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
379: eBike Project - Shakedown Ride [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 56:30
On this episode, I take my new ebike on its first shakedown ride to test its capabilities, from battery life to chain tension to, well… does this thing work? It's a 40 mile round trip from my cabin in West Virginia to a…
Best of Pedalshift 137: Fall Touring (Live) [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 43:18
Originally recorded live from Hedgesville, WV, this episode of the Pedalshift Project includes the (semi-doomed) 2018 fall tour reveal and gear tips for your fall bicycle touring. Plus banter with you… because it was liv…
378: E-Bike Project - Shakedown Preview [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 20:37
On this edition, we preview a short but momentous little overnight adventure on my brand new ebike… we'll discuss goals and strategies, plus recharge options and… hey, we're getting back on the C&O again! eBike Project -…
377: eBike Project - The Build [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:34:31
In this episode, follow an in-depth, step-by-step journey of transforming a surprisingly decent Ozark Trail mountain bike into the first Pedalshift e-bike (n=3 or 4 if you're counting). This mega-pod takes you from the i…
376: Oregon Coast Remix Takeaways [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 37:32
The remix is in the rear view mirror, but as always I like to look back and discuss takeaways from every trip. On this edition, ten takeaways from the Oregon Coast Remix, celebrating ten years of the pod! Oregon Coast Re…
Best of Pedalshift 010: Pacific Coast 2014 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 1:01:01
In the summer of 2014, I took 6 weeks to ride the Pacific coast from Victoria, BC to the US-Mexico border. I recorded a 2-5 minute audio entry every day for the Tour Journals podcast to share the more detailed aspects of…
375: Oregon Coast Remix - Part 6 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 34:47
Sometimes journeys have distinct ends and sometimes those endings are a little more flexible. In the penultimate episode of the Oregon Coast Remix we mash together my departure from Bandon and my return a week later a fe…
374: Oregon Coast Remix - Part 5 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 24:38
A short but challenging ride up and over the Seven Devils would be the last days of cycling for James and I on this adventure, but the remix theme gave us new things to try… a new brewery, time in a great town I usually…
373: Oregon Coast Remix - Part 4 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 28:31
If you can't fuel your cycling, you can't ride very far. At least that's what grandma always told me (editors note: she did not). So, waking up in camp without much appetite doesn't really bode well for making very many…
372: Oregon Coast Remix - Part 3 [not-audio_url] [/not-audio_url]

Duration: 30:35
I always say day 3 is when bike tours click in, but don't sometimes exceptions prove the rule? And don't my bicycle adventures always find some way to go sideways? Everything seems to be going just fine as James and I cy…