Bikamper bicycle tent?

[Zen]

Here's a picture of my Silshelter on the C&O Canal trip. .

But there's no fly or floor. If it rains you're SOL and
I don't want snakes huddling next to me for warmth

[DebW]

But there's no fly or floor. If it rains you're SOL and
I don't want snakes huddling next to me for warmth

I was lucky I wasn't camping in the rain. My groundcloth was not much wider than my sleeping bag. I only saw one snake the whole trip, so wasn't too worried about that. It was sure nice to have light pannier.

[Tuckervill]

This is what I've done when I've car camped on long trips lately.

Put up the big dome tent. Move all gear and bikes into tent. Blow up the mattress. Put it in the back of the Element. Sleep warm and dry no matter what.

I even have reflective insulation for the inside of my windows, which I put up for privacy and insulation. I can turn on the radio in the car when I want to hear the weather.

Karen

[PamNY]

I even have reflective insulation for the inside of my windows, which I put up for privacy and insulation. I can turn on the radio in the car when I want to hear the weather. Karen

Do you have reflective insulation for the side windows? I like sleeping in the car when I arrive at the campground late. I've never succeeded in attaching anything to the side windows. I use rental cars, so every car is different, and the car seat cover (for dog) and other amenities are a new adventure on each trip.

Any tips on covering the windows would be welcome.

Pam

[Tuckervill]

I use this reflective insulation. It is kind of like a bubble wrap sandwiched between two pieces of tin foil, but it's stiffer.

I cut it to fit inside the windows of my Element, which has convenient sunken windows which allow the insulation to stay up there with friction. That would be hard to do with a rental car.

So I have another idea based on what I do with my sunroof. For my sunroof in the hot summer, I put a piece of window screen on top of the car and hold it down with little magnets. You could do the same thing on the outside of a rental car. Carry a tarp or even just fabric pieces, cover the windows from the outside and put a bunch of little magnets around them to hold them down. You'd likely want them to be waterproof, since it would be no fun to have soggy fabric to put away. There are some parts of some cars that magnets won't stick to, so that might be a drawback. But you should be able to at least hang them from the top.

Think that would work?

Karen

[PamNY]

Magnets! Great idea. That should work well; I can try it with inexpensive blue poly tarp which I have plenty of. The reflective material looks interesting, too.

Thanks!

Pam

[madscot13]

I was lucky I wasn't camping in the rain. My groundcloth was not much wider than my sleeping bag. I only saw one snake the whole trip, so wasn't too worried about that. It was sure nice to have light pannier.

ahh you make camping look so easy. I think I like this one: http://www.tarptent.com/squall2.html

[DebW]

ahh you make camping look so easy. I think I like this one: http://www.tarptent.com/squall2.html

The tarptents are very nice. But pay attention to pole options. Most of the tarptents expect you to have trekking poles along to use as tent poles. So add poles to the weight and and make sure the pole length fits in your panniers.

[madscot13]

The tarptents are very nice. But pay attention to pole options. Most of the tarptents expect you to have trekking poles along to use as tent poles. So add poles to the weight and and make sure the pole length fits in your panniers.

yep, you gotta have poles. they have optional poles that break down to 15- 20 inch lengths and weigh just a couple ounces. I had the same hesitation but for hiking I wouldn't want to go any distance without poles and for biking a few more ounces won't hold you back. The two person tent with optional poles is still lighter than other tents.

[Jolt]

But there's no fly or floor. If it rains you're SOL and
I don't want snakes huddling next to me for warmth

Good point about the snakes--yuck! I'm not one to be afraid of snakes but that doesn't mean I'd want to share my sleeping bag with them... I was thinking about experimenting with tarp camping on a backpacking trip or two this summer but the critters are definitely a potential issue as is rain. The hammock-camping idea is also intriguing, especially given that at some campsites you have to pitch your tent on a wooden platform which is HARD (pitching the tent on it as well as sleeping on it)! Has anyone done either/both of these and have recommendations? Sorry if this is a bit of a thread drift...

[Zen]

I don't have one but hammocks have a pretty good rep.
DebW has one and they get raves on the C&O Canal group site.

[DebW]

I love my hammock. Quite comfy. It's tarp camping off the ground, so no crawly things to worry about, and no hard wooden platform under your back. I made my own, using directions you can get from the book sold on this site: www.speerhammocks.com. You do have to worry about keeping your backside warm, so either a foam pad inside or quilt-like insulation outside and underneath. Here's a picture of the cocoon-like insulation I made for the outside of my hammock.

[Jolt]

I love my hammock. Quite comfy. It's tarp camping off the ground, so no crawly things to worry about, and no hard wooden platform under your back. I made my own, using directions you can get from the book sold on this site: www.speerhammocks.com. You do have to worry about keeping your backside warm, so either a foam pad inside or quilt-like insulation outside and underneath. Here's a picture of the cocoon-like insulation I made for the outside of my hammock.

Looks comfy! I ordered a hammock with attached bug netting from Amazon; it was on sale and seems like it should be decent to try. Only bummer is that I looked at the weight of the whole system (hammock, tarp, stakes/guylines) and it's slightly heavier than the tent I have. However, that tent is very cramped and hard to pitch on the platforms without it sagging, plus the platforms are uncomfortable. I'm thinking the extra few ounces are a reasonable trade-off, though just tarp camping on the ground would be over a pound lighter and that would be nice...but then there's the possibility of random critters in one's sleeping bag or waking up in a puddle if it rains. With the foam pad in the hammock, do you just use the regular kind you would use on the ground? Seems like it would be awkward... That quilt thing you made looks pretty cool but how hard are they to make?

[DebW]

Looks comfy! I ordered a hammock with attached bug netting from Amazon; it was on sale and seems like it should be decent to try. ... With the foam pad in the hammock, do you just use the regular kind you would use on the ground? Seems like it would be awkward... That quilt thing you made looks pretty cool but how hard are they to make?

Closed cell foam works well inside, preferrably wider than you'd use on the ground. Some people use Thermarests, but they don't conform to the hammock and can pop our from under you. The Hennessey's are quite popular and work very well. Some companies make underquilts to fit them. For a top-entry hammock without permanent bug netting, a wide sleeping bag with an opening at the feet can be used like my homemade cocoon.

[bikerbarb]

The best tent I found is the Big Agnus. I got the 2 person. My son is using it now in Japan and it comes with 2 vestibules and he puts his Bike Friday in oneside and panniers and other gear in the other. it only weighs 4 lbs. When I went over and travelled with him for a couple weeks, I brought along a larger attaching vestibule that has a pole and extends the tent so that I fit my regular size bike in (with the front wheel removed) along with his bike. With 2 of us and all of our gear it was cozier, but definitely comfortable and dry and very light weight. He has come to love the tent and I know I'll never get it back, so I told him it could be his graduation present! The only problem is that he needed to get a new stuff sack for the tent as the very light weight fabric of the one it came with ripped from bungies. This is not a cheap tent, but a great investment, esp. if you camp anywhere you find yourself, not just in campgrounds and want to keep your bike safe and dry. (and with REI 20% coupon and dividend, it brought the price down.) Here's a picture: http://www.rei.com/product/748015