tents

what type of tent are you useing for camping out while on the bike?do you go for weight,compact,all weather type tent , ease of use ,what do you recommend? Am thinking the black wolf mantis II new model two man tent,looks the goods any body got one,had one???

I've had a Blackwolf tent for well over ten years. And it it still as good as new even with a fair bit of use.
Its more like the Hornet model in shape. It has'nt got a model name on it but I remember it was one of the more expensive ones.
Its been used quite a bit in snow and rain up behind my place here and out in the mulga and sand up in NSW and Qld.
I will be using it for our trip.

Ive had an Outer Limits backpacker for 3 years now and its a great little tent. Enought room to sleep and store your gear next to you, with a small vesibule on the outside for your boots. 2.5kg

Yep, got one. Haven't had the chance to take it on a ride yet but from all reports they are pretty good. Had a few camp outs on the lawn with no probs.

http://www.eurekatent.com/c-2-tents.aspx

I have purchased a few Eureka tents, good quality and direct from the manufacturer in the USA very cheap, less than half the price charged by local camping shops.

Hi ozibikedude,

if, like me, you are not as young as you used to be, a smallish tent (and remember that a two man usually means two 8 year olds) can be a challenge if you need to get your gear out of the rain or dew, try and sit up inside, get changed etc.

I settled for the black wolf hornet which is classed as a three man, still light, but has a good amount of space for gear, a second person at a pinch, and will allow you to get changed inside, sit up and read or whatever. They had it at half price at Anaconda last year so be patient if you decide to buy.

I originally bought a coleman two man, which tapered from head to foot, but it was very cramped for my ageing body and you couldnt really get much gear inside, hence wet stuff in the morning.



Anyway just a few thoughts.

Cheers WH

Got a Mountain Designs one. Packed up it's about 450mm long and 100mm diameter and weighs almost nothing.
Love it.

I'd look on some of the US sites as their prices are much cheaper, particuarly high end tents. I have a Hubba Hubba 2man 3 season tent which cost $220US on special. It's worth shopping arround. Try Sierra Trading and some of the companies listed in the Vendors section. Also bought Exped 7 ($110US) and other gear. But it helps to have someone in the US to send it to as many suppliers will not send brandes equipment to Australia.

Nah, it's too much like a hutchie for five times the price.

I have a cheapo Great Outdoors 1.5-man tent I bought 12 years ago as a "temporary" until I could afford a better, lighter one. But... err... apart from its bag, it's still going strong. It's called a "Cycle 2L" because it alleges its packed volume is two litres, but I'll be damned if I could ever get it that small... anyway, it's about 4.5kg, 50cm long and diameter 15cm when rolled up. In the desert, like all modern tents, you can just put up the mesh interior bit and see the stars free of bugs.

Here it is without the fly:


With the fly:


And packed on the bike (blue/grey bag at the front of the bundle on the rack):


I have (very occasionally) used a hutchie strung off the bike on one side and pegged down on the other (like a lean-to), but find this causes mosquito problems and is useless if you stay in a caravan park on a longer trip and want to ride into town for some grub - you have to collapse your tent and leave all your shit in the open. If you add a mossie net to this setup, it takes as much room as the tent.

Black Wolf Wasp 2
Two years and all OK but the floor is starting to let moisture through(and so is the blue tarp that goes under it )A great tent with good air flow,door each side.
Only dislike I have with the tent is its pole pockets.I hate that

`I never lived in a house yet without there was something wrong with it.
Gimme a good tent.'

from "The Ghostly Door" a story from the collection "Joe Wilson and His Mates" by Henry Lawson

i have an epe 2 second tent i can be halfway through the first beer and the others are still putting there tents up

and i have a swag which i just bought (i have had a queen swag for years bu its to big for the bike so i used my sons but it was to short but was fine with the tent)

I went the Mantis II.



Looking forward to using it.

And the winner is... Black Diamond Ahwahnee

Expensive, single skin, 4-season, waterproof, quality construction, packs small and, I'll say it again, EXPENSIVE.

Absolutely a bloody brilliant tent... and I've owned a few. This tent retains warmth during the night. No 'morning shower' from internal condensation buildup. I could go on... PM me if you want to know more.

2 years since I bought it and nowadays I barely remember the wallet pain. No regrets at all.

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/mountain/shelters/ahwahnee