And why I will never go out with a cheap tent again
Hi, I'm Katrin and I've been travelling regularly by bike for about ten years. Maybe you feel the same way I did back then: At first I thought camping wasn't for me. I always approached my cycling holidays with fixed accommodation because I appreciate having a warm shower and a comfortable bed at the end of the day. But then I got to the point where I realised that the daily search for accommodation was robbing me of my flexibility.
So, with a queasy feeling, I decided to go camping. However, I didn't know at the time that you could also rent tents. That would have saved me a lot of headaches and money. Instead, I bought a cheap starter tent, which, to be honest, is now more of a curse than a blessing. It is stable, but also heavy, and the groundsheet has a few holes in it from constant setting it up and taking it down.
I wanted to test what is important for me in a tent before I buy
This year I wanted to do things differently and finally test high-quality equipment. Why rent and not buy? In my case, this way I can first test what I'm looking for in a tent. And that's before I buy it.
Besides, I only really have time for a longer tour once a year. So I also wanted to know:
- How easy is it to organize all of this?
- Is the quality really better than my cheap tent?
- How practical is it if you just send everything back at the end?
Fast, easy and uncomplicated: Renting equipment is fun
I'll be honest, I didn't feel like going through a long organization phase. But that wasn't necessary! I went to the website here and looked at the different models. The team at Eddy's Adventure immediately recommended two products to me:
- Tent: NEMO Dragonfly OSMO Bikepack 2P – bikepacking tent
- Sleeping pad: NEMO Tensor Sleeping Pad 3-Season Ultralight – Regular Wide
The cool thing: Just one day after I ordered, everything was in our office in Graz. I was really surprised how quickly it went! This is a huge advantage, especially if you are planning at short notice or are unsure of when exactly you want to start.
I still recommend three days' notice :-)
On my tour through Austria: the rented equipment was a real game-changer
But now for the practical test: The tent was a dream! I was able to attach it directly to the handlebars of my bike and still had enough space for my other bags. I was particularly impressed by the "tub" inside the tent, which ensures that the luggage does not get wet, even if the ground is damp. With my old tent, everything would have ended up in the dirt.
There were some serious summer thunderstorms on my tour through Austria, but the tent really didn't let me down. Everything stayed dry and stable, which is not something you can take for granted with cheap tents.
The sleeping pad was also a real game changer. In the past, I often struggled with sleeping on an uncomfortable mat. But here I could really stretch out and didn't have a tense back the next morning. That's important when you're cycling for several days in a row.
Another plus point: both products were super light and compact. My old tent easily weighs a kilo more - you really notice it after a few hours in the saddle. So in terms of weight alone, it was an absolute relief. And if there's one thing I've learned in the last few years: the lighter your equipment, the more relaxed the tour is!
The convenience of renting: No stress with cleaning and maintenance of the equipment
After the tour, I was honestly just glad that I didn't have to take care of the maintenance myself. After ten days on the road, I no longer felt like meticulously cleaning and drying the tent.
- Simply dry and shake out the equipment
- Pack everything back up and put it in the box
- Stick on the return label, that was already included
- Take the box to the post office and that's it.
Conclusion: For me it was really worth it.
For someone like me who just wanted to try something new, renting equipment was ideal. I tested whether the high-quality equipment really made a difference (spoiler: it does!) and didn't have to commit right away. I will definitely try out other tents and equipment for my next trips.
If you're new to camping, like I was back then, or you're not sure whether you really like camping while cycling, I would definitely recommend renting first. You can test high-quality products without spending a fortune. And if you find that cycling and camping are exactly your thing, you can buy the equipment here too.
A big point compared to cheap purchases: sustainability.
Renting equipment saves resources because the products are actually used much more often before they end up in the trash.
- Regular and professional maintenance: This is how your rental equipment stays in good condition.
- High quality: This prevents damage from occurring so quickly
- Possibility of repair: If something happens.
- Use by multiple people: this means that the equipment is actually used much more often during its lifetime than equipment that is only used once a year.
Just try it out and find out what works for you! After all, cycling trips should be fun and not a battle for equipment.
