Tent chat

[kootenayskier]

For a two person, set up and pull down every night, ski-touring tent, you can get cheaper, but you won't find better than the Hilleberg Nammatj 2, and it's luxury for summer use. Diligent interior surface maintenance with a pack towel is the key to staying dry in the snow. On long, gnarly ski traverses, where light-weight and storm survival is everything (cook and pee inside), and with 3 people to share the extended/tiring set-up duties, a Megamid/bivyy-bag combo can be the best option, then buy a cheap MEC tent for summer use.

[philth]

Remember these?



Still use my Garuda all the time. Kinda heavy but bullitproof.

[GeezerSteve]

^ ^ ^ I had one of those in 1998(?). Bomber but way to small for me. I sold it and use the $$ to buy a 3R (less weight, twice the room).

I have a bd firstlight. . . .
Yes, Hillebergs and Stephensons are nice for extreme conditions, but they are also heavier!

Nope. Stephenson 2R/2C weighs the same as a BD Lighhouse/Firstlight.

[jamesp]

For a two person, set up and pull down every night, ski-touring tent, you can get cheaper, but you won't find better than the Hilleberg Nammatj 2, and it's luxury for summer use. Diligent interior surface maintenance with a pack towel is the key to staying dry in the snow.

if you have to constantly wipe condensation off the inside of a $600+ tent then something is wrong IMO.
I'll happily carry a couple hundred grams more, & save a couple hundred $$ in the meantime.

[GeezerSteve]

Maybe I missed something but did he say anything about "constantly" wiping condensation? Condensation happens in every tent in some conditions. Managing it is usually no big deal.

The Hilleberg Nammatj 2 is not very lightweight tent by modern standards. If your tent is a couple hundred grams more, you might want to go back and read this thread again.

[Hugh Conway]

meh, it's all opinion. I'm 6" shorter than the dude who thinks the Firstlight sleeps fine; I was almost cramped. The advantage of a Firstlight with the high center to me over a high bow Stephenson is it's easier to sit up and yab/change/fuck in the center. The appeal of really lightweight is strong but the whole pre-prep palnning of sites and an inability to camp in shit is a turn off

Back to the OP; there's no tent thats even close for all seasons imo. Go for a quiver.

[Chugachjed]

Barney's bombshelter is the best tent in the world! And it's only 35lbs dry. My tent quiver is the bombshelter and a bivy sac.

[Name Redacted]

I have a broad selection of tents in the garage but the Megalite is the one I keep coming back to. Packs small, sets up big. I got 4-6 inches of hail on it once and it didn't bat an eye. Used to bring a bivy too, but now I just trust the tent and sleep on a Z-rest.

[GeezerSteve]

@HC, I too wondered WTF about a tall guy in a Firstlight. His sleeping bag must be smashing against the tent wall. That's a recipe for a wet sleeping bag (unless he is using a bivi bag, which defeats the idea of taking a light tent).

Re changing in a Lighthouse vs. Stephenson, it's easier for me in a Stephenson 2R, way easier in a 3R. Maybe that's a matter of how tall one is. Stephensons are fast to pitch. Any Stephenson pitches faster than Firstlight or Lighthouse, assuming one has ample room for the Stephenson. (I've pitched Stephensons next to guys setting up BD tents >100 nights. The big advantage (only advantage IME) of those BD tents over the 2R/2C is the much smaller footprint, which can be a big deal on some trips.

[hutash]

Another advantage of free standing vs hoop tents is you can move them, shake them out, pitch them in really tight places, reorient them to catching shifting breezes.

If wind is not an issue I usually don't even stake or guy out the tent.

Much easier to dry too, but I admit I have never tried Steve's idea of running a stove in the tent for 5 minutes (most likely I would burn the damn thing up.)

[GeezerSteve]

True, but tunnels have more room per weight and are more stormworthy vs. freestanders. I gave up freestanders 15 years ago. On the room per weight score, the tarp-based tents kick ass. If you go floorless, there's no need to shake out anything, of course.

This thread gets me thinking of a new DIY project after I finish my DIY down quilt project this week.

[skimaxpower]

Back to the OP; there's no tent thats even close for all seasons imo. Go for a quiver.

Agreed. Spending a hot, sweaty summer night in a "four season" mountaineering tent will convince you that no tent is good in all conditions.

[anemic]

This thread is so InTents!

harharhahahoho...

Seriously, I am inspired by all the tent / camp / backpack stoke!

[neck beard]

...using a bivi bag, which defeats the idea of taking a light tent

If I am camping more than one night on snow, I always use a light sleeping bag cover. Floor condensation, spills etc... it is worth it for me. I have a down bag. Cover packs down to the size of a beer can, weighs very little, but comes very close to restricting my movement.

[Driver]

Good info in this thread... Also considering adding to my tent quiver w a more bomber 4 season choice (in an effort to quit mooching off of friends thanks for the beta

[auvgeek]

If I am camping more than one night on snow, I always use a light sleeping bag cover. Floor condensation, spills etc... it is worth it for me. I have a down bag. Cover packs down to the size of a beer can, weighs very little, but comes very close to restricting my movement.

Another option is the epiphany-series down quilts from enLIGHTened gear -- they're full cuben fiber so about as "waterproof" as possible and pretty much negate the need for a VBL*. I purchased one of their Revelation bags on a recommendation from a maggot (the Epiphany series wasn't available at the time), and the quality is fantastic. It sleeps a little cold for the rating, but it's damn light. At some point, I may end up gifting the bag to my brother and getting a cuben fiber one.

Just thought I'd toss it out there because I think this comes very close to be the *perfect* sleeping bag. GREAT prices too, compared to other quality down manufacturers (the Epiphany is expensive, but that's just the cost of the material).

*because it's a quilt and not a full bag, I doubt it functions exactly the same a true VBL in terms of keeping the heat in, but it does keep the down from getting wet.

[GeezerSteve]

If I am camping more than one night on snow, I always use a light sleeping bag cover. . . .Cover packs down to the size of a beer can, weighs very little, but comes very close to restricting my movement.

Montbell UL? IMO, worthless unless you DIY mod them with a half zipper (which I have done for several buds).

-- they're full cuben fiber so about as "waterproof" as possible and pretty much negate the need for a VBL*.

Cool idea, would require the user to actively manage venting, which is cool. I like the concept, and even tried it a few times. A few years ago I made an emergency flat quilt from silnylon and synthetic insulation. Used it on a few quick overnights and then ripped it up for another project. Worked okay, plan to try something like that again.

[frorider]

Interesting thread. There are times when I prefer the volume:weight ratio of a tunnel tent, other times when I prefer a intrinsically bomber free-standing tent like my wild country UK tent. I haven't tried all the single-wall tents on the market by any means, but the ones I've crawled into were generally too small for me. I'm not a hard-core, curl up in a ball for 20 hours inside a tiny footprint tent perched on a ledge kind of mountaineer.

the Eureka Zeus 2 is a non-breathable single wall tent I picked up for $150 as a casual use tent (throw in the car for road trips etc) but I was surprised to find how well it worked for the typical Sierra spring snow camping conditions. huge degree of ventilation control (from almost none, to plenty) means a much wider comfort range than I would have expected. and handles winds pretty well. and has plenty of room for me (6'3") and another person. I think it's 3 lbs 10 oz with integral vestibule.

[BFD]

Eureka Timberline is a classic. Good to see still making descent affordable tents.

[old goat]

I've only had a few tents in 50 years of backpacking and mountaineering so without having tried a bunch I can't say if what I like is better or worse than others on the market. What I will say is that for a freestanding, light weight tent having 2 side entries instead of one entry at the head is a huge improvement. I only do summer in the Sierras any more so that kind of tent works for me (currently Mountain Hardwear Skyledge 2).

I used to use just a tarp that I modified with additional loops to form kind of a triangle, no poles or stakes--just found an overhanging boulder to pitch the high end against and used rocks to hold the edges down. Not the most fun to ride out a storm in, but I got by in the summer.

[GeezerSteve]

In today's world, Eureka Timberline is a boat anchor

[neck beard]

I'd like a portable by backpack basecamp tent, floorless, standing height, strong against wind and maritime storm quantity - though lower density. Prefer less than 10kg, big enough to sleep 4-6. Mountain Hardware have 3 geodesic models, but expensive (and their Jalapeno glove durability sucked so bad that I don't want to give then $2000+ for a tent... just on principle).

This is a lot of money that will come out of irreplaceable savings but also a longterm investment in our freedom to spend much more time living in the mountains, not just at the foot of them. Also, it snows so much here - and then the upper pack melts so fast - that a permanent snow cave is very hard to maintain.

Suggestions?

[AKbruin]

I'd like a portable by backpack basecamp tent, floorless, standing height, strong against wind and maritime storm quantity - though lower density. Prefer less than 10kg, big enough to sleep 4-6. Mountain Hardware have 3 geodesic models, but expensive (and their Jalapeno glove durability sucked so bad that I don't want to give then $2000+ for a tent... just on principle).

This is a lot of money that will come out of irreplaceable savings but also a longterm investment in our freedom to spend much more time living in the mountains, not just at the foot of them. Also, it snows so much here - and then the upper pack melts so fast - that a permanent snow cave is very hard to maintain.

Suggestions?

Most of their tents don't exactly match your criteria (heavy or floored), but I've heard good things about Alaska Tents. They seem particularly well-suited to cold-conditions. I like the fact they most of their tents seemed to be designed to work with an oven, which would be a nice touch in a basecamp tent. http://www.alaskatent.com/oven.html

Edit: Okay, these tents are overkill and not really hike-able, but they still look cool.

[neck beard]

Thanks for the suggestion. Great looking gear, but yeah, not really easily packable. I can't run a stove either. These tents are just another reason I should live somewhere like Alaska.

[Moralkaka]

If you like the hilleberg design, but dislike the pricing check this out:
http://www.northstar.se/se/produkter/sova-ute/talt/

Really nice tents with attention to detail and a "less is more" approach.

Exchange rate is not super for you guys in the US though.