# stoves tents and other necessary stuff?



## redcogs (8 Mar 2008)

New to this cycling with tent lark.

Me and our young un are off soon for a trial couple of nights under canvas - but i've no idea which tent or stove will do the trick. 

Could do with sound advice, so please, nowt too complicated to assemble, reliable if poss, compact etc.

Any general advice will be appreciated


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## JackE (8 Mar 2008)

*tents/stoves*

My main advice would be don't buy cheap camping equipment. It will give you grief and may even put you off camping. A few suggestions:

Tent: Terra Nova/Wild Country make great tents, see their website "*clearance"* list at www.terra-nova.co.uk. Vaude also make good quality,lightweight tents which are reasonably priced.

Stove: MSR Pocket Rocket is good, lightweight gas stove to start you off (around £20).

Sleeping bag/mat: Alpkit.com offer superb down bags and self-inflating mats at very good prices. Take it from me, good nights sleep is mega important when you've been cycling all day.

These are the basics, spend a bit more on these and you will have many years of enjoyment.


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## xilios (8 Mar 2008)

There are some tips I've put together on our page that you might want to take a look at. Just some thoughts on what to look for or what we look for in certain equipment.
Hope its some help.


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## andrew_s (8 Mar 2008)

Tents:
Don't get a single-skin tent (condensation). Cheap tents are OK in fine weather, but if you are unlucky with the wind you may have to decamp to a B+B or hotel.
Things to be wary of are doors that let the rain into the inner as you get in/out, and where the person at the back has to climb over the person at the door in order to get out in the night.
You should be able to get something fairly decent and not too heavy (2.5kg) for £75-£150. 
Check out the Vango Tempest 200 or the Vaude Taurus 1

Stove:
A simple screw on to the top of the cylinder gas stove is simplest, such as the pocket rocket mentioned above (but there are plenty of alternatives). The ones where the gas is on the end of a hose do have some advantages (more stable, work better in the cold if have a preheat loop), but are heavier and cost more.
Avoid Camping Gas - the click-on stoves are only usable with blue camping gas cylinders, and the piercable ones have to be burnt right down before you can change the cylinder. 
Gas tends to get slow at the end of a cylinder, especially if it's cold. With screw-on, you can swap to a fresh cylinder for heating and put the old one back for simmering.
I'd recommend these clip on feet for the cylinders.

Sleeping
Mat: Wee Airic from Alpkit recommended. Use a spare jersey or something to keep your feet off the ground.
Bag: Compared to equivalent synthetic fill bags, down ones are lighter, pack smaller, more expensive, last longer, harder to clean BUT down bags are useless if they get wet. To keep them dry, something like the Airlok XT drybags (from Alpkit) are recommended unless you use Ortlieb panniers.
If you go for down, the Alpkit sleeping bags are good value.


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## vernon (8 Mar 2008)

redcogs said:


> New to this cycling with tent lark.
> 
> Me and our young un are off soon for a trial couple of nights under canvas - but i've no idea which tent or stove will do the trick.
> 
> ...



Have a look at http://www.cheaptents.co.uk


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## JackE (8 Mar 2008)

*tents/stoves*

I agree with Andrew on all his advice especially about Camping Gaz. Avoid the pierceable cannisters, they are cheaper but, from what I've heard, are not completely safe (ie the rubber seal can leak). 
This type of "thread" usually brings out a lot of debate on the merits of this or that piece of kit because we all have different approaches to and experience of cycle-camping. I've met so many backpackers and cycle campers who have "bought twice" ie caught the bug then rushed out and bought loads of (usually cheap) gear and within a couple of years had to replace most of it. I know cos I've done a lot of it myself over the years.


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## longers (8 Mar 2008)

Good link Vernon. My new tent will almost definately come from there. Ta.


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## Tony (9 Mar 2008)

Take pillows. And eomething to do in the evenings. Don't take a kettle,


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## vernon (9 Mar 2008)

longers said:


> Good link Vernon. My new tent will almost definately come from there. Ta.



I desperately want to buy a tent from them despite having three perfectly serviceable tents already. 

It's a bit like never having too many bikes


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## Crackle (10 Mar 2008)

May I trot out my usual tent list. Criteria for selection was under 2.5Kg , will sleep 2 and for use in these sainted isles, must pitch outer first to keep everything dry in the rain while you pitch/de-pitch. Some peoples favourites are not included 'casue they don't fit those criteria. It's also 12 months old now, so models and prices have probably moved on.

On cooking, you could do a lot worse than a trangia set. It has the disadvantage of being slow but the advantage of being simple and having everything you need in one package. Cooking on it the first time is best done at home to understand its idiosyncracies before using it in the field.

Tent list (weight)(pack size)(sleeps)(price)(link)

Wechsel White Nites (Zero G) 2.5Kg 42X14 2 @£280 www.wechsel-tents.de
Mountain equipment Dragonfly 2.1Kg (xt 2.5) ? 2 @£261 (XT @£316) http://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/
Fjallraven Akka Shape R/S 2 2.3KG 34x? 3 @£310 http://www.fjallraven.com/
Terra Nova Laserlarge1 1.62Kg 56X17 2 @£300 www.terra-nova.co.uk
Vaude Ferret I Ultralight 1.9Kg 53X15 2 @£164 www.vaude.de
Terra nova laser 1.42KG 56X16cm 2 @£260 www.terra-nova.co.uk
Salewa Zodiac 2 1.89 40X30x12 1-2 @£200 www.salewa.com
Spacepacker plus Mk1 2.2Kg 48X13 2 @£299 www.robertsaunders.co.uk
Spacepacker MK 1 1.9Kg 44X13 2 @£269 www.robertsaunders.co.uk
Macpac Stellar 2.5Kg 59x17 2 @£290 www.macpac.co.nz
Helsport Fjellheimen 15X42 2.0Kg 2 @£400 http://www.helsport.no
Hilleberg Nallo2 1.9kg 15X45 @£390 2 www.hilleberg.se

coleman Avior 2 - 2.6Kg 40X15 (2) @£98 www.coleman.com


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## Andy in Sig (10 Mar 2008)

Redders,

I've had a Peak pressure stove which I've used for years (takes Coleman fuel). It's solidly built and burns with a temperature which would make the sun blush.


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## 4F (11 Mar 2008)

vernon said:


> I desperately want to buy a tent from them despite having three perfectly serviceable tents already.
> 
> It's a bit like never having too many bikes



I know what you mean. Our main holiday is usually under canvas and I currently have 6 tents of various sizes / ages


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## harve (13 Mar 2008)

Go for the trangia stove ! they are a fantastic bit of kit, had one for 7 years and its superb.......not cheap but worth every penny and more


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## ukdodger (14 Mar 2008)

Tony said:


> Take pillows. And eomething to do in the evenings. Don't take a kettle,



Hi Tony. I'm interested why no kettle?


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## Bigtallfatbloke (14 Mar 2008)

I don't wan to speak for Tony..but the reason I dont carry a kettle is because I dont need it...I have a saucepan with me anyway, and the upturned fry pan makes a great lid which together = Kettle....thats my logic anyway...For whats worth.


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## Freewheeler (14 Mar 2008)

Using pans instead of a kettle is a good idea, but make sure one will sit on topof the other (or take a lid). In my experience, without a lid it's impossible to get water to a fast boil outdoors.


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## asterix (14 Mar 2008)

Using pans instead of a kettle is fine but the tea sometimes has a funny taste.


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## bikepacker (17 Mar 2008)

It's probably because the pan still has the taste of the curry cooked in it the day before. The only way I am ever going to make tea, and I drink an lot of it, is to boil the water in a kettle that is kept only for boiling water.


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## vernon (17 Mar 2008)

ukdodger said:


> Hi Tony. I'm interested why no kettle?



Because it saves money and its job can be done by one of the cooking pots.


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## Pecan (18 Mar 2008)

A few years ago I bought a Zip Sierra stove. This is an interesting bit of kit. It burns charcoal, wood, leaves, anything you care to chuck in really, but charcoal is cleanest and hottest. 

Think of a sort of double skinned bucket with a fan underneath to force air under and through the solid fuel.

I had trouble getting one in the UK, and having had a quick Google, I'm not sure they are still even produced.

Pro's - no absolute dependency on gas cannisters or fuel bottles, but in practice I found it easiest to carry a bag of charcoal and fire lighters. It has a 'real fire' feel to it and does great toast. Low tech, no precision parts to let you down. Lends itself to field repairs and general fettling.

Con's - in an attempt to be lightweight, the construction leaves a bit to be desired. Has a tinny feel to it. Although constructed of stainless steel and aluminium (I think), the few steel bits on it tend to rust a bit. Not as instant as a gas/fuel stove. Needs a battery to power the fan and is useless without it. Probably a bit over priced for what it is (at least, it was when I bought mine).

However, it makes an interesting alternative to a conventional camping stove, which is mainly why I bought mine.


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## redcogs (18 Mar 2008)

Thanks everyone. The zip sierra doesn't sound to be that brilliant Pecan, with its reliance on batts n flimsy construction. It does sound interesting though.

i'm more or less decided on a trangia thingy, and hope to get one next week in Edinburgh.


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