Author Topic: An Alternative to A Tent  (Read 3280 times)

Torslanda

  • Professional Gobshite
  • Just a tart for retro kit . . .
    • John's Bikes
An Alternative to A Tent
« on: 08 September, 2015, 12:13:33 am »
Has anyone built their own?

Tow your own Camper
VELOMANCER

Well that's the more blunt way of putting it but as usual he's dead right.

Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #1 on: 08 September, 2015, 07:29:40 am »
I spent a long time as a youth trying to design such a thing. Lack of money, materials and mechanical skills prevented me from going from note pad to build.

The example you post is too wide and, I'm sure, too heavy.

The way to go is a trailer tent. The base should fold so the towable size is not much bigger than a conventional trailer. The top would either be tent poles curved to form a cowboys and Indians style wagon roof or some sort of articulated pram hood construction. In either case you wouldn't be towing a full height mini - house with all the visibility and windage issues that would entail.

Hmm. Maybe I should give it a bash. Nice garage engineering project.

Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #2 on: 08 September, 2015, 07:54:52 am »
I'm not sure that I'd really like to tow my coffin along.  :P

clarion

  • Tyke
Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #3 on: 10 September, 2015, 10:21:37 am »
Regulator has a trailer tent gathering dust. ;)

Personally, I'd much prefer a tent to such a heavy and unwieldy device.
Getting there...

Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #4 on: 10 September, 2015, 11:20:59 am »
I like regulaters trailertent but could not afford one myself . if I was and good at molishing such things I would have done so years ago ☺
the slower you go the more you see

Pancho

  • لَا أَعْبُدُ مَا تَعْبُدُونَ
Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #5 on: 10 September, 2015, 11:24:37 am »
Regulator!

Put up a pic - I'm really curious.


Chris S

Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #7 on: 10 September, 2015, 01:35:06 pm »
The sheer Nuttiness of that is still a larf.

I'm betting fboab's "Tentopolis"1, bunged in a trailer with a small fridge, leisure battery and TV, would be lighter than that  :D.

------------------------
1TM Clare OTP. Tentopolis AIUI, nominally sleeps 12. It has four bedrooms and a large communal area.

Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #8 on: 10 September, 2015, 02:50:58 pm »
180 litres of storage and the guy in that pic still needs 50l of panniers?

Sleeping off the ground is good if you are paranoid of snakes (as am I). Just one problem; you'd need a fancy mirror arrangement to check under the trailer and tent before getting out in the morning.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #9 on: 10 September, 2015, 04:25:29 pm »
To be fair to 'the guy in that pic' (we know him as Regulator), he rocked up to Mildenhall with full panniers and bought the trailer tent on a whim as a considered purchase after much thought and discussion.

Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #10 on: 11 September, 2015, 10:24:16 am »
To be fair to 'the guy in that pic' (we know him as Regulator), he rocked up to Mildenhall with full panniers and bought the trailer tent on a whim as a considered purchase after much thought and discussion.
I thought it looked like greg then decided it couldn't have been because the link was about an Australian product!

Makes more sense now.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #11 on: 12 September, 2015, 10:07:25 am »
tent = 1kg
pad = 300g
bag - 1.2kg
stove + pots = 1kg

I'd always go for the ride, not the camping, hence keep it <5kg excl. food

Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #12 on: 30 September, 2015, 08:28:09 pm »

Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #13 on: 30 September, 2015, 11:44:46 pm »
... regulator's trailertent but....
why does it need four wheels, surely two like any usual cycle trailer would be less drag?

Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #14 on: 01 October, 2015, 08:21:33 am »
I presume it is stability and strength - the top bit unfolds and you sleep in it.
<i>Marmite slave</i>

Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #15 on: 01 October, 2015, 09:43:32 am »
I have seen similar trailer tents that have fold down legs to give stability rather than extra wheels.

Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #16 on: 01 October, 2015, 09:46:03 am »
Interesting?

No more bulky camping and yet no picture to show what it is likes packed down.

I have what they refer to as a 'swag tent' and find that it packs down small and my separate mat and bag gives flexibility.

OK for a car, but if you have a car then use a hotel or Travelodge!

Re: An Alternative to A Tent
« Reply #17 on: 01 October, 2015, 11:38:00 am »
Interesting?
Quote
The scientists also opted to tackle the problem of condensation in the one-man tent by using a breathable liner on the blanket that can draw moisture away from the camper's body.

The moisture collects on the waterproof side of the liner and can then be shaken out the next morning

I'll just update that for them:

Quote
The scientists also opted to tackle the problem of condensation in the one-man tent by using a breathable liner on the blanket that can draw moisture away from the camper's body.

The moisture collects on the waterproof side of the liner and is absorbed by black mould and a unique slime mould. After 3 weeks the mould layer is sufficiently thick to provide substantial extra insulation. Respiratory diseases block nasal passages, rendering any concerns over smell irrelevant. 
<i>Marmite slave</i>