Camping was a completely different experience for us. We do have a couple of small 2/3 man tents which have been used on beaches a few times if we've ended up staying overnight in a secluded bay only accessible by sea, but our camping was mainly to set up a base for 2 weeks of Boating/Diving/Exploring in Devon. We'd go down with several other families, all with boats and similar camp set-ups, and the site we used to use gave us a good lump of one of their Rally fields as we took up a lot of room. The site just outside Dartmouth closed at the same time as we stopped going for other reasons and we all really miss it. Our home away from home for 2 weeks was an Outwell 6 birth (2x3) for the 4 of us, which has two good sized bedrooms and large living area. We extended it outwards with 2 awnings, the first with sides for cooking and outside storage, the second open on the sides for sitting under. We plugged in to the Caravan electric supply so had florescent tube lighting, a full size fridge, and if required fan heaters to take the chill off if we were early or late in the season. And took up a big pitch with parking for the car and boat The boat of course was a 7.5m camping trailer for the trip there and back. We always fancied a caravan, but of course couldn't tow the boat and a Caravan at the same time, so the tent was the answer. In reality we probably had more space in the tent than any caravan. It's been many many years since I threw a 2 man tent on the back of a bike and camped for a few nights, but hope to get back to doing it in the next few years.
I did not know you could do that. I had the same issue with my old single cam R1200GS. I'm off to find my manual to see if it's possible on a liquid cooled one now... mind you, don't know where I'd have put the Mrs.
No camping fridge, a proper plug in domestic one @3/4 normal size meant for smaller kitchens. The fridge, lighting etc was all about making the whole experience more comfortable for my family. A couple of nights in a 2 man tent without standing headroom and lighting is fun, but it soon wears off if you are looking at 2 weeks.
The tent part of the deal was not the issue - you can get quite small lightweight ones. A lightweight inflatable mattress and a lightweight PHD down sleeping bag can mean the total weight and size is quite small. The rest of it comes from the other stuff - camping stoves, fuel, pots and pans, cooking utensils, food, plates, bowls, water carrying, tea bags, sugar and salt and pepper ! This is all stuff that you have to carry if you want to get into the whole camping thing - I used to do this on a pushbike at one time - must have been mad ! Don't even get onto the subject of which stove to take (Tiger 800 in Sweden)
I use a tent made by Vaude called a Terraquatro its actually a three man tent but more suitable for tow persons with gear. It packs small and is super quick to put up even in the wind. Cost about £350 but worth the investment.
I like that - looks a bit weird at first with all of the architecture on the outside like it will take ages to fiddle with. Watching the vid it goes up really easily. Like the two entrances as well. Yellow/orange inner tents somehow are more cheerful and light inside. Nice one.
To follow up, this is my once used Sierra Designs tent, I bought used following a similar thread. I started doing as I usually do, researching the death out of tents and realised I needed to spend a gazillion pounds on a tent that weighed less that a roll of bog paper, but then thought - whooooah - I may not like it. Tested it out in the garden (inner shown) and then in reality on a midge infested Welsh camping site. Weight 4kg, which sounds heavy in reviews, but it isn't in reality. From my experience, go for a decent size - this is actually a three man and unless aiming to go in rainy season, don't fret about quality too much.. PS: I will never camp again - bloody awful pastime.
Oops. Sorry about the messy images but I'm useless at techno things. Anyroadup I've got this Vango tent for sale @ £150 if it's any interest to you. Unused apart from putting up in the garden to try out. Big enough to sleep 2 and the tall entrance will store all your gear and it's tall enough to stand up in to get kitted up in the morning if it's raining. Made by Vango. Sorry but no offers.
Thanks for all the info, who would have thought it would gain so much interest! I have bought a cheapish 3 man hiking tent from Decathlon that will fit in the top box so if it’s not for me then I can ditch it and find a hotel!
Speaking as an extreme-novice camper, that looks like a good tent for the money, and a nice compact pack-size too - ideal for a bike-trip as far as I can see.
Yes it fits in the top box. They had it in Argos reduced. It maybe absolutely rubbish. Will give some feedback after the two week trip.
Having had a huge gap in my motorbike camping habits I bought a Hilleberg Soulo, as recommended by one of my shorter friends. Great quality, easy to put up and pack away, but it was too small for my > 100 kg 1.82 m bulk, so I bought a Lonerider Adv, which is not the same quality, but suitably sized. if anyone wants a Hilleberg Soulo used for two nights make me an offer.
