Need gear advice. Getting into camping again

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Question for those who camp.

What sleeping bag would you guys recommend for a taller person?
I'm 6'4" about 245 lbs. I'm looking for a bag that'll fit in a side case and be a 3 season bag but I don't camp enough to justify a super expensive bag. So budget is a plus.

I'm also looking for a good small but effective cooking system.
I have a good tent. Trying to get new gear and get back into moto camping.

I have a foam compression pad thing, a good tent, a Coleman twin air mattress, but that's about all.


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Check out LL Beans sleeping bags. That's what i used until I tried my b in-law's lightweight down bag and a polartech bag my wife picked up at a thrift store. Together they are smaller than the stuffed Bean product, but likely more expensive new.

Every mfr makes a standard and large bag. You will have to decide on shape (which translates to comfort).

I like MSR stoves.
 

Mellow

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The most money you spend on camping should be your sleeping bag and air mattress. The rest you can cheap out on - somewhat..

If you want a cheaper sleeping bag then make your air mattress the highest priority - the cold from the ground will pull the heat from you and a regular non-insulated air mattress is useless unless it's 1 inch thick in which case it's not very comfortable - exped is the way to go in my opinion, but Big Agnes and Thermarest Neo Air are also options, small packed size and good R value. The big key with air mattresses is to get one that is wide enough, at least 25 inches, so you don't end up hanging off one side and touching the ground. Obviously, one that's in the 78 inch length.

Jetboil is great, compact and easy to use. But, you have many OPTIONS there.
 
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Mellow is right about a quality pad. Makes a huge difference at the end of the day. Crappy pad will have you being "not so eager" to call it a day....a good pad will have you looking forward to zipping up the bag for the night.
I've had great luck with the reviews found here.... http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/

I swear by my MSR whisperlite stove.....or anything made by MSR for that matter. Look for a used stove on craigslist....there are tons.
 
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Forgot to add.....if you enjoy coffee spend some bucks and get a decent system. For me, I can go without breakfast till I find a grocery store or restaurant....but I need coffee (good coffee) while packing up the tent etc.
 

paulcb

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I gave up trying to get everything in my panniers and decided to get a drybag. Hindsight always being 20/20, for me, two smaller drybags are better than 1 XL drybag. Easier to pack, carry and strap on. Plus I can keep the wet stuff separate from the dry stuff. I would suggest only get the minimum you need (tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad) and then add as necessary, i.e. cot, cooking gear, chair, etc. You may find that cooking a gourmet meal in camp is not your thing and a cheap stove with a couple pans is good enough. Heck, mostly all I do is boil water with a $7 stove for coffee and Mountain House meals.

Keep an eye out for REI sales... I got my bag, tent and sleeping pad on closeout sales there.
 
OP
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Lol I can't cook at home in a full kitchen so the most I plan on doing is cooking up hotdogs or water for MRE type meals. Yes I enjoy a coffee in the morning.

Wow mello those sleeping pads are great. I've traveled with a regular prob 10" thick Coleman airmattress lol.

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paulcb

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I went to REI and actually layed down on their sleeping pads. Great way to see what thickness you need... found out 1" was not enough and 3" was too much. 2" was just right!
 

gmast1100

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After selling my Gold Wing and camping trailer, it was time for me to get back to 'roughing it'. I already had three different bags for different times and location of camping. Bag I use the most is my Kelty rated down to 30. Not sure what model. I needed a tent and sleeping pad. My tent I close an Alps Mountaineering Aires 3 which I like. For my sleeping pad I got a Klymit Insulated Static V Luxe along with their Lux Air pillow. While using it on my first camp out in the mountains of Colorado, it lost air during the two nights we camped.

When I got back to Texas I called and they said send it back for replacement. That's where it went south. Took forever to get any replies after I sent it back. Finally got an email from the big boss there and said he was personally sending my replacement out and a Air pillow for my troubles. Received them and have blown the Air pad up and haven't had any loss of Air yet. The pillow he sent was one of their cheap ones so will give to my friend.

Now this pad isn't cheap, $115, and neither is the pillow, $40, but I went directly to their web sight, Klymit.com, and received a discount on my purchase with free shipping. They also sent me a free return of my pad to send back. Pic shows how small they both pack up.

As for cooking, I bought a Stryker a while back on Woot Out. Once I got the pot holder added to the set up, I can make coffee and can cook on it.

I'm with Paul, I use a dry bag to put my sleeping bag, sleeping pad, and pillow in it. All the rest will fit in my panniers and Givi V47 tail trunk.

So I'm all set to go on another camp out, all we need here is some cooler weather.
 

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If you've used your sleeping pad and air mattress in cool to cold and are happy with it, you can stick with that. I can't help on the long bags as I'm only 5'8". But I finally switched to the Big Agnes system of sleeping bag and air mattress sleeve with insulated air mattress. Way more comfortable not having to fight to stay on the mattress. And it will be more compact that your air mattress/sleeping pad combo. I have the Big Agnes air mattress but will probably upgrade to the Exped Synmat as my air mattress is a little cool when camping below freezing even though my sleeping bag is rated at 15 degrees.

Cook system - the newer isobutane cook stoves are SO convenient that I finally switched from my white gas stoves and ultralight alcohol stove setups at least for moto camping on the big bikes. I have the MSR Windburner (can't be blown out as far as I can tell) or the similar Jetboil setups. Fairly compact and light. Not cheap though. If you wait for REI's fall and spring sales, you can get 20% off one item.
 

jfheath

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Have you considered taking a down quilt rather than a sleeping bag. Thermarest make them specifically for camping and they are brilliant. I dont know about availabilty in the states, but there must be something similar.

Why ? Well as Mellow has already pointed out, most of the cold comes from the ground. Heat insulation from a sleeping bag comes from the trapped air. The underneath part of a sleeping bag becomes virtually useless as soon as you lay on it, so why pack the extra bulk ?

I'm 6'4". I have done a lot of lightweight camping, ( hiking and biking) with all sorts of gear and the arrangement we now have with the bike we have stuck with for many years. We use the insulation mats which can be inflated to provide the desired cushioning and extra insulation. We also pack one of the cheap picnic mats which have a poor qulity textile finish, but have a very thin foam like insulation layer, a reflective layer and a thin waterproof base. It is extremely light weight and it packs on top of the topbox. We use it outside the tent on the ground, but also inside the tent under the sleeping mats. Surprisingly it makes a big difference to the ground insulation.

We pack cotton pillow cases and stuff them with various items of clothing - eg fleeces. And we pack a thin cotton sheet to put on top of the sleeping mat.

A big consideration for us is space as well as weight as we camp two - up. At 6'4" the volume occupied by my clothes is significant - my partner can pack twice as much as i can ! I have one pannier, partner has the other. Sleeping gear and day to day easy access stuff gies in the top box. The tent straps to the grab handles on top of the pannier. Ditto the sleeping mats in a waterproof bag.

Cooking system - a hardened lightweight camper from the 1970s, we have moved on from the parrafin Primus that we used until about 10 years ago, and now use a parrafin MSR dragonfly. It is multifuel, so will run on petrol out of the tank if necessary, but i prefer parrafin - it is safer. Very fast, roaring burner, and quick and easy to get going. A bit more of a fiddle than gas stoves, but less bulky and less prone to being blown out in winds.
 
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Dale_I

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I recently added a Jet Boil Minimo system to my gear on the recommendation of JRob. One of the best decisions in a while. He has the Flash, which is the same system in a different shape.

I purchased from campsaver.com and right now in their outlet has the Jet Boil Flash for $75. They have a 20 percent off all outlet coupon for Labor Day, which would knock it down to $60. Free shipping, no tax, I don't know if you can beat it. I can highly recommend the unit and if you're looking at dehydrated food the Mountain House brand is excellent.

Campsaver also had the least expensive Helinox One chair I could find. Only $60 but I had to take dark green.

Their outlet rotates through product fairly quick. Keep your eyes peeled and make sure to look at the color choices. Blue and Green might be full price with Yellow less expensive and Red dirt cheap. For instance, on my Jet Boil, I had to take the sunset design.

Good luck!
 

SarniaON

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The October 2017 issue of Rider magazine has a good article on motorcycle camping and the gear that each of the three editors on the ride used. It starts on page 54 and I'm saving this issue for future reference.
 

Whooshka

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+1 on the MSR Pocket Rocket stove. And if it's in the budget one of these high tech cots is a God-send for those with quirky backs like mine. I like stuff that packs #1 small, and #2 light.

https://www.rei.com/product/114890/msr-pocketrocket-2-stove

http://www.aerostich.com/camping/campsite/sleeping-bags-pads/high-tech-ultralight-cot-1.html

Oh and any tent that has 6 feet of head room. It can be a hassle trying to put on riding gear while on your knees. I have a 9 X 9 that gives me PLENTY of room, although there are many more tents that pack up smaller.
 
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TPadden

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....It can be a hassle trying to put on riding gear while on your knees. .....
I've seen a lot of strange things camping, but someone coming out of their tent in riding gear would be a first......takes ATGATT to a whole new level :rofl1:.
 
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TPadden

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What's your strategy on rainy days?
Read and drink in the tent waiting for a break or get wet. I've never melted or gotten so wet I didn't later dry out. I'd ride naked before I'd put riding gear on in high humidity in any tent. :D
 
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Whooshka

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I've seen a lot of strange things camping, but someone coming out of their tent in riding gear would be a first......takes ATGATT to a whole new level :rofl1:.
Note to self... don't camp next to you unless I want to see a guy in his underwear getting dressed outside his tent. :)
 
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