{"id":61698,"date":"2024-03-23T11:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-03-23T10:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/2df72149-c76f-4459-9ac0-e359a06fbb19"},"modified":"2024-03-28T12:59:46","modified_gmt":"2024-03-28T11:59:46","slug":"how-to-choose-the-best-bikepacking-tent-for-you","status":"publish","type":"rss_feed","link":"https:\/\/c01.purpledshub.com\/cyclingplus\/rss_feed\/how-to-choose-the-best-bikepacking-tent-for-you\/","title":{"rendered":"How to choose the best bikepacking tent for you\u00a0"},"content":{"rendered":"

Everything you ever wanted to know about bikepacking and cycle touring tents <\/p>

By Oscar Huckle\n <\/p>

Published: Saturday, 23 March 2024 at 10:00 AM<\/p>

\n\n

Tents can be a freeing way to fully immerse yourself in the outdoors when bikepacking or cycle touring, with no need to worry about making it to pre-booked accommodation.<\/p>

Bikepacking tents are typically small and lightweight. They can be assembled easily, stashed in compact bikepacking bags<\/a> and provide you with a safe weatherproof shelter.\u00a0<\/p>

In this guide, we\u2019ll take you through the features to look out for in a bikepacking tent, the different types and how to carry them on your bike, then outline how much you should expect to spend on a tent.\u00a0<\/p>

What is a bikepacking tent?<\/h2>
Bikepacking tents tend to use shorter poles and more compact architecture to achieve their impressive pack size. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Most bikepackers choose to use a backpacking, or other form of lightweight tent, for their bikepacking<\/a> adventures.<\/p>

Lightweight tents are typically composed of five parts \u2013 the tent body, a fly, poles, stakes (pegs) and a footprint.\u00a0<\/p>

A bikepacking tent is a bike-friendly version of a backpacking tent. The basics are usually the same, but they often pack down into smaller sections for easier on-bike stowage.\u00a0<\/p>

\"Sea
Expect to see shorter and lighter stakes. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The tent poles are typically shorter and the tent\u2019s profile smaller, so it\u2019s easier to carry. General backpacking or more generic lightweight tents will use longer poles, and therefore won\u2019t pack down as compactly.\u00a0<\/p>

For example, Big Agnes uses a 12in Shortstik Poleset on its bikepacking tents over the DAC Featherlite NFL and NSL pole system found on its backpacking variants. The resulting difference in pack size between the bikepacking and standard variants of the Copper Spur HV UL2 is 15cm \/ 6in.\u00a0<\/p>

\"Big
There’s room for storing a helmet on this Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL1. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Big Agnes also incorporates some more cycling-friendly features, such as a helmet holder on the outside of its tents and daisy chain webbing to hang clothes off.\u00a0<\/p>

Sea To Summit\u2019s Alto and Telos bikepacking tents not only use shorter poles, but they also come in different packaging.\u00a0<\/p>

The tent pieces are stored across two roll-top bags (over the single mesh bag of the backpacking equivalent) so they can be split, making strapping them to the bike easier.\u00a0<\/p>

If you\u2019re riding in a group, you can always split the contents between you.\u00a0<\/p>

The different types of bikepacking tent<\/h2>

Freestanding tent\u00a0<\/h3>
\"Sea
A freestanding tent, such as this Sea To Summit Telos TR2, doesn’t necessarily require staking out. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

A freestanding design means the tent can stand upright without being pegged out with stakes and guylines. This can be particularly useful on rocky terrain, where there\u2019s a flat spot but nothing to peg it to.\u00a0<\/p>

You tend to get more head space in a freestanding tent too, improving liveability.<\/p>

There are also many semi-freestanding tent designs, where the internal architecture is freestanding but the tent can be staked out for additional support.\u00a0<\/p>

Pegged tent\u00a0<\/h3>
\"Vango
This Vango needs to be staked out. – Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

This traditional design of tent requires the tent body to be staked out, so you\u2019ll need to take care where you set it up.\u00a0<\/p>

Ultralight tent<\/h3>
\"Big
The Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL1 Bikepacking Tent weighs a smidge over 1kg. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Ultralight tents are designed to be as light as possible, making them perfect for ultra-races, such as the Silk Road Mountain Race<\/a>, where you’re away from civilisation.\u00a0<\/p>

These tend to have one door and rely on featherweight materials, such as Dyneema fabric, to shave weight.<\/p>

What to look for in a bikepacking tent<\/h2>

Seasonal use<\/h3>
\"Sea
Sea To Summit offers a ‘3 Season’ version of some of its tents. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Bikepacking tents will almost always come with a season rating and will typically either be three or four-season.\u00a0<\/p>

A three-season tent is suitable for all conditions outside of winter. A four-season tent should be suitable for use in the winter months.<\/p>

Consider when and where you are going to use the tent \u2013 are you realistically going to be using it in colder (or wetter) weather?\u00a0<\/p>

Four-season tents are heavier because they need to use stronger and more robust materials.\u00a0<\/p>

Waterproof rating\u00a0<\/h3>
\"Oscar
You’ll definitely want to use a rainfly if there’s any chance of wet weather. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The tent\u2019s waterproof rating is measured in millimetres and indicates the amount of water pressure a fabric can withstand. Most tents tend to have ratings from 1,000mm and 10,000mm.\u00a0<\/p>

We\u2019d recommend opting for at least a 3,000mm rating for the tent body. The groundsheet will need to be higher in order to stop seepage.<\/p>

Groundsheet\u00a0<\/h3>
\"Inside
We’d recommend a bathtub design. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

As well as needing to prevent water seepage, take a look at the design of the groundsheet. Bathtub designs are best because the elevated sides prevent water ingressing more effectively.\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>

The groundsheet tends to take more abuse than the rest of the bikepacking tent because you\u2019re moving around on it, often on uneven or rough terrain.\u00a0<\/p>

Some choose to pitch their tent on top of a separate footprint to provide an additional layer of protection. This is especially important if using a lightweight tent.<\/p>

Footprint<\/h3>
\"Sea
We’d always recommend using a footprint to protect your investment. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Footprints are a great way of protecting the groundsheet of your tent.<\/p>

However, if you want to save weight and you know where you\u2019re going to camp won\u2019t be rocky, you could forego it. Some footprints are larger in area than the groundsheet, offering increased space outside of the tent \u2013 perfect for storing muddy cycling shoes<\/a> off the wet ground, for instance.\u00a0<\/p>

How many people are going to use the tent?\u00a0<\/h3>
\"Inside
Setting up a sleeping mat reveals how much space you really have inside. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Bikepacking tents are typically sold as one, two or three-person.\u00a0<\/p>

However, the definition of what counts as a full human can be rather generous on some models.\u00a0<\/p>

Provided you can stomach the (modest) increase in weight, we\u2019d recommend those riding as a pair opting for a three-person tent \u2013 you will be thankful for the extra space when stuck in the rain frazzled after a hard day\u2019s riding.<\/p>

If you do go for a two-person tent, it\u2019s worth setting up two sleeping mats on the floor to check there’s going to be enough space. Remember you\u2019ll need space to store your kit too.<\/p>

\"Bikepacking
Not all bikepacking tents have to be cramped \u2013 invest in luxury with a three-person tent. – Jack Luke \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

The way in which tents are designed is also important. Quite often, there\u2019ll be a head-end of the tent and a tail-end. If there are two of you, and you sleep top-to-tail, the person\u2019s head at the tail-end might be uncomfortable and you\u2019ll have to be comfortable being in close proximity to one another.\u00a0<\/p>

If you’re touring with lots of kit, consider a tent with a generous vestibule (also known as a porch). These rarely add signicant weight and provide you with a place to store kit out of your living quarters.\u00a0<\/p>

Above all else, prioritise buying a tent that\u2019s a comfortable place to hang out for a couple of hours and at night.\u00a0<\/p>

How to carry a bikepacking tent\u00a0<\/h2>
\"Big
Some tents, such as this Big Agnes Fly Creek, strap to the handlebar. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Not all bikepacking tents are designed with mounting to the bike in mind, but the ones that do typically mount in front of your handlebar.\u00a0<\/p>

Others, such as the Sea To Summit Alto and Telos are modular and can be split so you can run half of the tent on either side of the fork racks. They can also be combined and mounted in front of the handlebars or under the top tube.\u00a0<\/p>

If your tent doesn\u2019t specifically mount to the bike, you could consider stuffing it inside a bikepacking bag or splitting the contents of it between several bags. Poles are, generally, the hardest element to pack. Consider strapping these to the underside of your down tube or top tube if you can\u2019t fit them inside a bag.<\/p>

How much do bikepacking tents weigh?\u00a0<\/h2>
\"Big
You can expect an ultralight tent to weigh around the 1kg mark. – Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

A good bikepacking tent will typically weigh less than 2kg, with ultralight options hovering around the 1kg mark. Generally, the cheaper the tent, the heavier it will be.\u00a0<\/p>

The lightest tent of interest to bikepackers is the Nordisk Lofoten 1 ULW at a claimed 490g, whereas something more robust such as the Big Agnes Fly Creek HV UL1 Solution Dye comes in at a claimed 1,077g.\u00a0<\/p>

\"Sea
A two-person option will be around the 2kg mark. – Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Bear in mind that, in the context of a full rider and bike system, a few hundred grams extra on your tent will not be noticeable. And if those extra grams come with better weatherproofing, they\u2019re worth carrying.<\/p>

However, if going as light as possible is your objective, expect to shell out for the luxury.<\/p>

Bikepacking tents vs bivvy bags vs hammock<\/h2>
\"Bivouac
Some riders love the out-in-the-open feel of a bivvy. – Robyn Furtado \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

If you don\u2019t want the additional weight of a bikepacking tent, a bivvy bag or hammock could be another option.\u00a0<\/p>

Bivvies are great for their simplicity and size but they take more bravery (or a higher discomfort threshold) to sleep in because you\u2019ll be more exposed to the elements.\u00a0<\/p>

At its most basic, a bivvy bag is a breathable sack you slide your sleeping kit into, with your face exposed to the elements. Hooped bivvies are simple, compact single-layer tents with room around your head, providing more comprehensive cover.<\/p>

\"Hammock
Others love hammocks. – Robyn Furtado \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Hammocks are also popular with bikepackers. They can provide a comfortable sleep and are very lightweight. They do, of course, rely on there being two poles or trees close by.\u00a0<\/p>

How much do bikepacking tents cost?\u00a0<\/h2>
\"Oscar
You can also expect the price to rise if the tent is a larger capacity. – Scott Windsor \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Bikepacking tents will generally start from \u00a3100 \/ $100 \/ \u20ac100 and can easily rise to \u00a31,000 \/ $1,000 \/ \u20ac1,000.\u00a0<\/p>

As you spend more, you\u2019ll find the tents tend to be made of lighter materials and are better designed for hanging on the bike.\u00a0<\/p>

It goes without saying they\u2019re also more feature-rich \u2013 some tents have multiple doors, better thought-out storage inside or can be set up in different permutations.\u00a0<\/p>

For example, there are five possible setups you can have with the Sea to Summit Telos.\u00a0<\/p>

\"Vango
You don’t need to spend the earth on a tent if you’re going to use it infrequently. – Oscar Huckle \/ Our Media<\/figcaption><\/figure>

Have a deep think about how often you’re going to use the bikepacking tent and if you would benefit from spending more. Remember, if you don\u2019t have these already, you\u2019ll also need to invest in a sleeping mat, bag and pillow.\u00a0<\/p>

The worst-value products are the ones you don\u2019t use, so if you\u2019re going to spend the money make sure you know you\u2019re going to use it.\u00a0<\/p>

How to care for a bikepacking tent <\/h3>
  • As with any tent, always make sure you dry it out after your bikepacking trip to prevent mould growing on the inside. This is best performed on a dry day and you simply leave the tent set up to dry.\u00a0<\/li>
  • It\u2019s also a good idea to turn your inner inside-out to shake out any debris. Once packed tightly, small stones could wear a hole in your tent.<\/li>
  • If one isn\u2019t commercially available, consider making a simple footprint for your tent. Tyvek is a popular choice because it\u2019s very lightweight, waterproof and cheap. Cut a panel slightly smaller than the overall footprint of your tent and lay flat before pitching.<\/li>
  • Don\u2019t forget to bring a pole repair and patch kit with you. Most high-quality tents will include this as standard, but generic repair kits can be purchased cheaply online.<\/li>
  • Like your bike, tents need maintenance. Reproof your outer and footprint based on the manufacturer\u2019s recommendations.<\/li><\/ul><\/div><\/div> <\/body><\/html>\n
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