Camping Gear I got to strap on my bikes. Long read, don't bother if you don't care about camping gear.

[TJ Willy]

(haha... I said strap on)

Anyway, I picked up a couple items from REI on closeout.

1. ALPS Mountaineering Comet 2.0 Backpacking tent and matching footprint.

2. ALPS Mountaineering Clearwater 20+ bag.

My initial setup reviews:

1. Comet 2.0 - NICE TENT! It was a breeze to setup even though it is not freestanding. The Footprint lines up nicely underneath. The stake points are very easy to distinguish. They also offer plastic clip style buckles on adjustable length straps for the rain-fly. This makes it very easy to setup.

The tent is very roomy inside. I am 5'9" and could set up inside the tent at the peak with no problems. Also there is room for Melissa and I both in the tent if we were both camping. Rick and his ample girlfriends might have issues.

The tent has two doors on each side. A sky light is available for star gazing on warm nights. The rain fly does have two small clear port holes, but I doubt they would offer much in the way of light.

When the rain-fly is in place, they offer two vestibules for shoes/backpack/misc gear. However the solo camper would be able to stow gear inside.

There is a small gear pocket in the ceiling and one on each side of the tent.

The poles are VERY LIGHT and snap together via shock-cord. VERY EASY to manage. They are so well machined that they really snap themselves together as you unfold them. Only two poles with a sleeve style hoop at each end and two exoskeleton clips on either side of each sleeve.

The seams are pre-coated from the manufacturer to guard against rain seepage. I read it was recommend to re-coat the seams for good measure.

I had the tent fully setup in less than 10 minutes. I suspect I could shave that time in half the next setup.

Packing was very easy. The stow bag is WAY BIGGER than needed. The tent folds up to about the size of half a shoe box. Very small, taking up the very bottom of the stow bag, then the rainfly can slide right next to it in the bag. Next the poles take up the length of the bag and I stowed the footprint with the tent even though it had its own bag. I think there could be room to put my Exped pad or definitely other lightweight camping gear in there.

My only "con" with this setup is I wish they would have put another break in each of the sections of the poles and made the bag smaller. The tent and rain-fly really pack small. It is the poles that give the pack size length.

Would I buy this again: YES and recommend it.

2. ALPS Clearwater +20 bag. This is a nice bag indeed but I am not as happy with it as I am the tent. First the good: The stow bag for the sleeping bag is GREAT. It has built in compression straps. Which, let me tell you, make the pack size of the sleeping bag much smaller than its advertised pack size. Probably half.

The Clearwater looks nice and is quite cozy. I laid it out on my concrete garage floor and was surprised at how much softer the bag was than it looked. It is very light!

What I dislike about this bag IMMENSELY is the zipper pull. It takes finesse to get the bag zipped up or down without snagging fabric. Any sleeping bag that MSRP's at this price point should have an effortless zipper. What really becomes difficult is zipping OUT of the bag. If you are a bigger person than I, say the typical size of one of Gordito's girlfriends, you would have hell coming out of this bag.

Having said that, once I learned how to position the pull all the way to the bottom of the zipper head, it became easier to operate snagging less fabric.

Would I buy this again: Maybe b/c of the pack size/compression strap bag. Would I recommend it: Yes disclosing the zipper issue first.

*****

I already have an Exped mat (short). I like the short ones because they pack smaller and I don't care of my feet are on a mat... Really all I need for a mat is butt and up to sleep on some pretty rough ground. Also, a mat serves equally well to conserve heat during the colder nights.

In following posts, I have attached pics of the gear setup and laying on the bike for some relative sizing comparisons.

*****

Tent



To the foot of the tent


To the ceiling


To the head of the tent


Ideal of room - laying in the middle


One door

[TJ Willy]

More tent pics with rain/wind fly. Optional guy lines are not installed. There are two that run the length of the then along the middle then "V" out on each end. Recommended in high winds according the manufacturer.

Back view


Side view - distance


Front view - vestibule closed


Back view - vestibule closed


Vent prop - rear of tent


Vestibule open - the bend in the pole was the result of me using the wrong prop hole.

Gonna any pics of the tent packed?

[TJ Willy]

Ignore the clover weeds... I put down pre-emergent to no avail.

Back view - vestibules down


Front view - vestibules down


Closer


Packed as the manufacture had it - footprint not in the bag


Packed after I folded the tent, rain/wind fly, and footprint - Room left in the bag to put other soft gear

[TJ Willy]

Originally Posted by BigAlsRK

Gonna any pics of the tent packed?

Yep... had to break and feed the baby...

[CDouthitt]

that happens...

[TJ Willy]

The first pics are how the manufacture had it packed. It is not compressed. I compressed it down using the straps in the later pics.

Notice the compression straps on the side and how much the strap is pulled past the buckle.


Straps and carrying handle/tie down point on the end.


Notice the velcro flap over the zipper pull. Reads "ALPS". Also the cinch cord on the right side of the mummy bag - for those really cold nights...


Full length view


On the bike - compressed - Now compare how much the strap has been pulled past the buckle.


Another view

[SafetyMan]

I don't care about camping gear.....

[TJ Willy]

One other note on the bag. To put it in the manufacturer's compression bag you really have to roll it tight. It took a second attempt to keep it tight enough to pull the compression bag over the sleeping bag.

[TJ Willy]

Originally Posted by SafetyMan

I don't care about camping gear.....

Then my best advice would be to ignore this thread. -- Ooops too late.

[TJ Willy]

Another note on the tent.

If you noticed the sag illustrated in the below pic.... The blue and gray fly is tight, but the light gray/white fabric you see is the roof of the tent sagging just a bit.

It was not there before I put the rain/wind fly on and strapped it on. I am sure I did not have the tent up correctly/tight enough before I cinched the fly on. I believe I can correct that the next time I set it up.

It may be due to the fact I have the tent pole in the wrong eye causing excessive "bend" in the pole. Also noticeable in the below pic.

[LittleBear]

TJ, A tip on sleeping bags. Modern bags are not supposed to be rolled up. Grab a end of the bag and start stuffing it into the bag. It will go right in with no effort and then compress down smaller than you had it. Takes about 30 secs to pack a sleeping bag like this.

Also tents stretch a little after they are pitched and if they absorb any moisture, like dew or when it gets colder, they will stretch and show sags like that, no big deal.

[Dinero]

I don't roll my sleeping bag up. I just stuff it into a compression bag and compress the hell out of it. Takes up a lot less room that way.

[LittleBear]

One final note, do not store them compressed. Not good for them.
Hey DNM, who told you that.


Still working on finding the perfect camp coffee pot DNM. When I find it, you will know.

[Dinero]

I forgot to mention that Little Bear could get all my gear in one bag in the morning when my hands were too stiff for the job.

He taught me everything I know about camping. Especially the "drink lots of beer if you want a good night's sleep" part.