ErnieW
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I want to backpack
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Apr 5, 2024 11:59:19 GMT -8
Post by ErnieW on Apr 5, 2024 11:59:19 GMT -8
A big section of the Empire State trailway runs along the Erie canal tow path. Translation zero up or down. As long as you bike could handle it you could probably go pretty much as heavy as you wanted to. One of my friends and I wanted to to do ride Long Island end to end. It would be like a 100 mile day but practically no up and down so you could cruise. We never figured out where to camp at Montauk. The plan was to take the Bridgeport ferry back to CT and ride along the coast home (again little up and down)
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reuben
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Apr 5, 2024 12:48:28 GMT -8
Post by reuben on Apr 5, 2024 12:48:28 GMT -8
Yeah, the GAP coming down from Pittsburgh into MD is apparently pretty much continuously uphill for the first 10/20/50 miles, but at such a shallow grade that you'd barely notice. The Badger is a whole 'nuther story. So the GAP/C&O makes for a good shakedown run regarding gear, loading the bike, etc., if not actual gear ratios.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Apr 5, 2024 17:53:50 GMT -8
reuben , I wouldn’t really recommend the Protrail LI for days on end in the rain. While it has good interior space, the vestibule is skimpy and it is a single -wall tent, which means condensation can be a problem in those conditions. It’s probably telling that though I am all about trying to keep my load light enough not to hurt myself, if I were heading out where it’s very apt to be wet, I’d schlepp the extra weight of m BA CopperSpur 1P.
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Post by bluefish on Apr 6, 2024 2:14:02 GMT -8
This is kind of in my wheelhouse, as I bike pack with 4 different bikes. I'll address my opinion of a bivy first. Don't. Ernie laid the reasons out sufficiently. Still need a ground cloth and a tarp for any chance at a semi- dry damp morning start (comfortable went down the road when you left the tent home). What and how you carry depends a lot on the bike and packing system. Fastpacking with a frame pack, bar roll or tent between the bar drops and a seat pack requires UL gear. Standard panniers on racks allow for a few luxuries. I'm a fanboy for panniers, as my rides are usually mixtures of road, rail trail, gravel, and single track . We've done way over half of the Empire Trail, but our favorite rides usually end up with some hike a bike and inevitable small stream crossings, small log jumps and dealing with some rocks. Thanks to having invested in good UL gear for backpacking, my wife and I pulled off some cold weather trips (I told the story of our New Year's disaster in another thread) which were spectacular until my wife fell going out on the last one. May 1 we'll be back out there. We got away with rear racks, panniers and handlebar bags. We camped into the low teens and even carried Helinox zero chairs. We are chomping at the bit to use the BA Copper Spur HV UL 2 bikepacking tent we just bought. The poles are 12" and will lash onto drop or straight bars, or the top of a rack with ease. We have been using a BA UL Scout 2 with some homemade poles that came in at less than a pound and a half, or a Lightheart Duo which has tons of space and vestibules you can cook under which weighed 2lb5oz with carbon poles. We need side entry, vestibules, gear space, and general old, damn near infirm , person comfort. The Copper Spur checks all boxes and adds some extras. You can also strap a tent to a fork mounted carrier like the Salsa Anything rack. I have a Topeak similar on my hardtail MTB, but it has a few busted screw heads after being beat on bike trails for 3 months, so I removed it. It did get tent carry duty and performed well. Suns coming up, so I'll stop here, get some warm crap on and go do a morning ride in the new light snow. Just got to watch for the plows and get the heck out of the way. Look forward to hearing more of your plans and thoughts.
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Bivys
Apr 6, 2024 5:54:10 GMT -8
Post by swmtnbackpacker on Apr 6, 2024 5:54:10 GMT -8
Bikepacking is what I'm focused on in this thread.
I'm thinking about a bivy for some trips, but know next to nothing about them. Packability is an obvious issue - I'm struggling with the same regarding a bikepacking sleeping pad, inflatable vs CCF.
I have an older TT Double Rainbow, which is great, but maybe too bulky. I also have a older MLD Solomid, but it requires poles of some sort, whether longer than normal hiking poles or custom poles from MLD or a third party. I've ogled Hyperlite but don't own any of their shelters, just a couple of backpacks.
I'll definitely need a bugnet, in at least some places, and that's not negotiable. The bugnet doesn't have to be integrated, but it has to be an option and it has to work in the field. ….
What say ye, BP brethren?
I’ve used a waterproof/breatheble bivy when first starting out backpacking, along with a synthetic bag in Colorado. It worked. Definitely a “cozy” arrangement vs no space to change into sleeping clothes (I’d wait until privacy iirc). Recently met an ex field biologist who worked in the Sierra .. they would follow the snow line in bivy sacks along with a tarp for guaranteed rain protection and to keep skeeters away. That’s the mountains. Backpackers in England often use WPB bivy sacks for stealth camping there. One trick to keep the humidity down is use a small tarp above the mosquito net opening, allowing some air flow. Also some long term bikepackers prefer a bivy system at the end of a long day. Just opening it up, stuff pad and sleeping bag/quillt inside = almost instant sleeping arrangements. Add that bike tourers, bikepackers, etc.. probably use stealth too if the sun is getting low and it’s debatable who owns the nearby camping spot.
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ErnieW
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Apr 6, 2024 6:27:09 GMT -8
Post by ErnieW on Apr 6, 2024 6:27:09 GMT -8
I was curious so I found a couple of YouTube videos of people bikepacking. The first are younger guys and they are traveling light. They have lightweight bivies. The next is an older gentleman traveling more like I imagined when you first mentioned this trip. He has panniers.
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reuben
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Apr 6, 2024 9:19:22 GMT -8
Post by reuben on Apr 6, 2024 9:19:22 GMT -8
In full disclosure, I figured this would shift to 1P tents, but thought that maybe there had been some advancement with bivys in the last 10 or 20 years which I hadn't heard of. Oh well, no surprise.
I also didn't mention any 1P tents I was considering, so as not to prejudice the waters (mixing dubious metaphors). From memory, Nemo 1P tents are rather highly thought of. As stated I have a TT Double Rainbow and MLD Solomid, both of which I like, and would consider similar tents if I could omit the trekking poles. They're quite different designs, but I'm OK with either. Hyperlite came to mind, but they seem to have a sort of half net in their 1P tents, and that's not something I would consider. Maybe an Ultamid 2 with insert, similar to the Solomid? I dunno. Size, weight, pole in the middle.
Bug net, either integrated (e.g. DR) or optional (Solomid) is a must.
As far as loading a bike that's a whole 'nuther kettle o' fish. Panniers or saddle bag? Fork bags? Distribution of weight high/low and fore/aft. I have bags I could use on a shakedown trip and just see how they do. I haven't bought any panniers yet, but that may come to pass. I almost bought a rear rack when I moved, thinking that I could ride to the grocery stores and back, but after assessing the two possible routes it's just too sketchy.
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ErnieW
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Apr 6, 2024 10:59:05 GMT -8
Post by ErnieW on Apr 6, 2024 10:59:05 GMT -8
In full disclosure, I figured this would shift to 1P tents, but thought that maybe there had been some advancement with bivys in the last 10 or 20 years which I hadn't heard of. Oh well, no surprise. I think there are bivys now with a single pole to keep a little space in front of your face but as soon as you go there bulk and weight start to go up.
Modern fibers do decrease weight and bulk with better waterproofing.
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trinity
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Apr 6, 2024 17:03:06 GMT -8
Post by trinity on Apr 6, 2024 17:03:06 GMT -8
Here's a pretty badass looking free-standing tent, if you have a spare $900: Zpacks free zip
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reuben
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Apr 13, 2024 2:39:35 GMT -8
Post by reuben on Apr 13, 2024 2:39:35 GMT -8
Any love for the SMD Lunar Solo? I believe it used to be highly respected, but that was long ago.
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driftwoody
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Apr 13, 2024 2:57:53 GMT -8
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Post by driftwoody on Apr 13, 2024 2:57:53 GMT -8
Any love for the SMD Lunar Solo? I believe it used to be highly respected, but that was long ago. I had the Solo a few years ago, and got rid of it. It was frustrating to get the pitch right for a straight floor, though if I used it more often that probably wouldn't be a problem (I mostly hammock). I really liked the extra triangle of interior floor space opposite the vestible, and I paid less than $200. But the single pole design resulted in a ceiling that was high enough in the middle but too low at the ends. At just over 6' tall, it either contacted the foot of my sleeping bag or I brushed my head sitting up. It does have tie-outs to mitigate this problem, so I used my other trekking pole with extra guyline & stakes to raise the head end. I replaced it with the Durston X-mid 1P, which uses two offset trekking poles.
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reuben
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Apr 13, 2024 5:46:30 GMT -8
Post by reuben on Apr 13, 2024 5:46:30 GMT -8
I tend to keep coming back to a new TT Rainbow to complement my old Double Rainbow, maybe even the Li version. Need to think about it, especially the packability, as it will probably go in a saddle bag. The trips are a ways off.
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driftwoody
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Apr 13, 2024 6:40:12 GMT -8
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Post by driftwoody on Apr 13, 2024 6:40:12 GMT -8
I still have an old TT Rainbow, very worn but still a usable shelter. Pole sections would need a long saddle bag.
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reuben
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Apr 13, 2024 10:25:34 GMT -8
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Post by reuben on Apr 13, 2024 10:25:34 GMT -8
I still have an old TT Rainbow, very worn but still a usable shelter. Pole sections would need a long saddle bag. Yeah, that's the disadvantage of some tents. By the time the poles are packed, wrapped in the tent, and stuffed in a sack, the length gets... long. The alternative is greater circumference. Pick your poison. I guess it's a good thing that I won't possibly do any bikepacking until fall, and likely not until next spring. Once I have the house under control and the property more in line with Mother Nature I can try various options in my basement and on the road.
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trinity
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Apr 13, 2024 10:37:19 GMT -8
Post by trinity on Apr 13, 2024 10:37:19 GMT -8
Any love for the SMD Lunar Solo? I love mine. Packs small, fairly light, provides good weather protection, and provides just enough living/sleeping space. But I am smallish (5'6"). If you spend a lot of time confined to your tent in bad weather, you might find it a bit tight. If it were me, I would probably still go with a lightweight double-wall, but the big advantage of the Lunar Solo, or any single-wall, is the ability to set it up in inclement weather withouth getting the interior soaked. You are right--pick your poison.
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