Hello, everyone! It’s Chan-Mai.
There is only one month left until 『RIDEALIVE2026』, which is being held for the first time in 7 years. For those of you planning to participate, is your preparation coming along well?
Delicious food will be prepared for this RIDEALIVE (this is one of the things to look forward to♪). So all you need to bring is an excited heart, a healthy body, and just your "clothing" and "shelter" from the "clothing, food, and shelter" basics, and you're good to go!👌
Today, I’d like to introduce an item related to that "shelter."
NEMO Dragonfly OSMO Bikepack
When heading out for a bike camping trip, one issue that’s always a struggle is "how to pack the tent."
Weight is, of course, important.
But just being light isn’t enough.
Personally, I think the important points are:
・It should be easy to pack.
・It should be reliable even if it gets wet in the rain.
The NEMO Dragonfly OSMO Bikepack is a tent designed specifically for bike travel, created for bikepacking, canoe trips, and any adventure where pack size is critical. It answers the challenges of bikepacking quite directly.
The meaning behind the name "Bikepack"
Since it’s built specifically to be carried on a bike, it features a design you wouldn’t typically notice in a standard tent.
First, the poles. They feature a short-segment design (which means more joints☝️), allowing them to be stored more compactly than standard tent poles. When bikepacking, that small annoyance of where to attach long poles is something you deal with quite often.
And then there’s the waterproof dry bag.
It gives you peace of mind, protecting the main tent body from sudden rain or splash-back when riding on wet roads. Generally, the tent body itself is waterproof, so it’s not that you'd be in trouble if it got wet, but setting up a soaking wet tent is always a tough job.
Granted, compared to ultra-lightweight tents, this dry bag does add some weight. However, this dry bag is so durable, easy to attach to a bike, and can be opened from both sides that it’s an item you’d want even on its own.
Prioritizing living space
When you hear "bikepacking tent," you might imagine something purely focused on being lightweight and compact.
The Dragonfly OSMO Bikepack uses NEMO’s unique Elements hardware and Precurve system to keep the ceiling near-horizontal, ensuring plenty of headroom.
Some might wonder if that’s necessary. But between the feeling of confinement when sitting inside, the ease of changing clothes, or organizing gear and drying wet items, the width and height of a tent's ceiling are surprisingly important. This is exactly why I stopped using single-pole tents.
Intuitive setup even for beginners
If it’s your first time pitching a tent, don't worry! This tent has a secret that makes it intuitive to assemble, even if it's your first time.
The pole structure doesn't come apart; it extends from the apex like spider legs. There's no worrying about losing pieces—you simply unfold the segments and straighten them out to complete the frame.
And above all, the color-coding.
When you think about it, it's a truly simple mechanism, but the pole ends, the inner tent, and the flysheet are all color-coded. With white matching white and black matching black, it’s visually obvious where everything goes. That is a lifesaver!
Even a simple design like this drastically increases setup speed. And when pitching your tent is smooth, heading out for outdoor adventures starts to feel much more effortless and fun.
3 simple yet genuinely useful features
There’s still so much more to talk about, but here are the key points you need to know.
① Gear space in the vestibule
This tent includes a dedicated space for luggage in the vestibule. It comes with its own sheet with raised edges, so you can store items you don't want directly on the ground. The raised edge is the key; there’s no need to worry about sand or rain blowing in with the night wind.
② Light storage pocket
The upper part of the inner tent has a pocket for a light. Rather than just "storage," it’s more accurate to think of it as a pocket to turn your handheld light into a lantern.
The orange-tinted pocket not only turns the light into a natural warm glow but—importantly—is a color that helps keep bugs away!
③ Daisy chain for drying clothes
Wet towels, socks, a jacket that smells like a campfire—you'd be surprised how often you find yourself needing to hang things up at night.
Bringing a folding hanger is one option, but having this daisy chain included in the tent solves that issue instantly!
It’s a tent packed with functional details down to the last element.
Finally, I have to say this: the color is great.
It has all sorts of specs, but ultimately, this matters too. The color is great. The calm tone blends into any landscape, creating a beautiful aesthetic. Of course, high-visibility colors have their appeal too—there’s a reason for them, and seeing colorful tents scattered across a mountain scene is lovely. But I personally prefer this calm tone in nature. Plus, since the inside of the tent isn't flashy, it feels very relaxing.
By the way, I didn’t touch much on the materials, but rest assured. I wanted to avoid bogging down the blog with jargon, but it uses NEMO’s proprietary OSMO™ poly-nylon ripstop fabric. It’s excellent in terms of water repellency, quick-drying, and hydrolysis resistance.
NEMO Dragonfly OSMO Bikepack
Lastly, here are the specs.
Even though I’m just one person, I tried out the 2P version. It’s quite spacious, allowing me to stretch out, and the gear I want to store inside doesn’t feel in the way at all.
If you’re not that concerned about extra space, the 1P is plenty for a solo user.
SPEC
Minimum weight: 1P 1.05kg / 2P 1.32kg
Sleeping capacity: 1P 1 person / 2P 2 people
Body material: Polyester / No-see-um mesh
Fly, floor, vestibule material: OSMO ripstop nylon, polyester
Floor area: 1P 1.9㎡ / 2P 2.7㎡
Vestibule area: 1P 0.8㎡ / 2P 0.8㎡ + 0.8㎡
Interior height: 1P 100cm / 2P 102cm
Getting ready for RIDEALIVE by packing my bike and gathering my gear is making me more and more excited.
Bike camping is the joy of taking carefully chosen, essential items from your home and creating a small "living space" out in the world. What to bring, what route to take, and what kind of time to spend. While you plan and imagine these things, I hope you have a camping ride that is uniquely yours.
One month until RIDEALIVE.
Let’s spend an amazing night at our destination.
