What a Sleep Setup Looks Like for a Bike Camping Tour
A big part of bike touring is how you camp. Lighter than car camping and heavier than a thru-hiking setup. Requests for what I use have come in, so lets go over sleep setups.
Sunrise in California
So What is a Sleep Setup?
This refers to the three big items/sections related to sleeping outside. But I have included two extras below.
The Big Three
- Tent: keeps you safe from the elements
- Sleeping pad: What you are laying on top of and keeps the heat in below you
- Sleeping bag: What keeps the heat in on top and your sides
My Other two
- Sleep clothing: effects comfort and warmth
- Extras: luxury items, and other things like sleeping bag liners
My Current Sleep Setup
Tent
The tent I am currently using is the MSR Elixir 2 Person Tent.
Why
- free standing tent: Trekking pole tents tend to be lighter, but need accompanying poles. Plus, I can set it up anywhere without hassle.
- two person size: Planning on being on the road for 2 plus years, the space and allows all my gear to fit inside each night.
- double-wall tent: Helps with condensation and keeping water outside of the tent
- I already had it: saving cost
What I Would Change
- go ultralight: a quick upgrade would be the MSR FreeLite 2. This saves 4 pounds in weight and reduces pack size.
- colour: red stands out a bit, if possible a colour that is harder to spot.
Sleeping pad
I am using a combination of a Thermarest Z lite SOL. With a Nemo Quasar 3D air pad.
Why
- comfort: air pad adds a lot of comfort, better sleep, better days.
- puncture protection: foam pad helps prevent punctures from rocks and thorns
- increased "R" value: combing the two helps with heat loss below me on colder nights
- waterproofing: the foam pad keeps the air mattress and sleeping bag "above" water.
What I Would Change
- go foam only: If I needed to save more space/weight, dependant on trip type
Sleeping bag
My current bag is the Men's REI Magma 15 Mummy bag.
Why
- tried and true: Used on the Pacific Crest Trail (PCT), could rely on for colder nights
- down-filled: Better warm and weight ratio to synthetic
What I Would Change
- nothing: I like this sleeping bag
Sleep Clothing
A list of my sleep clothing:
- synthetic briefs
- fleece pants
- t-shirt
- wool hat
What I Would Change
- personal preference: price, weigh, material, etc
Other extras
Luxury items
- small inflatable pillow
- sleeping bag liner: Sea-to-Summit Thermolite Reactor Extreme
-Two plastic sheets (for tent floor)
Why
- comfort and warmth: liner provides extra warmth and pillow comfort
- waterproofing: the sheets keep the bottom of the tent much drier during heavy rain
What I Would Change
- location based: liner, plastic sheets, and pillow can all be swapped out depending on trip length and location.
Conclusion
Looking for a list to setup your own setup? See my overall list below:
- tent
-sleeping pad
-sleeping bag
-sleeping bag liner
- inflatable pillow
- plastic ground sheets
- sleep hat
- sleep pants
- sleep t shirt
- sleep socks
- sleep underwear
This is my current sleep setup, I hope this inspires you to build your own and get out there!
Until next time,
Keifer
