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Another "which tent" thread

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 StuDoig 09 Sep 2014
Alrighty all.
After a wet week in the Dolomites with a steadily rising waterline within my tent I'm looking into a replacement. Seems to be a baffling selection of tents at the minute so after some advice and experience from folk on here.

I'm after something 2-3 man (well 2 of us + dog), and suitable for Scotland year round (i.e. wet, windy and cold).

I've had a look at the macpac olympus and it seems good, but not sure if it's spacious enough with the hound as well. Also a bit concerned about how it fares in swinging winds. I've never used a tunnel tent so not sure about just how handy they are for wild camping in Scotland.

Using a F10 baltoro 2 at the minute, and really don't like it - rubbish ground sheet, and all the adjustment on the fly attachment points are a right pain in the hoop.

It doesn't need to be the lightest or the cheapest, I'll carry a bit of extra weight or fork out a little extra for something that actually keeps us dry and is the right tent for us.

Cheers all!

Stuart
OP StuDoig 10 Sep 2014
In reply to StuDoig:

Re-reading the above, and should point out that I'm after any recommendations that folk might have for a decent mountain tent rather than just the Macpac mentioned above!

Cheers!

Stuart
 Pina 10 Sep 2014
In reply to StuDoig:

http://www.hilleberg.com/home/products/nallo/nallo2gt.php

Not the cheapest. Reasonably light. Very sturdy and very spacious. I can vouch on the porch being large enough for someone to sleep in (albeit not comfortably....) so plenty of space for the dog.

It's an ideal tent for wet weather (and insects) as you can use the porch for re-packing bags .

Quality is of Hilleberg standard so everything is top notch. It's sold as a 3 season but will survive some pretty extreme weather.
 Bob 10 Sep 2014
In reply to StuDoig:

Do you ever intend to carry the tent or is it just going to go from car to pitch?

The <whatever the company's called this year> Super Nova is a good 2-3 man tent that fits your requirements. I've used it from Joshua Tree in late summer to Torridon in full on winter.
OP StuDoig 10 Sep 2014
In reply to Bob:

Hi Bob,

Cheers for the suggestion, I'll have a look. It'll be carried - we have a camper we use for roadside / campsite camping so tent will be for when we are wild camping, or flying abroad (minus the dog in that situation though!). Weight isn't the biggest driver for me though (withing reason!).

Stu
OP StuDoig 10 Sep 2014
In reply to J_Trottet:

I've had a look previously and it's definitely on the maybe list - my main concern with the tunnel designs though is that pitching appropriate to wind direction is much more critical then geodesic or semi-geodesic and unfortunately plenty of experience of winds swirlying / shift direction in the past. i've never really used tunnels before in bad weather though, so not sure of just how much of a problem this is? How have you found it stands up to side loading from wind?

Also, how well pegged does it need to be - does it collapse easily if pegging isn't' ideal (e.g. loose/gravely/shallow etc ground)

Thanks for the replies - very much appreciate it!

Stu
 PeterM 10 Sep 2014
In reply to StuDoig:
This:
http://www.nordisk.eu/fgreen/products/tents/tents-detail/type/tents/categor...

Like the Nallo 2 GT but 100g heavier and doesn't have the same door configuration ability, but for a £380-£400 difference it isn't that big of a deal.
It's £400 in Cotswold but if you have a discount card you may be able to 15-20% off that. Got mine for £320. Bargain.
Post edited at 16:22
In reply to StuDoig:

The Alpkit Kangri is pretty badass. I've used it in some shoddy conditions year-round in the Lakes and Scotland, though I doubt the porch is big enough for a big dog. It's larger sibling, Alpkit's Zhota, may suit you,. and they've recently reduced the price:

https://www.alpkit.com/products/zhota
 forcan 10 Sep 2014
In reply to StuDoig:

I went for a Blacks Octane 3: 3-man, large porch - and I mean LARGE porch - pitches flysheet first for our fine Scottish weather, and end onto the wind, very stable. Don't diss the Blacks name, it's as well built as my Terra Nova tent, and a lot cheaper!
 ben b 11 Sep 2014
In reply to StuDoig:

We've got an Olympus. I like it (especially the weight when carried which isn't too bad for a strong tent) but not enough room to add the dog, and the rear door isn't really up to any storage space.

Wind wise then yes it is somewhat more vulnerable to cross winds but I haven't lost sleep worrying about it (literally).

Cheerful colour too, even when it's grey outside

b
OP StuDoig 11 Sep 2014
In reply to ben b:

Hi Ben,
Thanks for the feedback - much appreciated. Odds are against the dog agreeing to sleep in the porch, esp in winter (she's short coated and feels the cold) - would you say the interior is big enough to squeeze her in as well?

I do like the second door design on the Olympus - seems a good idea to avoid porch faf getting in and out once your set up.

Cheers!

Stuart
OP StuDoig 11 Sep 2014
In reply to PeterM:

Cheers Pete - thats an interesting alternative, I'll have a ready up on it!

Stu
OP StuDoig 11 Sep 2014
In reply to SidharthaDongre:

I have to admit, I'm a little suspicious of Alpkit tents based on the sleeping bags of theirs I've got. Their whole ethic seems to be "cheap and cheerful", and I've really noticed a big difference in long term duritbility compared to other more expensive brands. I do worry that in a couple of years time, I'll have seen the same deterioration in their tent as I've seen in their sleeping bag.

I'll have a look though, and if they are still doing their try before you buy scheme perhaps have a punt and see what the tent is like in the flesh.

Cheers!

Stuart
OP StuDoig 11 Sep 2014
In reply to forcan:

Hi Forcan,
I'll try and switch off the brand snobbery and have a look at it.

Cheers!

Stuart
In reply to StuDoig:

a geodesic for scotland i reckon. i have slept many night in a Tera Nova Ultra Quasar many times and never a problem. I have recently down sized to a TN Vaoyager and love it
In reply to StuDoig:

This is my review of the Kangri:

http://ruinapartum.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/gear-review-alpkit-kangri/

The only thing about the tent itself that appears cheaply constructed is the stitching on the hook & loop patches that hold the over-zip flap down on the doors. It's been on a fair few trips, in wildly varying conditions, in the 2 years we've had it and has been nothing but solid, we haven't molly-coddled it either.
 ben b 11 Sep 2014
In reply to StuDoig:

Two people plus dog - no.
Getting in and out the back exit isn't easy - relatively low door and no porch of note. An emergency exit more than a routine one, but maybe I'm just a fat old boy who can't limbo anymore...

b
 anyha 11 Sep 2014
In reply to StuDoig:

I am into my 20th year with my Quasar, it has done well in the Europe,UK and Ireland in all seasons. I still remember waking up in a campsite in North Wales to a scene of devastation with a lot of tents blown into the hedges and people huddling in their cars.

It is not the lightest or cheapest but for me it has worked out at £14 a year and for that it is a bargain.

I am glad that we decided not to camp this year in the Pre Alps, below the dolomites as we saw some horrendous weather but still managed to get out on the bikes.

So for me it is a Quasar and think of it as an investment.
OP StuDoig 12 Sep 2014
In reply to anyha:

Thanks - the quasar always seems to come high in recommendations, just wish they didn't have 100 different variations now to confuse me further!

in reply to ALL.

Thanks for the advice and suggestions folks, lots to mull over there.

Cheers,

Stu

 HeMa 12 Sep 2014
In reply to StuDoig:

Geodestic tents are of course the de-facto stormproof solution... but really heavy.

Tunnel tents offer much more room and with little work can still be really weather proof (most artic expeditions, like skiing across Greenland still use tunnel tents). Might require a but more forward planning when setting up.

The most room for least mount of weight, is without a doubt a teepee kind of tent (eg. http://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/tents-shelters-c25/four... ). And these tents can be surpassingly weather proof options. But perhaps not the best option for really foul weather outings in Scotland.

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