Big guy…bike camping. Help with tent selection

Big guy, I dont know exactly what you mean by south east but it brings up images of rain. When we tour we like to keep the bikes covered and protected from the rain. If you are not worried about bugs you can flip your bike upside down and use as a base for an 8×10 tarp and your done. Check out cycle america you should find lots of good info on touring. We are hoping to ride from Wa to key west before heading to Alaska in June. See you out there. Ali

Will your son also be joining you on your bike tours? If not, tarps scream "Take me with you!" for a biker.

I've seen tarps and bivys specifically for use with a bike. I just don't know where!

The copper spur is very heavy for an ultralight backpacker too. Is a "free standing" tent a requirement for your bike tours?

Jack

Oh, I worry about bugs a lot (can you spell F-I-R-E A-N-T-S ?)

Seriously, I do want a tent.

One other question: Is all this obsessing over light weight a fools errand? Am I sacrificing durability by 80% to save a pound or two?

Good question about my son joining on bike tour. Hadn't even considered that, but he might.

See, when you ask people a question, you get all kinds of stuff you'd never consider on your own.

But, I really am not feeling the love with respect to a tarp. Gimme a floor, screen and zippers. Por Favor.

If you are going with your son the shared load isn't that bad for the BA Copper Spur UL3. The UL2 is about a pound less but it would be a tight fit for the both of you. Do you have a shop where you can see the tents setup to give you an idea of the actual size?

Good suggestion.

REI is not too far. I tried a Copper Spur UL1 there and found it way too small. Their website has the UL2&3, but not so sure if the store would have them.

Here's a question: At 90", the above mentioned tents would seem to be plenty long enough for me (again, I'm 75" long-so that leaves 15" of space. But I guess I worry that the tent is really not 90" long, or that a long sleeping bag will extend far enough beyond my head and feet to "eat up" all that extra 15".

BTW, saw another tent that was 96" long- but came at a pound and a half penalty over the Copper SPur UL3. Still, the main use is bicycle touring…is weight that big a deal in that application?

It might be 90" but that can be deceiving since not all 90" may be usable. My BA Fly Creek is listed at 86" and at 73" tall I just barely fit due to the sloping foot end. From looking at the pictures the Copper Spur line may not have this problem. Was the UL1 at least long enough for you? Hopefully someone else can chime in on this or you can find one locally.

Bob
I'm on a mission here…
This is how I get a rough idea of what will fit where..
In the picture you see the given floor plan for the BA Copper Spur UL2.
I positioned the mat taking into account the (relatively modest) inward slope of the end walls (5" away from the end of the floor at the head). Note that the sides also slope in but there is plenty of space between that and the fly.
The mat in this flat mode is 71" long and 24" wide. The width simulates the shoulder room of your large bag. Note that it extends past the mid point in the "foot " area.
This does not give you a definitive answer but shows me that you 2 would be touching ( at the bottom end) and pushing a bit against the walls. Some will be OK with that.
However I don't see any problems for length with either version.
There is an excellent review (by Ray Estrella) here http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/ on the UL 3.
Franco
BTW, I have seen the 2 and 3 at REI but I am 5'7".

The tape measure starts 5" from the floor end and is set at 6'4"

I'm not sure. The sales person at REI didn't set the tent up properly (she had the poles reversed) and I was a bit rushed.

I need to go check it out again.

Franco…..excellent post. I also read the review that you referenced- Excellente!!

I'm thinking that when manufacturers describe a tent a "X" persons, they are assuming some pretty smallish body types or some very "close" large ones. Fon't see how three six footers could sleep in this tent.

OTOH, I am looking for some extra room when soloing (which will probably be the vast majority of the time) and with a one pound weight penalty- the UL3 seems to make a lot of sense. For my purposes anyway.

A lunar duo from SMD would give you the same 90" length at less than half the weight. Dual entry, dual vestibule. Bought one this year and love it.

http://www.sixmoondesigns.com/shop/shopexd.asp?id=47

Ok here are my creditials on this one –

I live in the SouthEast.
6'1" 225 lbs.
I own a Copper Spur 2
I owned a Copper Spur 3

IMHO the Copper Spur 2 is not a option for 2 big guys. I have mine for myself and my 3 year old. I would be hard pressed to feel comfortable with my 5'6" 130lb wife in there with me.

The usable floor space of the Copper Spur 3 would be great for the two of you, but the Spur 3 had a fatal flaw (as far as I am concerned) – VERY low entry with the fly on. This was the reason I sold mine. As a bigger guy you essentially have to crawl through the vestibule to get to the inner tent. The crossing pole is pulled so low with a taut pitch, if my memory serves, that peak is around 32 – 34 inches of the ground. That's the peak. The entry is offset and even lower. If the ground is muddy then so are you.

I would keep looking and maybe find some middle ground between tent and tarp. A mid with an inner bug tent would be easy to split between 2 people, only take what you need in the cooler months, and in the humidity down here the nest standing alone will often provide better ventilation than any tent with the fly off (no fabric panels wrapped around the ground that make you feel like you are swimming in humidity).

Note: MANY times you will not need a center pole with a mid. An apex loop, 50 ft of hanging line and a couple of extra stakes will fix you up.

Hi Bob,

I'll toss the Tarptent Cloudburst 2 into the mix. I've been using one this season–both solo and for two–and it's reasonably comfy for two six-foot guys and downright luxurious for solo, at 2.5 pounds. Plenty of length to accommodate your extra 0.25 foot of height.

Cheers,

Rick

Joonathan,

Thanks for the thoughtful reply.

Question: Is the entry issue also an issue for you with the Copper Spur 2? Is it an issue with all backpacking double wall tents?

I need to get back to REI for a really tent workout session.

BTW, anyone have suggestions on good shops in Atlanta area?

two that come to mind and check in under 6 lb

black diamond mesa this is a bomb tent long enough for your tall frame and plenty of headroom and room for two to sleep comfortably (i have had three in mine once and though a little cramped it did work out ok

marmot aura 2p this one is almost identical in size to the
mesa but it has a different pole setup my buddy just got
this tent and it is very roomy i could fit my 86 inch bag
in it without touching the ends so im sure you would fit great in it also

the kelty teton 2 would be the only other tent with a 90 in floor that might work for you but its definaltly not as wide as the bd or marmot tents you can get these tent at a reasonable price if budget is a concern they are a good entry level tent with aroomy interior other than being narrower in width

check them out
divr6347

I have the Marmot Aeolos 2p and find that it has met all of my needs. With the 90"x54" floor it is quite roomy. The vertical walls make it a true 90". campsaver.com has it on sale for $250, but look around.

I am also a cycle tourist. I visit this site because I believe cyclists often take too much gear (particularly US cycle tourists): the (ultra)light revolution has hardly begun among them. Having said that, conditions are different for cyclists and walkers, of course. The first important difference is that even though weight matters to the cyclist as well, it really does not do so to the very same extent. It is most critical when you intend to do a lot of climbing, but it is quite immaterial in flat terrain.
My bike trips are usualy more than just a couple of days, so I have to take more clothes. Fresh food and fuel (alcohol in my case) are usually easy to get, so I do not need to take too much, but the fresh food I buy I want to be able to prepare properly. So I need a stove to cook/fry real meals. No boil in the bag meals for me when I am cycling in France….
A bike can be kept outside the tent – they are made to cope with rain, so don't worry.
As for clothes, I think high visibility shirts are what you need. Brooks Nightlife running shirts are quite light, and may save your life. I also have a packlite shell in the same color (it was hard to find).
As for your question about a tent. If you are tall, the problem is that many small tents have sloping walls at the end. I am of avarage height, and still the supposedly 220 cm length of a Hillberg Nammatj is not really enough to avoid my bag touching the inner tent. So I suggest you may want to have a look at the Hilleberg Kaitum, with its vertical back wall. Helsport also do long tents.
Light pannier bags hardly exist. Ortlieb recently introduced a cheaper City Line, that has fewer frills, and is thus not only cheaper but also quite a bit lighter. They could do much better, however.
Enjoy, and ask more questions if you have them

Something to consider: hiking with your son, you might want separate shelters. Two big guys in a tent can be a little much. The only person I share a tent with is my lovely wife — my hiking partner has his own tent. Separate tents is more flexible in many ways.

I'm not sure I'd consider a 6 pound tent "light" for either hiking or cycling. Our new Lunar Duo is very long inside (I'm 6-2 and have plenty of room for gear at my head and my feet), and weighs 45 ounces.

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