Comfort In Old Age

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Psamathe
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Comfort In Old Age

Post by Psamathe »

Been sleeping in my Saunders JetPacker and made me wonder how I walked the West Highland Way in horrible weather 2 of us in the JetPacker because now I'm thinking it's not big enough for me alone! Wondering if maybe I'll add and extra half kilo to my load and go for a two person tent! (e.g. MSR Hubba Hubba)

I've not noticed getting less flexible but in the fine weather we've been having I don't remember getting dressed/undressed being so cramped.

And the thought of not being able to sit up whilst tent bound during rain ...

And once you start the so, extra half kilo, so I start looking at inflatable pillows .....

Ian
tatanab
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by tatanab »

I remember borrowing a Jetpacker back in1990(ish). Just for me it was small enough to be awkward, and I found it easier to dress and undress outside. When I started cycle camping my criteria were that I had to be able to sit upright in the tent, move around inside if rained in, and keep bags inside if I wanted to. My tents have all done this, and most have been sub 2kg. I think weight and bulk are more important when on foot, I keep to low bulk when cycling too but not at the cost of some comfort. An inflatable pillow is my item of luxury too.
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
A small pillow case and stuff your unused clothes in it.
You have got to be able to sit up in a tent.
2 kgs would be about right, a two man makes a good solo tent.
But makesure you can sit up!

West hiland way brings back memories of -10C.....trudging through thigh high snow..........long dark nights.........warnings of don't go........such is life.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
pwa
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by pwa »

Few if any "one man" tents have enough elbow room for my liking. I would always favour a tent rated for one person more than the number of people actually using it. Well worth a few hundred grams of extra weight.
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horizon
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by horizon »

Cycle camping means you can take the extra weight and bulk - it is what keeps me happy when I have to face the traffic but see hikers heading for the coast path. Not only can I get to a campsite but I can be comfortable when I get there.

BTW, the biggest comfort factor IMV is the inflatable mat. This is luxury on an unimaginable level.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Whenever I go camping tent or sprung mattress in the camper :)
It always takes about three days to get a good nights sleep.
I used a lilo about 40 years ago..we binned them after a few days as they were flat before we woke.

Even a 4-5 mm foam mat works wonders, poundland used to sell them for 99p......
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
mercalia
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by mercalia »

Psamathe wrote:Been sleeping in my Saunders JetPacker and made me wonder how I walked the West Highland Way in horrible weather 2 of us in the JetPacker because now I'm thinking it's not big enough for me alone! Wondering if maybe I'll add and extra half kilo to my load and go for a two person tent! (e.g. MSR Hubba Hubba)

I've not noticed getting less flexible but in the fine weather we've been having I don't remember getting dressed/undressed being so cramped.

And the thought of not being able to sit up whilst tent bound during rain ...

And once you start the so, extra half kilo, so I start looking at inflatable pillows .....

Ian


seems like you are ready to get a Thermarest Mondo King self inflating mattress. One of the best ever and you wont want to get up in the morning
Psamathe
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by Psamathe »

mercalia wrote:
Psamathe wrote:Been sleeping in my Saunders JetPacker and made me wonder how I walked the West Highland Way in horrible weather 2 of us in the JetPacker because now I'm thinking it's not big enough for me alone! Wondering if maybe I'll add and extra half kilo to my load and go for a two person tent! (e.g. MSR Hubba Hubba)

I've not noticed getting less flexible but in the fine weather we've been having I don't remember getting dressed/undressed being so cramped.

And the thought of not being able to sit up whilst tent bound during rain ...

And once you start the so, extra half kilo, so I start looking at inflatable pillows .....

Ian


seems like you are ready to get a Thermarest Mondo King self inflating mattress. One of the best ever and you wont want to get up in the morning

Got a Thermarest NeoAir XLite and happy with that.

Ian
PH
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by PH »

I recently had a look around a Exped Mira and for the first time in decades I have some tent envy. It doesn't have a drastically different footprint to other popular 1 person tents, but the steep ends and width of headroom make it feel a lot bigger. YMMV of course, but it's one worth looking at, at 1.2kg there's not much of a weight penalty over anything else.
http://www.exped.com/usa/en/product-cat ... rettyPhoto
crazydave789
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by crazydave789 »

I looked at one man tents but decided to keep going with my old tadpole for the comfort and familiarity. if I change it it will be because I want a big fat frog which is the same thing with a porch.

most of the ultra lightweight tents do so by sacrificing too much IMO. UK weather is too contrary
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pjclinch
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by pjclinch »

IME well worth having a test-crawl in a tent to get an idea of how the space works for you. I always felt the Jetpacker was a bit hairshirt when it came to comfort and went down the Spacepacker route and carried a bit more, back in the days when Saunders were leading the pack with both design and materials. These days plenty more to choose from and you won't necessarily suffer from carting about too much more stuff, but if possible do have a test crawl as one person's Perfect Tent is another's "I couldn't live in this".

I'm still happy in my Spacepacker, but my wife has never taken to it and if she's solo she uses a Hubba HP. If I wanted to lighten up a fair bit and keep the strength I like I'd have a good look at a Hille Enan, though it would help if I'd won the lottery lately. We both use Exped inflatable pillows, and are very happy with them.

Pete.
Often seen riding a bike around Dundee...
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horizon
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by horizon »

I have a Jetpacker which I used in Spain (= dry :) ) The deal breaker is whether you can sit in it when it rains. I've just come back from a trip in Cornwall using my new Vango Helix 100 - great tent but still too small really for rainy weather. This was just a trial run and I was lucky with the weather.

I got the Helix for faster, longer days: you get in it at night, you get out in the morning, you pack and go and find breakfast at the next cafe. At 1.5kg it's about the same as the Jetpacker. But if you need to cook or just find shelter in the evening, it doesn't really work. So that means a bigger tent, more weight, lower mileage. It's your choice but it depends on what you have in mind.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
Barks
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by Barks »

I take a small tarp sheet if I am using a small tent and rig it as an awning over the tent entrance. You can rig it quite high, up to standing room if you like as long as not too windy. It weighs a lot less than trading up to a bigger tent and can even be used on its own at a lunch or rest stop. In warmer seasons I just use the tarp and a mesh inner to keep the bugs away.
willem jongman
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by willem jongman »

My biggest comfort in oldish age (I am 65) is to have lightweight gear (12-15 kg in total). I really don't care for a chair, but I do care about a comfortable mattress (either an Exped Synmat UL or an Exped Downmat, depending on temperature). I also like a slightly larger tent. When I am touring with my wife we have a Hilleberg Nammatj 3 GT. For solo use I am about to get myself a Helsport Ringstind 2 Pro. This is in the shape of many solo tents, but it is just that little bit bigger in all dimensions. Even though I care a lot about gear weight, I think a slightly larger tent is always worth the extra few grams, and much more so than other things such as chairs, laptops etc etc.
slowpeddler
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Re: Comfort In Old Age

Post by slowpeddler »

Old age starts about 85 anyone younger is not old.

Always go for a 2 man tent. I use a Vaude Odysse i picked up at the Cotswold sale years a go. Why? it is just over a metre high in the tent and has a huge porch for spreading out and for cooking in bad weather. Not made anymore but their are plenty of good tents with porches out there.

I always take my beloved Trangia, an Exped down mat, my trusty Snugpak bag and an Ergolife stol chair, probably one of the most comfortable pieces of kit I have ever used. I know some will say too heavy, but it isn't. it wraps around my tent in my Ortlieb rackpack. You never get backache, always comfortable, great for reading, cooking and generally watching the world go by. Cycle touring is about enjoying your life at your own pace.

Take the minumum of clothes, I just wash and wear but never skimp on waterproofs I once had hypothermia in Germany in July!

Always keep some food in the bottom of your front pannier: coffee, pasta, onions, curry powder. You can buy eggs and mushrooms anywhere and make a fast easy meal. Having a full tum is part of being comfortable.

I haven't bought any cycle camping kit in years and this will take me to my old age about 85 (so only 10 years to go)

PS Always value you kit, not on its original cost but the cost per day. So my tent has done 150 nights, so about £1.30 a day. Cycle camping is so cheap and as an added bonus you have total freedom thrown in! What can be better? John
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