Attention Campers: Sleeping Gear

[alanmcorcoran]

Originally Posted by BillInGA

I toyed with the idea of camping on my impending trip to Colorado, but I tend not to sleep very well when camping out, so I opted for hotels instead. The above notwithstanding, if I were to camp out on a motorcycle trip these would be my options:

1) Sleeping bag (as opposed to blankets). I'd go with the lightest synthetic (not down) 25-30 degree bag I could afford.
2) Sleeping pad - Therm-a-rest pads are the way to go. Heavy, but well worth their weight. The thicker the better - I think the Expedition is their thickest.
3) Tent / Tarp - I've tried using a tarp, but it's a little too buggy for me. Plus you typically need hiking poles to double as tent poles. There are plenty of 1 - 2 man backpacking tents. I recommend something that has at least sitting height. I have a 1-man backpacking tent that does not have sitting height and, although small and light-weight, it is awkward getting in and out and difficult to get dressed in.

I'm kind of in the same boat - It's hard for me to sleep even when in a nice bed. I'm thinking i might try having the gear, and if it ends up sucking, just hitting the cheap hotels. Or alternating. It always sounds more romantic talking about it than actually doing it. Thanks for the suggestions.