Best of Pedalshift 295: Making Your Tent Stealthier

Best of Pedalshift 295: Making Your Tent Stealthier

Author: Tim Mooney October 16, 2025 Duration: 25:37

Stealth camping is a great skill to develop and a fantastic option to have for emergencies or maybe even your main overnight plan on a bike tour. But what if your tent is so bright it can be seen from miles away? On this episode, we talk about what worked for my last tent and what I'm trying on my newer one. Originally podcast September 8, 2022.

Making a Tent Stealthier

The old tent – ALPS Mountaineering Zephyr 2

Spray panting the tarp
Tarp was orange so it needed full coverage
Used a matte forest green
Took 3 full cans to cover (more than I expected)
Then covered with a waterproofing spray (think KIWI brand)
Tarp worked like a charm – water beaded off just like before
Was stiffer and heavier than before
Tarp has finally failed at the zippers so it needs to be replaced
Color has also worn off over time, although it still is predominantly well covered

The newer tent -ALPS Mountaineering Zephyr 2 (again)

New tent is blue and very light gray, tarp is mostly the light gray
Better than orange, but still needs stealthification
Redditor recommended Rit dying
I was a bit skeptical but decided to go for it
Got 2 dark forest greens and 1 chocolate brown that was designed for nylon
A lot of boiling water (9 gallons!) and a big bin
Let it get in there overnight and…
It sort of worked.  It's super brown on one side, but perhaps predictably the back of the tarp, not the water repellant side
So, dye job is not recommended

Before, during and after shots:

What am I going to do?

I have one tarp that is forest green but not terribly suitable for heavy rain
I have another tarp that is very light gray and perfect for rain
The reverse side is dark brown and not suitable for anything but dry weather
I'm bringing *both* tarps for my next tour
I can see where a brown tarp and a green tarp could help depending on where I'm tucked in
I need to know I have a good rain option
I don't always need to be stealth
The lineup
No need for stealth? Use the new tarp in the normal position regardless of weather
Stealth and dry? Use green tarp for tent and brown side out tarp for the bike (or maybe vice versa)
Stealth and rain? Use the green tarp over the proper-side-out gray tarp. This is the least likely scenario in a way… if it's really storming would people be out?

Takeaways

Folks, best bet is to get a tent with a slealthy tarp. They are weirdly hard to come by
Dye? Not recommended
Spray paint? Effective, but with its flaws.


There’s a particular kind of freedom that comes from traveling by bicycle, where the journey itself becomes the destination. The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures, hosted by Tim Mooney, delves into that experience through a mix of personal stories, practical advice, and wide-ranging conversations. Rather than just a how-to guide, this podcast feels like sitting down with a knowledgeable friend after a long day on the road. You’ll hear firsthand accounts from fellow bike tourists, each with their own unique tales from the pavement and gravel, alongside Tim’s own reflections and experiments in bicycle touring. The discussions naturally cover the logistical tips and tricks that make trips smoother, but they also explore the cultural and educational aspects of moving through the world at a human pace. It’s about more than gear and routes; it’s about the connections made and the perspectives gained when you embrace a slower, more engaged form of travel. This audio companion to Pedalshift.net aims to demystify bicycle adventure, making it feel accessible and deeply rewarding. By sharing these stories and ideas, the hope is to inspire your own two-wheeled explorations, proving that a bicycle can indeed shrink the world in the most wonderful way. Tune in for a thoughtful, grounded take on seeing the world from the saddle.
Author: Language: English Episodes: 100

The Pedalshift Project: Bicycle Travel Adventures
Podcast Episodes
395: Florida Coast Part 2 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 51:11
There are few rules in bicycle adventures, but I am a firm believer in the one that says you do not taunt the bike touring gods. Day 1 was a breeze, I said! The bike gods respond with a breeze of their own. Would their w…
394: Florida Coast Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:27:44
The first day of the Florida Coast adventure starts from the cooler air of Jacksonville, carrying me south through a series of beach towns on the way to a state park outside of St. Augustine with two entrances… the short…
393: Florida Coast Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 19:28
My annual tradition of a winter ride in the sunshine state continues! Unlike past years, I'm shaking things up with the start and focusing on a coastal ride along the East Coast Greenway before turning inland. But the Fl…
Best of Pedalshift 292: Touring Bike Essentials [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 35:10
I ride three different bikes for touring, and each one has plusses and minuses depending on what kind of ride I'm looking for. But if you're new to bike touring or looking for another bike, what should you be thinking ab…
392: eBike Range Test Takeaways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 21:46
So I successfully rode 75 miles on a single charge of my eBike battery (with a little bit of a top off!). What did I learn from the adventure and what does it mean for future trips with my ebike? eBike Range Test Takeawa…
391: eBike Range Test Part 1 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:22:52
On this episode we ride from my cabin to Cumberland, MD on the C&O towpath to see if we can squeeze 75 miles out of my eBike battery! With only one real opportunity to top off, this is a real test with fairly unfun conse…
390: eBike Range Test Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:26
On this episode we turn the page back to last fall when I did a secret mini tour with a big purpose… to test the range of my eBike battery on the C&O trail! Can I stretch one full charge enough to get a full day's ride i…
389: 2025 Bicycling Goals [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 11:37
On this edition of the pod, we kick off 2025 with the intent to make it a year of celebration in a time of loss for me. But celebration is more fun, so let's do that. 2014's trip was a shout out to my grandmother and 202…
Best of Pedalshift 270: Winter Fitness and Bike Maintenance [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 27:34
With a bunch of snow and ice on the ground where I'm at, it's a good time to focus on things that will help bike tours coming after the thaw. On this episode, an update on my winter fitness goals, what I'm doing to keep…
388: Pedalshift Holiday Spectacular 2024 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 15:58
Shifty Saves the Holidays! It's an annual tradition around here that we celebrate the holidays with my senior executive producer and best buddy Shifty the Elf celebrating the year that has been. This year, in a nearly al…