Hi
You want to check out the BigAgnes website.Their selection of tents cover all you need (the seedhouse range is superb)What you need to remember when camping esp in Iran Pak,India and SE Asia is that a tent you would use in Europe will be like a mini portable sauna in these countries.You need an inner tent made entirely of mesh to allow air flow and a fly sheet that does not go all the way to the ground for the same reason .Otherwise camping wont be much fun.A lightweight (2 season) bag from say snugfit with a silk liner and an inflatable mat (foam no good) make it better.You can get all this gear ,for two, coming in at under 5 kilos.
Have a good,and restful,trip.

Hi
One of the things i would say is.....durability! even the top names make rubbish tents.

My wife & i come from a background of long distance backpacking & wild camping & have learnt from bitter experience that the best tents:

• have 2 openings
• have 2 porches/ stores, 1 for gear & 1 for cook.
• Easton aluminium poles (they kink instead of breaking ( can be splinted)
• Have high ceiling enough to have a mesh 'loft' for drying kit.
• big enough to chill out in if it rains alot.
• strong waterproof base.
• high entrance for getting in & out after a night on the cold ground.
• Quick & easy to pitch in rain.
• Sub 3kg.

I know this is probably just for dodgy climates (wet) but we have tried at least 15 tents in the last few years! & have found we use either the tried & tested Terranova Quasar (the tent of legends) or the VauDe Mark 2 (3 man my favourite). The other 'top name' tents such as North Face just seem too flimsy after a year of use (we have tried 3).

I personally would avoid any non-geodesic type as the tunnel types are a bit like sleeping with a flappy sheet overhead by comparison & are a sod to put up on anything but a croquet lawn. I would also carry a big US or german army rainsheet in case you have to do any bike maintenance, these have kept me dry a few nights fettling & weigh virtually nothing when rolled up with the tent. The latest thing in tents seems to be to use large mesh side panels in the inner to save weight which is fine in the day but cool down drastically at night in anything but the hottest climates & therefore recommend a fully sealable inner for those super-cold nights, you can then carry a lighter sleeping bag.

Good luck with the shopping & remember....if it leaks....its trash & take it back no matter what the shop says!

Regards

Tim

Ps...The mountain hardwear tents are famous for leaking due to super flimsy fly sheet & no/ high storm flaps, baggy when wet & are generally lightweight (flimsy)TerraNova copies. They gave some to the volunteer Mountain Rescue service in yorkshire to test a few years ago, the report never materianised.....

We spent 2 nights on Skye (sligachan) & were utterly miserable, wet & cold, dumped the tent for £60 to a climber in fort William & got the Vaude.

Wish i could be more positive......

PS the Quasars come in an 'extended' version due to there being alot of 6ft+ pro mountaineers

Regards

Tim

You want Hilleberg: http://www.hilleberg.com/

Light, strong, four-season, durable, spacious. Somewhat finicky to set up by American standards (especially if drunk, cold, hurried, late or otherwise incapacitated), and not cheap.

Hope that helps.

Mark

...with "tordway"!

As I mentioned in a previous comment - you get what you pay for. Sure, if you want to buy a new tent every year (because the old one is just shi...., go for it. If you want to have quality, you will have to pay a little more. That's what makes the difference between driving a Mercedes, RR, etc and a small Suzuki, Hyundai or whatever. Quality has it's price and I prefer to spend a little more and stay dry inside the tent for several years.

Vaude, Rejka - those are the tents I would go for. Esecially the Rejka tents with a floor of 10.000mm rain protection (??) and the fly sheet with 5.000mm are a guarantee to stay dry! And the price - it is hard to find something similar in this category!!

For more information (sorry - all in German) check here Rejka Outgear

Happy shopping and safe riding as well as camping!!

PS: Again - I am NOT connected to this company and don't receive any benefits at all - of course - they're in Germany me in the land-of-the-not-always-rising-sun = Japan!!

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Keeping my eyes out for these guys at the Nomad Tent CompanyThe Adventure Motorcycle Tent. Designed for global traveller , spotted them on Advrider, last seen testing the tent up the Dalton highway in Alaska, supposed to fit a full size adventure tourer into the tent, space for two and all the gear and roll up the same size as a regular tent.. If it's as good as they say it is i'll have one. Did anyone get and pics before they changed the site?

Through the years we have owned many tents, all of them in the mid to lower price bracket. I would advise the 3 man Coleman Cobra, for the following reasons:
* its long, very long, the width is adequate for two
* It has two doors and two mossy nets, which is good for hot countries, and you don't have to climb over each other to get in and out
* It has two porches so each of you can store your own wet gear
* Its small and light enough to fit on your pannier

We travelled for six months in Oz with one in 2001 and its still going strong, so its durable and hard wearing, if you google it I'm sure you'll get an up to date price, and remember it's the 3 man not the two man you will need.

Enjoy your trip

Joyce
UK now in Thai

looks like they are updating at the moment. pretty neat if they can get a GS inside, I'm planning a RTW trip again, sounds like the ticket for trip.

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not the nutters in charge

why on earth would you want to bring your bike into a tent with you??!

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UK to Mongolia 2009, on a DR350

Ditto

and if you park our bike in, or anywhere near your tent, make sure if it falls over (as they invariably do) it can only fall away from you.

I've witnessed a KTM 400 fall over (they always do) and break a crash helmet so I imagine any bike could cause substantial damage to a sleeping human.

Even if it doesn't hurt you, imagine being wrapped up in a sleeping bag and trying to get out from under a loaded GS. I struggle to get out of my maggot at the best of times.

It's more like a mini garage, I rode up to Deadhorse top of Alaska in the summer, torrential rain, the guys that had them just parked the bikes, tent went up over it, then they got undressed and set up the inner from inside the tent. Same gig the next morning, they were all packed up out of the rain, packed up their fly sheet and were off.

I always found hiding the bike is the best way to go too, everyone wants what they can see. Nothing worse than a toss night sleep hearing noises around your bike at night when you are in the tent.

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not the nutters in charge

If you're over 6" tall, why not lie diagonally..... (corner to corner).

The missus/bird will just have to lay on top !!!!

+1 for the MSR Mutha Hubba. Brillant tent, loads of space at either end, goes up very quickly and is very light and compact when in the sack.

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www.motoventurers.com

My wife and myself are currently using a 3-man Mountain Hardwear Hammerhead 3. Ample space for 2 people and gear. Two vestibules. I love this tent.

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"Adventure is just Bad Planning" - Roald Amundsen

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not the nutters in charge