The Basics, a good place to start..

Dinkie Diesel

------------Jeff------------
Joined
Jul 5, 2007
Messages
3,056
Location
Defiance, Missouri
Bike
2013 GL1800
Re: Camping - The Basics

I've been to events with Mellow and his minimalist approach is impressive! He's just a few threads away from being completely naked. Everything he packs will fit in just ONE of my dry bags!

So, if we were to conclude that Mellow is on one end of the camping spectrum, then I am on the opposite end (see picture below). My mindset is - I want to be just as comfortable on my trips as I am at my home. All of the things Mellow mentions are needed but I need a big chair, food, drink, cooking equipment, 25lbs. of tools, clothes, sometimes 2 pair of shoes, rain gear, cooler, spices, etc. Remember what Mellow said about 2 people need a 3-man tent? Consider I am two people. I have a 4 man tent, a Big Agnes Park series bag, an 800lb. capacity camp chair, 70,000 btu camp stove, pots and pans, utensils and let's not forget that my clothes alone would not fit in all of Mellow's dry bags combined. Try as I might, I could never get to Mellow's level of gear. I can say that I've tried all the cheap stuff. Cheap sleeping bag, cheap tent, cheap mattress and I have since replaced all of it once or more times and I don't camp very often. You get what you pay for and camping gear is no exception. Exped Mattresses are big money but they are really, really nice! Down bags are expensive but they are really, really nice!

I say "cheers" to those who can do what Mellow does. I wish I could too.

IMG_2176.JPG
 
OP
OP
Mellow

Mellow

Joe
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Re: Camping - The Basics

Hey, I'm not even at the end of the spectrum.. I remember someone at the CampSTOC we had at Cloudland Canyon State Park, they slept in a hole covered by leaves... who was that? Was it John?
 

VFR

"Uncle Larry"
Joined
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Messages
1,072
Location
Idaho for good, no mo Cal
Re: Camping - The Basics

Dinkie, you should camp with Keith R & some of his friends. He has a Gold Wing with a trailer & is the absolute ultimate in comfort camping. His tent even has a nightstand & lamp.... He has a special table he made with a lazy susan on it & a speaker setup for his ipod. Cooking gear---yep, he has that too--propane stove with a large bottle, pus all the goodies to go with it.

He doesn't camp to rough it.... :D
 
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Re: Camping - The Basics

Hey, I'm not even at the end of the spectrum.. I remember someone at the CampSTOC we had at Cloudland Canyon State Park, they slept in a hole covered by leaves... who was that? Was it John?
I was there. Don't recall who the camper was tho.
 
Joined
Feb 28, 2007
Messages
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San Antonio, TX
Re: Camping - The Basics

Those of you who travel two-up and camp may want to check out my post on page six of the "Two Up Camping" thread. Or, if one of the adminiSTrators (e.g. Mr. Mellow) would be so kind as to move it here that would be appreciated.

Happy camping folks.

Karl
 

ST1300 Alicia

aka GSA Girl & KLR Girl
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Re: Camping - The Basics

You guy's don't know what camping is until you see me show up on a KLR650 with a 6 man tent, table, chair, Sleeping Bag, Air Mattress, full kitchen and all of the rest. Uncle Larry didn't think that I could get it all back on the Bike. He hung around just to watch. Ask him next time you see him. This year I think I'm bringing a tent trailer to SeaSTOC VIII. This trailer folds out and has a Garage to park the bike in. 19" x 11" total set up size. It's even got plumbing.
 

cybervet

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Re: Camping - The Basics

You guy's don't know what camping is until you see me show up on a KLR650 with a 6 man tent, table, chair, Sleeping Bag, Air Mattress, full kitchen and all of the rest. Uncle Larry didn't think that I could get it all back on the Bike. He hung around just to watch. Ask him next time you see him. This year I think I'm bringing a tent trailer to SeaSTOC VIII. This trailer folds out and has a Garage to park the bike in. 19" x 11" total set up size. It's even got plumbing.
Pics !! ... I wanna see this trailer and your packing skills.
 
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Re: Camping - The Basics

Bump a rumpsie! I thought I would add some tidbits that I have learned from years of moto-camping. If you've seen my ride reports, you know that I like to cook at the campsite. If we are going to enjoy a few adult beverages at the camp fire, then we can't ride to a restaurant and besides, the forest rats come out at night. We find it better to store the riding gear and the bike keys and just enjoy the evening by cooking.

Here are some things that make that easier. When I'm touring, all of this fits easily in my V46 top box, with plenty of room to spare for groceries, brewskies, and a few miscellaneous other items.



This insulated soft bag is great for keeping a few things cool, and folds to nothing when not in use. A great “night 1†meal is grilled pork chops, corn on the cob, and a can of beans. I season the pork chops at home and freeze them. The frozen chops keep just fine in this bag all day, and when we get to the camp ground, they are defrosted and ready to cook.



I am practical, but I'm also cheap….er….. frugal. This is a $4.00 walmart non-stick 8†frying pan and a $1.00 spatula. I can cook 6 eggs with sausage and fixings in this frying pan.



I bought these grilling pans from World Market for $20.00. They sit flat on the bottom of the top box. If we choose to primitive camp, where there is no grill grate, we prop these pans on a couple of rocks and it works just fine.



I bought this Stanley pot and cup set at Target on sale for like $15.00. Great for boiling water (coffee) and the cups fit into the pot (with my stove) for space savings.



This snow peak stove packs to nothing and is excellent. You can cook breakfast and dinner for a week on one can of fuel.



My buddy made this excellent wind break for me out of some 22 gage aluminum he had lying around. It's wide enough to be just under the top of my stove with the fuel can under it. Notice the cool vent holes.



This collapsible coffee filter holder does a great job. I've also got a wire one that packs even smaller.



This one gallon ziplock bag doesn't look like much, but trust me, it is nothing short of a work of art. Within this bag, I have:

Coffee filters
Olive oil
Cajun Seasoning
Salt and Pepper
Condiments (sugar, sweet-n-low, mayo, ketchup, mustard, lemon juice, tobassco) – all “packets†taken from fast food joints.
Coffee Creamer
Sporks
Foldable sharp knife
Bottle Opener
Cigarette lighters
Trash bags
Napkins
A couple of Ziploc bags for storing stuff
Dishwashing Detergent with a small cleaning sponge
A few paper plates (for food prep or eating on when we don't want to wash dishes)



Other things I pack for the “kitchen†are a few small can goods. Can fruit goes well for breakfast. I always have a can of Chef-boy-r-Dee Ravioli. It's not gourmet, but if I get to the camp site late and tired, it's simple and easy. Peanut Butter on toasted bagels is a great breakfast meal. A small Tupperware of my favorite coffee is a welcome morning treat at the camp site.

I usually bring a shampoo bottle of my favorite spirits and we can't forget my beer bottle cuzzie!!!



I also have a platypus 6 liter water bag. Even if the site has water, it's much more convenient to have water on the picnic table.

If there is interest, I might share a few of my favorite meals to cook at the moto camp site.
 

Pop-Pop

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Edit: I posted this originally on NT-Owners.org and thought I'd post here as well.

People are always asking me why I like camping so much and how I can camp on the bike, what are the tips and tricks to it?

Well, everyone is different and I can only provide the tricks that I've learned in the past few years that work for me.
Remember, these are only MY personal preferences and can be used as a starting point for you to get into camping on a motorcycle,
don't be afraid to change things that you feel will work for YOU.

My Background:
I only started riding since Dec 1999 and my camping experience on the bike only began in 2002 so roughly 10 years.

I've developed my camping techniques over these past 10 years and camped on Goldwings, ST1300s and now Dual Sports - Super Tenere/VStrom.

What is the bare minimum I need to camp?
This is the 1 million dollar question. Well here ya go:

1 - A tent
2 - A sleeping bag
3 - An air mattress
4 - Waterproof bag(s)
5 - Pillow - inflatable or compressible
6 - Flashlight and/or Headlamp - preferably LED for long life

That's it. Simple as that.

Now, I'll expand on the items listed above a bit then talk about some alternatives that some prefer.

The Tent:
Cost
If you're only planning on camping a few times a year you can probably get by with a low-cost tent in the range of $100 or less. But, if you plan​
on doing a lot of camping then it may be beneficial to splurge for some name-brand equipment which may run in the $150+ range.​
Type
Tents come in several types but we will only discuss a couple here.​
Bivy - These are typically one-person tents that have one or more poles that require being staked out with tent stakes in order to​
retain their shape/structure.​
Dome - A dome tent is typically a stand-alone tent where, once the tent poles are installed, will stand up on it's own without needing​
to be staked out. For me, THIS is the preferred type of tent for camping on a motorcycle.​
Many dome tents are configured with a front entry​
door or a side entry door. I find the side doors to be the easiest to crawl into/out of.​
Some of these tents also provide the option of 1 or 2​
vestibules - the area the rain fly covers that is not inside the tent. This allows for good additional storage space for those things you don't​
want or need inside the tent.​
Single or Double Walled?
A single-walled tent incorporates the tent and rain fly into one. While this seems like a great approach it can be the source of condensation inside​
the tent. I prefer to stay away from this for motorcycle camping.​
A double-walled tent is simply a tent which has a separate rain fly. The tent will have some mesh to allow for ventilation and the rain fly, once set up,​
will not tough the inner tent. When it rains, the fly will divert the rain away from the tent.​
Seasons
A 3-season tent is more than adequate for camping on a motorcycle. 4-Season tents are made for those thinking of camping in some​
pretty harsh environments including deep snow. If the weather or camping conditions are going to be that bad, you probably decided​
to stay home.​
Accessories
Attic - An attic is some mesh material hanging from the top section of the inside of the tent. This is useful for placing lights, glasses, phones or whatever you find you want to keep off the floor of the tent. This is a very nice thing to have. Not all tents come with these and some will be​
included at extra cost.​
Footprint - Some believe a tent footprint are used to keep water out of a tent, however they are really only used to help protect the bottom​
of a tent from punctures or abrasions which would compromise the waterproof 'bathtub' design of the tent. Some tents will include a footprint​
and some are provided at extra cost but even a simple cheap tarp will provide as much protection.​
Size
I always get a 2-person tent if there's only one person that will be camping the tent. This provides some extra space for gear, luggage or other​
items. Two people camping = 3-person tent.​
Packed Size
I also always pay attention to the packed size specification for the tent. The long dimensions typically tell you how long the tent pole sections​
are. A tent stating a packed size of 24x7 usually means 2' tent pole sections and that makes it a bit tough to pack on a bike. A I personally try​
to find packed sizes in the 18" range as I can then pack the tent poles just about anywhere on the bike.​
A little tip here. If you look at backpacking or hiking equipment you'll find things that were designed to be smaller than the family-camping​
equipment where weight and size are of little concern.​

The Sleeping Bag
How Cold
This is a tough one. Some of this will be dictated by the air mattress you end up getting. If the mattress has little or no insulation properties​
then you may need a better sleeping bag. For me, a 20-40 degree bag is good enough for just about every temperature range you'll see on​
your typical motorcycle touring adventure.​
Type
Rectangle - These are pretty much what most people think about when they think sleeping bags. These provide the most shoulder room and area to move around.​
Mummy - These bags are great for cold weather as they allow you to tuck your head into the top section and they are tapered at the leg/feet​
section. This allows your body heat to warm up a minimal amount of area while also keeping your head covered. When sleeping in one of these​
you will have everything covered except for your nose/mouth area. Seems kinda strange at first but it works very well. You also don't want your​
mouth covered as the vapors you exhale will collect in the bag and make it damp.​
There are some bags on the market now that offer a rectangular shaped bag but a zip-off top shaped like a mummy.​
Down or Synthetic - the major advantage of a down bag is it will pack to a smaller size than a synthetic bag. The major advantage of a synthetic bag​
is it will dry out faster if it gets wet. Since packing size is my major concern I will typically go for a down sleeping bag.​

The Air Mattress
Most don't think about air mattresses much when they think about camping, the tent and sleeping bag seem to get all the initial concern but the air​
mattress can be the most important part of all the gear.​
Remember, if you don't get a good night's sleep then you won't be 100% the next day when you get on the bike on public roads.​
When you lay on an air mattress there are 2 things happening. One is your body is trying to warm the air inside the mattress and the other thing is the​
ground is trying to cool the air in the mattress. If the mattress has low or no insulating properties then your body is fighting a loosing battle with the​
ground.​
Some purchase very thick air mattresses with no insulation because they think it will be more comfortable but anything above 4 inches thick is just about​
impossible to warm with your body in cooler temps. Air mattresses in the 2 to 4 inch thick range but also with some type of internal insulation will provide​
the best night's sleep.​
The width of the air mattress is also an issue, many are 20 inches wide, seems wide enough but you want something at least 24 inches wide or you will​
be rolling off the mattress.​
With the thicker mattresses, I find it best to not inflate them 100% but more about 75%. That will mean less air to warm up but also you lay IN the​
mattress and seems to make them more comfortable.​

The Bags
I like to keep the things I use for sleeping in a waterproof bag and the tent in a separate waterproof bag. This works well for a couple reasons. First, it​
keeps your wet tent away from the stuff you want dry and inside your tent. Second, it allows you to begin packing up your campsite while you're still​
inside your tent. Wake up and pack your air mattress and sleeping bag into one waterproof bag while inside your tent and even if it's raining, you've​
accomplished to keep your dry stuff dry and you're half done with packing.​
There are many waterproof bags on the market from $40 to well into the $100 range. You pretty much just need to search for 'dry bags' and you'll​
come up with many options. Try to find a bag that meets the min packed size of your tent unless you plan on storing the tent poles elsewhere.​

What about cooking
I try to keep things simple. I have previously packed a backpacking stove and fuel so I can boil water for coffee/hot chocolate or warm up some food​
however I find it's too much of a hassle. It's something you need to decide how important it is to you. The purpose of this thread is to show you​
the bare minimum you need to camp on a motorcycle and be comfortable. There are many that will say what I bring is not the bare minimal and there​
are those that will bring a lot more gear including stoves, fuel and food.​
I feel that I'm almost always close enough to a town to eat before getting to a campground or head into town in the morning if I feel I want coffee and/or​
breakfast. So for me packing the extras needed for cooking are not that important.​

Useful Links:
Below I have some links to gear that I either have or have used and I feel meet the requirements of what I've posted above:​
Tents
Great Resources
REI

Conclusion
I hope I've provided enough information based on my 10+ years of camping to make your choices for camping a little less painful. There are many out​
there that have camped much longer than I have and in more extreme environments than I have so I am far from an expert. I can only add that the​
techniques I describe above in picking my gear has worked very well for me and sometimes I feel more comfortable in my tent than I do at home in my​
bed. The whole point is to try and take the pain out of picking gear as there are so many options it's overwhelming at times. This may not work for​
everyone but does for me.​
Please post any comments and I'll do my best to address them.​
Thanks!
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2023
Messages
4
Age
67
Location
Echzell
Edit: I posted this originally on NT-Owners.org and thought I'd post here as well.

People are always asking me why I like camping so much and how I can camp on the bike, what are the tips and tricks to it?

Well, everyone is different and I can only provide the tricks that I've learned in the past few years that work for me.
Remember, these are only MY personal preferences and can be used as a starting point for you to get into camping on a motorcycle,
don't be afraid to change things that you feel will work for YOU.

My Background:
I only started riding since Dec 1999 and my camping experience on the bike only began in 2002 so roughly 10 years.

I've developed my camping techniques over these past 10 years and camped on Goldwings, ST1300s and now Dual Sports - Super Tenere/VStrom.

What is the bare minimum I need to camp?
This is the 1 million dollar question. Well here ya go:

1 - A tent
2 - A sleeping bag
3 - An air mattress
4 - Waterproof bag(s)
5 - Pillow - inflatable or compressible
6 - Flashlight and/or Headlamp - preferably LED for long life

That's it. Simple as that.

Now, I'll expand on the items listed above a bit then talk about some alternatives that some prefer.

The Tent:
Cost
If you're only planning on camping a few times a year you can probably get by with a low-cost tent in the range of $100 or less. But, if you plan​
on doing a lot of camping then it may be beneficial to splurge for some name-brand equipment which may run in the $150+ range.​
Type
Tents come in several types but we will only discuss a couple here.​
Bivy - These are typically one-person tents that have one or more poles that require being staked out with tent stakes in order to​
retain their shape/structure.​
Dome - A dome tent is typically a stand-alone tent where, once the tent poles are installed, will stand up on it's own without needing​
to be staked out. For me, THIS is the preferred type of tent for camping on a motorcycle.​
Many dome tents are configured with a front entry​
door or a side entry door. I find the side doors to be the easiest to crawl into/out of.​
Some of these tents also provide the option of 1 or 2​
vestibules - the area the rain fly covers that is not inside the tent. This allows for good additional storage space for those things you don't​
want or need inside the tent.​
Single or Double Walled?
A single-walled tent incorporates the tent and rain fly into one. While this seems like a great approach it can be the source of condensation inside​
the tent. I prefer to stay away from this for motorcycle camping.​
A double-walled tent is simply a tent which has a separate rain fly. The tent will have some mesh to allow for ventilation and the rain fly, once set up,​
will not tough the inner tent. When it rains, the fly will divert the rain away from the tent.​
Seasons
A 3-season tent is more than adequate for camping on a motorcycle. 4-Season tents are made for those thinking of camping in some​
pretty harsh environments including deep snow. If the weather or camping conditions are going to be that bad, you probably decided​
to stay home.​
Accessories
Attic - An attic is some mesh material hanging from the top section of the inside of the tent. This is useful for placing lights, glasses, phones or whatever you find you want to keep off the floor of the tent. This is a very nice thing to have. Not all tents come with these and some will be​
included at extra cost.​
Footprint - Some believe a tent footprint are used to keep water out of a tent, however they are really only used to help protect the bottom​
of a tent from punctures or abrasions which would compromise the waterproof 'bathtub' design of the tent. Some tents will include a footprint​
and some are provided at extra cost but even a simple cheap tarp will provide as much protection.​
Size
I always get a 2-person tent if there's only one person that will be camping in the tent. This provides some extra space for gear, luggage or other​
items. Two people camping = 3-person tent.​
Packed Size
I also always pay attention to the packed size specification for the tent. The long dimensions typically tell you how long the tent pole sections​
are. A tent stating a packed size of 24x7 usually means 2' tent pole sections and that makes it a bit tough to pack on a bike. A I personally try​
to find packed sizes in the 18" range as I can then pack the tent poles just about anywhere on the bike.​
A little tip here. If you look at backpacking or hiking equipment you'll find things that were designed to be smaller than the family-camping​
equipment where weight and size are of little concern.​

The Sleeping Bag
How Cold
This is a tough one. Some of this will be dictated by the air mattress you end up getting. If the mattress has little or no insulation properties​
then you may need a better sleeping bag. For me, a 20-40 degree bag is good enough for just about every temperature range you'll see on​
your typical motorcycle touring adventure.​
Type
Rectangle - These are pretty much what most people think about when they think sleeping bags. These provide the most shoulder room and area to move around.​
Mummy - These bags are great for cold weather as they allow you to tuck your head into the top section and they are tapered at the leg/feet​
section. This allows your body heat to warm up a minimal amount of area while also keeping your head covered. When sleeping in one of these​
you will have everything covered except for your nose/mouth area. Seems kinda strange at first but it works very well. You also don't want your​
mouth covered as the vapors you exhale will collect in the bag and make it damp.​
There are some bags on the market now that offer a rectangular shaped bag but a zip-off top shaped like a mummy.​
Down or Synthetic - the major advantage of a down bag is it will pack to a smaller size than a synthetic bag. The major advantage of a synthetic bag​
is it will dry out faster if it gets wet. Since packing size is my major concern I will typically go for a down sleeping bag.​

The Air Mattress
Most don't think about air mattresses much when they think about camping, the tent and sleeping bag seem to get all the initial concern but the air​
mattress can be the most important part of all the gear.​
Remember, if you don't get a good night's sleep then you won't be 100% the next day when you get on the bike on public roads.​
When you lay on an air mattress there are 2 things happening. One is your body is trying to warm the air inside the mattress and the other thing is the​
ground is trying to cool the air in the mattress. If the mattress has low or no insulating properties then your body is fighting a loosing battle with the​
ground.​
Some purchase very thick air mattresses with no insulation because they think it will be more comfortable but anything above 4 inches thick is just about​
impossible to warm with your body in cooler temps. Air mattresses in the 2 to 4 inch thick range but also with some type of internal insulation will provide​
the best night's sleep.​
The width of the air mattress is also an issue, many are 20 inches wide, seems wide enough but you want something at least 24 inches wide or you will​
be rolling off the mattress.​
With the thicker mattresses, I find it best to not inflate them 100% but more about 75%. That will mean less air to warm up but also you lay IN the​
mattress and seems to make them more comfortable.​

The Bags
I like to keep the things I use for sleeping in a waterproof bag and the tent in a separate waterproof bag. This works well for a couple reasons. First, it​
keeps your wet tent away from the stuff you want dry and inside your tent. Second, it allows you to begin packing up your campsite while you're still​
inside your tent. Wake up and pack your air mattress and sleeping bag into one waterproof bag while inside your tent and even if it's raining, you've​
accomplished to keep your dry stuff dry and you're half done with packing.​
There are many waterproof bags on the market from $40 to well into the $100 range. You pretty much just need to search for 'dry bags' and you'll​
come up with many options. Try to find a bag that meets the min packed size of your tent unless you plan on storing the tent poles elsewhere.​

What about cooking
I try to keep things simple. I have previously packed a backpacking stove and fuel so I can boil water for coffee/hot chocolate or warm up some food​
however I find it's too much of a hassle. It's something you need to decide how important it is to you. The purpose of this thread is to show you​
the bare minimum you need to camp on a motorcycle and be comfortable. There are many that will say what I bring is not the bare minimal and there​
are those that will bring a lot more gear including stoves, fuel and food.​
I feel that I'm almost always close enough to a town to eat before getting to a campground or head into town in the morning if I feel I want coffee and/or​
breakfast. So for me packing the extras needed for cooking are not that important.​

Useful Links:
Below I have some links to gear that I either have or have used and I feel meet the requirements of what I've posted above:​
Tents
Great Resources
REI

Conclusion
I hope I've provided enough information based on my 10+ years of camping to make your choices for camping a little less painful. There are many out​
there that have camped much longer than I have and in more extreme environments than I have so I am far from an expert. I can only add that the​
techniques I describe above in picking my gear has worked very well for me and sometimes I feel more comfortable in my tent than I do at home in my​
bed. The whole point is to try and take the pain out of picking gear as there are so many options it's overwhelming at times. This may not work for​
everyone but does for me.​
Please post any comments and I'll do my best to address them.​
I really like Your Tips & The idea of Motorbike Camping as a more common thing To be watching for as Riders of all makes start to catch on to the idea & start implementing it to their already fun & exciting lifestyle!.
Have You thought about getting Your own YouTube channel doing Motorcycle Camping?.
I would subscribe to it!.️
 
OP
OP
Mellow

Mellow

Joe
Admin
Joined
Dec 1, 2004
Messages
18,826
Age
59
Bike
'21 BMW R1250RT
2024 Miles
000540
I really like Your Tips & The idea of Motorbike Camping as a more common thing To be watching for as Riders of all makes start to catch on to the idea & start implementing it to their already fun & exciting lifestyle!.
Have You thought about getting Your own YouTube channel doing Motorcycle Camping?.
I would subscribe to it!.️
Lol thanks but that might take the fun out of it for me, I'm pretty lazy.
 
Joined
Apr 14, 2023
Messages
4
Age
67
Location
Echzell
Lol thanks but that might take the fun out of it for me, I'm pretty lazy.
Yeah!, I Get It!, Sometimes All the extra hassel just isn’t worth it!, But there is a $$$ to think about if You ever do change your mind.
But $$$ isn’t everything either!.
Thanks for your reply & Thanks again for your camping tips!.
Keep the wind in your face!, & The rubber side down!. & Stay Healthy!.
 
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