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calgaryrider

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I'm planning a trip this summer about 6 -7000 km, and with motels averaging $100/night,

I think it will be cheaper to overnight at camp grounds ($23-$35/night).

 

Now my question is; what would be a good tent to get, something quick to set up and tear down. And being 6'2" not to cramped.

 

Thanks for any suggetions.

 

 

Markus

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i got one at walmart fo $30 bucks i have used it up at Don's for MD. i am 6' tall i cant stand up in it but i have lots of room seeing i am the only one in it. i also got one of them battary operated fans for those hot nights i dont have a trailer yet so everythnig fits on the bike. you might want to check your route and see if there are any public camp like state parks or corp of enginers there alot cheaper plus they have bath rooms with showers.

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Make sure it has a fly for the top if there its any chance of rain or dew over night. Most tents now have the bungee chord poles so they are fast up n down . Also a small tarp for underneath to prevent ground moisture

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Walmart, Canadian Tire, Zellers (soon to be Target) ... they all have some pretty good tents for under $100. It's a matter of going on-line to their websites and reviewing their offerings. This is what I did a few years ago and came up with a pretty good 6-person, standup tent with fly and awning that is fairly quick to setup for something like $80.

 

We now have a Leesure-Lite tent trailer so the "old" tent is gathering mothballs .... but if I ever do a solo ride (hopefully this summer), I will be taking it.

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This is the one I use.

http://store.eurekatent.com/spitfire-2-tent

I am 6' 1 1/2" tall. Has aluminum flexible poles, sets up in ten minutes, has plenty of sleeping room plus room to spare for a duffle bag. I have slept through some pretty severe thunderstorms and came out bone dry. Plus it all packs up very small, about the size of large thermos and fits right in the saddle bag of my 89 VR leaving plenty of room for my riding clothes. I highly recomend it. PS on hot summer days you can leave the fly off as the inner tent is one big mesquito net.

 

http://store.eurekatent.com/spitfire-2-tent

 

mountian co-op also has a good selection of tents.

 

I also recommend staying away from tents stocked by places like canadian tire . walmart etc. as I have tried them and woke up wet maney times.

Edited by saddlebum
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Wow, don't know where your headed but the average here in the states is around $60...

 

Do you stop at the travel plazas and get the lodging info... ?

 

also a lot of the electronic billboards change hourly depending upon how late and how many vaceincies they have... some go to $29 a nite for the same room you'd have paid $59 or more.

 

Tenting wouldnt be too awful bad on a dry cool night but on a wet or hot and humid night i'll take the hotels AC anytime.. Specially in Florida where the gators are out looking for snacks...LOL

 

My nephew also swears by that priceline.com you know the one that has captain kirk and that big hairy thug? says he gets 4 and 5 star rooms for the price of a 3 stars almost every time?

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Wow, don't know where your headed but the average here in the states is around $60...

 

Do you stop at the travel plazas and get the lodging info... ?

 

also a lot of the electronic billboards change hourly depending upon how late and how many vaceincies they have... some go to $29 a nite for the same room you'd have paid $59 or more.

 

Tenting wouldnt be too awful bad on a dry cool night but on a wet or hot and humid night i'll take the hotels AC anytime.. Specially in Florida where the gators are out looking for snacks...LOL

 

My nephew also swears by that priceline.com you know the one that has captain kirk and that big hairy thug? says he gets 4 and 5 star rooms for the price of a 3 stars almost every time?

 

 

 

I'm planning to head from Alberta to southern Arizona and spend some time in Maricopa. Then meander my way back to Calgary.

 

The room prices I get is from online from either planned stops or areas close to my daily (as much as i might handle) riding range. :draming:

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I rode from here in Kamloops, B.C. as far south as Prescott, Arizona last June. We tented a few nights on the way down, however we found as we got further south, there were very reasonable rates at decent motels. For example, in Kingman, Arizona on Route 66 we stayed at a near new Motel 6 with pool for 38.00 a night for two guys. After riding in 105 degree F. all day, camping kind of lost it's appeal. ( especially when the camp ground wanted 20.00 to pitch a tent.)

With regard to your tent question, ease of set-up and takedown are paramount when riding every day on a trip. Coleman has a new line one minute set up tents that are pretty cool. The come in 4, 6, and 8 man versions. The are a bit bigger and heavier to carry, but I think it would be a worth while trade off. Check them out on Amazon.com or google them. There is one video on You Tube where two guys set up a eight man in less than thirty seconds. :cool10: Ron

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Hammock camp.

Smaller lighter equipment.

You never wake up with the back hurting for sleeping on the ground.

You can stay dryer cook and sit all while its raining.

AND you don't always have to stay in a campground.

All you need is some trees or poles and you are set. You don't even need a flat area.

 

IMHO of course.:thumbsup2:

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I've got the REI Half Dome 2 (current price of $179). Given your size, you might opt for the slightly bigger Half Dome 2 Plus for another $20. Sets up in about 5-10 minutes, depending on how familiar with it you are. These are called 2-man tents, so, if it's just for you, it should be perfect. If you have someone with you, get a 3- or 4-man. Maybe something like the Camp Dome 4 for the same price as the Half Dome 2 Plus. Regardless of the price of these, if your trip is 10 days, you'll spend half as much for lodging in your tent as in the motels. More fun, too. And you can always spend a night in a motel if you feel like it. :2cents:

 

...AND you don't always have to stay in a campground....

 

IMHO of course.:thumbsup2:

Don't know of the rule that says you "have to stay in a campground". :whistling:

Edited by awsmsrv
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I've got the REI Half Dome 2 (current price of $179). Given your size, you might opt for the slightly bigger Half Dome 2 Plus for another $20. Sets up in about 5-10 minutes, depending on how familiar with it you are. These are called 2-man tents, so, if it's just for you, it should be perfect. If you have someone with you, get a 3- or 4-man. Maybe something like the Camp Dome 4 for the same price as the Half Dome 2 Plus. Regardless of the price of these, if your trip is 10 days, you'll spend half as much for lodging in your tent as in the motels. More fun, too. And you can always spend a night in a motel if you feel like it. :2cents:

 

 

one or two man size is enough, wardens idea of camping is Banff Springs Hotel or comparible. So that leaves me traveling solo:cool10:

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....Don't know of the rule that says you "have to stay in a campground". :whistling:

 

 

Let me clarify... You don't always have to stay in places designed for tents.

I have been known to "stealth camp" in my camping hammock on the side of a nice mountain or some other place not really designated as a camp site. Not that I would advocate doing anything illegal!:Im not listening to:Im not listening to:Im not listening to

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Let me clarify... You don't always have to stay in places designed for tents.

I have been known to "stealth camp" in my camping hammock on the side of a nice mountain or some other place not really designated as a camp site. Not that I would advocate doing anything illegal!:Im not listening to:Im not listening to:Im not listening to

Yep. My point exactly. I agree 100%.

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Let me clarify... You don't always have to stay in places designed for tents.

I have been known to "stealth camp" in my camping hammock on the side of a nice mountain or some other place not really designated as a camp site. Not that I would advocate doing anything illegal!:Im not listening to:Im not listening to:Im not listening to

 

 

 

couple hundred feet off some township road could work too:big-grin-emoticon:

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I kept my tent price under a hundred bucks because I figured if it was too hot or too cold and wet I was going ot be in a motel anyway. I just couldnt see spending the extra for all the extras when i am really just a fairweather camper and would never need a tent that would handle 100mph winds or torrential downpours.

 

brian

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I kept my tent price under a hundred bucks because I figured if it was too hot or too cold and wet I was going ot be in a motel anyway. I just couldnt see spending the extra for all the extras when i am really just a fairweather camper and would never need a tent that would handle 100mph winds or torrential downpours.

 

brian

 

DITTO that .... I've done all the "crappy weather" and "wilderness" tenting I'm ever going to do and that was 30 years ago ... never again ... too old for that! LOL

 

 

As for Motels in the USA .... heck, enroute to Cody last summer our highest price motel was the one in Cody .... on the way there and back we had one night at around $50 and another around $75

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DITTO that .... I've done all the "crappy weather" and "wilderness" tenting I'm ever going to do and that was 30 years ago ... never again ... too old for that! LOL

 

 

As for Motels in the USA .... heck, enroute to Cody last summer our highest price motel was the one in Cody .... on the way there and back we had one night at around $50 and another around $75

 

Yup, that 's the beauty of this life stage. I camp because I LIKE sitting around a campfire and having a few cocktails. I only bring a coffee pot with a butane one burner stove because I like my coffee first thing in the morning, no other cooking. Bad weather, or crappy campground with no showers, motel time!

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For the price of one night in a Hotel / Motel and you can have a great tent . I have camped all my life and now I'm kayaking and my gear works great there too. we go for days at a time and the thing that makes a easy night is a sleeping pad I have a Synmat UL 7 this is a nice as my bed at home. Rolls up to the size of a thermos . I buy the best stuff I can and have had some things for 35 + years .

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KOA is a good option,I have used them before and as an AMA member you get a discount.I would imagine that the Canadian equivilant would get you the same.

If you buy a tent my suggestion is to buy it at least 1 person larger then the most you intend to put in it with the smallest being a 3 man tent.They don't cost much more and you will appreciated the room. Also check out the website for the Brotherhood of Motorcycle Campers,they have lots of good ideas.

www.ibmc.org

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Hammock camp.

Smaller lighter equipment.

You never wake up with the back hurting for sleeping on the ground.

You can stay dryer cook and sit all while its raining.

AND you don't always have to stay in a campground.

All you need is some trees or poles and you are set. You don't even need a flat area.

 

IMHO of course.:thumbsup2:

 

I'll second this ...

 

You don't even need trees!

 

A large motorcycle on its center stand with the rear of the bike pointing directly at anything vertical and less than 20 feet away can easily support a hammock.

 

Fix one end to the tree, post, whatever and the other end to the bike.

 

One thing you might consider is a motel every other night. That cuts your bills in half yet still gives you time and space to clean up and relax every 48 hours.

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Around $40 USD will get you a cabin in a KOA. Usually have heat, AC and mattress. Plus they usually have a shower and free WIFI

 

My wife and I did a little 8,000 ride back in '08. Had a tent with us but stayed in a KOA cabin the first night due to a very severe thunderstorm. It was great! Wife said, "put me in one of these every night and I'll save enough to pay for it by cooking for us." Deal! Never used the tent once!

Lynn

Currently residing in Saint Petersburg, Russia

No, the bike is in the garage at home.

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