Guys and dollies (how to pitch a tent)

[stinkwheel]

Right. This is something I've seen being done SO badly at various motorcycle events recently. I'm also bored tonight so I thought I'd do a few simple tips for keeping warm and dry when you are camping.

Feel free to add to them.

Pay attention to where you put it
Just stand and look. Any dead tree branches overhead? Big stones underneath?

Look at the field, where will water collect when it rains? That flat, grassy bit next to the river, ideal for camping or a serious flood risk? (floods can and do happen, in 2005 the whole rally field at the Farmyard Party flooded to a depth of several feet. Luckily most people had already left. I have friends who lost their bikes, never mind tents that weekend).

Look at the prevailing wind direction. Try not to have the door facing in this direction.

On a slope? You have to sleep in it you know.

Oh yeah, and don't camp next to the toilets!

Practice putting it up first
Don't just rock up with a new tent and expect to put it up. Murphys law dictates it will be: a) Dark. b) Windy. c) Raining. Not forgetting: d) There will be bits missing.

Put it up on a still, dry day so you know how to and can check it's all there.

Make sure your tent is appropriate for the conditions
A £20 festival tent, when subjected to driving rain on a windswept hillside is going to leak, fall down or both.

A gigantic tent you can stand up in is great until the wind picks it up and wraps it round a telegraph pole.

A word on tent pegs
Put them into the ground at a 45 degree angle leaning away from the tent. This means if the tent is blown about the force is trying to pull the peg THROUGH the ground, not OUT of the ground.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/TENTPEGS.png

Hitting pegs with a hammer is only going to bend them. You can't hammer a tentpeg through a stone so don't try. Move it a bit so it isn't in the stone instead. If you can't get them all the way in, the ground is probably hard enough to hold them part way in anyway.

Guy Ropes
Ok. Asda are knocking out tents for a tenner. So, you reckon they spent 50p of that tenner fitting them with guy ropes for decoration?

Of all the total tent failures I've seen (and I've seen a few). The majority could have been prevented by correctly deploying the guy ropes. Those fibreglass poles aren't all that strong. Bend them too far and they will snap. The guyropes are there to stop them bending too far.

First thing is the sliders. These should allow you to tension the guy ropes. They tend to get slack if they get wet or after being up for a while. Tension them periodically.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/guyrope2.png

Next thing is the angle to the tent. Most people put them WAY too close to the tent because they are afraid someone will trip on them. Just tie a plastic carrier bag to them and they'll be seen. Get them nice and far out so they can take the strain off the poles/flysheet.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/guyropes.png

The guy rope is usually supposed to be perpindicular to wherever it is attached. It is usually joined to the tent on a triangle of fabric. the guy rope would normally continue along the same angle as the triangle makes with the tent.

FAIL! Lowest lying part of the field:
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/imm021.jpg

FAIL! Did not deploy guy ropes:
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/Feb14138.jpg

FAIL! Pegs hammered in vertically:
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/shetland%2008/Photo22_4.jpg

FAIL! £20 tent in North Wales in February
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/imm019.jpg
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[raak]

Cheers stinkwheel.

have been looking for information about 'How to' pitch a tent
(guy ropes and pegs etc; )
all seems obvious with your explanation...

Lots of guides to buying the right tent or where to go go camping but little about HOW to actually use the bloody thing correctly.
(guess by your experience and pics, quite a few people need that guidance.. )

On a side note, seriously considering camping this year.
would be nice (particularly for novices like me ) if people could recommend particular tents?
(2 person or 3 person. tunnel V dome etc) lots of info on sites regarding tents for sale but nothing beats
a personal experience and recommendation of a product.

Stinkwheel, even tho' you were just bored, thanks for taking the time to post.

____________________
Previous bikes: Suzuki GT250A / Yamaha DT125 / NTV Honda 650 // currently Suzuki RF900

[divuk83]

Good post. Was at a rally last weekend and there were loads of people with the guy ropes just dangling off the side of the tent like streamers!

Dave

[stinkwheel]

[Itchy]

pah you try pitch a tent on CONCRETE like I did last nght
____________________
Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[stinkwheel]

[Deano_44]

Looks like there is some sound advice there, will try and remember it! Thanks.

[barnhatter]

I use one of thise "Kebab" tents. It was very cheap £17 and has been used quite a few times, once up a mountain in the lake district.
It is very small for 2 but ideal for solo touring. Takes 5-10 minto errect and take down on your own. Once packed away fits on my rack between the panniers.
I can recomend them for cheapness, simplicity, ease of use, and size. Gelert sell them they are the Nakina plus RRP £35.
For sleeping a large mummy bag from Millets, 2 season XXL £25 and an inflatable 6 reed airbed and inflatable pillow. All this does not take up too much room and works very well when on the road.

[raak]

Hi stinkwheel

Well, most comprehensive....

And by the way, well done the Mods for making this one a sticky..

Exactly what was needed. A clear concise guide to pitching a tent and an overview of tent types and
pros/cons about the merits of buying one PLUS your own personal recommendations..
(Hope Vango realise what an asset you are and pay you a decent commission............... )

Cheers for taking the time and doing it so clearly, Now even a camping muppet like me can seem wise and
able to ask sensible questions in a camping store.

[stinkwheel]

[truslack]

[garth]

What about the TeePees dammit!
____________________
You ain't a has been if you never was

[stinkwheel]

[Mudskipper]

Two second tents?

I tried one out recently, very cool.

https://www.getoutdoors.com/goblog/uploads/carryingpack.jpg

Most are a bit wide for bikes as they fold down to a disc 60-70cm diameter (bikesailing, anyone?) but I've heard they are packing the new models down smaller...

https://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/images/assets/gd-asset_11945514.jpg

55cm packed diameter for 30 quid.
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/EN/1-second-simple-34693170
____________________
CBR125|||GSXR400|||CBR400|||CBR400|||CB250RS|||GSXR750|||CB250RS
"You're clumsy, you eat too much and you behave like a 12 year old boy. But you know what? Every once in a while, you find a thumb."

[stinkwheel]

My concern with those, other than the obvious size problem for packing on a bike is how easy they are to put away again?

My experience of, admittedly very early, popup tents is that as you try to put them away, they are busy trying to popup again.
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[virus]

Kris had one at R+S, packed up small enough to be worn on a pillions back and did go up very easily.

It did look like a bit of a struggle to pack away though.


Cheers
John
____________________
own: 81 xs1100g...
owned: 85 rat CG (sold), 91 GS500e (stolen), 84 gsx400f (scrapped), 81 z250 (siezed, siezed, scrapped), 83 cb250rs (sold), 84 gpz750r ratfighter (killed) 84gpz400 (sold), '80 cb650 ratfighter (wrote off) 95gsx6/12f ratfighter (killed) 91 xj900 (sold)
stinkwheel Well I just had my hands up a pigs fanny. Which makes your concerns pale into insignificance.

[divuk83]

[DidierD]

Just thought I'd add my 2 pence worth.

I've got 2 tents. 1 of them is the Quechua 2 second pop up tent.

It's awesome ... for festivals. It is very waterproof surprisingly and only takes about 20 seconds to put it down once you know the technique. It's just about big enough for 2 people with some luggage but the lack of porch makes it a bit of a squeeze. And, as others have said, it's not suitable on the bike and wouldn't be suitable for hiking either, it's not very comfortable and if it's windy you're gonna get blown about!
____________________
Bike - '98 Yamaha YZF600 Thundercat Pics

31st March 2008 - Fully converted from four wheels to 2 sets of two wheels

[mikeoldcars]

https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/ridge.jpg

Wow thats my old tent that i had as a boy in the early eighties, it still gets pressed into service in the back garden now.
(will have to put the pegs in at an angle now though
https://img.photobucket.com/albums/v17/mikeoldcars/010.jpg
/ramble

[Itchy]

I think in your camping kit you should bring a couple of canvas or thick water proof plastic bags, as in Spain the ground was rock hard and putting up my tent was difficult, with bags if all else fails you can dig up some of the ground and put it in said bags to create some weight to hold things down.
____________________
Spain 2008France 2007Big one 2009 We all die. The goal isn't to live forever, the goal is to create something that will. In the end, your life will flash before your eyes. Make sure it is worth watching.

[Shaane]

Cheers mate.

I'm giving you purely for the diagrams you drew
____________________
EMRA Roadstock #92 - Paperwork Permitted.
Previous: 1992 DT125R
Current: ~ 2005 ZX6R C1H

[Annabella]

[stinkwheel]

Just to add, I was away this weekend and tried out my new, single pole "kebab" tent. Just enough room in it for me and the girlfriend. £25 from Highlander.

I'll admit I replaced the fibreglass pole with a spare metal one I had hanging about.

Pros Very quick to errect. Very quick to strike. Lightweight, minimal bulk (fits in a pannier).

Cons Minimal room inside. Two people sleeping just about does it, kit has to stay outside and no porch. Would be great for one person though. I wouldn't trust it in very poor weather but fine for a blustery, showery summer.

Note my mistake of assuming the high tide mark would be the same as it was previously. Wrong, it came in about another 3 feet past the line of seaweed, the grass doesn't usually get wet when you camp on the machair! I was keeping an eye on it though, if you look closely you'll see a peg in the ground marking the water level, that's as high as it got.
https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f216/stinkwheel/IMG_0218.jpg
____________________
“Rule one: Always stick around for one more drink. That's when things happen. That's when you find out everything you want to know.”
I did the 2010 Round Britain Rally on my 350 Bullet. 89 landmarks, 3 months, 9,500 miles.

[Bendy]

[Demonic69]

I love my tent
Had 2 of the exact same style and they've both been brilliant for rallies.
Standard dome tent with a decent sized porch. Good for getting dressed and storing some gear. Not your Jeans though, no not your jeans
Big bike rallies, Bulldog, RnB etc seem to be decent places to buy tents these days. I bought my last one at Bulldog 07, it was cheap but well made and lasted through the weekend easily enough.

Also, check your tent before you go, you don't want to be surprised when you unpack it on-site. I could have holes, mould or even be a totally different tent...
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Back on a Blade. Just feels so right.