Which tent for touring?

[Monkeypony]

Evening all,

My trusty old tent is due for replacing, and I'd like to get some recommendations for it's replacement.

The must have requirements:

Compact
Light
Dry
Sleeps 2 comfortably
Porch area large enough for 2 sets of bike kit - This is a must have, there is nothing worse than getting out of (and storing) wet kit in the sleeping area!

My old tent is cheapish Colemans thing, which never really met the compact and light requirements, but did fine for everything else.

Any suggestions gratefully received
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Current bike - 2018 H2-SX, 2004 SV1000s, 2016 Aprilia RSV4 RF, 2017 Sherco SERF 300, 2003 Suzuki DRZ400 (stolen - AY53 JUU)

[Nobby the Bastard]

https://i.imgur.com/K8gsRjX.jpeg
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trevor saxe-coburg-gotha:"Remember this simple rule - scooters are for men who like to feel the breeze on their huge, flapping cunt lips."
Sprint ST 1050

[Monkeypony]

[stinkwheel]

[Monkeypony]

Thanks Stinkwheel,

The Vango Xenon might well be just what I'm looking for!

I generally have to carry pretty much bloody all of the kit on my bike. Mrs Monkeypony takes her own pants, and that's about it...

By the time I've got the stove, sleeping bags, air pads, chairs and my clothes on board, any weight I can save will be a luxury!
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Current bike - 2018 H2-SX, 2004 SV1000s, 2016 Aprilia RSV4 RF, 2017 Sherco SERF 300, 2003 Suzuki DRZ400 (stolen - AY53 JUU)

[doggone]

On a bike packed size and weight are not a massive issue within reason so no need to go for a backpacker style.
For two people get one that will fit three then you have space for your other items inside.
What exactly are you going to leave outside where they might get damper if not wet or *removed* in the night.
If it will fit across the bike securely it makes a useful platform to attach other items like waterproofs you might need through the day

[Monkeypony]

[doggone]

You won't notice the difference in weight it will be about the same as a tin of beans or can of beer.
Not many tents when packed stick out more than your leg or the bars let alone panniers or throwovers
I'd be mainly concerned about how quick and easy it can be put up even in strong wind, rain or midge ridden hell hole aka west scotland.

[ThunderGuts]

I think light weight is everything; some of the bigger/cheaper tents are very heavy - it WILL affect the bike handling. If you're just cruising down motorways and straightish roads all day long then sure, no difference, but if you're enjoying twisties it's definitely worth getting lightweight gear as much as possible. If you've ever done day rides from a camping base it's night and day with the bike unloaded, and I notice this even with my lightweight kit (decades of mountaineering means I'm fortunately already well equipped for lightweight camping).

I use a Terra Nova Voyager XL which has a massive porch yet sleeps two (inner was fairly cosy though), weighs about 2.5kg is compact. Not available anymore by the looks of it though.

One thing to look for (and you're more likely to get this in a backpacking tent) is short folded pole length. Not all tent poles are born equally, many have quite few joints and longer sections - not a problem in a car, but if you want compact stowage on a bike, it's helpful to have shorter folded lengths.

With tents you really do get what you pay for though. Cheap tents will always lack in some way, be it weight, size or strength (sometimes all of these). My Terra Nova was about £350 10 years ago, reduced at the time from something silly like £550. It's still going strong and actually looks no different to the day I bought it (I reckon I've slept a three figure number of nights in it at least, everywhere from Scotland to the Pyrenees). A groundsheet protector is tiny and cheap, yet keeps the base of the tent dry (useful in muddier fields as you then have a clean tent to put away). Get one when you buy the tent if the manufacturer makes one as getting one at a later date if they stop making the tent will be difficult. I've made one for another tent out of a tarp, but it isn't as good a the proper item (which has elasticated bungees to attach to the pegs, perfect sizing, good material etc..).

Edit: other advantage of lightweight backpacking tents is, as per the previous poster, they're designed to be put up quickly and easily. Cheaper tents lose out here too with naff pole colour coding, poor pole sleeves, complex pitching, ludicrous numbers of guy lines (to compensate for a flimsy tent design). I can get my Terra Nova from bag to fully pitched in less than 5 minutes, even if strong winds.
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TG.

[stinkwheel]

I've certainly gone for ease of erection over compactness and weight these days. I'm mostly using a quechua 2-man popup. The disc is smaller in diameter than the width of the panniers so it straps on top. It goes up quick, puts away quick and after this years Dragon Rally, I'm confident it will stand up to any weather you're likely to experience in the UK.

It does not however have much of a porch. I generally carry a tarp too so wet gear can be wrapped up in that or put under it if I put it up. You also can't really cook in the tent.

I do have a very small backpacking tent that I'll take as a backup if I'm touring and not really intending to camp.

Tyvek sheeting that they use to cover the timber frames on houses makes a very good, tough and ultimately disposable footprint for under a flimsy groundsheet. My popup has one of those crinkly woven strand polypropylene groundsheets though which is tough as old boots.
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“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.

[Tracey Suntan-King]

[virus]

Vango sigma 300, packs small enough to not be too much hassle to put on a bike, sleeps 2 comfortably and has a porch at both ends so plenty 'wet' storage space.
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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.

[Weisse Schlange]

Vango Omega 350.
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Hing Oan

[Moxey]

[A100man]

[Nobby the Bastard]

[lingeringstin...]

This is probably a moot post, but the army surplus French F1 tent is fecking simplicity, Only needs two straight one meter poles to set up so you could actually cut tree branches for it in a fix, and it's pretty roomy for one. It's a really good tent for inclement weather as it's low to the ground so it stays up when other people's bendy fibreglass pole tents are being blown sideways.

The canvas ones like mine are superb but you can't get them any more but the nylon ones are still pretty good, I have both. It's just that the nylon ones get hot in the sun. But for one person they're good and roomy and pack away pretty small for what they are. Quite roomy, nice vents etc.

I also have one of those wee Dutch army canvas ridge tents that you can pick up really cheap but they're bulky and HEAVY. Made very well and can withstand a hundred mile per hour sideways Shetland sleet but they're canvas and weigh a ton.

Cheapest and easiest to set up lightweight sturdy tent I know of is the French F1. Any old tent is fine when the weather's good, but when it gets Biblical you need something with a low wedge shaped profile and sturdy poles.

[MCN]

Vango have. Very good reasonably priced range.
I was concerned about weight and Vango publish that in the specs.
I got a sweet ex-demo at Go outdoors. £60
The guy gave. Set of pins for free.

It's a two-man bivi style. (Suitable for 2 they men)
I can get my fat arse and my side panniers in the 'vestibule' no problemo.
Tip... Buy a butyl ground sheet to pitch on. That helps insulate from the bumps and the extra material provides a landing area for crawling in out.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.

[Ayrton]

I bought a Vango Omega 350 last month and was quite impressed with it. I usually don't enjoy camping because I've always used cheap tents that always seem to be wet when you wake up, but this was perfect. the packed size is really small too.

I did find it too big for one person though, but I'm occasionally going to have 2 people in it and i'm not buying two

[MCN]

Add a factor of 0.5 to the rating of hour sleeping bag.
The TOG rating is clothes on.
If you look for comfort, less clothing and thicker insulation is the go-to.
It means a substantial amount of extra bulk but our UK weather will ensure a massive benefit from the extra lagging. I find it most difficult to leave my sleeping bag in the morning.
Fresh brew espresso gets me moving.
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Disclaimer: The comments above may be predicted text and not necessarily the opinion of MCN.