need some scooter camping advice

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easy
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need some scooter camping advice

Post by easy »

I'll be taking my vacation soon and I'm planning to ride some of the Natchez Trace. I got a 1 person tent yesterday and spent last night in it. Tent did great not so much for my old colman max sleeping pad. I'm needing some info on what's a good pad for $50 but I really would like to keep it around $30.
what did you trade the day for?
TVB

Post by TVB »

I used to use a simple foam pad (visible in this post) that held up amazingly well to a lot of abuse. It isn't cushy, but it turns hard cold ground into something you can sleep well on, so it might be a good low-budget option. But after back surgery (unrelated to sleeping on the pad) and realizing that the body is starting to need a little more TLC, I bought an inflatable pad. I went for the non-self-inflating variety, because a) it really isn't that much work to blow one up, and b) they're a lot less work to deflate.

Anyway, what I bought was the Big Agnes Air Core. They start at $50 (depending on length/shape) which might put it at more than you want to spend, but I'm happy with it. Not too slippery, pretty durable so far (it comes with a repair kit, in case), and it rolls up into a bundle so much smaller than my old pad that I had to re-engineer how I pack my gear on the rack.
Last edited by TVB on Mon May 13, 2013 11:13 am, edited 1 time in total.
GearsAndSuch
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Post by GearsAndSuch »

Speaking from experience of several seasons as a back country guide:

My choice would be a full length thermarest of some stripe, I've slept on one for nearly 10 years and highly recommend it. (Mine was a classic square stay-tek, I think the Trail pro is about equivalent...) Before then, I used a ridgerest that is comfortable enough and extremely durable. However, I purchased it before the Z-Rest and Z-light pads were available, those are a lot easier to manage because they fold up instead of roll.

The air matresses are almost always more comfortable than the foam pads, until they get a leak, and the thicker, the better (for comfort). The foam pads also don't try to scoot out from under your sleeping bag, as the foam-nylon interface has more friction than the nylon-nylon one.

With regards to price, there appear to be many nice thermarest air matresses on ebay.
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Post by GearsAndSuch »

TVB has very a good point: inflatable pads can pack much smaller than foam!
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easy
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Post by easy »

Thanks TVB got one on order from amazon.
what did you trade the day for?
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Scooterboi
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Post by Scooterboi »

TVB wrote:I used to use a simple foam pad (visible in this post) that held up amazingly well to a lot of abuse. It isn't cushy, but it turns hard cold ground into something you can sleep well on, so it might be a good low-budget option. But after back surgery (unrelated to sleeping on the pad) and realizing that the body is starting to need a little more TLC, I bought an inflatable pad. I went for the non-self-inflating variety, because a) it really isn't that much work to blow one up, and b) they're a lot less work to deflate.

Anyway, what I bought was the Big Agnes Air Core. They start at $50 (depending on length/shape) which might put it at more than you want to spend, but I'm happy with it. Not too slippery, pretty durable so far (it comes with a repair kit, in case), and it rolls up into a bundle so much smaller than my old pad that I had to re-engineer how I pack my gear on the rack.
+1! on the inflatable.

If you read the Big Agnes Link they mention adding closed cell foam (EVA) in case it gets cold. Buy a full length EVA pad (1/2" min., $8-ish at Wally World) and cut it down to fit under your torso (usually in half - but not always.) Torso is from base of skull to mid-thigh. Put it under your inflatable and it will: 1) protect your inflatable from getting punctured in the first place, 2) cut down on convective heat loss with the ground, and 3) should you get a leak, it's already in place. Once you have sized and cut it, Z-FOLD it (don't roll) into the most compact shape that works for you and then put something heavy on it for a day or two. It will crease and eventually relax into the folds, making it much easier to pack. When you spread it out it will want to fold back up but a sleeping bag (or the mattress) will convince it to lay flat pretty quick.
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easy
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Post by easy »

I got a blue pad from WM last year camping trip. I'm reading reviews for inflatable pillows now. I'm planning on eating out so except couple bottles of water granola bars I should be done. I have a tool/tire repair kit together. New tires, oil and air filter in the last 500 miles. Thinking of doing a shake down run this weekend maybe to Sloans in Murfreesboro TN to checkout some Moto Guzzi v7 or whatever they got on the floor .
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siobhan
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Post by siobhan »

easy, I see you got a sleeping pad already. I hope it's comfortable. I'm of the school of buy the nicest, most comfy, most compact pad you can, and you'll sleep like a baby regardless of your sleeping bag, tent, etc.

As for pillows, if there's a KMart nearby, check out the pillow section. They sell a "travel" pillow that is just a regular pillow but smaller. It costs $2.49 and mushes down into nothing if you put it in a stuff sack.

If you don't have stuff sacks, consider them.

If it may rain and you don't have waterproof panniers or duffel, put your stuff into trash compactor bags (you can get them at places like Home Depot). They're about the size of a regular kitchen trashbin bag but they're super thick and keep things dry.

Good luck! I do a lot of camping off my bikes, both scoots and motos. There's nothing like it. The trick is to not bring too much stuff.
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easy
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Post by easy »

I'm getting some water resistant bags next payday. Wm had plenty of them but only one tarp that packs down to can of soup size so I got that
what did you trade the day for?
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