Hikers and backpackers: I need your help

[Compaq]

Hi guys, what's up?

I am in the market for a new tent. I love hiking and backpacking, but have never owned quality equipment. On my recent visit to the States I started upgrading some stuff (due to the ridiculously low prices compared to Norway's). I am now researching tents and starting to get an idea of what I need, both from previous experience and from reading about different features.

I will list the points that are important to me, and elaborate on them after:

1 two person tent
2 will be used for backpacking + the road-trip-camping-with-car-close-by trips)
3 it has to be waterproof, and prevent condensation well
4 withstanding the occasional mild snowfall is a plus
5 guypoints for better handling of strong winds
6 pole sleeves for better over-all stability
7 two doors is a big plus, although I suppose one door would serve as an exit/entrance as well
8 long enough for me (6'4.5" tall)
9 fit two sleeping pads around 20" wide
10 not choke of heatstroke in (Norwegian) summer nights

This summarizes my needs pretty well. I realize this may be too much for just one tent, but I thought I would ask for help before deciding anything.

1 My girlfriend and me will be using it most of the time (read: all of the time)

2 We enjoy just walking out in the nature, either in forests, up in the mountains, by the river; pretty much anything. Also, we're big on road-trips or car vacations. We then check in at campgrounds or just find fitting campsites as we drive (in Norway you can camp anywhere as long as you're not obtrusive to others and land owners). Having good vestibules with room for some gear, and having a little wriggle-space in the tent itself, is important. We're camping to enjoy ourselves, not merely as a place to spend the night. We might play cards, watch a movie on the Mac, etc.

3 Rain is common in Norway, and often comes unexpectedly. I have slept in a tent that did not handle heavy rains once... NEVER AGAIN

4 Snow is also common once you gain some height, even in late spring and early fall. I don't mean heavy snows that really add weight on top, but the occasional mild snowfall. I'm sure you understand what I mean?

5 Moreover, wind is quite common in Norway. Not storm-like winds, but strong enough to deform a badly stabilized tent. Alu poles help, but how they're placed is important as well. Having the option of securing with guylines is a nice insurance. Having a structural strong tent is more about knowing it will last, rather than having it withstand every kind of weather. I hope to make a long-term investment.

6 Again, stability. I don't like how the clip-on tents look. Maybe that is because I have never used such tents. It seems most three-season tents are clipped on the poles, but sleeves are stronger and disperse the stress on the poles over a larger area. Also, the tents seem more robust/staut that way. You never know what kind of weather you get in Norway.

7 I can really see how two doors is convenient. On my recent trip with my girlfriend, she had to climb over me to exit. As nice as that may be, having two doors wouldn't be catastrophic

8 I'm tall at 6'4.5". I have a 72" sleeping pad and I want that to fit. The tent must fit me, to put it simply.

9 Since two persons will sleep in here, there should be enough room for two pads both at around 20" wide.

10 I have also woken up a hot summer morning barely being able to breathe. I wrenched off the sleeping bag, violated the zipper until it finally opened, and threw myself out of the tent. On later trips I have paid attention to make sure I have the setting sun at the tent, but the rising sun. Nevertheless, many campgrounds in Norway are just green field cramped with tents, and choosing strategically isn't always possible. Good ventilation is thus a huge plus.

So, in short, I think a 3+ season or extended season tent is the way to go. However, I cannot find that many models to look at. With the extended season, I get a sturdier and better built tent, without the extreme weather capabilities of true four-season tents (that I do not need). I get the good ventilation as well as the sturdier construction.

I seem to always come back to the REI Arete ASL 2, even if it only has one door. This tent seems to fit my needs very well. I have also come across the REI Cirque ASL 2, but it's not on their site any more. This tent had two doors. I also looked at the North Face Assault 2, but this is a four season tent and is made to stand on the mountains. I also looked at the North Face Mica FL 2, but this tent lacks pole sleeves.

Does anyone have suggestions? Am I going in the wrong direction? Price is not a worry, I will spend whatever I must to get a tent that suits my needs. The price will be split two-way as well.

Be smart - buy once.

I highly appreciate any suggestions and guiding!

Regards,
Anders

 

[Shaving_CHENG]

What's your price range?

Bibler Tents (now built by Black Diamond) are indestructible, comfortable, simple, and at least 3 season, but will run you close to $700 US; North Face VE25 is a little cheaper, built for 3 people with gear, extremely light, and the best overall tent I have ever seen. I've climbed Kili, Aconcagua, and others in the Andes and Rockies very comfortably in the VE25.

Enjoy and good luck!

 

[andrew98]

I take it you like yellow, Michael.

I just bought an Alps Mountaineering Zephyr 2, and it's a great 3 season tent. There is plenty of mesh to prevent condensation and allow airflow in warmer weather. It's a "pitch inner first" design, which stands up to winds better than a "pitch outer" design. In the latter design, the poles go through the rain fly, and the inner tent sort of hangs from the fly/poles. With a pitch inner first tent, the poles stabilize the inner tent, and the fly is pulled over the poles. The poles, fly, and inner tent are all held more rigidly, which adds to stability in a wind.

The floor dimensions look like they would accommodate the OP's height, and it's light enough for backpacking, although not ultra-light. I chose this tent (over lighter options) because I like having a door on each side, so my girlfriend and I can come and go independent of each other. I'd also rather enter and exit from the side, rather than the front of the tent. It's just easier for me. 2 vestibules/porches provide more room for gear than just one vestibule at the front of the tent.

Also, with this design, the side walls are almost vertical. I have been in tents where the sidewalls pitch inward toward the middle of the tent, and that left us with almost no headroom. You need a lot of internal volume if you get stuck inside a tent for a couple days because of severe rain.

I haven't used this tent in severe weather yet, but online reviews make it sound like it should stand up to some decent wind and rain, as well as a little snow. Just make sure to make or buy a good ground sheet for this tent. I always make a ground sheet for all my tents to protect the bottom. This tent saves some weight by using light material for its floor. Cut the ground sheet a little smaller than the tent's footprint so rain doesn't fall on the ground sheet and work its way in between the ground sheet and tent floor. Another bonus is that this tent's floor is a "bathtub" style floor, so water shouldn't be able to get in, really.

I paid about $100 for mine (found it on sale).

I've slept in tents like this one down to -10 degrees F with lots of snow, so some "3 season" tents will work for more than you might expect.

Good luck with your tent search!

-Andy

 

[Groat]

So, in short, I think a 3+ season or extended season tent is the way to go. However, I cannot find that many models to look at. With the extended season, I get a sturdier and better built tent, without the extreme weather capabilities of true four-season tents (that I do not need). I get the good ventilation as well as the sturdier construction.

If you will be using this tent in a true 3-season fashion, I would highly recommend staying away from 3+ or 4-season tents. The ones you're looking at with sleeves are generally single walled or some sort of hybrid tent and absolutely will not breathe at a level near a true 3-season tent with double walls and plenty of mesh. I have years of experience with tents that use clips to attach to their poles and have not had an issue. Perhaps more importantly, I work at REI (and have for the past ~14 months) as a cashier. I have not had a single tent returned for a clip failure. I've used my tents on plenty of mild days but also days with high winds and driving rain. I really would not worry about a quality 3-season tent withstanding the elements.

That said, I'm going to make some recommendations while ignoring your requirement of pole sleeves. You can take them or leave them. If you're looking for something particularly light, check out the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2. It's got 2 doors, 2 vestibules and the floor dimensions are 90"x52" all in a package that weighs approximately 3.5 pounds. I've got the single person version and find it to be a great mixture of convenience and weight savings. This tent runs about $400 US though, so it is expensive.

On the other end of the spectrum (if I may be so bold as to recommend a tent from my employer) you can look at the REI Half Dome 2 Plus. It's bigger in every fashion than the Big Agnes. Larger vestibules, 98"x56" floor space. It weighs about 6 pounds but only runs $220 US. I used an REI Half Dome for years before becoming an employee and was very impressed with its ability to keep me dry and resist condensation. Another very simple option is the Mountain Hardwear Drifter 2. 93"x50" floor space, two ten square foot vestibules, the simplicity and strength of a 2-pole design. This tent runs about 5 pounds and $235 US, but includes the footprint with that price (but not that weight.)

 

[Compaq]

Having visited a few REI stores whilst in the States just recently, and seeing how well-informed and experienced the workers are, I will trust you on clips vs sleeves Maybe a three-season tent is what I need. I still want to be able to secure it with guylines, though, in case of heavy winds - you never know!

I did look at the Copper Spur, but noticed that the doors must either open out into the vestibule or into the tent itself. I can imagine all sorts of things, from being careless and stepping on the door, lots of sand and stuff stuck in the zipper, wet doors when opened outwards in rainy weather. The door solution just didn't seem very thought through, so I kind of discarded that tent.

As far as the Half Dome goes, I have not looked into that one. One trouble with REI tents is that they can only be found in the States - and I'm in Norway. I hoped to narrow down my search and visit each tent in turn to see the size for myself.

Hilleberg Tentmakers is a well-known brand and makes quality tents. They are three times the prices of REI tents and North Face tents, though. Plus it's said their zippers aren't all that good. The Rogen tent seems nice, have you had any experience with this brand, Ryan?

Thank you all for your advice!
Anders


P.s. what do $100 buy by going from the half dome 2 plus to the quarter dome 2 plus?

 

[Groat]

Hilleberg Tentmakers is a well-known brand and makes quality tents. They are three times the prices of REI tents and North Face tents, though. Plus it's said their zippers aren't all that good. The Rogen tent seems nice, have you had any experience with this brand, Ryan?

P.s. what do $100 buy by going from the half dome 2 plus to the quarter dome 2 plus?

I'm not familiar with the Hilleberg company. Looking at their website, it appears that they operate mostly within the confines of Europe. I took a look at that Rogen model and I can share some thoughts. One is that the tent is very expensive: $750 is the price they quote. Without any more context, I cannot say anything else about the price. The three pole design is common among smaller tents and is simple yet effective. The tent is an interesting hybrid between a 3-season and 4-season tent. Watching the pitching instructions, it appears as though the fly stays attached to the tent body during normal setup and operation. The fact that the only mesh is on the doors would concern me in the warm and humid Virginia climate. In cooler climes this would probably be less of an issue. The weight of 4 pounds 10 ounces isn't bad but it's also not great. The vestibules seem to have a couple more square feet (each) than average. The tent stakes that come with it are similar to the "MSR Groundhog" stakes and are a little more robust than what comes with your average tent. The tent poles are regular DAC Featherlight poles, which are relatively standard within the industry.

As for the difference between the Quarter and Half Dome lines, you're losing 1+ pounds with the quarter dome. You also lose a tiny, almost unnoticeable floor space and some vestibule area. The difference in pole design in the quarter dome line is supposed to give you more room above the floor in the tent body and allow for a stronger tent in the wind. The Quarter Dome comes with nicer DAC Featherlight NSL poles, while the Half Dome comes with DAC pressfit poles.

I'll have to do some research tomorrow about what sort of brands you might be able to find in Norway, then see if I've got any knowledge about them.

 

[csd3]

My ten cents worth- avoid an expedition tent, especially a single wall tent. They sweat with condensation unless you're below freezing and you will wake in a puddle. (I've owned a few Biblers). Go 3 season, 3 to 4 person tent if you'll be car camping. No worries about the weight..and i would find one with as much mesh as you can for ventilation. If it's wet weather you'll have the rain fly on and still be able to breath in warm weather. Unless you plan on alpine cruising a four season is too sealed and will be hotter. Last you might look for one with a big vestibule- wet clothes, dirty boots, dog...
Brand is a toss up. Take a look at the Big Agnes seed house just for an idea. You might want to browse mgear.com Youve got lots of options and can find good deals at sierra trading post and the shadEbay.

 

[andrew98]

I've used a few of Hilleberg's ultralight backpacking tents. From 2009 to 2012 I lived in the UK and worked for their largest outdoor retailer for the last two of those three years. I would strongly recommend Vaude tents. Those should be easy to find in Europe and the UK, since they're German.

I thought Vaude's quality was as good as Hilleberg. I still own a Vaude Division Dome. I had a Hogan Ultralight XP, but it doesn't fit a lot of your (and my) requirements, Anders. In fact, I think all their 2 person tents only have one door at the front of the tent.

I'd try to see what other German tent brands are out there. The North Face, Force 10, Robens, Wild Country, Marmot and Mountain Hardwear all make good tents.

-Andy

 

[Compaq]

I'm currently looking at the NEMO Losi 3P tent. This one seems to suit all our needs.

 

[PC94303]

You may want to consider tarptents. www.tarptent.com. Henry Shires makes great stuff. I own/use a one person Moment; otherwise have no commercial/other interest in the company (wish I did...).

 

[parsifal54]

The REI Half Dome has been a "go to" for quite some time. Bang for the buck.

 

[yammerschooner]

I've done really well in North Face's Rock 32. It is light. It is rated for three people, but actually fits two and gear comfortably. The cover makes it very wind and water resistant. For me, the rainfly provided ample room for a couple week's worth of gear I was carrying. The two doors are huge, with one on each side so you can get out without crawling over anyone. It sets up easy. The mesh inner tent keeps out bugs but lets in all the air you can handle. The price isn't bad for what you are getting.

Once again, it is light.

Off topic, but some of my best friends from college were from Mandal.