Tent, Sleeping Bag & Compact Air Mattress Advice

I am planning on a solo trip out west this year to check out some of the National Parks. I am going to be on a KLR and plan on camping in the parks some of the time. Any recommends on a compact tent, sleeping bag, and air mattress or sleeping pad for under the sleeping bag? Thanks

Big Agnes

I really think their sleeping bags/pads are top notch.
Tent I would either go cheap or go with REI as their warranty/return policy and available stores makes sense.

I have a Mountain Hardware brand three person tent that I've been using since 2008, it's been well used and continues to stay water tight. It's been from Georgia to Alaska in it's life, all on the back of a motorcycle. My advise would be to spend a little extra to get a better quality tent as this will be your home while traveling. www.rei.com has good "house brand" tents at decent prices, and they are a good product with an excellent warranty should something happen. Feel free to send me a PM with any questions you might have as far as camping off the back of a bike, I'm no expert, but I really enjoy it!

I'm also a member over at www.motocampers.com They're a great bunch of folks on there that are willing to share their experiences. They have been over run by threads on pop up campers lately, but most of us there still camp with tents.

Not related at all to your question, but be sure to buy a National Parks Pass before you leave on your trip. It will allow free entrance into all national parks and any other federal lands that have an entrance fee. (It doesn't give you a discount on campgrounds, though.)

http://www.nps.gov/findapark/passes.htm

Big Agnes mattress for me, standard bag, I toss and turn, don't like the Agnes bag. I carry a compressor too, I used to sit there in the dirt and blow the thing up, but it takes too much effort after a long day.

I just got the new Camp Dome 2 from REI to replace a worn out Half Dome, it's half the price and packs smaller.

1 - Big agnes sleeping system (bag and mattress).
2 - 8x10 silnylon tarp.
3 - bug hut.

doesnt get any more compact

Lots and lots of brilliant info on entire camping setups and how they are carried here:

http://advrider.com/forums/showthread.php?t=237723

Big Anges, Seadhouse 2 tent, BA bag and pad.

The Seedhouse 2 packs up very small and is free standing which is nice. 2 man tent which has enough room for one and gear. For two people it would be tight.

Thanks for the replies.

I was already on the National Parks site and will purchase the pass before the trip.

consider a tent with small "porch" on front, if its rained in the day keeps your damp riding gear out of main tent, and hung up can hopefully help dry over night

I'd recommend a two man tent rather than going for a one man. The extra space can be priceless in bad weather and for safe storage at night.

I've used a North Face Mountain 24 (discontinued) for years and it's proved bomb proof. Split into two good compression sacks with poles in a fly rod tube.

Not my pic but shows the inner tent without the outer cover and with the doors open exposing the fly screens.


The Mountain 25 seems to be the replacement but it's expensive. I see you own a KLR. A tarp sheet will work...

If you plan on going further and extending your range then buy a better tent now rather than having to upgrade later.

Love my Big Agnes system bag... I have the 15 degree bag and insulated air core pad. Used it in temps from 15-65 degrees and it's very flexible temp wise.

All great suggestions so far. I use an exped down mat 9, it's by far the most comfortable mat I've ever used. It's very warm and allows me to pack a lighter sleeping bag. My bag is a yeti passion 3 down bag, which is great for all but the coldest nights in winter.

I'm a big fan of hilleberg (I think there's a thread on adv about them) I have a soulo which is great for just me or a nallo if I'm sharing.

The whole lot is pretty lightweight, about 3.5 kg or 8lbs.

I forgot to add a mattress...

I go with a 3/4 length Thermarest.

The top one is the 3/4...


No idea what bag to suggest. At the moment I've an Army one that's great. I go through them quite quickly.

I use a Big Agnes Lost Ranger 15 degree semi rectangular bag, with an Exped downmat 7. It's by far the best sleeping I've ever had. The mat has a built in pump and the down provides great insulation. I'm a big fan of REI tents, been using the half dome 2 for several years and it's been a wonderful tent. Good Luck with your choice and have a great trip, the west is amazing.

I have a 2 man Kelty, bought off the ADV flea market. Does a great job, I have a Big Agnes air pad and 25 year old North Face Blue Kazoo down bag.

+1 on the REI Halfdome. I use a Big Agnes air pad that works great and packs small and a Mountain Hardware 35 degree bag. This will be my kit for the TAT this year.

I can fit the tent, sleeping bag, pad, water bag, cooking kit and Kermit chair plus some odds and ends in a large Ortlieb bag on the top rack. Kermit won't go on the TAT though. Have a three legged stool that packs much smaller for that.

DH

Preparing for a trip this summer. I bought the Marmot Limelight 3 person tent on sale for 200 bucks from REI. From the time it was delivered by UPS I had it set up in our den in 5 minutes. EASY. Still researching bags, but I'm leaning heavily toward the Big Agnes Whisky Park, which is big enough that I can move around in, coupled with Big Agnes Q Core pad. On the tents and bags YouTube is a pretty good place to review your selections.

Tents:
I've got a 2 man Kelty just like AteamNM a few posts up. Plenty of room for gear on the inside, plus with the rainfly up there is a covered area outside the tent for muddy boots, etc. Look for backpacking tents as they'll take up the least amount of room in your gear and are relatively lightweight.

Bags:
Get something rated for at at least 10 degrees colder than the coldest night you'd expect. You can always open up the bag or tent if you get too hot. I've had a Kelty 3 season mummy rated for 25 degrees for about 8 years now, and it's been great for anything above freezing.

Pads:
I've always used Thermarest self-inflating pads. They can be a little pricey (~$100), but they pack up extremely small and do a pretty good job of cushioning uneven ground. There are cheaper alternatives but they are going to take up a lot more space.