How to choose the best bicycle touring tent? Tips when using your tent.

[cyclocamping]

After a lot of research, many years of experience and great help from the bicycle touring community, I finally finished this series of articles about bicycle touring tents. This guide is a compilation of 7 articles to help you choose the right tent for bicycle-camping; you will also find a detailed list of all the different features and options available out there and a lot of tips and tricks on how to use the tent, maintain it, fix it and much more.

All 7 articles can be found on this link: Guide: How to choose the right tent?

And these are the different sub-topics you will find in this guide:

 How to choose the right bicycle touring tent (Features and options)?

 Tips and tricks when using your tent

 How to make your tent last many years longer

 Free-standing tents VS. Tunnel tents

 Why do I need a good tent? Which are the best brands?

 Understanding waterproof coating and ratings (# in mm) on tent fabrics

 Bivies / Hammocks / Tarps: A lighter alternative to tents

I hope some of you will find it useful. Please, feel free to leave any kind of comment.

Stephane

[Tourista829]

Stephane, thank you for sharing this info with us. I have an older Sierra Designs 2 person tent and appreciate the article on how to preserve older tents. The last time I was camping, it was Monsoon like and had an inch of water on the floor. Luckily I had my matress pad and escaped the water and Ortlieb Panniers. I will get some Tent Sure and seam seal. I look forward to reading the rest:) Question, I am sure it is simple, how do you post a picture, your page?

[cyclocamping]

Tourista, you're welcome. Yes I know the feeling! I used to wake up in paddles of water in my MSR (not fun huh). Unfortunately when it gets to this point there is not much you can do. Except maybe one thing (and I probably should add this to the article somewhere). Call Sierra Design, I don't know what is their policy but a lot of good brands have some kind of lifetime warranty that they don't necessarily mention. I called MSR after sleeping in my tent for 3 years almost every day because it was leaking. They suggested I ship the tent to them so they can run some tests. 3 weeks later they shipped me a brand new tent stating that my old tent was over saturated with dirt (lol) and there was nothing they could do. I was shocked!!!  ... and very happy! A new tent for free!!! I am not sure what you are asking about the picture...

[Tourista829]

The tent was 20 years old but in relatively good shape. I did call Sierra Designs. They suggested, like Campmor, Tent Sure Floor Sealant and a Seam Sealant. $10 it's worth a try. The water, on the floor, actually cooled me down, the outside air temp was 86 and the humidity 100%. I think I will look for an inexpenses battery powered fan, that I can hang from the ceiling. When the rain fly is on, it can get very hot inside the tent. I liked the stuff on cyclocamping.com prices weren't bad either. There is a new item that has lights in a mesh that you can hang from the ceiling. The picture I was talking about was the one you see on your posts in the ACO Forum. I might say a mighty fine picture design.

[cyclocamping]

20 years! I guess it was a good investment! I know, it's not easy to sleep in a tent when it is hot and humid. Full-mesh body tent are good for that. I sent you a PM message reagrding your question.