Life In The Saddle

I have been searching for the perfect bikepacking shelter. Is it a tent, a tarp, a hammock, or a shelter? The truth is that any one of these could be the ideal bikepacking shelter choice, depending on the conditions that you are camping in. In sweltering summer heat, a hammock or inner tent only might be the best solution. For a fast pitch, a shelter or tarp may suffice as protection from the elements. Then, in more severe conditions, a fully clad two-layer tent (ideally with a porch to stow your kit) would be the best solution. The Adventure Beluga is a new style of modular shelter from the French brand Qaou Outdoor, which offers an incredibly versatile and adaptable tent—capable of being all the above named variations, without compromise. In the package you receive an inner tent, plus two outer material layers, pegs, poles, and a hammock hanging system. Here is what it can create: 1) All-weather tent with porch: zip the two outer layers together, use the inner tent and poles, an...

Your choice of tent for bikepacking or bike touring makes a notable difference to comfort and speed, both on and off the bike. Go too big, and you'll be carrying extra weight. Go too small, and you might struggle to get a good night's sleep. The Vaude Power Lizard SUL 1-2P Tent looks to be the perfect size for the solo cycle tourer. A spacious one-man tent The Vaude Power Lizard SUL 1-2P is branded (as the name suggests) as a large one-man tent, or a small two-man tent. I have heard of people using it for both, and the footprint of the internal area is similar to other super-light 2 person tents from brands like Nordisk and Telemark. For me though, the tent is the ideal size for comfortable solo bike touring or hiking; and that is what I have used it for to date. Weighing in at 1,100 grams (including pegs), it is minimal in weight; and it has a tiny pack size (34 x 12 centimetres).  Small enough and light enough not to be a burden to a solo explorer, it has en...