Camping?

[Ultralight]

Any avid campers on here?

What sort of bedrolls or inflatables do you think work best for tent camping?

This is my tent: https://www.rei.com/product/810115/rei-passage-2-tent

I am thinking of taking a couple weekends and going camping near the lake I fish crappie at. It'll be pretty cold still then, especially at night.

[Gardenarian]

Ooh, I like your tent! Do you stay dry in there? It looks like it has great air circulation.

I have this sleeping pad and am happy with it:https://www.rei.com/product/810386/therm-a-rest-ridgerest-solite-sleeping-pad

[Ultralight]

Ooh, I like your tent! Do you stay dry in there? It looks like it has great air circulation.

I have this sleeping pad and am happy with it:https://www.rei.com/product/810386/therm-a-rest-ridgerest-solite-sleeping-pad

Gardenarian:

I used this tent in Michigan in early April. There was a cold snap and it went down to almost freezing at night. But not before there was a massive storm with a ton of rain and high winds. I was the only tent camper at the campground.

Not a single drop of rain got in.

I was amazed!

The tent is small, pretty light, was affordable, and can fit two people and a dog without much trouble.

Now... lemme take a look at that sleeping pad. :)

[kally]

this is our wonderful camping area

https://vancouverislandbykayak.wordpress.com/2015/07/16/a-weekend-on-the-sunshine-coast-trail/

we usually reach the site by car and sleep on piled up patio furniture mats. We are not really hikers, although you can see in the above site how much hiking and camping we have here.

[bae]

I usually use a War Bonnet Blackbird hammock and tarp instead of a tent, and if it's cold an underquilt for it or a piece of foam tucked under the hammock. For a sleeping bag I use the Katabatic Gear "Palisade", which is sort of like an overquilt. The combination of underquilt and this bag in a hammock have kept me warm down to 20 degrees with 15-20 knot winds just fine in. This sleeping bag also works super with your choice of pad underneath, I usually use the appropriate Thermarest pad for the weather/climate/terrain. (The Thermarest Z-lite has become on of my favorites for this.)

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-t0GiGiBQnZ8/VTxHcd1IUiI/AAAAAAAAPaE/4pRsa_X7D4s/s720-Ic42/Awesomized.jpg

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o76Q-5X2ya0/VTxG77g9hCI/AAAAAAAAPY8/m6pT_cfwL8A/s576-Ic42/Awesomized.jpg

I carry lighter-weight/fuss ENO hammocks for day-hiking/shorter trips:

https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ELD06DSFVEU/VWupGGfYNOI/AAAAAAAAP1o/u53Y7QXJgEU/s720-Ic42/Awesomized.jpg

[Ultralight]

bae:

Very cool!!

[kally]

the hammocks are cool. A lot of hikers here use them. I think they look like bear bait, but that's just me being a weenie.

[Rogar]

I have one of the therm-a-rest self inflating pads. They make a quality product. Used to be they were guaranteed for life and if you had a leak you couldn't fix you could sent it in for repair. I don't know if that's still the case.

[SiouzQ.]

I have a Marmot tent very similar to what your link showed, though it is mainly a two-season tent. I do mostly desert camping these days (I like it HOT)! I have used Thermarest self-inflating mattresses for years; however, I have had to upgrade to the thickest one available to cushion my old, tired joints! I can't WAIT for June and road-tripping and hiking and being FREE for 3.5 weeks!

[Bronxboy]

Small tents are much warmer than big ones. I relearned this on a sub-freezing night last fall.

Many large tents also don't have rainflys that fully cover them, and aren't very dry in heavy rain.

[kally]

our little 2 man or 1 large person Clip tent heats up really fast.

[Rogar]

I shop the REI Outlet online for most all of my outdoor gear. It's usually good brands that are past season or out of style and are usually a third or more off retail. I noticed they have a decent list of sleeping pads right now. Sometimes they have some experimental styles that did not work out, but not defects. The nice thing is that they pretty much have a no questions asked return policy. And their REI brands are every bit as good as the name brands.

I'd agree that smaller tents are generally warmer, but the amount of mesh fabric is also a factor. I think a thicker sleeping pad is also warmer.

[Mary B.]

I'd agree that smaller tents are generally warmer, but the amount of mesh fabric is also a factor. I think a thicker sleeping pad is also warmer.

I agree. My DH and I spent several weeks in a tent while we were building a house, and found it cold until we put a thick blanket on top of our thermarests. This would have been I think early May in the PNW, so not exactly winter camping conditions.