Wet Gear on a trip

[ShinyPartsUp]

OK, so I have generally been new to camping on the motorcycle (though I did a few weekends on a Suzuki back in the 90's). Every time I've camped on a bike it has been dry weather. But since I am doing an extended tour this summer (fingers still crossed), I have a newbie question for after the inevitable downpour while the tent is set up:

How long can you leave a tent or other gear packed wet on the bike before mold and ugly things start growing? If it is days on end of rain I'll probably hide in a cheap motel. I know how to handle wet clothes, etc. but the tent has me stumped, since I don't plan on being at any one place camping more than a couple days. Therefore I won't have it set up to dry. TIA.

 

[SMC]

:blink: Sorry I can't help in this department as I don't do tents on my extended tours, I book hotel rooms along the route of my extended trips. I'm too old for that, there is something to be said about air conditioning, heating, warm clean beds and hot showers, not to mention laundry facilities.

 

[Capt. Bob]

OK, so I have generally been new to camping on the motorcycle (though I did a few weekends on a Suzuki back in the 90's). Every time I've camped on a bike it has been dry weather. But since I am doing an extended tour this summer (fingers still crossed), I have a newbie question for after the inevitable downpour while the tent is set up:
How long can you leave a tent or other gear packed wet on the bike before mold and ugly things start growing? If it is days on end of rain I'll probably hide in a cheap motel. I know how to handle wet clothes, etc. but the tent has me stumped, since I don't plan on being at any one place camping more than a couple days. Therefore I won't have it set up to dry. TIA.

Modern tents dry rather quickly. If it rains the night before, shaking out the tent (even squeezing) will get the bulk of the moisture out. Stopping a little earlier (or better yet, setting it up during lunch) will help remove a good bit of dampness. Mildew grows pretty quick in humid climates but a tent packed up will go for a week (my Scouts have had them longer than that) before they turn ripe. If the weather is bad and you choose a motel, just set the tent up in the room. It will be dry by morning , assuming you run the AC.

Another trick backpackers use is to place their gear in zip lock bags. Sleeping bags are placed in trash bags, then into the stuff sack (or compression sack). My son and I have been caught in several downpours where we just hunkered down in our rain gear and set up our tent when we got a break in the rain. Backpacks (even with rain covers) do get wet (just like those tail and tank bags) but it's sure nice pulling that sleeping bag out of that drenched pack and finding it's as dry as a popcorn fart.

Good luck. There's no better way to enjoy the great outdoors.

 

[Geezer]

I spend two weeks motorcycle camping in the rain with my wife back in the 70's. Once the tent is wet then it stays wet when you pack it and it's wet when you set it back up. It was OK, but I wouldn't leave it rolled up for more than a day without airing it or it might mildew. Use a good ground cloth and pick your tent sight carefully so you don't wake up in a puddle. Once your sleeping bags get wet you're going to need to stop at a laundromat and use the dryers. And put your cameras and electronic gear in a waterproof container, like your saddle bags or at least a good heavy plastic bag. I lost a good Canon by leaving it in the low corner of the tent and finding it in a few inches of water in the morning.

 

[CigarGuy]

I love hotels!

 

[fjrob1300]

I've been caught in the rain many times as I both bike and kayak camp. If you have to pack up your tent wet then you should open as soon as possible.The newer tents will almost shake dry.

 

[cota95]

At this point in my life I "condo-camp"

 

[Old Michael]

You wring them out as best you can, and if the next day is dry, you stop early, string a line between trees and try to air dry them. KOA's often have dryers with adjustable heat. Even if you're a diehard camper, an occasional night in a motel can be refreshing.

 

[juniorfjr]

My wife's idea of camping is a 3 star hotel.

 

[FJR1300A]

I love to camp while I'm on motorcycle trips. I have bought some good backpacking equipment and I can fit it all in an 11" x 13" waterproof stuff sack.

This includes the following:

Tent (Mountain Hardwear Hammerhead 3)

Tent Poles

Tent Footprint / Ground Cloth

Tent Stakes

Extra Tent Lines

Sleeping Bag

Pillows (2 Small ones)

Sleeping Pad / Air Mattress (Therm-a-rest)

Small Camp Axe

So how I do it is I put the sleeping bag, pillows, air mattress and axe in the waterproof stuff sack first while I'm still in my tent (especially if it's still raining!)

Then once the tent is empty (everything should be on the bike or in the waterproof stuff sack by this point) I take the tent down and roll up the rain fly and tent around the poles. I put the tent in it's bag. I then fold up the footprint/ground cloth and put that and the tent stakes in the top of the tent bag. Then the whole tent goes into a heavy duty plastic bag. Garbage bags tend to rip so look for something a bit more substantial. Once the tent is in the plastic bag (even if it's wet) I shove the whole thing in the stuff suck and strap it to the bike. Everything else stays dry.

Once I'm done riding for the day, if I do camp again that night I just set up the tent a little earlier so it can dry out a bit. If I stay in a hotel, I simply unpack the tent and hang it up in the hotel room. This has worked for me for years with no problems to speak of. I never let the tent stay wet for more than three days though. If it's raining for three days straight, I'll stay in a hotel and let everything dry out for a while.

Have fun, I look forward to doing some camping myself this summer!

 

[ShinyPartsUp]

Thanks for all the replies, even the off topic humorous one.

That all gives me a good idea of how it works. I've been reading a ton of online sites about camping on bike/hiking for months, but nobody has covered this aspect (that I can find) of what to do with the wet tent. I have also been emailing a couple guys here and there and gotten some good tips, like watertight compression bags that you role up, then unroll flat and the materials inside are compressed up to 75%...without needing a vacuum to suck air.

Thanks for the tips and it all is making more sense now.

 

[worldbound4now]

Modern tents dry rather quickly. If it rains the night before, shaking out the tent (even squeezing) will get the bulk of the moisture out. Stopping a little earlier (or better yet, setting it up during lunch) will help remove a good bit of dampness. Mildew grows pretty quick

Agreed. Spent many nights in my tent and packed it wet several times. Pull the stakes, shake off the excess water, pack it and forget it. Later that night set up the tent before sunset and place in direct sunshine to facilitate drying (though doing this a lot will allow the UV rays to weaken the tent over many years). Spend the money and get a good backcountry tent. If you need recommendations, give me a pm. I own one, have stayed in a few, and played with almost all that local outdoor gear stores sell. They're easy to setup, many are freestanding, pack small, and are light weight.

TTYL

worldbound4now.

 

[Capt. Bob]

WW,

As I stated earlier, new generation tents (especially ultralites) repel water very well and dry quickly. They don't start smelling funky as quickly as the old canvas types we used in the 70's and the material is much more resistant to mildew too. Pack the tent in the sack it comes in. Compression will reduce the waterproofing of the fly over time.

I would be more concerned with the clothes and sleeping bags. Backpacking tents tend to be pricey but it's money well spent.

Have fun and remember,

it never rains when your on vacation

 

[JR'SFJR]

A friend uses a small catalytic heater to warm up and dry stuff a little. I know you are not suppose to run a open flame in a tent, but on a trip to Alaska a few years ago, I hand held a small backpacking stove a few min. to warm up and remove some dampness when the weather was wet and cold.

 

[Murph]

Many good comments above.

My wife and I went on a 9-day trip last summer. As a compromise, we alternated nights of one night camping and the next night in a hotel. The benefit of the hotel (aside from keeping the wife happy) was that we were able to clean and dry the gear when we were in the hotel room. Oh yeah, we were also able to clean and dry ourselves in the hotel room!

The trip went so well last year that we will be doing two 10-day trips this year.

 

[rapd-rob]

The ground cloth,if you use one, goes on the inside of the tent. Those who put it on the ground beneath the tent either 1: hasn't done much camping , or 2: winds up with a wet fart sack and most of the other stuff inside the tent. Most new nylon fabric tents dry quite quickly when set up the next evening particularly if there's a breeze. I'd not leave it rolled up wet for more than 3 days. As Ben Franklin once said " Fish and relatives both stink after 3 days" The same could be said for wet tents.

 

[FJR1300A]

The ground cloth,if you use one, goes on the inside of the tent.

Huh?

I'm sorry but you're wrong. The point of a "ground"cloth / tent footprint is to keep dirt/mud/sand off of the bottom of the tent which can cause abrasion to the fabric and break it down over time. The ground cloth rest on the ground and is made to wear out and be replaced.

Still don't believe me?

My Tent:

https://www.rei.com/product/717787

My Groundcloth / Footprint:

https://www.rei.com/product/732223

Read the description:

This coated nylon taffeta footprint attaches underneath your Mountain Hardwear® Hammerhead 3 tent to protect floor from abrasion and damage.

 

[wheatonFJR]

Many good comments above.
My wife and I went on a 9-day trip last summer. As a compromise, we alternated nights of one night camping and the next night in a hotel. The benefit of the hotel (aside from keeping the wife happy) was that we were able to clean and dry the gear when we were in the hotel room. Oh yeah, we were also able to clean and dry ourselves in the hotel room!

The trip went so well last year that we will be doing two 10-day trips this year.

Sounds like fun for you...please send reports and post piccies. :clapping:

 

[donaldb]

Just wrap it around your headers and after about 20 miles or so it should be good and dry

Really a quality tent should shake fairly dry, least dry enough to stow w/out mildew concerns for several hours. Set it up the next afternoon and it will dry just fine....or like others have mentioned, if you stay the next night at a hotel, just open it up and spread it out on the floor or other bed and let it air out, it should be dry by the next morning. I don't camp much anymore, but I use to do it all the time back in the good ole younger days.