Camping advice

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I decided to add this thread for those who haven't done a lot of camping. It is just something that may or may not help. everybody has their own opinion so feel free to add or ask questions.

Tents,
millions of them however as these are going to be used every day go for something easy to put up and down. Get one with where the outside goes on first. If it is raining you will be glad of that. If you can afford it look at the Khyam range. They are fantastic. Go to any bike rally and see how many people have them. It takes 25 seconds to get them up and 40 to get them down. They take up more room and cost a lot more but they are worth it. I have had mine for 12 years now. Personally I recommend the Igloo followed by the Highlander. Personally I would not recommend the biker tent but that is personal taste. Bring a small hammer to drive the tent pegs into the ground

Ground sheet,
Bring a ground sheet to cover the base of the tent. This will protect the tent and help you keep it for years. cheaper to replace the ground sheet for a tenner rather than change the tent. Mind you Tesco are selling tents for 20 quid. Use it and bin it afterward.

Seat,
Bring one with a back, after a long day you want to be able to lean back. Do not get a stool, you will regret it.

Food,
Bring some packet rice or something easy to cook maybe a can of stew. This is emergency food, sometimes things go wrong and you want to have something easy to cook if the shop is closed. Least you won't go hungry. Now depending on if you are intending to dine out or cook bring salt pepper and some mixed herbs etc.

Water
Carry a bottle of water. When I have done this before I could drink a litre of water during the day easily. Get one that hasn't got a screw top. You can hold it in the tank bag and drink it as you ride.

Cutlery
Bring a large insulated camping mug with a lid. You can use this for tea in the morning, wine or beer in the evening You could even have your cereal in the morning in it if it is big enough. Make sure it has a screw on top not a push fit. And buy a decent one. Don't bother with one out of the pound shop cos they don't work that well. Pots and pans. Plenty of place sell aluminium one. I personally avoid them because aluminium is very bad for humans. Buy stainless steel or small coated ones. Try to get stuff that fits inside each other for ease of storage.

Cookers,
There are loads of options. I have a coleman, and a meths burner. put the meths on and let it boil the kettle whilst putting the tent up cos it takes time to heat up. The coleman I will cook my dinner on. I generally don't carry gas. Crash and small gas canister could equal large bang:eek:. It just scares me so I prefer not to go down that route generally. You can get coleman type product that burn unleaded therefore you have a ready supply of fuel in your neighbours bike. But dont tell him:rolleyes: Have a look around the site there is lots of opinions. The coleman I have is a bit bulky there are others that arent.



Plastic doesn't break so bring a plastic plate

Airbeds.
You do not need a lilo style airbed there are plenty of very light style ones that you can use. Get one with a large plug hole. They go up very fast. Don't bother with a foot pump. For a tenner you can buy an electric airpump. Low velocity high volume. Worth their weight in gold. I have one. Wouldn't use anything else.

Anybody else want to add their twopence worth? Any questions and I will try to answer with something sensible. And if I don't there are plenty out there who have done a damn sight more camping than me so I'm sure they will have then answer.
 
One best bit of advice is to get a decent sleeping arrangement. Without that your be tired and it ruins a good trip. Comfort is everything I found for a good nights sleep ready to go the next day.

I use an Ultralight http://www.luxurylite.com/cotindex.html







combined with this
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/a300-self-inflating-17405656/



The overall price is quite alot I think:

Bed £150 inc import taxes etc and matt £25 however if you work out how much you use it and how much B&B would cost I think its worth it. Its super comfy and fast to setup and take apart whilst remaining light and small size.
 
an army poncho/ground sheet and para cord ideal for an over head shelter whilst packing or to throw over your kit if you have a sudden downpour or as an emergency shelter.

sleeping bags, its better to be to hot in one than to cold:thumb2

emergency food mra ration pack(american army) just add water and you have a hot meal within 20 seconds great for time saving

small containers of galic, chilli powder, curry powder & a small bottle of tobassco sauce to add flavour to an all in meal:cool:
 
What about a biker swag?

They are really simple to set up and pack away and they are pretty comfy, especially after a few :beer::beer::beer:

I slept in one for close on 6 months:thumb I found it quite hard to sleep in a proper bed after that.

They also double up for a campsite lounge about.

Great in hot weather, and fairly waterproof!!

here's the blurb-

The Biker is our new compact lightweight swag. Ideally suited for bikers on the move, it will keep you warm, dry and comfortable night after night. No more sleeping under a canvas spread between two bikes, a Burke & Wills Biker swag is easy to unroll, and can be packed away into a canvas bag with tie down points for the back of the bike (please note the bag is sold separately - see accessories page for further details). Bike and swag mean easy and cheap camping with your own bed conveniently packed on your bike!

Dimensions: 2050mm(L) X 600mm(W) Weight: 4.11kgs

Colour: Black

Light weight 12oz. canvas with black PVC base
20mm high density mattress with full removable cover
Extra height and foot space
Compact design allows easy attachment to bike
Adjustable shoulder strap
Eyelet on top flap to allow tie up
Biker Swag - £125.00 plus £15.00 packing & delivery
NOW £93.75 plus P & P


Here's the link
http://www.theaussieshop.co.uk/swags.htm


BTW i'm going the cabin/lodge/hotel route for this trip, so sweet dreams :augie

Stevo:beerjug:
 

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One best bit of advice is to get a decent sleeping arrangement. Without that your be tired and it ruins a good trip. Comfort is everything I found for a good nights sleep ready to go the next day.

I use an Ultralight http://www.luxurylite.com/cotindex.html







combined with this
http://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/a300-self-inflating-17405656/



The overall price is quite alot I think:

Bed £150 inc import taxes etc and matt £25 however if you work out how much you use it and how much B&B would cost I think its worth it. Its super comfy and fast to setup and take apart whilst remaining light and small size.

The wife and I have the camp cot, and it is fantastic. We combine it with a thermarest mattress as above, and it fantastically comfortable. because we are on 2 bikes we also take full size pillows, so comfort is complete.
 
And get yourself an eyemask or a buff. It gets bright early in the morning and there is nothing worse than being awake at 5.30am because it is bright. The buff can also be used as a hat and other things. worth its weight in, um, fleece.:)
 
I think its great for newbies to get some ideas off threads like this. However, I think my experience differs a little so in the interests of alternative viewpoints, here goes:

Tents,
millions of them however as these are going to be used every day go for something easy to put up and down. Get one with where the outside goes on first. If it is raining you will be glad of that.

I'd agree if you're likely to do most of your camping where there is a chance of rain. If on the other hand you are camping in warmer places with little/no chance of rain, you'll be glad of a tent that you can put up without the flysheet (outer). Tents in hot weather can be the nastiest place to be. The MSR Hubba Bubba gives both options. Some tents (like the hubba bubba) can also be pitched without pegs, on sand/snow. Depends on your needs.

With regards waterproofing, this is expressed in terms of hydrostatic head. A HH of 1000mm is considered waterproof for UK summer or "festival" use. 2000mm will cope across most of Europe most of the year.

If you can afford it look at the Khyam range. They are fantastic. Go to any bike rally and see how many people have them. It takes 25 seconds to get them up and 40 to get them down. They take up more room and cost a lot more but they are worth it. I have had mine for 12 years now. Personally I recommend the Igloo followed by the Highlander. Personally I would not recommend the biker tent but that is personal taste. Bring a small hammer to drive the tent pegs into the ground

I think the Khyam range are mostly polyester tents - cheaper, heavier, less durable and less breathable that their rip-stop nylon counterparts. They are medium-priced product. If you camp infrequently, spend £20 on a gelert pop-up tent and be happy. If you camp very frequently, spend a little more than a Khyam.

Personally I'd not even consider a tent weighing 5kg+, but that's me. >2kg is my priority.

Ground sheet,
Bring a ground sheet to cover the base of the tent. This will protect the tent and help you keep it for years. cheaper to replace the ground sheet for a tenner rather than change the tent. Mind you Tesco are selling tents for 20 quid. Use it and bin it afterward.

Some manufacturers even sell "footprints" of their tents. I've used a £3 piece of plastic groundsheet for 20yrs now.

Seat,
Bring one with a back, after a long day you want to be able to lean back. Do not get a stool, you will regret it.

Agreed - however cool you think it will be to sit on your alu pannier, you will rue that decision for many evenings to come!

Food,
Bring some packet rice or something easy to cook maybe a can of stew. This is emergency food, sometimes things go wrong and you want to have something easy to cook if the shop is closed. Least you won't go hungry. Now depending on if you are intending to dine out or cook bring salt pepper and some mixed herbs etc.

Yup, those flavoured rice packs go a long way and pack small. Save your money and don't bother on "wayfarer" type meals unless your are on a hardcore expodition where nutritional content must be balanced over a period of time.
Having said that I have a "friend" in the forces and have a steady supply of MREs, so for a weekend away I just bung a couple of those in. I don't have to think about tea/coffee/loo roll/salt/all the other bits that way :D


Water
Carry a bottle of water. When I have done this before I could drink a litre of water during the day easily. Get one that hasn't got a screw top. You can hold it in the tank bag and drink it as you ride.

Many options for water - you can spend £80 on a touratech tankbag drinking system, or a similar amount on a camelbak. Or £20 on a Decathalon camelbak thing. Or a sports-cap bottle for drinking on the move (assuming you have a flip-front helmet! A screw cap doesn't make much difference if you have full-face :p) I also carry a couple of 2litre platypus water bags for use at site. They fold down smaller than a fag packet when not in use, and will go in the freezer if I am at a campsite overnight, so I can take cold water with me the next day.


Cutlery
Bring a large insulated camping mug with a lid. You can use this for tea in the morning, wine or beer in the evening You could even have your cereal in the morning in it if it is big enough. Make sure it has a screw on top not a push fit. And buy a decent one. Don't bother with one out of the pound shop cos they don't work that well. Pots and pans. Plenty of place sell aluminium one. I personally avoid them because aluminium is very bad for humans. Buy stainless steel or small coated ones. Try to get stuff that fits inside each other for ease of storage.

Agree on the mug. Take a "spork" and a gerber and that's your cutlery needs done. I do use aluminium, as it tend to be much more durable than coated pans. I've eaten too many meals with black flakes of teflon when camping! Or go titanium if you are a rich poseur. Any camp shop will do a set with a 0.5L, 1L pan and a combined lid/plate/frying pan for under a tenner.

Cookers,
There are loads of options. I have a coleman, and a meths burner. put the meths on and let it boil the kettle whilst putting the tent up cos it takes time to heat up. The coleman I will cook my dinner on. I generally don't carry gas. Crash and small gas canister could equal large bang:eek:. It just scares me so I prefer not to go down that route generally. You can get coleman type product that burn unleaded therefore you have a ready supply of fuel in your neighbours bike. But dont tell him:rolleyes: Have a look around the site there is lots of opinions. The coleman I have is a bit bulky there are others that arent.

This is where I tend to disagree with the pack. I think liquid-fuel stoves are more aggro than they are worth, on the main. The idea of syphoning petrol out of the bike to light the stove is a romantic pseudo-adventurer notion. Only really necessary if you are on a serious expedition. They clog easily, require maintenance, need pre-heating and general faffing. Many liquid burners don't have any flame regulator unless you are prepared to spend £££. And jsut when you thought the water was about to boil you have to start pumping again...

I ditched the whisperlite for a £50 cannister stove (you only need to spend £15). It takes gas and liquid cannisters and to be honest, for most trips a single cannister will do. Available at almost any campsite in Europe too, so hardly a difficult-to-find object. The stove heats instantly, can simmer at any level and has lasted for 12 years with no maintenance. Not even a "shake" ;) And at less than 3mins to boil a litre of water, they are fast too.

My only real "luxury" item is a small gas lantern head I carry. Its about 4"x2"x2" when packed and screws into the same cannister as the stove. Makes for a great flood of light at night when campfire is not possible. Need spare mantles every couple of days though.

Other than that I have a petzl LED head torch which does most things. Your £200 surefire may be bright and used by SWAT teams, but they eat batteries like crazy. LED torches last forever and never need the bulb changing :thumb2


Airbeds.
You do not need a lilo style airbed there are plenty of very light style ones that you can use. Get one with a large plug hole. They go up very fast. Don't bother with a foot pump. For a tenner you can buy an electric airpump. Low velocity high volume. Worth their weight in gold. I have one. Wouldn't use anything else.

Well I've done my closed-cell foam in my youth and my thermarest in my 20s. I'm well into my 30s and need my Exped downmat now :thumb2 Doesn't need a pump as its storage bag is used to pump air in, and as a pillow too.

Anybody else want to add their twopence worth? Any questions and I will try to answer with something sensible. And if I don't there are plenty out there who have done a damn sight more camping than me so I'm sure they will have then answer.

I know it maybe looks like I am disagreeing, but honestly I am not really. It all depends on your personal camping needs - I just wanted to offer a different perspective. :beerjug:
 
Get a sleeping bag with a cotton lining. I spent an inordinate amount on a bag that would keep me warm in minus a billion degrees and it smelt like someone had died in it after just one night. That might have had more to do with the fact I also used a fleece liner, but as H didn't and his smells just as bad I can only assume it's because the lining is synthetic. Never had that problem with my cotton lined bag.

Kirst (looking forward to washing my gear in less than 3 weeks):bounce1
 
Get a sleeping bag with a cotton lining. I spent an inordinate amount on a bag that would keep me warm in minus a billion degrees and it smelt like someone had died in it after just one night. That might have had more to do with the fact I also used a fleece liner, but as H didn't and his smells just as bad I can only assume it's because the lining is synthetic. Never had that problem with my cotton lined bag.

Kirst (looking forward to washing my gear in less than 3 weeks):bounce1

silk liner even better:augie
 
LED light that straps on your head are excellent around camp-and you always know where they are! I also use a LED torch that doubles as a lantern to spread the light around. Cost very little and batteries have done a couple of trips.

I use a nice thick air mattress - why go camping and sleep badly when for about 300g of extra weight you sleep like a king!
I have a Thermarest for sale if anyone wants it.(and the air mattress is smaller)
 
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