2 man tent that fits in pannier

Find the tent you want (3 man is much better if you're ever going to have 2 people sleeping in the tent).
Then replace the tent poles (because they'll probably be too long to fit in the pannier) from this place: Linky or someplace like it.
I found that with a quick search.
 
I found 2 tents that are now on my short list. Need to pack small and have room to sit in a chair inside the tent.

Kelty Teton 4 ? all metal poles and clips. Was on sale for $99. I missed purchasing at Cabellas Father's day weekend sale.

Cabela XPG Ultralight 3 Tent ? all metal poles and clips. $149 on sale. Packs small at 16" long.

Cheers,
Haze
 
I got the REI half dome 2+ that fits. The poles are 21". Yes, there are shorter options out there but this is a hell of a 5 pound tent for $149 (sale).
 
mountain hardwear drifter 2 is my favorite. I like a fly that goes all the way out over the tent for rain and the fly off makes an open tent for hot nights. Sets up easy and fast in the dark.

Raymond
 
I have been shopping for a new tent and it is important for me to fit in the pannier like my old one which spec'd 8" x 15". Point is the pack dimensions given online aren't always correct. I went to the REI store with a tape measure. I liked the REI Passage 2 specs but the 22" pack size turned me off - my old Ornyx was 15" long. I liked the features and price of this tent and figured I would pack the poles separate to fit on the bike but when I pulled the collapsed poles out of the bag to measure them they were only 17" long. I could roll the tent in a manner to pack 17" long which is great for me. I also checked a Marmot tent and it's pole length was less than the pack size.

Besides pack size the features I wanted were at least one vestible, a storage loft, and interior mesh storage pockets.
 
I picked up the Hamr 3 person tent, made by Koppen, based on the packed size. I believe it's 17" long and about 5" dia when packed. Janis and I put it up during the Thursday night rain at FerrySToc this spring, and aside from the water that got in during set-up, we stayed dry the rest of the night. Light and small. We're happy with it.

UPDATED: Worthless without pictures. #1. Packed tent in pannier lid. #2. Lovely wife checking out the new tent.

John and Janis

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Mark said:
Find the tent you want (3 man is much better if you're ever going to have 2 people sleeping in the tent).
Then replace the tent poles (because they'll probably be too long to fit in the pannier) from this place: Linky or someplace like it.
I found that with a quick search.
Click to expand...

The poles is where I ran into an issue. I took a section of 2" PVC (I think it was 2"). Added some end caps and I keep my poles in that. It seems to work pretty well. I secure the PVC to the side of my cooler that I have sitting on the passenger seat. It protects the poles and keeps them out of the saddle bags. Though it may not work out as well if you have a passenger. I do agree that it is nice to go one size bigger with the tent. 2 people, get a 3 man. Solo, get a 2 man. Also it is nice to have a vestibule. The Tent I have is a Eureka and have I been happy with it.
 
I agree with all above posters on sizing the tent. 2 man if solo or 3 or 4 man if 2up camping. If you find one you like you can pack the poles separately on the rear seat if solo, or on top of a pannier or top case/rear pack if 2up. I also very much recommend a rain fly that comes all the way down on all sides and provides at least one vestibule for additional dry space storage for boots and stuff that you really don't want *inside* the tent. I really like my Mountain Smith 2 man with 2 vestibules. I think it was discontinued right after I bought it from Campmor.com though since I haven't found another one for a few years now. The poles are aluminum and double-cross each other to make it a true 3 or 4 season tent. Holds up really well in a high wind or severe storm (been through one or two of those and stayed dry in it). I've been using my camper lately but still have the tent and am considering using that at MNSTOC... just because.
 
Just about any tent (without the poles) will fit in a saddlebag.

The pole-length is the limiting factor and when you look at tent specs - look at the 'packed size' number. An 18x6 packed size typically means the tent pole sections are 18" long.

There are many backpacking tents out which have shorter pole lengths as it makes backpacking easier. It's pretty easy to find 2-person backpacking tents with 15-20" pole lengths. The 3+ person tents are a bit tougher to find smaller length sections but there are a few out there. The alternative is to pack the tent material in a saddlebag and the poles separately but that means there's a possibility you forget the poles and some have done that, not a fun time.
 
I've got a Alps Mountaineering Merimac 5 outfitter tent that I like, but it is so big. It has 6' of headroom! However, it appears it doesn't pack much larger than the much smaller tents. The poles are sturdy and heavy (it is an outfitter heavy duty tent), but I could easily mount them on top of my top case. I have a compression sack for the canvas portion of tent, and it will fit in the side cases. It is like a condo when it is up, vents well, and is good in the rain.

Instead of buying something else, maybe I should first practice setting this one up more effectively, and see if i can get some tent poles that are lighter with shorter sections.

Thanks for the insight guys. I always tend to buy first and ask questions later!
 
Mellow said:
Just about any tent (without the poles) will fit in a saddlebag.

The pole-length is the limiting factor and when you look at tent specs - look at the 'packed size' number. An 18x6 packed size typically means the tent pole sections are 18" long.

There are many backpacking tents out which have shorter pole lengths as it makes backpacking easier. It's pretty easy to find 2-person backpacking tents with 15-20" pole lengths. The 3+ person tents are a bit tougher to find smaller length sections but there are a few out there. The alternative is to pack the tent material in a saddlebag and the poles separately but that means there's a possibility you forget the poles and some have done that, not a fun time.
Click to expand...
What I was saying is that with two tents I just looked at the pole length was considerably shorter than the advertised pack length. If I didn't know this I would have ruled out some 2 man backpacking tents that otherwise meet my criteria.
 
dduelin said:
What I was saying is that with two tents I just looked at the pole length was considerably shorter than the advertised pack length. If I didn't know this I would have ruled out some 2 man backpacking tents that otherwise meet my criteria.
Click to expand...

I've sometimes seen the stated packed size differ among different sites so I do more searching when I find a tent I'm interested in, youtube reviews are helpful too.. I know it's the internet and everything is 'true' on the internet.. LOL
 
When I travel with a tent, I put the tent in a Helen Bag on the seat behind me. Moot point if you are riding 2 up. The bag the tent goes in is not waterproof because the tent will be wet in the morning when I pack and leave. I save my panniers and top box for stuff I want to keep dry. My bike cover also goes in the bag with the tent. Someone told me long ago to stuff the tent in the bag, instead of folding. Tent poles also go in the bag with the cover and tent on the seat behind me.
 
I go two up and having space for everything is not easy. I was thinking about install a rear shelf in the same way a towbar is fitted so two strips to the exhaust bolts and two hanging strips down to them with a shelf across the back. The only issue would be covering the number plate but you could always find the company who supply stupid size plates to some sports bikes and mount a second on the topbox
 
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