ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 1-Person Tent
- Weight: 4 pounds
- Size packed: 6” x 17”
- Price: $104.73
Available from ALPS Mountaineering
While camping doesn’t absolutely require that one carries a tent with them—some riders are perfectly happy sleeping under the stars—a little shelter does add a bit of comfort to the whole moto camping experience. That's when single-person, lightweight tents get a chance to shine.
Tents like the ALPS Mountaineering Lynx are convenient to carry with you on a bike because they’re compact and lightweight. This particular model is freestanding and installation is straightforward with your run-of-the-mill two-pole support system. It also features a weatherpoof cover in case the going gets wet and even has a little vestibule to stack up your gear.
Tracker 5 Short 0 Degree Ultralight Mummy Sleeping Bag
- Weight: 3.75 pounds
- Size packed: 8" x 14"
- Price: $59.99
Available from TETON Sports
A sleeping bag is possibly the single most important piece of camping gear you’ll travel with. You only have to unroll it anywhere you wish to stay for the night and get a decent night of sleep. To some, gear like tents, mattresses, and chairs are superfluous—all they need is a comfy pouch to marsupial their way through the night.
Mummy sleeping bags in particular are great because if the temperatures dip, you are protected from head to toes and kept warm without having to wear a hat and a scarf to sleep. This TETON Tracker 5 packs easily and keeps you warm in temperatures as low at 5 degrees.
Thermarest ProLite Sleeping Pad
- Weight: 1 pound
- Size packed: 5.8" x 11"
- Price: $94.95
Available from Thermarest
If the thought of sleeping with rocks and twigs poking in your back is enough to deter you from camping altogether, fear not—sleeping pads are coming to the rescue. Models like this Thermarest ProLite is inflatable which means once you’re ready to pack up and go, it easily rolls into a compact cylinder slightly bigger than a bottle of water.
In addition, this model can be patched up if you somehow manage to poke a hole in it and the one-way valve makes inflation of the mattress even with your mouth, an easy business.
Helinox Folding Chair
- Weight: 2 pounds
- Size packed: 3.5” x 13.5”
- Price: from $99.95
Available from Helinox
Of course, you can find a rock or a log to sit on—it does limit the amount of gear you carry along. However, if you’d rather sit some place clean and dry, then there are some foldable chairs out there that fold into a compact and easy-to-pack bag, like the Helinox Chair One.
Don’t be fooled by its size—it can support a person weighing as much as 320 pounds.
DragonFly Multi-Fuel Camping Stove
- Weight: 1 pound
- Size packed: 4" x 4"
- Price: $184.95
Available from MSR Gear
Unless you plan to wrestle a couple of dry branches into submission to turn them into firewood then test your prehistoric instincts by attempting to start a fire from scratch, you can make your life much easier by carrying a little camping stove with you.
One as compact as the DragonFly won’t add much weight and bulk to your luggage and it offers the perk of running on any type of fuel you can find along the way, including unleaded gas and diesel (yep, the same stuff bikes and cars run on!) Here’s one easy way to get a little fire going and enjoy a warm meal on the road.
SEA TO SUMMIT X-Set 11 Cookset
- Weight: 316 grams
- Size packed: 6" x 6"
- Price: $59.95
Available from Sea To Summit USA
If you plan to test your cooking skills out in the wild or even just if you want to enjoy a nice cup of coffee before hitting the road, then a collapsible cookset is a great addition to your kit.
A collapsible kettle will boil water but will also allow you to cook meals of all genre, whether you go down the dehydrated pack path or opt for something a little more creative with ingredients you have at hand. This set includes a 1.3L kettle and two mugs which can double as bowls should you need them to. Once you’re done, they neatly collapse and nestled into one another to form a compact, easy-to carry disc.
Hydaway Collapsible Water Bottle
- Weight: 150 grams
- Size packed: 1.5”
- Price: $25.00
Available from Hydaway
One crucial step of self-care while traveling includes staying hydrated, especially if you’re traveling in desertic conditions or in the middle of the summer. Access to water can sometimes be restricted so carrying a water bottle in your luggage definitely has its advantages.
When space is limited, however, bottles can be bulky. That’s where collapsible bottles come in handy. Bottles like this Hydaway model allows you to carry a standard 17 ounces of liquid with you and folds into a compact 1.5-inch disc once it’s empty.
Leatherman Wave+ Multitool
- Weight: 241 grams
- Size packed: 4”
- Price: $89.95
Available from Leatherman
Whether you’re camping or not, keeping a multitool in your bag is never a bad idea. You never know when you’ll need a screwdriver, a blade, or a set of pliers. It becomes even more useful to keep one close when you plan to live in the wild for a couple of days. A multitool like a Leatherman is pretty much like a Swiss Army knife on steroids.
While Leatherman is one of the most popular name on the multitool scene, you can find similar gear from other manufacturers at a more affordable price.
Biolite Rechargeable Headlamp
- Weight: 69 grams
- Size packed: -
- Price: $59.95
Available from BioLite Energy
If you’ve ever hung out outside at night, you understand how useful a headlamp can be. Whether it’s to get up to find the bathroom—or whatever bush will be your natural restroom—or to dig something out of your poorly lit tent, bag, or sidecases, having a readily available lamp you don’t have to hold with your hands is certainly a must.
We opted for this Biolite model because it’s rechargeable so you won’t have to buy new batteries along the way, and because it offers several settings—including a red flood light to avoid blinding everyone if you have to use it in the middle of the night.
Solar Power Bank
- Weight: 564 grams
- Size packed: 3.7” x 6.9”
- Price: $42.99
Available from Amazon
Even in the wild, we tend to rely on technology, and even in the wild, charging can be an issue. Unless you plan to navigate using a map, chances are you’ll be using a GPS or even your smartphone to get an idea of where you are heading next. To be fair, having a phone with you is also a must in case of emergency (provided there’s service).
To keep your device of choice in tip top shape, you will likely need to give it a little power boost at some point. If you’re technology reliant, then a power bank becomes a necessary tool to keep in your bags.
This model in particular can be charged using a standard outlet—in case you stop at a coffee shop somewhere. If you don’t have that “luxury”, then it can also use solar power to charge up and provide you with a power boost. Note that as in any solar charging system, getting a full charge will take several hours but if you truly are in the middle of nowhere, then it’s a good way to get a charge without relying on the grid.
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