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  1. #1
    New Member Virtualbotanist's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Rotterdam, NL
    Hammock
    Blackbird XLC - HD/DL
    Tarp
    DD Hammocks 3.5m
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    Cumulus T+U quilt
    Suspension
    Tensa4 - webbing
    Posts
    8

    Tensa4 motorcycle roadtrip to Belgium and France - summer 2020

    Hi tensa4 hangers!

    Last summer I made my first tensa4 roadtrip. 5000 km of winding B roads through beautiful French national parks and the 1st WW trenches in the French and Belgian Ardennes. It wasn’t my first hammock trip, but the tensa4 gave me so much more freedom, not having to worry about finding two trees! My days were more relaxed and I never had to stop early searching for hammock trees.

    Belgian Ardennes, along the river Ourthe:
    90803F16-0552-48D2-BE58-EE767A278EE6.jpg

    Chamonix - Mont Blanc, no tensa4 needed, amazing trees in the French Alps!
    3B9CE734-5F30-4745-BFE0-2144367A7C2B.jpg

    Rain and fog in the French Dordogne:
    EF454919-CD0B-4C23-B34C-43FAF6A7D4BA.jpg
    CA007377-C5AD-453C-BFCE-BFD21571536D.jpg

    The tensa4 stand is almost perfect engineering. I am very impressed with the simplicity of the setup and small size when stored. It is light and easy to move when set up.
    I did however lose a rubber end cap when moving in the middle of the night after finding a wasps nest right under my hammock. I found out the next morning and couldn’t find it. But I can probably get a similar one at my local hardwarestore.
    The only annoyance was that after a long ride, the vibration would move some of the buttons inside the poles around, away from the holes. Sometimes more than an inch, making it hard to push them back in position. I’m not sure how to avoid this. Maybe @Latherdome and @Raftingtigger can amaze us once again! :-)

    I’m 2 meter tall (6ft7). I have a WB XLC double layer and a huge DD hammocks tarp so I can more or less stand up under it and cover my bike when it rains. This was a challenge with the tensa4. I didnÂ’t order the tarp extension because it looked too small for my tarp.
    I use my hiking poles instead:

    32416F4E-4F0F-4B74-9317-D2B237FDDFC1.jpg
    I have the hiking poles on the head end. The foot end is higher anyway, so the tarp ridgeline is horizontal. I made sure the foot-end could move independently. It worked great, but I couldn’t set up a porch without the poles.

    I’m planning my next trip to Norway and I expect a lot more rain along the fjords. So I’m looking at bad weather tarps like the WB thunderfly or thunderfly.
    Are there any tall hammockers who use this setup? I have a bad back and knees. I’m getting too old to crouch around. Any recommendations?

    I finally found some time to share my trip with you, while recovering from total knee replacement surgery. Recovery is going well and I hope to be on the road again in spring.

    Happy hanging!

    My work as a virtual botanist (3D animation of my hand drawn plants):
    Last edited by Virtualbotanist; 02-21-2021 at 10:31.

  2. #2
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2016
    Location
    NC
    Hammock
    Simply Light Designs Trail Lair
    Tarp
    SLD Trail Haven
    Insulation
    EE / UGQ / SLD
    Suspension
    Whoopie Slings
    Posts
    210
    I've never used a Tensa4 but this looks like an awesome adventure. I'm surprised that you were able to drive your motorcycle right up to all the camping spots in the forest, grass, etc. Good luck with your knee recovery.

  3. #3
    New Member Virtualbotanist's Avatar
    Join Date
    Jan 2019
    Location
    Rotterdam, NL
    Hammock
    Blackbird XLC - HD/DL
    Tarp
    DD Hammocks 3.5m
    Insulation
    Cumulus T+U quilt
    Suspension
    Tensa4 - webbing
    Posts
    8
    Thanks @Layne,
    Most small French and Belgian campsites allow cars, campers and bikes. Only the big, family friendly sites ask you to leave your vehicle outside on the parking.

  4. #4
    ObdewlaX's Avatar
    Join Date
    Nov 2016
    Location
    Deep In The Heart of...
    Hammock
    SLD Trail Lair, Chameleon
    Tarp
    HG, Zpacks, DIY
    Insulation
    Loco Libre, HG
    Suspension
    MyersTech
    Posts
    1,051
    Images
    148
    Looks like a great trip... I moto camp too but have never tried the Tensa. I can see how it would come in handy when you find yourself in a place with no trees. I may have to take a closer look at it. Just how small does it pack down? Any pics? oh yeah, nice tarp extension hack.

    In 1976 during a backpacking tour through Europe, I found myself in Chamonix with no place to stay, all the youth hostels were full. I remember sitting at an outdoor cafe watching the moon rise over the mountains, wondering what I was gonna do. I wound up stealth camping behind a little church on the edge of town. At the end of the summer, I made it to Norway and it was like being in scenic postcard all the time... so beautiful. Took a cruise through the fjords to Flam on my way back to Bergen.

    What year is your 1150GS? Mine's an '01 in Mandarin Yellow & is a great bike to moto camp with.

    Thanks for posting.
    Last edited by ObdewlaX; 02-21-2021 at 15:58.

  5. #5
    Senior Member
    Join Date
    Apr 2015
    Location
    Waikato, New Zealand
    Hammock
    DH Sparrow
    Tarp
    13' Winter Haven
    Insulation
    quilts
    Suspension
    Tensa4
    Posts
    371
    I love my Tensa for motorcycle camping, it is so useful to be able to setup pretty much anywhere that people can setup a tent. There is some bulk and weight added, but if you are fine with that then the Tensa stand is great.

    This year I went on a trip that included 4 motorcycle rallies while staying at campgrounds in-between. I spent 24 nights without sleeping indoors.
    Here is my setup when settled in for 5 nights at a big motorcycle rally:



    Unfortunately I'm back home now and back to work, being on holiday and riding the bike is SOOO much better!

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