Best tent, sleeping bag, air bed or mat for panniers?

Kelty mesa2 tent it weighs 4 lbs. I use a Coleman twin/single high air bed and a pump that operates on 4d batteries. I also take a wool blanket. Altogether it doesn't weigh ten lbs.

Spend the money on a good tent like a kelty because there is nothing worse than a leaky tent.

If you plan to go where it is cold, you may want to trade the blanket for a sleeping bag. Take an air mattress because the extra couple lbs is worth not waking up sore after sleeping on the ground all night.

I used to use a backpacking tent that folded down into a roll about 12" by 5". And a self-inflating air mattress (Thermarest) that was only about 2" thick. And a down sleeping bag that stuffed into a little bag about 10" by 10". This would all fit into my saddlebags.

But these days I'm older and I like my comforts. I carry a bigger tent, its advertised as a 3-person tent but the 3 people would have to be very good friends! I use a regular air mattress, which takes up a lot more space. The sleeping bag is the same! (It's >30 years old now but like new. It was a big investment at the time but it's turned out to be a good one.)

The bed and tent no longer fit inside my saddlebags so I bungee them onto the back seat. Another bag with my clothes and stuff goes on the rack.

There are a number of good videos on YouTube with suggestions on what to take for motorcycle touring, and how to pack.

Don't use a sleeping mat just cuddle round the bumps in the camp site and the tent is a 6 x 3 x 3 so snug as a bug. A rear luggage wrack is a must unless you ride solo then the rear seat takes the gear.

Don't forget the torch either!

Good Q.. I have tons of gear and travel camp extensivly (well within the US and Canada) there is no all arround perfect set up as camping could be anything from someones back yard to 300 miles from nowhere, from 100 degreez to 10 degrees, with a group or solo.

Here are a couple of things to concider , The bike really doesn't care how heavy your stuff is, but it should be packed well and fit into to your weatherproof bags. How you pack is important.

Size matters, like backpacking it all has to fit and work for you so backpacking gear is great but sometimes there is stuff that is better in the heavier version. (like a mattress)

I use three bags, mine from Givi are 37 ltr each ,but I have a smaller tailbag from fieldsheer that I use often because I don't use all the room. In them I have

- A sleeping bag,20deg fiberfill because **** gets wet and fill works wet.

- A cookset (mine from MSR but any messkit will do) packed solid with utensiles S&P and other soices oatmeal tuna , instant coffee, sweetner, rice lentils and bullion all in a small stuff sack marked Kitchen" .

- a multi fuel backpack stove with 1ltr of fuel. I use gasoline in my stove so I have a spare liter of fuel if the bike run out.

-a basic first aid kit in the top bag + a knife , flashligh, headloght, lighter, handtowel and gloves in every bag

-An air pump and batteries , my electronic needs, charger cables, spare batteries, camera, phone , garmin.

- warm dry change of clothes and some manner of footwear for the campsite and a few bandanas or a hat

-towel, soap,TP,toothbrush,hairbrush,bug spray, etc

a hatchet(camp size) or loppers.

- a water filter and a 2 ltr water bag to fill at the camp area.

- a tin coffee cup

Then, in a drybag on my seat I have -my tent, a good two man three season at least . Get a good tent that will stay dry and two man so on those week long wet spells you can spread out your gear. Trips can get ugly fast. being able to stay dry is paramount.

-My air matterss. a for the home style twin size . its effing great, it is heavy but the bike doesn't care ,and if you reverse the air pump to deflate it actually packs small. its High and dry in the tent and creates a trough next to it for your gear to be spread out.

- a lightweight waterproof tarp 8'x10' for a shelter to eat under& keep the bike covered overnight, 50' paracord and 6 or so tent stakes.

An average trip for me is five days but often onlt two or three, I like to find a place ,set up camp then explore on a lighter bike.so I don;'t bring a lot of food.

the reality is that on a bike you are rarely more the 20 minutes frome somewhere so I often eat at a resterant then go back to my camp. I never said that I was a purist,lol

Good waterproof gear is a must and a touring grade full leingth parka will be your best friend along with a good pair of boots.

Sorry for the ramble, its the off season , hope there is some info here that you can use.

What bike are you on, where are you traveling, campground , hotel, or roadside poaching?

Best Motorcycle Sleeping Bag

klymit interia x frame sleeping mat

snugpak ionosphere bivy tent