The Honda Owners Club

With the rally season in full swing now I need to get myself a new tent and sleeping bag - I feel the cold far too easily and need something that will keep me warm as toast! Needs to all easily fit on back of a bike too!

Any recommendations? (and please - resist the urge to try and flog me a toaster!!)

Depends what you want Jennie. Do you want to stand up in the tent? Do you want a lobby area to sit/keep your bike kit overnight etc. I suggest you have a look at whats available on the web on sites such as the outdoor megastore which importantly for us give the weight and packed up size of the tents and sleeping bags. For instance, when I bought my tent one of the criteria was that it had to fit into the topbox. As for sleeping bags you will need a three or even four season bag if you feel the cold. The mummy type bags are probably the warmest but are very restrictive and bugger all use for entertaining...........
I would also recommend an airbed if you have room. If I'm particularly travelling light I have one of those self inflating short beds that are only about 25mm deep. It rolls up to next to nothing. I also have an air pillow which I put in a pillow case and pad out with dirty T shirts as the weekend progresses.
Give me a ring if you need any more help.

Graham

Thanks Graham... am not fussed about standing up, nor 'entertaining' but a little luggage space would be nice.. I'll check out that store , and would definitely want an airbed to put some space twixt me and the ground! Thanks for the info! I know some of the guys in your branch had fab tents at the 's no rally - do you know what make they were and what bags they had? (All of them were toasty cosy at flippin minus 7...!)

bugger all use for entertaining...........

Sorry, what sort of entertaining would you do in a sleeping bag..........oh hang on... ....that sort


Alternatively Jennie, get a trailer tent
http://www.camperlands.co.uk/trailer_te ... aster.html

of course you need a need a bigger bike to pull it, always there be a down side

If it gets too cold there are some nice B & Bs just down the road....

If I were you Jennie!..if you feel the cold then bin the whole idea of camping and check into the nearest hotel that has a swimming pool and sauna!

..Well, I know camping can' be fun! However, personally I have very few recollections of having fun in a tent!!!

A mummy bag is by far the best, and my preffereance is for a centre zip, rating to suit body temp!

Alan D wrote:

bugger all use for entertaining...........

Sorry, what sort of entertaining would you do in a sleeping bag..........oh hang on... ....that sort


Alternatively Jennie, get a trailer tent
http://www.camperlands.co.uk/trailer_te ... aster.html

of course you need a need a bigger bike to pull it, always there be a down side

ha ha ha... silly sod...

Chris'TR' wrote:If I were you Jennie!..if you feel the cold then bin the whole idea of camping and check into the nearest hotel that has a swimming pool and sauna!

..Well, I know camping can' be fun! However, personally I have very few recollections of having fun in a tent!!!

I have lots of recollections of having fun in a tent! but that was a long time ago... and now I just want one that will keep me dry and warm really... if I had unlimited funds I would probably go for the hotel / B & B option but needs must and all that....

As long as I can get my body temp up (which I managed at the 3 Shires rally Sat night) then I'm a happy bunny But that was a borrowed tent and probably bigger than I need.

I'm off to do some googling!

Thanks all for your feedback / suggestions

Hi Shellshine,
I don't know if you are still looking for a tent, bag and mat. I am one of those guys who was toasty warm at the Sno' rally, the tent is a Coleman Graphite 4 (retails for about £160, but can be bought for about £85 if you surf about) the next nearest tent to this in spec is a Vango equinox 450 (about £350 and heavier) the sleeping bags we brought were Snugpack extreme (comfort to -7 and extreme -13) they are available from the Luton army surplus store for £39.99 (these are paratrooper bags so have plenty of room and the nearest spec bag from civvy street is £200.00 for that rating). As for the sleeping mat we got ours from ebay they are the self inflating type and are called Thermarest trail lite regular (retail about £40.00) all these bits of kit are the best size for packing and carrying on a motorcycle but still give you the protection and warmth you need, the golden rule is the tent keeps you dry, the bag keeps you warm and the mat insulates you and keeps you comfortable. The Coleman tent is expedition class and not to be confused with lesser tents retailing for £50-£100 quid that would not survive a Sno' rally.
Cheers Tourman.

Jennie,

I'm with Chris on this one. The smallest tent in the world fits in your wallet and has Visa written on it.

Seriously though I have spent a few nights under canvas and find that the smallest one man tent you can find is normally the best, they are warmer and tend to pack up smaller, although not so good for entertaining

Whatever you end up with enjoy your hols and I hope the weather's good for you

You, sir, are an absolute star!!! Thank you... there aren't many tents that would survive a 's no rally!!

Whereabouts in Luton is the army surplus store ? (I used to live in Luton but I can't remember - it's a age thing!! )

DNF880 wrote:Jennie,

I'm with Chris on this one. The smallest tent in the world fits in your wallet and has Visa written on it.

Seriously though I have spent a few nights under canvas and find that the smallest one man tent you can find is normally the best, they are warmer and tend to pack up smaller, although not so good for entertaining

Whatever you end up with enjoy your hols and I hope the weather's good for you

@ the Visa comment

what is it with you guys and this preoccupation with 'entertaining'

Thanks though, I shall definitely enjoy my hols - oooh I dooo hope so re the weather too... I've just been having a look at some of the other bike related sites I belong to and the rally lists are pretty limitless.... however the budget isn't so I'll have to be a bit selective.. HOC first of course!

Oh, and if you like camping (not the Visa way) then you'll love the rallies that 3 Shires organise! Can particularly recommend the February 'S No Rally... superb fun!! (But pack a hot water bottle!)

Hi Shellshine,
The Luton army surplus store is on the new Bedford road just past the mill street intersection (opposite and to the right of dominoes pizza, park in the car park behind dominoes and walk through). the guy in there is very helpful and did offer a smaller lighter bag with the same rating for £80 but it wasn't as comfy and there was very little difference in size and weight so the £39.99 bag was perfect. p.s. we bought the graphite 4 tents (4 man) because they were on special offer at the time, but Coleman also do a graphite 3 tent (3 man) that is identical only very slightly smaller so you may be able to get one of these on special now also.
Cheers Tourman.

ahhh... I know just where you mean (I think)... is that the car park behind the Co-Op funeral place too...I'll find it... thank you Ian!

Much appreciated... am in Clophill tomorrow so only a spit and a shuffle away so may tootle on down there and have a look see!

Cheers again!