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Mountain tents

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 dunnyg 01 Apr 2014
Looking for a decent mountain tent, 2 people. Looking for one that can pitch freestanding - i.e. doesn't need pegging out.

Off to some higher mountains this summer, up to 6000m, so looking for something that can stand up to grim weather in cold places. Will also use it for euro alpine stuff and UK camping. Would be nice to have a reasonable amount of room and weight is a consideration, but I'm not really bothered about a super light tent, id rather it lasted a bit longer.


Any recommendations? Have looked at terra nova quasar, a few mountain hardware offerings. Not minted so price is quite a consideration, but if it will last me ages I don't mind spending the cash.




In reply to dunnyg:

The Alpkit Kangri would be a great option if you're looking at the Quasar. Much cheaper than the latter, but pretty much on spec. It comes well reviewed in harsh environments and I can vouch for its sturdiness, it's shrugged off some of the worst UK weather I've experienced. My own thoughts at the following link, if you're interested:

http://ruinapartum.wordpress.com/2014/02/04/gear-review-alpkit-kangri/
OP dunnyg 02 Apr 2014
In reply to SidharthaDongre:

Cheers, looks like a good option if it comes back in stock! Any other recommendations out there?
In reply to dunnyg:

I have the TN Voyager. Its strong and sturdy but not as roomy as the TN Quasar.

Look at Facewest.co.uk and Fieldandtrek.com. They tend to have good deals on.
 d_b 02 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

Ortik Jetstream seems pretty good. A bit heavier than some of the others, but bombproof.
 kestrelspl 02 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

Trek and mountain did a review of quite a lot of mountain tents in the March edition, might be worth a look.
 alasdair19 02 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

quasars are still the gold standard, if you can get a deal the MHW are also very good and the window is suprisingly useful!
 Tall Clare 02 Apr 2014
In reply to mh554:

The Voyager is pretty cosy for two people for any length of time - the Quasar offers much greater comfort from that point of view.
 ScraggyGoat 02 Apr 2014
In reply to alasdair19:

You will find many threads on the quality and durability of TN and quasars having gone down hill......

TN voyager is a bit small for the OPs wish list (and again the durability of the new version versus the old is alot less, easy of pitching has suffred, but weight is lower...and I should know I have both!)

To the OP when consider durability look at the hydrostatic head figures for the groundsheet and flysheets...this will give a rough idea.
In reply to ScraggyGoat:

Surely the denier rating of the fabric is more relevant to the durability than HH?!?
 rj_townsend 02 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

Take a look at Decathlon - they had a red four season tent, similar to the TN voyager.

Go Outdoors recently had their own-brand (North Ridge) Quasar lookalike at a stupidly low price (£100ish rings a bell).
 Iain Thow 02 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

Big fan of my Quasar. Had it 25 years, spend between 100 & 150 nights a year in it. Actually it's on its 4th flysheet & just beginning its 3rd inner so whether it's the same tent is arguable (about 1500 nights per inner and nearly 1000 per fly to save you the maths). It gets a hard time, mostly in Scotland but also Alps, Pyrenees, Norway & a few others. Don't pack it far these days for weight reasons but love its robustness (& the space). Terra Nova intentionally overspec the fabrics so they are better than the HH & Denier rating tests would suggest.

Iain
 crayefish 02 Apr 2014
In reply to Iain Thow:
Like Trigger and his brush...
Post edited at 17:34
 LucaC 02 Apr 2014
In reply to crayefish:

MHW Trango 2. There's a reason you see them in all the base camp photos, really excellent tent. The 2 sleeps 2 with loads of room or 3 at a squish. Not the lightest but totally bombproof. You can usually find them on offer half price for £350 ish, I got mine from epicentre.

I've been so impressed I'm going to buy a second super light MHW based on this ones performance.

I've not heard good things about the new terra nova offerings from various friends who've got them/work in outdoor retail, I think they might be lunching off past reputation, hence all the 25 year old quasars going strong.

If money were no object, I would probably buy hilleberg.
 Andes 02 Apr 2014
In reply to Tall Clare:
A Voyager would be a bad idea at nearly 6000m. It's maybe quite likely to snow, and a Voyager isn't strong enough to support much snow. I don't know how windy it's expected to be, but same problem for the Voyager -- it is not designed for these kind of conditions of course.
I'd recommend the TN Quasar as well, very durable. My business has got through twenty or thirty over the years and I can't say I've noticed the drop-off in quality others have commented about. Expensive though!
John
Post edited at 21:07
OP dunnyg 03 Apr 2014
In reply to Andes:

Cheers for all the info, plenty to think about

cheers
 Phil1919 03 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

I'd go Hilleberg if money was no object. Are you interested in a second hand quasar?
 thomaspomfrett 03 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

+1 for the Alpkit Kangri. I love mine.
 ballsac 03 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

another Kangri vote - i had a Quasar for 12 years or so beforehand, so feel i can compare.

i've used the Kangri as a back-backing tent, a winter mountain tent, a basecamp tent and a summer beach holiday tent, and not only am i very happy with it in utterly foul weather, i think it significantly outperforms my old Quasar in terms of its 'living-in-it-for-a-week' capability. better entrances, better storage, easier to get dressed etc...

the chilli is spectacular, the kelp is invisible.
 martinph78 03 Apr 2014
In reply to Tall Clare:
> (In reply to mh554)
>
> The Voyager is pretty cosy for two people for any length of time - the Quasar offers much greater comfort from that point of view.

I agree. Having owned both, and used a Voyager at 6000m, I'd say the Quasar is a much better tent for the job. I have the ultra quasar now and I'm very happy with it so far (as I have been with the quality of all of my TN tents).

You won't regret it if you do get one, and unlike cheaper copies, at least you'll have back-up and spares available for many years to come.
 alooker 03 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

I was looking for the same thing a couple of weeks ago, I tried finding second hand quasars on ebay but had not luck in the bidding. Went for a Kangri in the end, seems like a great tent so far.
 Nath 04 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

I've got the 3 man Alpkit tent, really impressed for the money. IMO it's as good a build quality as the more expensive tents mentioned with some neat features as well. I've used it in anger a couple of times and it has proven itself.

Nice guys as well....

Nath
 Mike7 04 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

Wasn't going to respond as my suggestions aren't freestanding, but there seems to be some other recommendations that aren't either so I would say it's worth looking at the Exped, Macpac and Vaude models too.

The Exped Orion is fairly sturdy, but can also exhibit problems under snow loading. Their expedition model, the Polaris, looked very good at a showcase but I haven't tried it out in the real world - and even so, it might be overkill for your needs.

Several of the Macpac range might also suit your needs, but for wind or snow shedding the Plateau is hard to beat. Some owners have reported problems, but even in less than perfect pitches I've never had any problem with it - including above the snow line in Scottish winter.

The Vaude range also has some sturdy options, with the Odyssee & Atreus (the 2 or 3 person models), being both quick to set up and reliable in bad weather.

Some of the colours look a bit bold from outside, but make for a pleasant glow inside in the morning - much like the later Quasars.

Of course if it's always going to be cold rather than wet (unlikely given the UK use...), then single skin options are superb as free standing shelters. I've used the older Rab models, but the new Latok range looks every bit as capable too.

I hope you find an option that fits mate.
 Hannes 04 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

if the tent will be used as a base camp tent I'd personally much rather have a MH trango 2 than a quasar for sheer liveability. If it will be coming up the mountain with you, the quasar may well win on account of being lighter.

If I'm honest, with your spec list you may be better off getting two tents. One light single skin tent, the MH EV2 is an excellent tent but expensive at RRP though I've seen some brilliant deals on it. The EV series are fantastic high on the mountains but camping in a valley is less fun in one so get yourself a bigger, less sturdy tents for basecamp.

If you are only getting one tent I would either suggest getting one of the quasar copies if you are carrying it or a trango 2 if you aren't, The kilo of extra weight is noticeable but then so is the extra space and natural light you get with the trango, neither option if perfect for everything.
 Alex Slipchuk 05 Apr 2014
In reply to davidbeynon:
> (In reply to dunnyg)
>
> Ortik Jetstream seems pretty good. A bit heavier than some of the others, but bombproof.

I can vouch for this tent's waterproofness, ease of breathing under a dump and of course it's bombproofness.

Ok it's a bit heavier, but what do you expect with 7 poles and extra pegging points. Used in the gorms, burried under snow.
 Ffion Blethyn 05 Apr 2014
In reply to rj_townsend:


> Go Outdoors recently had their own-brand (North Ridge) Quasar lookalike at a stupidly low price (£100ish rings a bell).

This one?
http://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/north-ridge-altitude-2-tent-p188781?gclid=CMz6t...

I quite often see it for £200 down from an RRP (wink) of £300 and am mildly tempted.
Is it any good?
 Phil1919 05 Apr 2014
In reply to Andes:

I've had loads of problems with quasar tent poles breaking as have others. Great tent otherwise, but TN are wanting to charge me full price for new pole now. So I'm looking to sell it with all 'new' poles and a spare one from a friend who had an old one!
 lost1977 05 Apr 2014
In reply to Phil1919:

Seems to me quasar owners fit in to 2 groups those that never have any problems and those that repeatedly have problems. Does make me wonder if the problems could be partially down to the user
 Phil1919 05 Apr 2014
In reply to lost1977:

Well I know what you mean. I think the design is brilliant. But I would imagine I've had 12 broken poles, and I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong! The poles slip into their sleeves very well and then mostly snap at the sleeve, usually in benign conditions. Any advice appreciated although its probably a bit late now! In my time I've had a phazor dome which I used a hell of a lot, and a Hilleberg one man tent, and never had a pole break between them. Any ideas what the bad user could be doing, discounting deliberate damage etc
 Hannes 05 Apr 2014
In reply to Phil1919:

> I've had loads of problems with quasar tent poles breaking as have others. Great tent otherwise, but TN are wanting to charge me full price for new pole now. So I'm looking to sell it with all 'new' poles and a spare one from a friend who had an old one!

My mate broke his quasar pole on the first night of camping, good thing it was only about 25 nights left in the middle of nowhere at that point...
 Phil1919 05 Apr 2014
In reply to Hannes:

!! Yes they are hard to repitch with a broken pole.
 Merlin 05 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

Hilleberg Jannu.
 lost1977 05 Apr 2014
In reply to Phil1919:

I think what we need is a separate thread and see if we can work out what people are doing the same/differently. I always put mine up exactly the same way as I think most do
 Skol 05 Apr 2014
In reply to lost1977:
I used to have a quasar. I used to peg out the inner, feed all poles through evenly, then put two of the long poles in the end eyelet then the other two ends of the long poles. Then I would insert the shorter poles into the end eyelets. I would move in an eyelet on each pole as the fabric stretched . I only broke one pole near the end of its life. It had some rough use. Several nights of the tent being flattened on is by the wind in the Cairngorms , and several heavy dumps of snow that squashed it flat . Whisky Dave fell on it several times.
 lost1977 05 Apr 2014
In reply to Skol:

thats exactly the information i'm talking about, i actually put mine up slightly differently
 rj_townsend 06 Apr 2014
In reply to Ffion Blethyn:

> This one?


> I quite often see it for £200 down from an RRP (wink) of £300 and am mildly tempted.

> Is it any good?

I have only looked inside this in the store, as opposed to having used one, so I can't vouch for the quality. The design and space looks good, although it is a bit odd having the snow valance around the porches. For the price though, I'd find it very tempting when my tent comes up for replacement.
 Timmd 06 Apr 2014
In reply to Phil1919:
I gather from what was almost said on here by an ex TN employee that TN had a dodgy batch of poles, if new tents from the last few years are still breaking, that'd make me wonder if there's something about the quality in general.

I've had my Quasar since around the year 2000 (I think?) and I've never had a pole break. Used for a couple of weeks in variable conditions each year I guess, from still to 90mph winds.

OP: I gather the porches are a tad small on Quasars compared to other mountain tents though, which might be worth thinking about.

My tent use has been to escape snoring and has been pitched outside huts, but some on here find the elements can follow them into the tent when entering, making their bag etc damp, which would be less of a problem with a hut to dry things in, like I have done with my sleeping bag.
Post edited at 14:04
 Timmd 06 Apr 2014
In reply to rj_townsend: Can you unzip the middle flysheet doors from the top like you can on Quasars?

 rj_townsend 06 Apr 2014
In reply to Timmd:

> Can you unzip the middle flysheet doors from the top like you can on Quasars?

Sorry, no idea.
 Mr Trebus 08 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

Spotted this the other day and thought it looked like an alright deal. Might be a bit cosy for extended use though.

http://www.trekkinn.com/outdoor-mountain/trangoworld-mountain-ii-tent-orang...
In reply to Ffion Blethyn:

I've heard their overseas returns and customer service is atrocious.
 LucaC 08 Apr 2014
In reply to SidharthaDongre:

Yes it is. Returned some ski boots and it took a month to get my money back. Kept getting through to a Spanish call centre who were pretty dire.
 Ffion Blethyn 08 Apr 2014
In reply to SidharthaDongre:

That's a shame, the tent I linked to looked a bit like a different, much more expensive model.
 Mr Trebus 08 Apr 2014
In reply to SidharthaDongre:

I have never had to return anything to them,but used them and the outlet bit a few times with no complaints.

Al
In reply to Mr Trebus:
Are you UK based Al?

Post edited at 18:26
In reply to LJC:

That's exactly what I heard really, definitely not an isolated event.

Also allegedly, (from looking at other complaints), should they not have stock of your desired item, they'll take your money and wait indefinitely until it may/may not come back in. If you try to chase your order/money up, at best you get the Spanish call-centre.
Post edited at 18:27
In reply to Ffion Blethyn:
It does look decent, especially at that price. Perhaps you should try ringing them before purchase and seeing if they have it in stock etc...
Post edited at 19:09
 Mr Trebus 09 Apr 2014
In reply to SidharthaDongre:

I am in the UK. It does show if it is a in stock item or for order. I have only bought gear and clothes so no need to return stuff.

If you don't want to risk it, why not try to find it closer to home and see if they will price match?
 NottsRich 09 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

+1 for the MHW Trango 2. With a footprint you won't need to peg out the inner tent before pitching. The fly will need pegging though.

Out of interest, why would you want it to be capable of being pitched without pegs?
In reply to Mr Trebus:

Personally, I've heard too many bad things to actually want to order anything from them, though it is good that you had no problems with them!
 butteredfrog 09 Apr 2014
In reply to dunnyg:

Used a quasar for years, its nearly dead now, damaged zip and torn inner. Years of good service though.

To throw another one into the mix, has anyone owned or used one of these?

http://www.mountain-equipment.co.uk/dragonfly-2xt

 EarlyBird 09 Apr 2014
In reply to butteredfrog:

Yes - very good. Had it for several years - fair bit of use, mainly hut and site camping but an amount of wild camping as well. Light enough when split between 2 for backpacking. Seems quite durable, only slight damage (stupidity related rather than any defect in the tent). I have used it with a plastic sheet for a footprint which has probably helped its longevity. Nice and stable in bad weather, keeps the rain out, and the porch is very usable - we stash sacks and dog in there so fairly spacious.


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