Forum menu
Looking out for a 2 person tent for my lad for walking and wild camping - want it to be relatively light if possible.
Anything better than this for the cash?
ALPKIT.COM See recent thread on Chinese tents such as Lanshan 🙂
Naturehike Star River II
I met a lady with one of those - we were camping at a beach on Orkney.
She had to take the tent down and leave once the wind got up (prob 25mph). She said that wasn't the first time this had happened.
My pal and I were fine
I have a Terra Nova Zephyros 2 and he has something cheap.
GoOutdoors OEX stuff might be worth a look? I have one of their one man tents for small overnighters and it's been great.
She had to take the tent down and leave once the wind got up (prob 25mph).
Fair enough. Ideally I'd like it to stay up in a decent breeze (2 season up high/3 season low level).
Are the Chinese ones copies of other brands?
That Zephyros looks like a 1+ tent rather than a true 2-person.
Zephryos type tents will always be better in strong wind because they are so much lower. I like to be able to sit up in my tent though.
I've used mine near the top of Helvellyn and Blencathra in winter with no issues as long as you put it up properly with guy ropes.
Cheap, light, strong - pick 2 though really innit
Star river II is a Big Agnes Copper Spur clone which is very similar to an MSR Hubba Hubba NX. I have a real MSR Hubba NX and a Star River II and the SR II is just as good.
I have the 1 man version, well made and very light
The Zephyros one I have is the 2 man XL UL (so extra large, ultra light). you pay a bit more but get more space for the same weight (about 1.5kg). You can sit up in it.
It's OK for two folks, you don't have to be a couple! perfect for one person - palatial!
It's worth trying to find one to try out in the shop - Go Outdoors have big enough space to have a few on show from the enormouse palaces down to tents like the MSR.
When we got ours (Big Agnes Copper Spur) we were also considering an MSR. A friend had the one person version so put it up in our living room(!). At which point I discovered that I couldn't sit up in it without scraping my head against the inner. The two man version was the same height so it got discounted.
Then there's things like how easy they are to put up/take down - some can be a real faff if you haven't used them before. A lot of tents now have colour coded tabs and pole ends just for this reason. I don't think any use red and green but if you were red-green colourblind that's something to watch out for.
The Alpkit Jaran 2 is their version of the Copper Spur and the MSR Hubba Hubba, 500g heavier than the Ordos but quite a bit more room since the internal walls are near vertical rather than sloping in. Also two door so if one person wants to get out in the night there's less chance of disturbing the other.
That Zephyros looks like a 1+ tent rather than a true 2-person.
That's the case for pretty much every tent, is it not? If you want a 2-man tent with room for 2-mansworth of gear then what you want there is a 3-man tent.
If you do opt for the likes of a lanshan 2, and it doesn't suit, you'll pretty much get your money back on ebay.
Vango. My three man cost less than £100, weighs 2.5kg, and fits on my bars. It's roomy for two people plus bags, three is very tight.
I started a tent thread in the summer albeit for cycle touring but might be something useful within this...
https://singletrackworld.com/forum/topic/tents-id-appreciate-some-advice/
Trekkertents. I have a custom one. £300 1.2 kg and huge for two people
That’s the case for pretty much every tent, is it not?
It was more the floorplan which showed two people in it lying top to tail rather than side by side. I'm sure my lad and his prospective fellow camper could manage...me and the missus toured Europe in a Phoenix Phreeranger. 🙂
I have a friend with a 2 man Zephryos and it's defo smaller than my 2 man SR II. I don't know about the XL UL one mentioned above, think it was just a regular one my friend has.
Two porches either side is good for various reasons imo. We normally stick bags one side and use the other for cooking gear/shoes etc.
This seems a better option (from the Alpkit catalogue at least)
Anyone had one of these?
EDIT: Missed Whitestone's comment on it. Thanks.
I'll look into some of these other options, thanks.
Silly question but is it a 2 person tent for using with 2 people? If so I'd not get too stressed about the weight. If it's a 2 person tent used for 'luxury' solo use some time then it is far more of a concern.
Tents are a world of compromise......headspace often comes at the expensive of poor aerodynamics and doing less well in a blow. A 4 season fly that goes right down to the ground can induce condensation problems. Pitch outer first for easy pitching in the rain often means a slightly baggy inner that is easier to touch to the fly with your feet. Bombproof often means heavy. Lightweight often means a groundsheet that needs careful handling.
In a 'don't recommend what you own' I think I'd be tempted to go Vango - not the last word in anything but a great balance of weight and robustness, great VFM and normally pretty idiot proof. There is a reason half the countries DofE groups sleep out in Vangos.
I'd agree with that. My (rarely used) car camping tent is a Halo 200. I wouldn't want to carry it by myself, but split between two it'd be ok, and it's a very liveable design.
Silly question but is it a 2 person tent for using with 2 people?
I imagine so most of the time, but occasionally just himself. So I'm looking for something around the 2kg mark in case he ends up having to carry the whole thing.
Vango Force Ten with cotton fly.
It's what I used when I were a lad for backpacking and what every 15 year old should have to go through.
That said they don't make 'em as heavy as they used to. Nothing beats carrying that wet cotton flysheet off the mountain.
It’s what I used when I were a lad for backpacking and what every 15 year old should have to go through.
In that case, any recommendations for a 160-man shoebox int'middle of road?
Bikester were discounting Big Agnes tents recently. I got the 3 man Seedhouse - really nicely put together and gets good reviews.
A bit fuller answer. As above tents are always a compromise. I have had many backpacking tents over the years but the custom trekkertent drift I have now although compromised is the best for my needs. Its a two man inner in a 3 man outer which took a fair bit of tinkering to make it work well but now I have it sussed its great. the basic tent is 1.2 kilos as it uses walking poles for poles and we are carrying them anyway ( and I have superlight CF poles)
Outer is hexagonal 3m across. Inner is 2.4m x 1.2 m. Two of us can sit up in it easily. It has 4 doors so is very flexible in use and with the larger outer there is enough space to get under the outer and take your waterproofs off without getting into the inner. Extended porches are well worth it in my view and need not add much weight
Disadvantages are the groundsheet is very thin but I always use a footprint anyway and I suspect it will be flappy in high winds
greatest thing about it is I can have the outer pitched in a minute - literally so very good if it raining - you can then fit the inner and unpack in the dry
Its a small scottish business as well which I like to support
[url=
https://flic.kr/p/2hga3jn ]IMG_1135[/url" rel="nofollow" >]">
by [url= https://www.flickr.com/photos/25846484@N04/ ]TandemJeremy[/url], on Flickr
They also do smaller / lighter tents
http://www.trekkertent.com/home/
Another Decathlon owner here. Their 2-person backpacking tent has been superb on this year's bikepacking missions. About £110 IIRC.
We’ve got the decathlon one mentioned above and also an OEX phoxx 2. Both good but would go with the Decathlon out of the two. Pitches all in one with only one pole and prefer having the asymmetrical layout with the larger recess on one side as it’s more useable.
Thread dredge but Alpkit have just emailed about this:
Think Vango have done this before with the F10 Hydrogen but not at this price point.
Was going to mention Decathlon although nothing can beat my old Vango Storm 200+
Approx 2kg per person if split to carry, but it’s a bombproof and cavernous windcheater with lots of venting options and two exits/entrances.
If you see one used VGC snap it up.
You asked for light, so Decathlon Quickhiker 3 (split to carry)? Only thing is availability, no idea if they are restocking soon?
I always find 3 person or 2.5 person (300 or 200+) spaces work better for two, so I’d be checking the Alpkit Ordos 3 if looking that way. ymmv
WEIRDOSONBIKES.COM @nostrils, I've just spotted that - it looks great! I've got an Easton Kilo which is ultra-light (about 1.2Kg, plus footprint) and I've loved, but a) it's bright yellow so definitely not stealth and b) although it's survived quite a lot of nights with me (and sometimes also my son) and the bike(s), it feels a little bit _too_ light for me. I love the robustness of Alpkit's stuff and we have a Vango Airbeam 4-man tent which was a revelation, so a lightweight airbeam bikepacking tent seems like a brilliant idea to me. May well pre-order, especially if I can get the Kilo up on eBay next time it's £1 listing weekend. 🙂
Vango, Can't go wrong at the money. Always held up well to years of use.
Hmm, that Alpkit is light for an inflatable tent.
I guess we're all carrying a pump anyway.
I have a Terra Nova Quasar which must be over 20 year old easy, an amazing bit of kit, still like new, lend it out to my kids for camping, overnight fishing, etc, still cuts the mustard.
Also, used a Pheonix Phreak? About 25 years ago, the only tent left standing when everyone else on our Duke of Edinburgh expedition was chasing their Vangos up some windy Highland valley.
Hmm, that Alpkit is light for an inflatable tent.
I guess we’re all carrying a pump anyway.
I’ve just changed my order from an Ordos 2 to the Aeronaut so I’ll give a review when I get it!
👍
I’ve just changed my order from an Ordos 2 to the Aeronaut so I’ll give a review when I get it!
Great stuff. I did take a peek so would be interested to know especially how it gets on with condensation/venting
I'd narrowed it down to a Trekkertent Stealth or the new Lanshan Plus then just happened to look on the Alpkit site the other day and saw the Aeronaut and now there's a third option, probably the front runner if the estimated weight proves to be right.
I’ve just changed my order from an Ordos 2 to the Aeronaut so I’ll give a review when I get it!
Please do. I was looking for a review on you tube but there seems to be nothing on it.
I'd be interested to see if you ,instead of rolling back the outer door, maybe suspend it outwards, by using some cut sticks and a couple of guy ropes, just to provide a rain shelter for cooking at the front.
Really not liking the look of those new alpkit tents. Low ends and saggy inners are not a great combo. They might be great or they might not. Like a lot of alpkit stuff!
Trekkertent Stealth
I can vouch for the quality of these but you certainly wouldn't be able to get a new one for the summer.
I have this Terra Nova tent, that they've got £100 off, from £250 to £150:
TERRA-NOVA.CO.UK 2 man, extra-large (so actually usable for 2 folks) and ultra-light - brings the weight down a bit.
Quality seems good to me, stands up to rain and wind well and doesn't get any condensation. Easy to put up and goes up all together so doesn't get wet on the inside if it is raining.
A very usable 2 person tent, large sized and doors on each side. 1.7kg
Absolutely palatial if you're on your own!
I’ve been meaning to come back to this thread! It finally arrived a couple of weeks ago. This is my first small tent so nothing to compare it with but I think it’s brilliant. I bought the Aeronaut 2 which is slightly over 1.7kg with the separate footprint and all the bags. It all fits completely into a 7l saddlebag. It took just under 4 minutes to pump up the beam with a (rubbish) mini pump. I reckon I could have it up in well under 10 minutes. Plenty space for 1 person. Two people would be comfortable as well I think but no room for kit. There is a little porch area but it’s not massive. The door could possibly be propped up as there’s a toggle in the bottom corner but you’d probably have to bodge something to do it. All in all I think it’s great but not used it in the wild yet.
Edit - still can’t post photos!!