and quality) with the bug netting built in, long zippers on both sides, an asymmetrical hammock design (I'll explain later) and a fantastic square tarp that not only provides overall coverage but also allows the bug netting component of the hammock to be tied up to it underneath; what this does is create an open space of this netting above your head and body so the netting doesn't simply drape down over you. The tarp itself is very versatile in how it can be strung up to either shelter from the elements or expose them depending on what you want and what the night time weather is like. Hammocks vent extremely well which means you'll get very little condensation inside (if at all) compared to a tent which relies entirely on its small vents to control condensation. I should also add that my grand trunk is designed to be used as a ground bivvy as well for those who want to use it as a simple shelter but I've never done that and frankly, I wouldn't given how much better an actual tent is on the ground. With hammocks, there are no tent poles - when morning comes, simply take it down and stuff it into its storage bag once the dew has dried.
Tents: I won't bother getting into too many details as most of us have either camped before or camp nowadays - you will likely already have a tent or access to one but let me point out a few things that are important given our geography and weather in Ontario.
- do use a dual layered tent. Yes, you can save some weight by buying a lightweight bivvy or ultralight hiking tent that is a single layer tent but...you'll be miserable if and when it rains and even if it doesn't rain, you'll have a tent full of dew which will find its way inside and onto you. The only way to avoid a ton of dew / condensation inside a tent is to ventilate it which means open "windows" or "door". With a single layer tent, those openings will be directly exposed to rain. With a dual layered tent, your openings will always be sheltered by the rain fly which gets pitched over the tent body itself but leaves a substantial air gap everywhere - this allows air flow inside the tent when you do open vents. The rain fly also gets pitched out farther than the edges of the tent (using stakes) and purposely creates sheltered / covered areas that create vestibules; places to keep your gear dry and secure.
- depending on your bike size, your tolerance for adding weight and size and your budget, the size of the tent you choose will vary greatly. I own three tents for various types of camping; I've got a large three person tent, a compact 2 person tent and an ultralight weight one person hiking tent. I never use the three person tent when I'm alone (only when I'm family camping) and I've only used the two person tent when camping with my big bike since I'm less fussed about space and weight on that bike. The one person tent is my go-to for small bike camping but this category of tents and choosing one can be complicated and expensive very quickly but it doesn't HAVE to be expensive either. I use a Big Agnes Fly Creek one person tent but this is not my first one person tent and knowing me, it probably won't be my last either. Big Agnes makes some of the world's best one person ultralight tents but there are many others and many are less expensive as well; again, it depends on your needs for room, features, weight and budget. For example, my previous one person tent is a Eureka Amari Solo Pass and it's a very good tent but at my height, I found it literally a few inches too short which meant I didn't sleep well at night when I felt cramped. For anyone 6' tall or less, it's probably the best value one person tent that your money can buy - they typically sell for about $139 and often less if you're a good shopper. My Big Agnes is almost four times the cost of the Eureka but it's half the weight, much longer and taller inside when pitched up. It's simply amazing but it may not be my last tent because the one feature that doesn't agree with me is that the door is situated on one end versus on the side - this just means that I'm entering and exiting the tent from a narrow end versus having an entire side that can be opened. An end doorway also means that your typically crawling into it and all over your sleeping space until being inside. This is no big deal if you're entering into the tent feet first but if you do, it means you're sitting on the ground while doing so and eventually dragging dirt in with you as you enter. Entering head first is the only practical way but that can get annoying as well. Ideally, I'd want my tent with its dimensions, weight and quality but with a side door (which they now produce). Other high end one person tents include the MSR Hubba NX which is a very popular choice - MSR makes amazing tents (my three person tent is an MSR Holler) and various models by Hilleberg. If you're googling one person tents and you're looking to get something great for even less than the Amari Solo Pass, check out the Eureka Solitaire bivvy but some people find them to be very claustrophobic given the very low interior height.
- consider getting a lightweight tarp, something at least 10' by 10' and 100' of lightweight cord. A tarp can really make a camping site more comfortable by stringing the tarp either over a seating area or over your tent itself. Again, this just creates further protection from dew and rain and even wind depending on how you pitch it. If riding in a group, four people can sit very comfortably under the shelter of a 10' by 10' tarp strung properly, there's no need for each person to bring their own tarp.
- need more space than a one person tent? Take some time and really think about why you feel you need more than the space offered by a one person tent. Storage for gear? Get a tent with a large built-in vestibule. Need more space inside? Consider what you're bringing into the tent itself: you, a sleeping bag, sleeping pad and a pillow plus some small essentials like your phone / iPad / etc and minimal clothing plus water and a snack. I'll bet that you will agree that giving up some personal tent space is well worth the weight and space saving if you're riding on a small dual sport bike.

 

[alon]

Sleeping bags, pillows and sleeping pads / mattresses / cots - these components of camping will either allow you to get rest or prevent you from resting. These can be total game-changers for most people who need good rest to recover from a day of rigorous riding.

Sleeping bags: down or synthetic, mummy style or boxed, which temperature rating, which features, etc...again, these things will continue to be debated by people forever so I'll just share my personal experience and wisdom from my own research.
Down filled sleeping bags are simply incredible in terms of their insulating qualities, ultralight weight and compatibility but they require a different level of commitment to being cared for. Down is utterly useless if it gets wet or compacted. Down only works if it is totally dry and lofty - it actually needs air and space to provide insulation (which leaves me wondering why so many down bags have down insulation on the backside where they will be compared by the weight of your body - more on that shortly). If your down bag gets wet from rain, condensation or body sweat, it will be lose its insulation effectiveness almost entirely. If you're committed to keeping your bag dry when it's stored (literally in a waterproof bag, not water resistant), if you're tent or hammock do not develop a ton of condensation and if you aren't going to sweat like a prostitute at confession all night long and you have the budget for it, get a down filled bag and it will last you a life time - you will not regret it. If you're less careful with your bag, if you can't budget for down and if you can spare the storage space and tolerate the weight then get the best synthetic bag that your money can buy. Apart from a few features, they're all the same more or less and they are much cheaper to buy than a down bag.
But...if you do want a down sleeping bag, here are some things to consider:
1- are you also going to buy your significant other a sleeping bag so you two can go camping together? If yes, do you prefer two separate bags or do you want to be able to zip them together and create one large love-bag for the two of you? If you want to combine, be cognizant of which bag you buy first if you don't but both at the same time- there are left zip and right zip bags sold for that one specific reason; to zip them together.
2- decide early on in your research if you want a mummy style bag or something more generous in width. This will all depend on how you sleep (back, side, etc.) and how much you move around while sleeping. Mummy bags are popular because they limit the empty space around your body - this allows them to be rated for much lower temperature ratings compared to full width bags. Personally, I hate feeling restricted at my feet so I do my best to avoid mummy shaped bags. If you're buying a sleeping bag for extremely low temps, it will be hard to avoid a mummy bag. I like sleeping bags that incorporate a "hood" that is nice and large - this hooded area helps keep your pillow in one place while you sleep but if you're not bringing a pillow, it also helps keep your hoodie or whatever else you would bundle up to create a pillow. You'll have to decide for yourself based on your sleep patterns at home but I sleep on my side and often roll from one side to the other - this is the most challenging type of sleep to accommodate with a bag design so my bags are not mummy shaped and the zippers are two-way which allow me to zip right up but also reach down at the bottom and unzip the foot area to let me stick my feet out (as I do at home with my blanket).
3- temperature ratings - I have two bags; one for April / October kinds of night time camping temps (low single digits approaching freezing) and one for the rest of the time. My cold bag is rated for -20 Celsius and the other is rated for 5 Celsius. My general rule of thumb is to buy a bag rated 10 degrees colder than the anticipated sustained temperatures. If you're expecting night time temps of 15 degrees, you'll be truly toasty in a 5 degree bag.
4- regular design bag or something more exotic? I use a Big Agnes sleeping bag (I think it's called the Yampa) that has zero insulation on its backside. Instead, it has a sleeve built in that allows me to insert my sleeping pad (I'll detail that later) right into the back of the bag. Why? Several reasons: firstly, it makes my sleeping bag and my sleeping pad a single unit. Anyone who has camped and moves around while sleeping will have likely rolled off their sleeping pad while in their bag at so,e point. With this design, that will never ever happen - believe me, it's a brilliant design. Secondly, it avoids putting expensive down insulation into the back of the bag which gets compressed by my own weight (remember what I said what happens to down insulation when it's compacted? It is rendered useless). So what keeps things warm underneath then? I use a down insulated sleeping pad that I inflate and slip into my bag's built in sleeve. The pad is inflated so it is never compared enough to render its own down insulation useless and the pad is insulated just enough to keep things warm underneath me.
Sleeping pads / cots / mattresses:
I have three sleeping solutions that I use depending on the camping itself:
1- large (double size) inflatable sleeping mattress with a built in foot pump that I bought at Canadian tire. I've had it for years, it's very strong but extremely heavy and large when folded up - I never use this when I'm motorcycle camping
2- Big Agnes insulated ultralight seeing pad - I think it's called an Air Core Plus or something like that but this is the one I use whenever I'm camping with my little bike. As I mentioned, it has down insulation right inside it so it does offer insulation from either the cold ground or cold air when I use my hammock (yes, I use the sleeping pad in my hammock because I can given that it slips into the back of my sleeping bag and the hammock would cold from underneath otherwise). When inflates, it's almost four inches thick (which is something you need to consider if you use a pillow as the pillow will need to be thick enough in case the pad you get isn't long enough for your body and your head). It takes me about five minutes to inflate by mouth and it's no bigger than a can of Coke when it's deflated for storage. Sleeping pads vary. As silver in terms of cost but this is one item that I will state firmly: do not be cheap when buying one of these. Many people believe that if you're spending less than $100 on the pad alone, they're all the same crap. A cheap pad will eventually leak even if you don't puncture it (welded seams will weaken over time much sooner than an expensive pad), it may not offer any insulation (R Value) and I guarantee you that it will be noisy - yes, noisy as in creaky and squeaky and it will keep you up as well as potentially others near you depending on how much you move around at night. I'm not kidding, it's these details that make the difference between just sleep and proper rest...Thermarest, Big Agnes and others make very good pads - start by buying your sleeping bag and then buy the best pad you can afford...
Cots: simply amazing - light years better than sleeping on an air pad or mattress but...
a- expensive for anything good and light
b- create an air gap underneath you which means cold
c- not nearly as small as a pad when stored
cots range from anywhere between $40 to $250 and depending again on how much space you have for storage and how much weight you're prepared to carry, a cot is typically only good for big bike camping or car camping. I have an amazing cot but I don't use it (ever) when riding the little bike. For anyone who wants more info on cots, reply here and let me know, I can provide more details...

 

[alon]

Other "stuff":

camping chair: do not go out and buy a tiny camping stool thinking you're clever in saving money and space. You need a camping chair with a back, not so,e dumb stool that you have to sit on top of instead of sitting into a comfy chair. We are on bikes all day long, riding some rough terrain and stressing our bodies plus we are carrying weight on our bikes more so than on simple day rides so every time you need to maneuver your bike over and around ibstacles and every time you have to pick up your bike, your back is going to take the brunt of it no matter how fit you are. A simple three legged camping stool will cost about $20 and and ultralight weight camping chair will set you back a fevers chilly $130 but I found a happy middle ground - while so many people were spending $130 on these amazing Alite camping chairs, I discovered like so many other products nowadays that they're made in China and found a source for the Chinese manufacturer who was happy to sell them unbranded for a cool $45 shipped. Over the past two years these "knock-offs" have become more popular so now even some camping retailers are selling them for about $55. I will provide some links for these chairs further down but do yourself a favour and spend the $55 on a perfect camping chair - do not count on finding a comfy spot when wild camping or leaning back against a tree or other tough-guy approaches. This camping chair folds up to a tiny package and weighs about one pound.

Knives, axes, machetes, etc: again, this is a personal choice...if you're camping at a provincial campground, you have to buy fire wood from their store to avoid the spread of invasive species of bugs that can ruin our parks. If you're wild camping, you'll need to cut and chop wood and that is not going to happen with a fancy titanium folding pocket knife. A machete is great for cutting sticks but not perfect for chopping thicker wood. There are pocket saws that are very good for cutting wood but I haven't tried any so I have no opinion on them. An axe is good but I carry a tomahawk - it can chop like an axe, hammer in stakes, cut like a saw, break tire beads from your rims for trail side flat fixes and take down offending and threatening animals like a hot knife through butter. Let's be honest, if a bear shows up, I'll crap in my pants just like anyone else but I'd rather use bear spray on it or if I don't have any, I'd rather swing a tomahawk at it than face it at close distance with a knife. I can't say I've had any personal experience fighting animals so far but I'd like to think that I've thought it through and am somewhat prepared for such things.

Lighting: I carry a camping headlamp - Petzl is probably the best product on the market regardless of which one you get but be aware that there are essentially two types: replaceable disposable battery units and rechargeable units. I personally would rather jump into Mac's Milk and buy a pair of triple A batteries instead of worrying about how I'm going to charge my headlamp on a multi-day trip. Don't underestimate the need for a headlamp; its necessary. When I'm in my tent or hammock, I also hang it on the ceiling to create space lighting. Don't bother with a traditional flashlight / torch type of light, they're simply too bulky for the most part and using a headlamp frees up both hands.

Food: to be honest, when I'm motorcycle camping, I don't pack any food apart from snacks (granola bars, etc.) - I typically find a restaurant to go eat at otherwise any convenience store or gas station will offer canned food that's easy to buy when required. Yes, the idea of cooking a steak and enjoying it with a chill drink while camping over an open fire does sound appealing but really??? I'm limited by space and weight so I prefer to hit up "local" food when possible. On the other hand, I'm totally addicted to my Turkish coffee (as are my fellow riders now) so I do pack and being my ground Turkish coffee, sugar and tea with me. I have two cooking / boiling solutions that I will choose from for camping on my bikes: I've got a JetBoil stove with a built in pot and it uses canned camping fuel. It will boil a litre of water in three minutes and one can of the fuel will last seven days easily. The other is an MSR Whisperlite Micro stove which uses the same fuel and is a tiny and simple stove element that you can out any pot on top of. Either way, I do not use these stoves that require white fuel or can burn the fuel from your bike - I can pop into any gas station convenience store and buy more canned fuel for $3.00. I've done a few trips with four guys in total and the one JetBoil is all that is needed for four guys, no need for every person to carry cooking gear. The one thing I will say though is that you should have your own mug of some sort and your own spork plus your own snacks and Advil, etc.

Water - I use a water bladder backpack (also Kriega but there are hundreds of others like Camelback, Klim, etc.). Mine holds three litres of water and uses a drinking tube that so I can drink while riding. Apart from that, I also bring an MSR Dromedary bag (those are available between 4 -10 litre capacities) and I will keep it empty and rolled up until the last stop for fuel, etc before heading to camp overnight at which time, I will fill it and it straps right onto my bike or luggage bags. Yes, you want fresh drinking water at the campsite - coffee, hand washing, etc - yes, carry your own water.

Extra fuel - many people obsess over fuel capacity and I'm not trying to make light of the topic, running out of fuel sucks balls but people who spend a fortune adding capacity to their own bikes tend to forget two things:
1- extra fuel means extra weight on your bike and often not in places that are ideal for extra weight (like up high on a bike)
2- if your fuel range is 400km but the other guys have a range of 200km then guess what: you're stopping for fuel every 200km anyhow regardless of your own capacity
on the flip side, I love riding with guys who have a ton of fuel capacity as when they fall asleep, I can just siphon fuel from their bike into mine
On a serious note though, extra fuel is good to have - many people have been successfully using the same MSR Dromedary bags (meant for water) to carry fuel. This definitely works but while they remain leakproof, the Dromedary bags do allow the fuel fumes to escape so they get pretty stinky of fuel. There are other options such as other bags that carry fuel without smelling through and there are hard-can options from small MSR cooking fuel cans to large Kolpin containers - you choose what's right for you but if you want more details on options, let me know here...

towing straps, tie-down straps, etc: different straps for different purposes...
towing - it is not easy to tow a fellow rider on a broken down bike. There are many choices for simple tow straps that don't need to be super strong as you're not pulling a 1/2 Chevy pickup out of the trail, just a bike and one unlucky guy on it.
Tie-down straps - I love Rok-Straps; they're compact, very strong and are the only straps I know of that combine both nylon webbing plus elastic sections. I haven't found anything else that can safely and securely tie just about anything down onto any part of a bike or its luggage. I know a few people who use IKEA pinch straps and they seem to work, I just don't trust them and they don't offer the elasticity of the Rok-Straps

First-Aid - I carry a very simple first-aid kit with me on these trips, everything from bandages, tape, pain killers and elastic bandages plus small instant-ice packs just in case.

 

[alon]

Towel - yes, bring a towel. Yes, buy a large microfibre towel instead of bringing a heavy cotton towel from home. Cotton, is big, heavy and takes a long time to dry. Microfibre is miraculous and can be bought just about everywhere from Canadian tire to specialty camping stores. Only you can decide how big it should be, I'm not drying your back or your *** for you so make sure you can reach those areas I also like to pack some wet wipes so I can clean hands, etc especially if trail side repairs will be required.

Pillows - again, this is a very personal choice but here's what I do because no matter what, unless you bring your pillow from home with you, it's never ideal...I use a Thermarest compactible camping pillow - they come in different sizes and levels of firmness. What that means is that I'm not using it, I roll it up into the size of a tiny umbrella folded up. I unroll it and fluff it up and combine it with a Big Agnes inflatable pillow which folds up small enough to fit into a pocket. Together they make a very small, lightweight camping pillow solution for me that won't leave me with limited neck movement the day after.

 

[alon]

And now for some links:

Kriega Tool Roll. The last tool roll you'll ever buy: http://www.kriega.com/tool-roll/
Kriega Hydration Backpack: http://www.kriega.com/hydro-3-backpack/
Kriega Cube (which I put on my hydration pack shoulder strap): http://www.kriega.com/harness-pocket/

Camping chair -
Here is the original Helinox (this one is Camo): http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Helinox-Chai...008788?hash=item1c5fe63d54:g:O4gAAOSwu4BVvC2o
Here is my Chinese generic version: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/Portable-Fol...727583?hash=item48888f241f:g:63MAAOSwT5tWHF6i

Hammocks:
First, Hennessy (The expedition asym zip is the best value): http://hennessyhammock.com/collections/hammocks
My Grand Trunk: http://www.amazon.ca/Grand-Trunk-Bivy-Extreme-Shelter/dp/B001M0O29M

MSR Dromedary Bags (for water OR fuel): http://www.cascadedesigns.com/msr/water/storage/dromedary-bags/product

Jetboil cooking system (I use the Zip): http://www.jetboil.com/Products/Zip-Cooking-System/
MSR micro stove: http://www.cascadedesigns.com/msr/stoves/rapid-cooking/microrocket/product

My Tomahawk aka: Bad-***: http://www.gerbergear.com/Activity/Tactical/Downrange-Tomahawk_30-000792

Rok Straps: http://rokstraps.com

Small tire pump (though mine has a screw-on hose rather than that snap-on in this link): http://slime.com/226/products/power-sport-40001/

My insulated sleeping pad: https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/Detail/Pad/InsulatedAirCore

Eureka Midori Solo tent (also available in 2 person): https://www.tentcityoutfitters.com/p/823/eureka-midori-solo-tent

Eureka Solitaire tent / bivy: https://www.tentcityoutfitters.com/p/67/eureka-solitaire-1-person-tent

What have I forgotten to add links to?

 

[stevie t]

Nice tomahawk, little pricey though.....
a few questions...
Do you do anything with respect to e-pirb or spot tracker etc on these trips?
what are your thoughts on hard vs soft luggage?

 

[alon]

I found a deal on that tomahawk a few years ago (on Amaon.ca I think and for something like close to half of what they typically go for).

I do have a Spot Gen I that I've used on other trips in countries outside of North America but to be honest, it's been sitting in my tool box unused as the Ontario trips never take you too far away from civilization and/or cellular coverage and when we ride in groups, no one strays away or gets left behind.

Luggage on bikes is a debate that seems to endure any test of time - I have had both hard and soft luggage so my opinion is that it really depends. If you're doing a road or open gravel ride and you want convenience, security, etc then hard luggage may very well make sense but (and here is where some controversy happens) I will not use hard luggage on a dual sport bike when riding off road for several reasons:
On a small bike, hard luggage adds a lot of weight and that weight just acts like a heavy pendulum on the back of a sub-300 pound dual sport. On a larger adventure bike, that extra weight is less of an impact but it still puts weight out back and up high. I have seen guys riding bikes off road with hard luggage, crash and hurt themselves as their legs got pinned or bent badly by the hard luggage. Some people will say that their hard luggage saved their legs so that seems to be the basis of most of the debate. Personally, I like hard luggage on road bikes but I use soft luggage exclusively on my small bike or any bike if off road riding means anything more than gravel roads. Soft luggage can rip but is easy to repair with tape, etc. Soft luggage will not break a leg (especially if it is installed properly) but soft luggage that is truly durable and truly waterproof does not come cheap. Hard luggage bends and breaks on impact (with the exception of Gobi Cases). Imagine crashing badly enough to destroy the mounting points on an aluminum hard case and even bending or crushing it enough to prevent it from either being mounted properly or even closed / sealed properly - what do you do then?

So as for soft luggage, my favourite brands are:
Kriega, Enduristan, Giant Loop and Wolfman

Kriega - I started using a Kriega waterproof backpack many years ago, when the brand was still young and I had no choice but to import it from the UK at that time. I was sold instantly in terms of its quality, fit and design. Since then, I have always used one form or another of their soft luggage on various bikes. They produce a line of soft bags called the US series and come in 5 litre, 10 litre, 20 litre and 30 litre capacities. I personally own one US30, two US20s, two US10s and one US5. Once you learn how to use their various straps and buckles, it becomes incredibly easy to mount and stack any combination of their bags to match your capacity requirements for any type or length of ride. The stuff is literally submersible - it is that waterproof (I know this from experience) and their straps and buckles are incredibly strong and reliable. What I like the most is the ability to just pull off my shelf the exact size or combo of sizes of bags that I need - I never have a situation where I am carrying half-filled luggage with wasted space and weight for no good reason and if I find that I need more capacity than what I already own I could just buy more bags and add to my collection. I have not found this flexibility with any other soft luggage manufacturer other than Wolfman. Lastly, Kriega sells these simple mounting loops that allow me to drill right into the plastics on my small bike and use those loops for mounting the bags in various configurations - I can then mount any number of bags onto my little bike without a rack or case bars of any sort - nothing but my bags.
The Giant Loop products are very popular and very good but my only issues with them were:
1- the bags themselves are NOT waterproof - they force you to stash your stuff into waterproof pods that then get inserted into the Giant Loop (Great Basin, Coyote, Mojave, etc)
2- If you get the Giant Loop Great Basin, you will likely never need a bigger capacity bag so it makes sense to buy the biggest but when you don't need all that capacity, you're left with a giant loop of a bag that is only partially filled but is still just as big on the bike and the pods inside can move around and shift weight.
Wolfman luggage is outstanding - I don't have any personal experience with it as at the time, I debated Wolfman vs Kriega but I do know people who use it and it's fantastic stuff - the one thing though is that it is not designed to be mounted without racks and I don't want racks on my little bike
3- Enduristan (specifically the Monsoon 3 soft panniers) - I bought these soft Panniers to use on my KTM 1190 Adventure instead of mounting luggage racks and using hard cases on that bike. They hold a ton, don't leak a single drop and are very secure when tied onto the bike; they use Rok Straps built in for mounting and remaining flexible enough to shift in case of falling on the trail (instead of straps just ripping apart from impact).

What bike do you ride and what type of riding do you like to do?

 

[ScooterBoy]

Thank for this Alon...You just saved us a lot of researches. I like buying things with good reviews as opposed to going blind and buying whatever and you just told me where to look for everything. I dont think I'm ready for any multiple day trips just yet but it is something I will consider in the near future. (Probably next year) If I ever go for a weekend this year will be a quick motel stop on the way. Not the same for sure but an easier cheaper solution for now. You just made me a shopping list. lol Do you happen to have a picture of you and your rig all ready to go on such a trip? I would be curious to see how it all comes together on your bike. Nice write up. Thanks again!

 

[stevie t]

Any ride you make it home from a good ride in my books...that would be the kind of riding I like.

My options for offroad motocamping are a klr with hard luggage or a heavily modified big red pig. Leaning towards the pig as it is lighter than the klr would be better suited for woods/single track. Trackmaster II's on the brp and kenda 270's on the klr.

looking to do some motocamping this summer, hence the interest in this thread, haven't camped in many years, previously canoe tripping in Algonquin etc., but looking to get back into it

 

[alon]

I might have have a picture or two of what the bike looks like loaded up. If you're not considering a multi-day trip this coming summer, at least consider some good long all-day rides.

Thank for this Alon...You just saved us a lot of researches. I like buying things with good reviews as opposed to going blind and buying whatever and you just told me where to look for everything. I dont think I'm ready for any multiple day trips just yet but it is something I will consider in the near future. (Probably next year) If I ever go for a weekend this year will be a quick motel stop on the way. Not the same for sure but an easier cheaper solution for now. You just made me a shopping list. lol Do you happen to have a picture of you and your rig all ready to go on such a trip? I would be curious to see how it all comes together on your bike. Nice write up. Thanks again!

 

[alon]

What's a big red pig, an XR650R/L?

Motocamping is is awesome but what's even better is camping with a motorcycle where you do multiple day rides from a single location so you're not carrying all your gear on your bike with you all day long. The campsite becomes your home base - we did this last year (three of us) based on a campsite at Silent Lake Park near Bancroft. It was awesome!

Any ride you make it home from a good ride in my books...that would be the kind of riding I like.

My options for offroad motocamping are a klr with hard luggage or a heavily modified big red pig. Leaning towards the pig as it is lighter than the klr would be better suited for woods/single track. Trackmaster II's on the brp and kenda 270's on the klr.

looking to do some motocamping this summer, hence the interest in this thread, haven't camped in many years, previously canoe tripping in Algonquin etc., but looking to get back into it

 

[alon]

Here's a shot of the back of the bike with one Kriega US30 and two Kriega US20s - that's 70 litres of capacity which is a lot. I don't know if you can see them but I've got those small Kriega mount loops bolted onto the bike to secure the bags to and I've arranged the bags to mimic the shape of other bags like the giant loop so the weight is carried as low as possible without interfering with my legs when sitting or standing.

https://alongat.smugmug.com/Other/530-EXC/i-v4pznJr

 

[stevie t]

That is one crazy arse head light you got there. Lasers?
Yes, it is a modified xr650l.

 

[alon]

Haha, yes - I like good lighting. The lights themselves are Baja Designs Squadron Pro lights and they turn night trails into daylight and I'm using an HDB rally fairing kit (I see you've got HDB guards on your bike). Your XR looks amazing, a total TCAT weapon...is that a brittania Lynx headlight fairing? My friend has one of those on his KTM 530 and it's fantastic for its adjustability with that up/down of the screen.

That is one crazy arse head light you got there. Lasers?
Yes, it is a modified xr650l.

 

[ScooterBoy]

I might have have a picture or two of what the bike looks like loaded up. If you're not considering a multi-day trip this coming summer, at least consider some good long all-day rides.

HAHA...I do plan on going for long days...I'm just not sure I could commit to a trip like this. I dont now yet how capable me or my bike will be in the gravel/trail/bush environment. I'd rather not make too many plans in advance until I actually go and try this. To me this is sort of the end goal. I'm looking at it...I want it. Just need to reach & grab it.

I like those bags you have installed there. For sure looks lighter than hard cases. Ever worry these straps will get caught somewhere? How about these two loops you are talking about. Do they come with the bag or it's separate purchase? I'm interested in getting maybe a 10 or 20L to go on top.

 

[alon]

Ive snapped some smaller branches with the bag straps but they've never let go or torn on me and the hooks on the ends are very strong aluminum units. The Kriega loops are sold separately and are sold in pairs: http://www.kriega.com/rackloops/

Dont worry about your capabilities or the bike - you'll have a great time and no one is going to push you behind your comfort or limits. No one will leave you behind or stuck in anything. If you get buried in mud, we will be right there to help you once we are done laughing at you and taking pictures to publicly embarrass you

If anyone wants to see what the Kriega gear looks and feels like, just let me know - I'm happy to show you everything and how it works on the bike as long as it's not on the weeks when I'm away for work.

HAHA...I do plan on going for long days...I'm just not sure I could commit to a trip like this. I dont now yet how capable me or my bike will be in the gravel/trail/bush environment. I'd rather not make too many plans in advance until I actually go and try this. To me this is sort of the end goal. I'm looking at it...I want it. Just need to reach & grab it.

I like those bags you have installed there. For sure looks lighter than hard cases. Ever worry these straps will get caught somewhere? How about these two loops you are talking about. Do they come with the bag or it's separate purchase? I'm interested in getting maybe a 10 or 20L to go on top.

 

[stevie t]

Dont worry about your capabilities or the bike - you'll have a great time and no one is going to push you behind your comfort or limits. No one will leave you behind or stuck in anything. If you get buried in mud, we will be right there to help you once we are done laughing at you and taking pictures to publicly embarrass you .

Yup, better to wait 20 min on the trail for slow riders than a couple of hours for a medivac.

Always wanted to do an off road ride to France, (st. Pierre / Miquelon), not too sure about the feasibility though. Guess. Need to do some research etc.

 

[ScooterBoy]

These bags look amazing. Wish I would have known of them before. Been carrying a backpack to go to work the last two years because I was too cheap to spend for a rack on my Gladius. With this problem would have been solved. Did you say they were sold in store somewhere or only online? JP Bike or Royal Distributing have that brand?