So here is my take on Bandit’s new Real Deal Bedroll.
It is a 49 x 74 inch stuffed quilt blanket with a tough-as-nails canvas on one side and a soft flannel on the other. It has a million uses and looks John Wayne, badass strapped to set of motorcycle handlebars.
This bedroll is great for camping but it is also a comfortable sleeping arrangement in other situations. Hotels continue to raise rates… frequently over $350 during bike rallies and events. When there are three guys it just makes sense to book one double room and draw straws for who gets the floor. You can still be comfortable with a Real Deal Bedroll.
Through the years, I have tried a variety of wool blankets, army poncho liners, tech blankets and quilts. I feel a little bit like Goldilocks saying this, but nothing was “just right.”
The outdoor industry wants to produce something as light and warm as possible but that is not ideal for most bikers. We are not backpackers, size matters but not weight so much. All the synthetic materials I try are slick, they seem to slide all over. The synthetic materials don’t breathe well and can be overly hot and sticky.
Wool blankets or Mexican blankets look cool on the handlebars until you hit the first rainstorm. I looked at some “waxed cotton” lined with a wool blanket but they were always too short for me and insanely expensive. Nothing was “quite right.”
This Real Deal is just right. The dimensions are spot on… so it is wide enough to cover a fat guy and long enough for a tall guy. The extra length is nice and sometimes I tuck some of the bedroll under my feet when I sleep. Every detail is on point including a seam to allow you to fold it into thirds easily and then roll it up. I cut the straps off but, that’s just me. I smash mine down and it straps to the handle bars nicely as an 18 ½” long roll with just over a 6” diameter.
The Real Deal bedroll has a ton of uses. Crash on a friend’s couch. Camp on a warm night. Fold it in half and it’s the perfect size for two people to sit, at a sandy beach or at a music festival. Use it to put your tools on for some shade tree maintenance. Throw it over your head and enjoy watching a thunderstorm or throw it over a wet chair in the morning as you relax with a morning cup of coffee. It’s great for a picnic lunch (of broken glass, Jack Daniels and hard salami). Guy’s like Bandit can grab a cute redhead and head out to a quiet spot in the woods.
Buy it, skip one night of hotel and you are money ahead.
