MC Tents, why so much $$

[Ceri JC]

RE: those Nemos that make use of trekking poles.

It's a shame they don't have cord attached to the two 'peaks' to allow you to suspend them from things for when you don't have poles. I suppose in a pinch, you could put a small round stone in the peak on the inside and then tether paracord around that to make some. I wouldn't want to do that regularly though.

The reason I suggest this is that I have one of their Gogo bivvys. One nice feature is a short length of cord built into the outside of the tent that allows you to suspend the 'head end' from a tree, or even the handlebars of your bike, if your airbeam gets punctured*. For those really obsessed with pack size/weight, you could do this all the time and remove the airbeam and pump and leave them at home.

Someone on here a couple of years back posted their idea for an ultralight motorbike tent that hung the high point from the bars*. That's the direction of motorcycle-specific tents idea I'd personally like to see developed; using the bike itself to eliminate poles. Handlebars with guards on are ideal for this. In bivvy-type shelters, you can use your helmet to hold the foot end off your feet/legs.

*The way you do it to avoid getting a bike in the head in high winds is pitch the tent so the head end it touching the nose of the bike from the front of the bike; not the side!

[sailah]

I camp a lot so I spend a fair amount of time in a tent. I've owned a very nice kelty that was a world traveler but finally retired due to seam seal letting go on fly.

I picked up a mountain hardware on sale for $150 and I like it but I wish it were a little bigger.

After a major month long ride where I packed way too much shit, I've revised my packing philosophy. I do not run a tank bag, hate them. I do not run duffels strapped to every square inch of available space. If what I need for weeks on the road will not fit in my panniers, I don't need it. I like seat space and an uncluttered look. And I'm a cook too so when I camp I usually have a full cookset.

Tents can easily creep up in size and weight. I heard one guy saying his tent was 14#. Seriously why? Mine weighs four and more importantly packs small. I bought my current tent because the packed size was 18" long so it would fit in my panniers.

I don't care about a roomy tent, thats what booze is for

[PeterW]

Originally Posted by Rick West

As it does in pretty much every product made. There will always be someone who has to tell people that his $39 disposable Walmart tent is as good as the premium ones that cost hundreds of dollars more, but nobody is fooled by it. If you can't afford a premium quality tent, then buy one that is in your budget. No need to pretend it's as good or has the same features that the expensive ones have.

But some of us don't care :). I buy 'O.K.' tents from the large outlets when they are on special. Last trip a thunderstorm blew through, my 'el-cheapo' 3 person tent held up fine.

They aren't as 'good' agreed, if I was doing multi-week trips relying on the tent I probably would spend more, but I camp a few times a year, couple of days max, and though it's never happened, if everything turned to shit I could always throw the tent away and find a motel to spend the night.

And I have thrown a tent away, someone threw up on my tent, came back the next day, apologized and gave me $50. That $20 tent went in the campsite dumpster with zero regrets, I was headed home anyway.

Pete

[Ceri JC]

Originally Posted by sailah

I don't care about a roomy tent, thats what booze is for

LOL, I once pitched my bivvy (extremely poorly) after coming back from the pub. It was hilarious how bad it was pitched when I got out in the morning. Slept fine though.

[davsato]

Originally Posted by BigDoc

what is it?

[Drif10]

Originally Posted by BikeMan

why do mc tents cost so much? are they somehow better than a regular tent. like the ones ya can get at wal-mart?
http://www.practicalsports.com/motorcycle-tents.html

The only true 'mc' tent out there that I know of is this one:

http://redverz.com/tents.html


As has been said: You get what you pay for.

Remember the Bell helmet ads from the 70's?

"If you have a ten dollar head, buy a ten dollar helmet."

Granted, we're talking tents here, but the principal rings true.


If you're gonna use 3 times a year, go to walmart. If you're gonna use it more, head to REI or MEC.

Eureka site has blems for sale cheap from their site. Good deals.

[kitesurfer]

Originally Posted by seniorasi

I love the hammock for about 5 minutes. I've got a seriously bad back that requires alot of rolling around during the night. Riding the big pig so weight is not a worry. Thanks for the suggestion though.

I TOSS AND TURN ALL NIGHT~! IN my hammock that i amde myself (double layer 11.5 x 6 wide) i can lay anyn way i want. i turn over just like in a bed. but, i sleep, so sound that i don't need as much sleep. many mornings, imlay wide awaka and mut my finger to the ground and make myself swing. i always carry a hammock and REDVS EXPEDITION 2. it depends on trees adn campspots as to what i sleep in.

[pyoungbl]

Lots of talk about tents: weight, poles, and cost. With about 40 years of camping experience my biggest bitch with every tent is the cheap pegs that come with the tent. After years of watching those crappy aluminum noodles bend at the hint of hard ground I finally bit the bullet and bought something more substantial. The same (very expensive) set of 8 pegs has served me through about half a dozen tents. In terms of cost per use they are damn near free now. I'll avoid giving a plug for a brand but just say that upgrading the pegs on any tent is a critical step if you want to use the tent over and over. I prefer tubular pegs because they won't nick other stuff that is packed nearby.

[koorbloh]

Originally Posted by davsato

what is it?

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/c....aspx?a=619972

[seniorasi]

Originally Posted by kitesurfer

I TOSS AND TURN ALL NIGHT~! IN my hammock that i amde myself (double layer 11.5 x 6 wide) i can lay anyn way i want. i turn over just like in a bed. but, i sleep, so sound that i don't need as much sleep. many mornings, imlay wide awaka and mut my finger to the ground and make myself swing. i always carry a hammock and REDVS EXPEDITION 2. it depends on trees adn campspots as to what i sleep in.

I'd like to see photos of it. The flexibility in my back has all but disappeared, wakes me up at night...

[jeepinbanditrider]

Originally Posted by pyoungbl

Lots of talk about tents: weight, poles, and cost. With about 40 years of camping experience my biggest bitch with every tent is the cheap pegs that come with the tent. After years of watching those crappy aluminum noodles bend at the hint of hard ground I finally bit the bullet and bought something more substantial. The same (very expensive) set of 8 pegs has served me through about half a dozen tents. In terms of cost per use they are damn near free now. I'll avoid giving a plug for a brand but just say that upgrading the pegs on any tent is a critical step if you want to use the tent over and over. I prefer tubular pegs because they won't nick other stuff that is packed nearby.

Good point on the pegs. I've got a full set of MSR groundhog stakes and their thinner ones meant for harder ground. They are titanium and I've beat the living hell out of the thin ones into ground I probably shouldn't have even been camping on an they keep on trucking with only 2 or 3 showing any signs of benson at all.


Sent from my iPhone

[RogerWilco]

Originally Posted by pyoungbl

Lots of talk about tents: weight, poles, and cost. With about 40 years of camping experience my biggest bitch with every tent is the cheap pegs that come with the tent. After years of watching those crappy aluminum noodles bend at the hint of hard ground I finally bit the bullet and bought something more substantial. The same (very expensive) set of 8 pegs has served me through about half a dozen tents. In terms of cost per use they are damn near free now. I'll avoid giving a plug for a brand but just say that upgrading the pegs on any tent is a critical step if you want to use the tent over and over. I prefer tubular pegs because they won't nick other stuff that is packed nearby.

There is no real reason not to "give a plug", if you have found a brand that works well. It might be a big help to people.

[Twohondas]

The best tent for MC use depends on one primary variable......How old are you?

[DaMonk45]

Originally Posted by RogerWilco

There is no real reason not to "give a plug", if you have found a brand that works well. It might be a big help to people.

I'm looking for a new set of pegs that others have tried.
I'm getting too old and too broke to keep buying crap that don't work.

[BigDoc]

Originally Posted by davsato

what is it?

http://www.sportsmansguide.com/net/c....aspx?a=619972