UKC

Hi All,

Just looking for any advice/ recommendations on 2 person light weight tents?

I have/had the Mountain Equipment Dragonfly 2XT but sadly it's out of production and I have 2 snapped poles/ leaky fly/ ground sheet from all the love and attention it's had over the last 8 years!

Ideally it will be a decent weight for hill walking (can always be split between 2 of us) but have enough head room to be able to sit up in on a rainy evening. 

I've been looking at the AlpKit ordos 2 but I would prefer a tent that can be pitched fly first for the Great British weather. Lots of the tents out there are American made/ designed for American drier weather so have the same issue. 

Thanks in advance!

Meg

 

In reply to MegBaker:

I've got a Vango Mirage 200, that pitches fly first and seems pretty well made, not the lightest on the market but seems very good value, well under your budget.

In reply to MegBaker:

I am far from a tent expert, but having the Ordos (3), I thought I'd pitch in (!).

I've put it up in pretty bad weather and its never been a problem. Why? Well, it's so quick to put up, and the fly can be draped over the inner whilst pitching, that the inner never gets properly wet. The condensation over night will far out drip any rain from pitching.

I'm sure there are plenty of better tents out there - and I hope you get a lot of recommendations - but if the Ordos is still on the cards, I wouldn't let the inner-first issue put you off completely. 

In reply to Rob Exile Ward:

Thanks rob, good suggestion and definitely worth considering as if I come in well under budget that can only be a good thing!

 

In reply to pyrrho101:

Thanks Pyrrho - It's good to get feedback from an owner of the tent I've been looking at! 

Do you find the condensation drips through the mesh inner?

Thanks,

Meg

In reply to MegBaker:

Is your tent beyond repair? Poles can be replaced, holes patched and the fly reproofed. 

In reply to MegBaker:

Condensation has never dripped through the mesh. There is a very good amount of separation between the two layers. You can really cram up to the mesh without fear of touching the fly. 

However, the condensation is really quite bad when the tent is fully zipped up. Luckily, when the fly is spread out, it dries in less than five minutes when the weather is good - even in the early morning. I would consider the issue to be tolerable. It's definitely not 'ultalight' as Alpkit claim (considering tents like Zpack's Duplex exist) but it's a pretty good compromise between weight and price. If the tent was sub £200 it would be a very good buy.

I used it for 7 nights straight when walking the Tour du Mont Blanc and it did the job perfectly. The three person tent is a very spacious two man tent in my opinion. 

In reply to Dell:

I called up Mountain Equipment and they no longer have any poles for this model as it's out of production. 

Having re-waterproofed with NikWax spray on waterproofer earlier in the summer it doesn't seem to be much more waterproof. Any suggestions would be appreciated though.

In reply to MegBaker:

Reproofed my groundsheet with Fabsil. This company might sort the poles.

https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&cd=3&ved=0ahUKEwiUwZ...

In reply to MegBaker:

can you find anyone who uses the same pole type and cut them to length?  It's what I did with my Ortik after the manufacturer went bust.

Top tip: Use a plumbers pipe cutter rather than a saw.  Gives a nice straight cut that is easy to deburr.

In reply to MegBaker:

How about this one - https://www.vango.co.uk/gb/tents/2018-banshee-pro-300.html

It says it 3 man but I always err on the side of caution and reckon it would be a good 2 man tent.

I don't know it myself but my daughter has the 200 version and reckons it is good.

 

Dave

In reply to MegBaker:

I have a Mountain Hardware Trango 2 for sale if you are interested....

In reply to MegBaker:

I feel your pain. My dragonfly is a prized possession! Good luck with the search.

In reply to Dave the Rave:

Or Lancashire Sports Repair, they might have poles to suit? 

Reproofing is tricky, might take several goes, plus a going over with a hairdryer. 

 

In reply to MegBaker:

I've got a Wild Country Helm 2, pitches fly first and loads of head room, not masses of porch space, but it's pretty light and cheap to boot!

This thread was started in the HILLTALK forum and has now been moved.
Please could you try and post in the correct forum, it makes life easier for both users and moderators.

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In reply to minus273degrees:

How much use has it had and what are you asking for?

In reply to MegBaker:

Thanks for all the advice and suggestions - much appreciated! 

In reply to MegBaker:

Some has contacted me this is answers to their questions, they have first refusal but if they aren’t keen can offer to you 

Answers below:

 

Could you email me a few pictures ? 

Will put it up this weekend and get some

 

 How old is it , 

About 6-8 years old

how much use has it had, saw regular use for about 3 years (about once a month through summer) not used for a few years

why are you selling it ? Brought another tent then got married (stopped camping) been sitting waiting to get rid for a while 
How much do you want for it ? Was going to put it up for £200 but open to offers

 

In reply to MegBaker:

I was looking for an ultralight tent and  spotted this in the epictv shop. Seems good for the money. 

https://shop.epictv.co.uk/en/backpacking-tents/camp/minima-2-sl