Tent,sleepingbag,mattress extra weight??

[ergle]

I took camping gear in panniers and on a rear rack to the pyrenees this year, and didn't really notice the weight.

I had a lightweight tent, a wee airic inflatable matress and a small sleeping bag - no cooking gear as I ate in restaurants in the evening. I suppose the gear does slow you down, but I wasn't in any particular hurry, and on the uphills you just drop a cog and get there eventually.

[Peter Rowell]

An important point:-
When you use panniers, make sure you get some 6mm elastic cord to make straps to fasten the panniers to the rack. It is important to prevent them swinging as you pedal. I make up hooks for the ends from cycle spokes. Make a hook to fit the rack and a ring to pass the elastic cord through and fasten it.

[barn]

I took camping gear in panniers and on a rear rack to the pyrenees this year, and didn't really notice the weight.

I had a lightweight tent, a wee airic inflatable matress and a small sleeping bag - no cooking gear as I ate in restaurants in the evening. I suppose the gear does slow you down, but I wasn't in any particular hurry, and on the uphills you just drop a cog and get there eventually.

Yeah that is what i am looking at doing taking camping gear and eating in restraunts,or buying it on the way.I went to a camping shop yesterday,tent was 2.5kg and sleeping bag was 1.2kg does that sound about right?.

[Martin Brice]

Terra Nova do the Laser range of tents, I have the Laserlight Competition which weights 860 grams all in. it is small but i have done a few mountain marathons with it and have slept in it with my mate who is 6 ft 4 and i am 6ft 2. we have cooked in it as well, although you need to be well organised and very co-operative. it has kept out torrential rain in north wales. another mate has a slightly heavier version and camped with it for two weeks while cycling from Calais to Switzerland and back into France - his tent is bigger than mine but obviously heavier but still less than 2k. i paid £180 for mine and think it's good value and plan to use it in cycle camping in Norway next summer.
another thing - the tent is the one item where you can really save a lot of weight and space in the panniers so it is worth thinking about.
as for the sleeping bag - buy only down, it is lighter and warmer and lasts for decades. I have a Rab Quantum Top Bag - it weighs 500 grams but has a single sheet of pertex on the bottom to save weight. This is designed to be carried in a 2 day mountain race, so is a bit extreme for cycle camping.
I'd suggest you pay a lot to save weight on the tent and then go for a sleeping bag that is warmer than you think you'll need - buy one with a zip so if you are too hot you can unzip it and stick a leg out to cool down. BUT one freezing night lying awake shivering and you'll regret saving £50 by purchasing a cheap sleeping bag. i have been there, done that......

[jake]

Martins advice re tents and a sleeping bag is very good. I think cycle campers have a lot to learn from the current ultralight hiking "boom". Alpkit are hard to beat for reasonably priced, very light bags and sleeping mats. The Terra Nova Superlight range of tents is worth considering as is the Mountain Equipment AR Ultralight 1 (1.14 kgs). IMO these days 2.5kgs is too heavy for a tent. Check out Hike-lite.co.uk , Backpackinglight.co.uk and winwood-ultralight.co.uk.

[leftpoole]

I took camping gear in panniers and on a rear rack to the pyrenees this year, and didn't really notice the weight.

I had a lightweight tent, a wee airic inflatable matress and a small sleeping bag - no cooking gear as I ate in restaurants in the evening. I suppose the gear does slow you down, but I wasn't in any particular hurry, and on the uphills you just drop a cog and get there eventually.

Yeah that is what i am looking at doing taking camping gear and eating in restraunts,or buying it on the way.I went to a camping shop yesterday,tent was 2.5kg and sleeping bag was 1.2kg does that sound about right?.

Hello,
The tent is too heavy, the sleeping bag could be lighter but if as I suspect, it is synthetic, then with a lighter bag you would probably get cold.
John.

[Peter Rowell]

I am planning some time in the Pyrenees,do may people cycle tour through there camping etc?

One point which you should consider is if you are touring in a hottish climate, the tents which are often in use there, have an Aluminised outer coating to reflect the heat off. Many campers have found that the tents we use in this country are too hot in the Med. area.

Make enquiries with the Association of Lightweight Campers (Google this name), they have the expertise in this area.

[nobby]

I am planning some time in the Pyrenees,do may people cycle tour through there camping etc?

One point which you should consider is if you are touring in a hottish climate, the tents which are often in use there, have an Aluminised outer coating to reflect the heat off. Many campers have found that the tents we use in this country are too hot in the Med. area.

Make enquiries with the Association of Lightweight Campers (Google this name), they have the expertise in this area.

Bur precious few of them seem to be lightweight campers.
the Fell Club is a better bet. They really are lightweight campers and a lot of them are cycle campers.
http://www.fellclub.org.uk/

[andymiller]

You can pretty easily get a 1 man tent, 3-season sleeping bag and thermarest threequarter mat that weigh less than 2.5kg. If it gets cold put your thermals on (always carry a set of thermals). If it's hot put your tent in the shade.

If you're travelling somewhere where you may need to spend days in the tent then you might want to consider getting a bigger, heavier tent.

Second the recommendations for Alpkit.