UKC

Hello everyone,

I am after recommendations for a tent that would be suitable for 2 peoples + 2 dogs.

It needs to be as light as possible for multi day hiking. It has to be able to stand up to brutal conditions and wet weather. 
your advice would be appreciated.

Thanks! 

In reply to Mattmon:

Hilleberg is always a safe bet.

In reply to Mattmon:

What size are you dogs? I would consider something with a hoop design for the space, but they need a bit of care in a big wind. People have different ideas what is brutal. Do you mean all year around in which case a geodesic design would be better. We have never backpacked with 2 Labradors. 1 is possible, but a bit uncomfortable, but was beyond us to stay dry and clean with two and we static camped with a bigger tent. 

In reply to Mattmon:

Light, room for 2+2, and can handle brutal weather?  Pick 2 out of the 3...

You're probably looking at a 2 person tunnel with extended porch.  How light and strong it is will depend how much you're willing to pay.

In reply to Tom F Harding:

I was thinking the same.  Won't be so light though (but that's a reality he'll have to accept).

In reply to crayefish:

Agreed. Three pole tunnel tent; two poles for the inner tent, third pole for the extended porch. Ideally, two doors for the porch.

Tunnels are space:weight efficient, and, if pitched and guyed properly, can withstand some pretty bad weather. But not self-standing like a geodesic, so you must be able to peg.

After that, it's just choosing a brand/model/price, and juggling the price:weight:strength triplet... There are some interesting-looking options on Alibaba/AliExpress. e.g.

https://m.aliexpress.com/item/1005005622829919.html

N.b. Absolutely NOT a recommendation; just a random example, that I have NO experience of.

In reply to Mattmon:

https://talesofamountainmama.com/best-tents-for-camping-with-dogs/

In reply to Mattmon:

Hilleberg Nallo 2 GT (lighter weight, one porch)

Kaitum 2 GT (good weight, two porches, one very large)

Nammatj 2 GT (heavier, two porched, one very large, capable of handling 'brutal weather')

I am sure there lots of copies out there from many other manufacturers.

In reply to TMM:

Nallo GT sounds excellent choice. I have the normal Nallo and it's roomy for two very light for it and definitely a good 2 man backpacking tent.

In reply to Mattmon: boring answer: Hilleberg. They last forever (my Suolo is 14 yo, used a lot in rough winter conditions and going strong). They are bombproof, many models can be ‘double poled’ if you are really going for windy nights out and they pitch one go rather than outer first. Not the lightest but in the pi$$ing down rain as the night closes in, knowing you’ll be pretty much guranteed dry and warm in ten mins is better than a few grams off your rucksack (which is weighed down by a soaking anyway).

Not cheap but they hold their price (see eBay) so you can tell the other half it’s an investment.

I have a namatj 2 which might be a bit small, the extended awning version would be good for the dogs I imagine.

In reply to Mattmon:

Check out Lightwave tents - they do a 2 man tunnel with extended porch. Not the lightest but they are tough - I have survived many a rough night up high in my one man Lightwave tunnel.

https://www.lightwave.uk.com/products/tents/trail?product=product3

In reply to Mattmon:

Check out Lightwave tents - they do a 2 man tunnel with extended porch. Not the lightest but they are tough - I have survived many a rough night up high in my one man Lightwave tunnel.

https://www.lightwave.uk.com/products/tents/trail?product=product3

In reply to Siward:

We have the Nallo 2 GT and the porch is great. Quite light considering what it is. However, I wouldn't call it roomy. It's cosy, so don't expect to bring your backpacks inside with you. It is great for winter as it warms up nicely with two in it!

I'd recommend the 3 if you want to bring gear inside or want to do more things than just sleep in it

In reply to Tom F Harding:

As always on these threads: Hilleberg tents are not worth the price you pay.

In reply to crayefish:

Or better than a tunnel for space and stability (assuming weight and wallet isn't an issue): Quasar with the porch extension.

In reply to captain paranoia:

Yeah buy a tent from a proper manufacturer. Otherwise you may as well rock up with kitchen paper held up with twiglets.

In reply to ianstevens:

AliExpress is a bit of a lottery, yes. But reading forums like trek-lite and backpackinglight, there are quite a lot of positive stories of purchases. And, no, not just random shill accounts, but long-standing forum regulars.

In reply to Mattmon:

This is a mid-range extended porch tunnel tent. 

https://www.blacks.co.uk/15982996/wild-country-hoolie-compact-2-etc-tent-15...

In reply to Mattmon:

Beer

In reply to norrisdan71:

That's only because the price of new ones is bonkers now. I paid £550 for my Kaitum 2 in 2010, a new one is £1100.

In reply to ianstevens:

They do seem to be pretty good though, by and large. I own two, so am inevitably biased, but I've sat safely through enough storms in them to have got full 'worth', I reckon.

In reply to ianstevens:

Not sure how that's better... a quasar has very little room for the weight, relatively.  A tunnel is infinitely superior in this respect (and can also get an extended porch).  The more vertical walls make a useful difference.  Weight is always a factor unless one is pulling a pulk.  I've done a lot of solo hiking with one of my 2 man tunnels with extended porch.  It's palatial inside, which is very handy for wet weather living.

As for stability, a tunnel is as good (better with the wind, worse with cross wind).  There's a reason most folk take a Keron or Nammatj tunnel tent to Antarctica. 

In reply to Mattmon:

Rather than spending a fortune on a Hilleberg (good though they are) I'm going to give my usual recommendation for the mid-priced "green" Vangos.  My usual suggestion for 2 people would be a Banshee 300 but the two dogs will take up a fair bit of space so you may prefer one of the other designs with a proper porch for the dogs.  They aren't super-lightweight, but they aren't heavy either, and the value for money is excellent.

(Note sadly the cheap Vangos are no longer blue so it's not as obvious as it was, but I'm talking the ones priced around £150-250 with ally poles).

The Helvellyn 300 might do but it depends on the size of the dogs.

In reply to crayefish:

The use of tunnels in Antarctica, yes they are good but remember teams usually dig them in reducing the overall profile to the wind, particularly side on, and outwith of the coastal ranges the wind is often steady and the ground means it’s easy to orientate pitch direction to that wind.  In the UK you won’t be able to reduce the profile and the site may dictate how the tent is pitched which may not align with the wind.

Tunnels are very noisy in winds, particularly gusty/squally variable ones, to the extent I’ve had several friends with hillebergs give up on occasions and try sleep in thier cars.

Yes they are good and yes they provide excellent space to weight and yes the large porch would be good to have with a dog. But if that dog is a light sleeper the OP might be better with something that flaps less……having a tighter fly; like a quasar.

I did like a previous UKC posters critic of Hilleberg as for ‘deaf, rich, dwarfs’!

Horses for courses and all that

In reply to ianstevens:

FIFY

Every buyer has different needs, for some Hilleberg will be excellent value

In reply to Toerag:

When you put it like that, the price increase is ‘only’ 5% a year (over those 13 years).

Which might mean they were very expensive back then too but a Quasar retails for £900 now so perhaps for what is considered a solid tent brand it’s now what the market will bear?

In reply to Mattmon:

MSR Tindheim (2p or 3p) might *just* meet your criteria without parting with stupid money.

In reply to Jayhigh:

Quasar can be had for sub £600 new with a quick google.

Ive always had a quasar or a solar 2 and had two people and two collies in the solar 2 which was pushing it a bit.

With 2 tired dogs who will settle down in a corner the quasar is luxurious( compared to the solar2).

The porches aren’t as good as the hillbergs but it’s personal preference.

I wouldn’t want to faff with pitching a tunnel tent and then have the wind change direction.

If you’re not planning on being inside for more than an evening and then moving on in the morning, the quasar should be plenty big enough, cheaper and more stable in changing gusts. Mine coped with 70mph gusts in Sneachda. 

In reply to Dave the Rave:

How’s the pole quality on the Ultra Quasar these days? I remember, there was a period when Terra Nova had problems with them snapping. 

In reply to Stefan Jacobsen:

I’ve got the standard quasar and the poles look the same as my 1990 model other than being colour coded. 
I’ve had some significant gusts on it and no issues touch wood.

In reply to ScraggyGoat:

I did laugh at your last quote!

Noise is indeed a problem, but in a bad storm I wouldn't get much sleep in any tent.  And that situation is only on occasion.  The weight is carried every single day.

In reply to Max factor:

I’ve just picked up the Hoolie 3 ETC for x 2, plus 2 dogs (with a H2 ETC, the dogs would be in the porch, and liable to exit under the fly). With some Terra Nova and Wild Country tent experience, I’m confident it’ll cope with pretty harsh valley camping weather, 4 season. If you’re looking at venturing out in “brutal” mountain weather, then 2 dogs is an unnecessary burden!

In reply to Mattmon:

If considering a quasar, Alpkit's kangri may also be worth a look?

In reply to Mattmon:

The Litewave trail XT has a huge porch and is light enough to carry easily between two.  Quality feels good so far.