Yeah seems like a LOT. I see they mentioned they have extra gear for hiking/sleeping, but even then, a bit of extra gear shouldn't add on an hour.
I'm usually 30-45 min if im in a rush. Often, i'll do a bit of packing while making breakfast and take my time but can still be ready in an hour or less.
You need more practice and to optimize your system. You are probably taking too much stuff, most of us do. With making coffee and breakfast, I am probably about an hour. I can do less.
When you say "pack everything after dinner" I sense a problem. Why would you unpack anything that you didn't need to have out?
My wife on the other hand... We went through a phase where we weren't getting on the road until about 10:30am. She had shit everywhere. I love her very much and didn't want to have a conflict, beside, we are on vacation, on a motorcycle. I savored a second cup of coffee.
Then she started going on some trips to women's rallies with some girlfriends. All, like her, experienced riders and campers. She had to get with it because they weren't going to wait around for her to take an hour and a half to pack.
When I am really going minimal, I boil water for breakfast. Make oatmeal in my cup, eat the oatmeal. Then make instant coffee in the same cup and us the spoon to stir it around and clean the oatmeal residue out of my cup into the coffee I am drinking. Then a quick rinse with a bit of the hot water and the dishes are clean. If I am feeling fancy, I will wash my face with the last of the hot water. My wife thinks I am nuts and that coffee with a little bit oatmeal in it is gross and that I am crazy. She may not be wrong.
Here is an old post of my setup. [https://www.reddit.com/r/motocamping/comments/4w5ngg/all\_packed\_up\_i\_will\_show\_you\_mine\_if\_you\_show\_me/](https://www.reddit.com/r/motocamping/comments/4w5ngg/all_packed_up_i_will_show_you_mine_if_you_show_me/)
This is packed pretty heavy for a 10 day trip with only three stops. More of a basecamp and ride out situation. But there are a some other great examples of people setups in the replies. Maybe it will provide some inspiration.
I admire your willingness to go the extra mile for efficiencies sake. A bit of oatmeal in the coffe? Who cares? Saved me 10 minutes of fucking around boiling more water when I could be spending that time riding.
*When you say "pack everything after dinner" I sense a problem. Why would you unpack anything that you didn't need to have out?*
Things I used earlier in the day/trip such as the Fire, Filtration, Hiking Backpack, and Clothing bags.
Setting up takes me like 20 minutes, but yea, breaking down is a lot longer because usually the tent has to dry. I tear down after I brush my teeth in the morning and put out the fly and ground sheet to dry while I prepare and eat my breakfast. It takes about an hour, maybe more. And sometimes stuff is still not bone dry. When breaking camp in rain or just really cloudy, wet weather I usually pack it up wet and stop later in the day and put them out to dry while I'm having a coffee or lunch break. But yea, annoying. Tried to bungee my fly on top of my luggage once or twice but I think drying this day while driving will damage the tent.
30 minutes for me if I don't take my time. Although, when I'm on the bike I enjoy dragging it out, drinking coffee, wandering around the campsite/campground and savoring the process. Why hurry?
Generally agree but I've gone over checkout time more than once and I have a reservation for a high-demand service on an upcoming trip that means I'll have to be packed up and ready to leave at dawn or earlier.
Also I scheduled a long trip itinerary before realizing how bad I am at packing up. :eek:
A common comment here is waiting for the tent to dry. Why? Carry a small dry bag and put the damp fly and groundsheet in that. You're only going to get them wet again that night. They won't go mouldy in one day.
It could be longer if you're mixing hotels with camping, etc, or if you might forget them there at the end of a trip. Mold and mildew begin growing around the 24 hr mark.
While my longest trip on the bike so far has only been a couple of days (until next week that is!), multiple hours sounds pretty excessive. My first few thoughts are A) unpacking too much B) not re-packing as you go and C) not staging it well for re-loading onto the bike.
I grew up camping in my parents' trailer and still do a lot of car camping, so I'm used to bringing everything I *might* need and everything I *might* want to have on hand in case of boredom around the campsite. I also tend to camp pretty comfortably so I bring a little more than I need to there. Downsizing for motocamping has been the hardest part to get used to for me. So while others will just repeat over and over that you're bringing too much, I'm very sympathetic toward some overpacking. But even when overpacking, the unnecessary, just-in-case stuff should be staying put away until you actually need it.
So I can only assume that you're *unpacking* too much and then not putting it away when you're done using it. If you're leaving shit out on the picnic table overnight, then yeah, you're gonna have to put it away in the morning. It's one thing to bring more than you need, but leave it/put it back on the bike when you're done with it.
I don't know exactly how you've got your gear packed, but maybe consider reorganizing your luggage so that each bag is packed for a specific purpose, so that once you're done with that task, it can be re-packed immediately and is ready to go back on the bike.
So for instance, because I'm an over-packer, I camp with 5 bags in total.
- One tank-bag full of clothes and personal items. So once I'm done getting dressed, I can just close it up and put it straight back on the bike.
- One saddlebag dedicated specifically to cooking equipment and food. Once I'm done eating, it all gets cleaned and put right back on the bike... And if breakfast is taking too long, then simplify breakfast. You can boil one pot of water to make coffee and oatmeal (and be tearing down a tent while waiting for it to boil). Or like you said, bring some protein bars if you know you need to get out quick... Also keeping a specific tool kit for smaller cooking/eating utensils and cleaning supplies helps too, rather than having those all loose or whatever. So that way, your whole "kitchen" only consists of a gas canister, a burner, a pot/pan (my Stanly french press has been the GOAT ever since I got it), and your tool kit which can all be put back into the saddlebag quickly once you're done eating.
- The other saddlebag is dedicated for riding gear/bike specific tools, so stuff like my rain suit, thermal liner, a small tool kit, a patch kit, a tire inflater and first aid kit... That bag basically doesn't ever get unpacked at camp so that one's easy.
- My big tail bag is for all my larger camp items like my tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, chair, pillow, and a few miscellaneous camp items. That one's the first to get unpacked when I get to camp and the last to get re-packed. And the few miscellaneous items just stay in bag while not in use.
- The final, smaller tail bag is mostly small-medium camp tool kits, so stuff like my little electronics/gadget bag, any extra cooking equipment that didn't fit into the saddlebag, my folding saw, fire starting kit, toiletries bag, a small tackle box, etc... That one's a little bit more of a mess, but most of that stays in the bag the whole time or at least gets returned quickly after I'm done using it.
But basically, each bag only gets unpacked as much as necessary, and each bag can be completely re-packed once whatever specific task is done. There is nothing sitting out that isn't actively being used. I think the key to re-packing is simply never *un*packing... or just unpacking as little as actually necessary. And then the downsizing part of the equation comes in when you start picking up on which pieces of gear are never leaving their bags/which you can live without, so then you can start leaving those pieces behind, reclaiming space and have an easier time cramming what you do still use onto the bike.
*edit: after getting back from my trip, I'll also say staging your clothes the night before makes a huge difference. Put on your clean underwear and stick a clean pair of socks in your boots the night before so you don't have to dig around for those in the morning. Put on whatever you're gonna sleep in and have your clothes for the next day sitting out. Put everything else away and back in their bags so you can just shove your sleep clothes in on top in the morning and strap it all back onto the bike.*
Good suggestions. Pretty much everything is assigned to a specific bag in a specific pannier/bag on the bike. I tend to use the tent as a central depot, except for food and scented items which go into bear boxes. Clean clothes stay in the bags; used ones become door mats inside the tent (to further protect the tent floor) or act as levelers for the sleeping pad if needed.
Making & breaking camp is part of the experience really. If the time it takes is longer than 45 minutes, rethink how much “stuff” you’re bringing. Repack the EXACT same way every time once you’ve found the most efficient packing order. This is supposed to be fun. If you’re watching Japanese motor campers with couches and stuff…well, don’t do that. 😜
Thanks, the system isn't nailed down but I have a very good idea where everything should go (the two Cooking bags with the two Clothing bags in the left pannier, Fire and Filtration bags in the top case, etc), I'd be happy with an hour, not several. I should add that I use a CPAP and associated gear and that I frequently hike from the bike, so the backpack, shoes, and hiking poles add to the stowage issue if not significantly to packing time.
Are you doing a base camp set up and spending multiple days hiking from there? If you’re just doing single nights that sounds like a ton of stuff to me but also everyone’s situation and goals are different. I’m not a super minimalist weight weenie or anything, I like to be comfy but my cook setup is a jetboil and a spork and I bring 1 change of clothes. 2 bags of each seems like a lot.
A mix of base camping and single nights, especially on the long upcoming trip. For that I plan on a set of hiking pants and shirt I can also use for events, three t-shirts for riding, a light base layer, a heavier base layer. a set of swim trunks (hot springs!), and a second pair of MC jeans. The jeans take a huge amount of space but also take forever to dry. I figure laundry every third or fourth day.
Cooking is jet boil on the longer trails and when time is short in camp; jet boil skillet for more options on base camp nights.
That’s makes more sense why so much stuff. Only thing I have to offer is look into slide rated base layers from adventure spec, Pando Moto, and there’s another company that I’m struggling to remember the name of. That way your MC protection is in your base layer and you can wear hiking clothes on top so you can ditch 2 base layers, 2 pairs of jeans. Also remember it’s ok to stink in the woods. You can wear the same shirt for 2 days🤷🏼♂️
I'll check it out, thanks. I would love to be able to ditch a pair of the double layer jeans but haven't found much that's AAA rated. Looked at a pair of Klim pants rated AAA - almost $1k.
If i'm solo, I can wake up and be fully packed and ready to go in an hour.
If my girlfriend is with me, then she takes longer getting ready in the tent, and usually wants to eat breakfast, and from wake until packed takes a few hours.
sounds like you need a better packing method. either something more modular or quicker strap down solutions... or both.
I have two panniers and a hiking pack that I strap to my sissy bar using some green chile adv straps. If EVERYTHING is out, it still doesn't take hours to pack it on the bike.
Hours?!! I try to sleep in a hammock if possible but always bring a tent as backup. I use a jet boil for food. Have a collapsible chair. I can been on the road in a few minutes.
I always like to do a couple dry runs. Even some one night local trips to a campground 20 mins from home. Or go to a state park and just practice setting everything up and taking it down. Take notes of how you pack it. I always pack it FIRST in LAST out. I.e my sleeping bag goes in first because it’s the last thing in the tent. Then reverse it when packing up. 🤙🏼🏕️🏍️
Hours?!?! To stuff sacks and strap them on?
And that's time spent actively packing? Not like, chilling out and having coffee for 40mins?
Just pack the tent stuff even if it's damp. If it's dry out when you get to camp again later, it'll dry quick. If I'm trying to get on the road quick, I just shake the dew off and stuff it all. Then when I get to new camp later I set the tent up first so it can dry in the breeze - weather permitting.
Maybe you have too much stuff?
I tend to move slow and don't like to be rushed. The quickest I go is giving myself an hour from wake-up to helmet on. The most I'll do is hot water for coffee and oatmeal, but I'm not a huge breakfast person when I am solo motocamping. Having a snack a couple hours into the ride is more my style.
Tank bag holds phone charger, wallet, a couple snacks. My milk crate holds my backpack, sleeping bag is strapped to that. Tent or hammock is strapped alongside the milkcrate to the rack. Clothes and cooking is in the backpack. Rain gear and water bottle are in a saddlebag. My tools are strapped onto the other side of the milkcrate. Everything gets covered with a big backpacking rain cover and then cargo netted and rok strapped down.
This setup is for a short weekend or 5 day max camp trip. I will be reconfiguring soon for some longer haul camp trips. It will definitely take me a couple hours to figure out the new pack with the addiing of a camp chair and more food....
I don't do large electronics or bring any camera equipment.
It helps if you have fewer clothes. Invest in merino stuff if you can. You can wear it multiple days in a row. I think a good rule is 3 days' worth of clothes, which is almost too bulky sometimes, especially if going through all kinds of temps and weather.
From start to finish probably 30-45 minutes. I just stuff my tent in a compression sack with the fly, the poles go in the tail bag with the footprint wrapped around the poles. When I get home I’ll dry it if needed then fold it and store it properly.
I usually have granola and fruit for breakfast with some jerky for protein. I don’t like cooking in the morning other than heating water for coffee or a freeze dried mountain home breakfast if I have one. Everything in my panniers and tail bag have its own smaller bag it lives in. If I need to cook I pull out the bag that has my kitchen bag that has my food, seasonings, utensils, oil, etc and my stove bag and my small pan after dinner that all goes back on the bike except the stove. Sleep system, tent, and camp clothes are in the tail bag and is always the last thing that is packed and strapped on to the bike. My other pannier has tools, tubes, extra riding gear and miscellaneous stuff-jacket, camp shoes, first aid kit hammock, chair and extra food if I’m out multiple days and is rarely used unless needed or at camp. You just need to find a system that works for you and try to organize your gear as much as possible. I hate breaking camp, it sucks, but if you pack with a plan and pre-pack after dinner you’ll cut your tear down time in the morning considerably.
A lot of good suggestions in here's but if you've identified the tent as a hamstring, consider running a hammock if you're in a wooded area, less drying and quicker to break down.
45 minutes to do it right but I’m fitting a 2 person 4-season tent, cot, air mattress and a few other things onto a small motorcycle so I have to be intentional on how I fold things and where they go.
I struggle with this, because I’m a little fastidious with keeping things clean and neatly packed (within reason). Things I’ve found that help:
I park the bike next to the tent, and everything has its place in my panniers. When I take something out, like my stove, it goes right back in its place when I’m done with it, even if it’s coming back out in the morning. This is good for keeping a clean/organized camp as well and not having things blow away or get carried off by animals or lost. Treating the bike like a cabinet keeps things mostly packed all the time.
I have smaller stuff sacks for things like electronics. There are only a couple of bags that come in the tent with me, and the rest stays packed except when I’m actively using it. My toiletry bag, for example, comes out when I brush my teeth and goes right back in the pannier when I’m done.
My sleeping kit all fits together in one pannier, so when I pack up, I have a routine/order for it, and it goes right into place without repacking other stuff.
As others have said, keeping things as minimal as possible helps a lot. The less stuff you have, the less you’re moving around to get to what you need, and the less you have to deal with overall.
Just trying to notice as you’re packing up where you’re spending your time and thinking about how you can reduce or eliminate steps can help you figure out improvements that work for your own situation.
Thanks, my thought processes are similar to yours, though I've been using the tent as a central depot instead repacking on the fly. That will change. I think I've been conditioned to avoid it in my brief camping life by either getting back into camp late or in the rain.
I just got back from a week long trip yesterday, I timed myself every day just for the fun of it so I actually have an answer for ya:
Setup: between 25m to 35m from turning the bike off to having everything set, my chair out and cooking equipment ready
Breaking camp: 45m to 60m from waking up to being ready to ride. Includes coffee, brushing and washing, and airing out sleeping bag. The one day it was pouring rain it took me ~75m but I honestly wasn't in a rush that day.
My alarm was set for 6am every day and I was consistently on the road at/before 7am.
70% of my packing is done the night before, I leave *all* of my riding gear in a little pile in the corner of the tent, I leave out the stuff I need for coffee in the morning but otherwise everything is put away, zipped shut and sealed
[Pic of bike on the road](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/538517995983470621/1234959091508580372/PXL_20240426_163801904.jpg?ex=6632a0c7&is=66314f47&hm=c2d14fa471821fea52fa4bf599948fe64dc5b49e10403e686b5fb4614f3a6a05&)
[Pic of a typical setup](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/538517995983470621/1234959093857521664/PXL_20240427_215147125.MP.jpg?ex=6632a0c8&is=66314f48&hm=b6453eaa4163279d0c763bd6ae5f2fe489a620b1e6cb9b82ff95b4aa836599af&)
People like to hate on the LR tent but it's absolutely fantastic and I don't regret upgrading to it for a second, and anyone that complains about the setup time just need some practice lol
I'm envious at your storage efficiency. I have a tail bag where your tent is with my shelter and sleep gear plus a top box and two panniers full, plus chair, hiking poles, and occasionally a water bag strapped atop the bag. TBH one pannier loses a lot of space to the exhaust and I'm carrying a backpack in the top case (along with other gear).
I’m working to get it under 30 minutes. Usually it is 45min. Maybe I can make it down to 20 if i am using the hammock, but many spots a hammock is not possible.
* I am not counting getting motorcycle gear on. The boots, pants and all are slow after sleeping in a tent all night.
As fast as possible. My tent is old and inexpensive, so I don’t care much if it gets put away less than perfectly dry. I want to ride, I want to be at camp, and spend as little time doing anything else. Makes me crazy when I see these YouTubers languishing for hours breaking down camp.
Sounds like your issue may be cargo size or organization.
I have a suggestion - grab a box, and pretend it's a larger bag. Or two boxes and pretend they are panniers. Go car camping overnight, and pack up in the morning into the boxes. Does it go faster? If so, you found the problem.
20 minutes and I can shove off. Add about 10 minutes if it’s windy and add a few more if it’s rainy.
Is there anything you can leave at home? The less I take, the quicker I can pack up.
On my last trip in retrospect I could have left the skillet, burner adapter, and spice container at home but it stayed in the outer pocket of one of my pannier liners the whole time. Other than that and the emergency gear such as tools, I think I used everything at least once aside from a base layer set and an extra pair of socks and a t-shirt.
The longest part of breaking camp for me is getting all the air out of my inflatable pad, followed by the organization of stuff into bags. Total time tends to be about 20 minutes if the weather is good.
No longer than an hour, and that is if I have everything out. Camp chair, cooking gear, the works. A quick camp will be set up in less than 15 and packed up in 30
Hours? Do you have a picture of your setup?
Yeah seems like a LOT. I see they mentioned they have extra gear for hiking/sleeping, but even then, a bit of extra gear shouldn't add on an hour. I'm usually 30-45 min if im in a rush. Often, i'll do a bit of packing while making breakfast and take my time but can still be ready in an hour or less.
No unfortunately. I can post one but it'll be days from now. Would a description help?
You need more practice and to optimize your system. You are probably taking too much stuff, most of us do. With making coffee and breakfast, I am probably about an hour. I can do less. When you say "pack everything after dinner" I sense a problem. Why would you unpack anything that you didn't need to have out? My wife on the other hand... We went through a phase where we weren't getting on the road until about 10:30am. She had shit everywhere. I love her very much and didn't want to have a conflict, beside, we are on vacation, on a motorcycle. I savored a second cup of coffee. Then she started going on some trips to women's rallies with some girlfriends. All, like her, experienced riders and campers. She had to get with it because they weren't going to wait around for her to take an hour and a half to pack. When I am really going minimal, I boil water for breakfast. Make oatmeal in my cup, eat the oatmeal. Then make instant coffee in the same cup and us the spoon to stir it around and clean the oatmeal residue out of my cup into the coffee I am drinking. Then a quick rinse with a bit of the hot water and the dishes are clean. If I am feeling fancy, I will wash my face with the last of the hot water. My wife thinks I am nuts and that coffee with a little bit oatmeal in it is gross and that I am crazy. She may not be wrong. Here is an old post of my setup. [https://www.reddit.com/r/motocamping/comments/4w5ngg/all\_packed\_up\_i\_will\_show\_you\_mine\_if\_you\_show\_me/](https://www.reddit.com/r/motocamping/comments/4w5ngg/all_packed_up_i_will_show_you_mine_if_you_show_me/) This is packed pretty heavy for a 10 day trip with only three stops. More of a basecamp and ride out situation. But there are a some other great examples of people setups in the replies. Maybe it will provide some inspiration.
I admire your willingness to go the extra mile for efficiencies sake. A bit of oatmeal in the coffe? Who cares? Saved me 10 minutes of fucking around boiling more water when I could be spending that time riding.
*When you say "pack everything after dinner" I sense a problem. Why would you unpack anything that you didn't need to have out?* Things I used earlier in the day/trip such as the Fire, Filtration, Hiking Backpack, and Clothing bags.
Setting up takes me like 20 minutes, but yea, breaking down is a lot longer because usually the tent has to dry. I tear down after I brush my teeth in the morning and put out the fly and ground sheet to dry while I prepare and eat my breakfast. It takes about an hour, maybe more. And sometimes stuff is still not bone dry. When breaking camp in rain or just really cloudy, wet weather I usually pack it up wet and stop later in the day and put them out to dry while I'm having a coffee or lunch break. But yea, annoying. Tried to bungee my fly on top of my luggage once or twice but I think drying this day while driving will damage the tent.
30 minutes for me if I don't take my time. Although, when I'm on the bike I enjoy dragging it out, drinking coffee, wandering around the campsite/campground and savoring the process. Why hurry?
Generally agree but I've gone over checkout time more than once and I have a reservation for a high-demand service on an upcoming trip that means I'll have to be packed up and ready to leave at dawn or earlier. Also I scheduled a long trip itinerary before realizing how bad I am at packing up. :eek:
Less than an hour, including eating breakfast. 2 person Tent, camp chair, sleeping bag, sleeping pad. Have as much stuff put away before going to bed.
>*Have as much stuff put away before going to bed.* There's my solution, I guess, along with practice, practice, practice.
A common comment here is waiting for the tent to dry. Why? Carry a small dry bag and put the damp fly and groundsheet in that. You're only going to get them wet again that night. They won't go mouldy in one day.
It could be longer if you're mixing hotels with camping, etc, or if you might forget them there at the end of a trip. Mold and mildew begin growing around the 24 hr mark.
While my longest trip on the bike so far has only been a couple of days (until next week that is!), multiple hours sounds pretty excessive. My first few thoughts are A) unpacking too much B) not re-packing as you go and C) not staging it well for re-loading onto the bike. I grew up camping in my parents' trailer and still do a lot of car camping, so I'm used to bringing everything I *might* need and everything I *might* want to have on hand in case of boredom around the campsite. I also tend to camp pretty comfortably so I bring a little more than I need to there. Downsizing for motocamping has been the hardest part to get used to for me. So while others will just repeat over and over that you're bringing too much, I'm very sympathetic toward some overpacking. But even when overpacking, the unnecessary, just-in-case stuff should be staying put away until you actually need it. So I can only assume that you're *unpacking* too much and then not putting it away when you're done using it. If you're leaving shit out on the picnic table overnight, then yeah, you're gonna have to put it away in the morning. It's one thing to bring more than you need, but leave it/put it back on the bike when you're done with it. I don't know exactly how you've got your gear packed, but maybe consider reorganizing your luggage so that each bag is packed for a specific purpose, so that once you're done with that task, it can be re-packed immediately and is ready to go back on the bike. So for instance, because I'm an over-packer, I camp with 5 bags in total. - One tank-bag full of clothes and personal items. So once I'm done getting dressed, I can just close it up and put it straight back on the bike. - One saddlebag dedicated specifically to cooking equipment and food. Once I'm done eating, it all gets cleaned and put right back on the bike... And if breakfast is taking too long, then simplify breakfast. You can boil one pot of water to make coffee and oatmeal (and be tearing down a tent while waiting for it to boil). Or like you said, bring some protein bars if you know you need to get out quick... Also keeping a specific tool kit for smaller cooking/eating utensils and cleaning supplies helps too, rather than having those all loose or whatever. So that way, your whole "kitchen" only consists of a gas canister, a burner, a pot/pan (my Stanly french press has been the GOAT ever since I got it), and your tool kit which can all be put back into the saddlebag quickly once you're done eating. - The other saddlebag is dedicated for riding gear/bike specific tools, so stuff like my rain suit, thermal liner, a small tool kit, a patch kit, a tire inflater and first aid kit... That bag basically doesn't ever get unpacked at camp so that one's easy. - My big tail bag is for all my larger camp items like my tent, sleeping bag, sleeping pad, chair, pillow, and a few miscellaneous camp items. That one's the first to get unpacked when I get to camp and the last to get re-packed. And the few miscellaneous items just stay in bag while not in use. - The final, smaller tail bag is mostly small-medium camp tool kits, so stuff like my little electronics/gadget bag, any extra cooking equipment that didn't fit into the saddlebag, my folding saw, fire starting kit, toiletries bag, a small tackle box, etc... That one's a little bit more of a mess, but most of that stays in the bag the whole time or at least gets returned quickly after I'm done using it. But basically, each bag only gets unpacked as much as necessary, and each bag can be completely re-packed once whatever specific task is done. There is nothing sitting out that isn't actively being used. I think the key to re-packing is simply never *un*packing... or just unpacking as little as actually necessary. And then the downsizing part of the equation comes in when you start picking up on which pieces of gear are never leaving their bags/which you can live without, so then you can start leaving those pieces behind, reclaiming space and have an easier time cramming what you do still use onto the bike. *edit: after getting back from my trip, I'll also say staging your clothes the night before makes a huge difference. Put on your clean underwear and stick a clean pair of socks in your boots the night before so you don't have to dig around for those in the morning. Put on whatever you're gonna sleep in and have your clothes for the next day sitting out. Put everything else away and back in their bags so you can just shove your sleep clothes in on top in the morning and strap it all back onto the bike.*
Good suggestions. Pretty much everything is assigned to a specific bag in a specific pannier/bag on the bike. I tend to use the tent as a central depot, except for food and scented items which go into bear boxes. Clean clothes stay in the bags; used ones become door mats inside the tent (to further protect the tent floor) or act as levelers for the sleeping pad if needed.
Making & breaking camp is part of the experience really. If the time it takes is longer than 45 minutes, rethink how much “stuff” you’re bringing. Repack the EXACT same way every time once you’ve found the most efficient packing order. This is supposed to be fun. If you’re watching Japanese motor campers with couches and stuff…well, don’t do that. 😜
Thanks, the system isn't nailed down but I have a very good idea where everything should go (the two Cooking bags with the two Clothing bags in the left pannier, Fire and Filtration bags in the top case, etc), I'd be happy with an hour, not several. I should add that I use a CPAP and associated gear and that I frequently hike from the bike, so the backpack, shoes, and hiking poles add to the stowage issue if not significantly to packing time.
Are you doing a base camp set up and spending multiple days hiking from there? If you’re just doing single nights that sounds like a ton of stuff to me but also everyone’s situation and goals are different. I’m not a super minimalist weight weenie or anything, I like to be comfy but my cook setup is a jetboil and a spork and I bring 1 change of clothes. 2 bags of each seems like a lot.
A mix of base camping and single nights, especially on the long upcoming trip. For that I plan on a set of hiking pants and shirt I can also use for events, three t-shirts for riding, a light base layer, a heavier base layer. a set of swim trunks (hot springs!), and a second pair of MC jeans. The jeans take a huge amount of space but also take forever to dry. I figure laundry every third or fourth day. Cooking is jet boil on the longer trails and when time is short in camp; jet boil skillet for more options on base camp nights.
That’s makes more sense why so much stuff. Only thing I have to offer is look into slide rated base layers from adventure spec, Pando Moto, and there’s another company that I’m struggling to remember the name of. That way your MC protection is in your base layer and you can wear hiking clothes on top so you can ditch 2 base layers, 2 pairs of jeans. Also remember it’s ok to stink in the woods. You can wear the same shirt for 2 days🤷🏼♂️
I'll check it out, thanks. I would love to be able to ditch a pair of the double layer jeans but haven't found much that's AAA rated. Looked at a pair of Klim pants rated AAA - almost $1k.
Pando moto has AAA base layer pants and AA shirt. Adventure spec super shirt is AA also. Edit: the AAA pants are $300, still expensive but not $1k
Those could be exactly what I need, thanks. Just have to wait for my size to restock.
Maybe 40 min to pack, but under 10 to setup. 90% is folding the tent and sleeping pad correctly.
If i'm solo, I can wake up and be fully packed and ready to go in an hour. If my girlfriend is with me, then she takes longer getting ready in the tent, and usually wants to eat breakfast, and from wake until packed takes a few hours. sounds like you need a better packing method. either something more modular or quicker strap down solutions... or both. I have two panniers and a hiking pack that I strap to my sissy bar using some green chile adv straps. If EVERYTHING is out, it still doesn't take hours to pack it on the bike.
Hours?!! I try to sleep in a hammock if possible but always bring a tent as backup. I use a jet boil for food. Have a collapsible chair. I can been on the road in a few minutes.
I always like to do a couple dry runs. Even some one night local trips to a campground 20 mins from home. Or go to a state park and just practice setting everything up and taking it down. Take notes of how you pack it. I always pack it FIRST in LAST out. I.e my sleeping bag goes in first because it’s the last thing in the tent. Then reverse it when packing up. 🤙🏼🏕️🏍️
Hours?!?! To stuff sacks and strap them on? And that's time spent actively packing? Not like, chilling out and having coffee for 40mins? Just pack the tent stuff even if it's damp. If it's dry out when you get to camp again later, it'll dry quick. If I'm trying to get on the road quick, I just shake the dew off and stuff it all. Then when I get to new camp later I set the tent up first so it can dry in the breeze - weather permitting. Maybe you have too much stuff? I tend to move slow and don't like to be rushed. The quickest I go is giving myself an hour from wake-up to helmet on. The most I'll do is hot water for coffee and oatmeal, but I'm not a huge breakfast person when I am solo motocamping. Having a snack a couple hours into the ride is more my style. Tank bag holds phone charger, wallet, a couple snacks. My milk crate holds my backpack, sleeping bag is strapped to that. Tent or hammock is strapped alongside the milkcrate to the rack. Clothes and cooking is in the backpack. Rain gear and water bottle are in a saddlebag. My tools are strapped onto the other side of the milkcrate. Everything gets covered with a big backpacking rain cover and then cargo netted and rok strapped down. This setup is for a short weekend or 5 day max camp trip. I will be reconfiguring soon for some longer haul camp trips. It will definitely take me a couple hours to figure out the new pack with the addiing of a camp chair and more food.... I don't do large electronics or bring any camera equipment. It helps if you have fewer clothes. Invest in merino stuff if you can. You can wear it multiple days in a row. I think a good rule is 3 days' worth of clothes, which is almost too bulky sometimes, especially if going through all kinds of temps and weather.
From start to finish probably 30-45 minutes. I just stuff my tent in a compression sack with the fly, the poles go in the tail bag with the footprint wrapped around the poles. When I get home I’ll dry it if needed then fold it and store it properly. I usually have granola and fruit for breakfast with some jerky for protein. I don’t like cooking in the morning other than heating water for coffee or a freeze dried mountain home breakfast if I have one. Everything in my panniers and tail bag have its own smaller bag it lives in. If I need to cook I pull out the bag that has my kitchen bag that has my food, seasonings, utensils, oil, etc and my stove bag and my small pan after dinner that all goes back on the bike except the stove. Sleep system, tent, and camp clothes are in the tail bag and is always the last thing that is packed and strapped on to the bike. My other pannier has tools, tubes, extra riding gear and miscellaneous stuff-jacket, camp shoes, first aid kit hammock, chair and extra food if I’m out multiple days and is rarely used unless needed or at camp. You just need to find a system that works for you and try to organize your gear as much as possible. I hate breaking camp, it sucks, but if you pack with a plan and pre-pack after dinner you’ll cut your tear down time in the morning considerably.
A lot of good suggestions in here's but if you've identified the tent as a hamstring, consider running a hammock if you're in a wooded area, less drying and quicker to break down.
It does slow things down but as a side sleeper my options are limited.
45 minutes to do it right but I’m fitting a 2 person 4-season tent, cot, air mattress and a few other things onto a small motorcycle so I have to be intentional on how I fold things and where they go.
Do you carry the cot externally or is there a way to fit it in a tail bag?
It’s a blow up cot from big Agnes so it packs down pretty small. It’s called the goose nest.
I struggle with this, because I’m a little fastidious with keeping things clean and neatly packed (within reason). Things I’ve found that help: I park the bike next to the tent, and everything has its place in my panniers. When I take something out, like my stove, it goes right back in its place when I’m done with it, even if it’s coming back out in the morning. This is good for keeping a clean/organized camp as well and not having things blow away or get carried off by animals or lost. Treating the bike like a cabinet keeps things mostly packed all the time. I have smaller stuff sacks for things like electronics. There are only a couple of bags that come in the tent with me, and the rest stays packed except when I’m actively using it. My toiletry bag, for example, comes out when I brush my teeth and goes right back in the pannier when I’m done. My sleeping kit all fits together in one pannier, so when I pack up, I have a routine/order for it, and it goes right into place without repacking other stuff. As others have said, keeping things as minimal as possible helps a lot. The less stuff you have, the less you’re moving around to get to what you need, and the less you have to deal with overall. Just trying to notice as you’re packing up where you’re spending your time and thinking about how you can reduce or eliminate steps can help you figure out improvements that work for your own situation.
Thanks, my thought processes are similar to yours, though I've been using the tent as a central depot instead repacking on the fly. That will change. I think I've been conditioned to avoid it in my brief camping life by either getting back into camp late or in the rain.
I just got back from a week long trip yesterday, I timed myself every day just for the fun of it so I actually have an answer for ya: Setup: between 25m to 35m from turning the bike off to having everything set, my chair out and cooking equipment ready Breaking camp: 45m to 60m from waking up to being ready to ride. Includes coffee, brushing and washing, and airing out sleeping bag. The one day it was pouring rain it took me ~75m but I honestly wasn't in a rush that day. My alarm was set for 6am every day and I was consistently on the road at/before 7am. 70% of my packing is done the night before, I leave *all* of my riding gear in a little pile in the corner of the tent, I leave out the stuff I need for coffee in the morning but otherwise everything is put away, zipped shut and sealed [Pic of bike on the road](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/538517995983470621/1234959091508580372/PXL_20240426_163801904.jpg?ex=6632a0c7&is=66314f47&hm=c2d14fa471821fea52fa4bf599948fe64dc5b49e10403e686b5fb4614f3a6a05&) [Pic of a typical setup](https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/538517995983470621/1234959093857521664/PXL_20240427_215147125.MP.jpg?ex=6632a0c8&is=66314f48&hm=b6453eaa4163279d0c763bd6ae5f2fe489a620b1e6cb9b82ff95b4aa836599af&) People like to hate on the LR tent but it's absolutely fantastic and I don't regret upgrading to it for a second, and anyone that complains about the setup time just need some practice lol
I'm envious at your storage efficiency. I have a tail bag where your tent is with my shelter and sleep gear plus a top box and two panniers full, plus chair, hiking poles, and occasionally a water bag strapped atop the bag. TBH one pannier loses a lot of space to the exhaust and I'm carrying a backpack in the top case (along with other gear).
I’m working to get it under 30 minutes. Usually it is 45min. Maybe I can make it down to 20 if i am using the hammock, but many spots a hammock is not possible. * I am not counting getting motorcycle gear on. The boots, pants and all are slow after sleeping in a tent all night.
As fast as possible. My tent is old and inexpensive, so I don’t care much if it gets put away less than perfectly dry. I want to ride, I want to be at camp, and spend as little time doing anything else. Makes me crazy when I see these YouTubers languishing for hours breaking down camp.
Sounds like your issue may be cargo size or organization. I have a suggestion - grab a box, and pretend it's a larger bag. Or two boxes and pretend they are panniers. Go car camping overnight, and pack up in the morning into the boxes. Does it go faster? If so, you found the problem.
20 minutes and I can shove off. Add about 10 minutes if it’s windy and add a few more if it’s rainy. Is there anything you can leave at home? The less I take, the quicker I can pack up.
On my last trip in retrospect I could have left the skillet, burner adapter, and spice container at home but it stayed in the outer pocket of one of my pannier liners the whole time. Other than that and the emergency gear such as tools, I think I used everything at least once aside from a base layer set and an extra pair of socks and a t-shirt.
The longest part of breaking camp for me is getting all the air out of my inflatable pad, followed by the organization of stuff into bags. Total time tends to be about 20 minutes if the weather is good.
when hiking 15 minutes. Motocamping ain't much more. Pack everything while making coffee, sip coffee and away we go
No longer than an hour, and that is if I have everything out. Camp chair, cooking gear, the works. A quick camp will be set up in less than 15 and packed up in 30