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Any updates from aeronaut owners? A friend of mind got one. He's used it twice, and is now sending it back because both times he had puddles of condensation on the tent floor by morning. First time he wondered if he hadn't pitched it quite right and sagging was the cause. Second time I was camped next to him and it was all nice and taut. Still puddles. Not big ones, but that's no good. Alpkit have offered to refund 75%, which personally I think is uncharacteristically bad service from them. Not sure if it's materials or design, but I certainly wouldn't recommend...
Inflatable tent in windy conditions would give me the fear.
A friend of mind got one. He’s used it twice, and is now sending it back because both times he had puddles of condensation on the tent floor by morning.
I've had that in a TNF VE25, normally lack of ventilation, the moist warm breath just hits the cold inner tent and condenses. Just need to sleep with more vents open.
Depends on the tent but at the start of August we vacated a campsite because of the wind and the airbeam style ones were holding up better than the GRP pole ones
Depends on the tent but at the start of August we vacated a campsite because of the wind and the airbeam style ones were holding up better than the GRP pole ones
Interesting that no one really makes a 3/4 season airbeam backpacking tent, as the weight benefits would be good (apart from the need to carry a pump, so perfect for bikepacking). For exposed camping at height, I can't really see it working.
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've still one of those and recently got a new pole (the elastic wasn't) and pegs and put it up in the back garden - my Missus couldn't believe it was a 2-man (many times with my pal, both of us over 6 foot). But, I can sit up in it, and been goretex means no issue when 'touching' the outer.
Intend to try a bike-packing overnighter, just need some other odds/sods.
Never seen this thread before. I just bought a new tent, the zephyros 2 has always annoyed me tbh, just too small to sit in. Served me well(I've had it for about 7/8 years I think), and it was just a case of un pinning the inner if you wanted to sit up(when there's no midgies.) but still the inner sit up was restrictive.
Wanted something with a bit more space, went for the naturehike mongar2, basically just a copy of the MSR hubba. Seems decent and spacious and I like the idea of the different configurations, just got it, so not tried it out in anger yet. might this weekend.
Did think about the lanshan 2 pro, but tbh, didn't really fancy the single skin and i never carry walking poles on a bike so seemed a bit of false economy in that respect. Plus I couldn't be arsed taping and waterproofing it either. 😆 I also wanted freestanding.
The gore-tex version was the Phreerunner. Here's mine in 2015, since binned because the membrane was delaminating and the porch PU coating had completely gone:
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I binned a modern copy of the Phreeranger today (seams pulling apart) after taking delivery of...my next tent.
Regarding condensation above: flattish, low angled roof panels, they're bad for it however much ventilation you rig up.
me and the missus toured Europe in a Phoenix Phreeranger.
Us too. Definitely a tent for two very good friends.
Inflatable tent in windy conditions would give me the fear.
Nope. They distort then spring back ime, which is uncomfortable and slightly worrying at first, but better than... alloy poles in the same conditions which can just fail catastrophically when bent beyond a certain point.
I'd be more concerned about punctures generally, even though folk like Vango have been honing the design / technology for a good few years now - I exploded one of the early ones at a very hot 24/12 a few years back, which was embarassing.
i am looking for a good single man or a smallish 2 man tent, that is good for someone 6ft 4''
not many around it seems. i had a alpkit ardos 2. it was very good, apart from the entrance at the end. a side entrance would be better.
I have one of these, but not used it much yet:
Plenty of space for me at 6ft, but wasn't paying top much attention to how much spare headroom I'm afraid.
It is small and light, and no issues so far, but not thoroughly tested...
Here y’go, or look at some of the other Luxe tents on that
Just been using this new last Xmas only used really from this summer due to lockdown. LAN Shan Teepee tent, huge, tall, remarkable good in wind (camped near top of pen y Fan last night, weather was shite), goes up inner and outer or outer only and light at around 1.5kg
Nope. They distort then spring back ime, which is uncomfortable and slightly worrying at first, but better than… alloy poles in the same conditions which can just fail catastrophically when bent beyond a certain point.
Ah, that'll by why all the top manufacturers have them in their 3 and 4 season range, be brilliant for summit camps! 😂
That Lanshan tipi looks like a clone of the old GoLite SL3. They were surprisingly capable:
But, under certain conditions, the vents allow wind and rain to blast in, creating a refreshing 'power shower' effect. Doesn't happen often, but when it does...
Yeah the vents are a bit curious....I will be using it as a summer tent so hopefully it'll be ok. Seams need doing to as the dog was getting dribbled on the other night, had to put my jacket over her
Re: condensation. In some conditions you'll get condensation no matter what tent or how or where you pitch it. Most times however it's down to poor site selection and erection technique (quiet at the back there!)
Putting the tent up on long grass or vegetation or on waterlogged ground will increase the risk as will being near water in general. Pitch somewhere where there's likely to be a breeze and align the vents so that the breeze helps airflow through the tent and the risk will be much less.
As for "flexible" tents - I had a Terra Nova Supernova tent. One winter way back in the 1980s we were camping in a "sheltered" spot in Torridon. During the night the wind kept flattening the tent and then the poles would spring back. Quite unnerving to have the tent whack you in the face! Those were alloy poles and are still in use.
Good advice re: condensation, but when the inevitable does happen you can make managing it easier by careful choice of tent design. Having used a lot of tents I now avoid models that have large areas of flat/shallow angle fabric; they just dump condensation onto your inner tent (or your kit, if it's single skin). Other factors need considering, too, of course (packed pole length, porch space/location, footprint size, inner/fly first pitch, etc).
aye the nature hike mongar 2 is a dinger of a tent.
I was going to camp here, but shat it from being too close to the tide, and not wanting to end up in sea about 2am at high tide. (turned out would have been fine, but still was wise to shift, just incase!)
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So camped here instead. Did enjoy the fact you can open the fly sheet right up for panoramic views.
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fits in the wee saddle bag I've got there, poles in the rucksack.
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All in all a good addition to my 1/2 night camping raid set up! 😆
Just hope it's waterproof. 😆
Good tents those Joe, my mate got sent one to test, and he's a bit of a tent nerd, loves it.
Ah, that’ll by why all the top manufacturers have them in their 3 and 4 season range, be brilliant for summit camps! 😂
What do you think happens when an airbeam-type tent gets hit by high winds? Generally four-season and altitude tents are all about creating a rigid structure with a wind-cheating shape, but that doesn't mean airbeams are useless in other applications.
I once spent a few hours in a mad Pyrenean storm - on a campsite - where our ancient Ultimate Peapod tunnel tents survived because its fibreglass poles were flexible enough to deform in the wind. The alloy poled tents around us were trashed because their poles failed catastrophically under the same load. MSR uses composite Easton Syclone poles for the same reason see this video where, to be fair, the Easton alloy poles bend out of shape rather than actually snap:
My personal experience is that airbeams do a similar sort of thing. I'm not saying that airbeam tents are better in all respects, just that all else being equal, they may be better in high winds than you think.
I have an airbeam tent, but it's a big family job, where I can see the benefits over big long poles, where the heavier weights and sail like shape will trash poles in high winds.
But we're talking small backpacking tents here, and airbeam tents ain't exactly ten a penny in that sector are they?.
ancient Ultimate Peapod tunnel tents survived
I’ve still got my Peapod! Can’t face getting rid of it, but it’s well beyond its prime. Great tent!
But we’re talking small backpacking tents here, and airbeam tents ain’t exactly ten a penny in that sector are they?.
No, they're niche. But just because something's niche, doesn't mean it doesn't work and it's interesting that there's an ultra-lightweight Vango tent using the tech as well as Alpkit's new backpacking tent. Nemo had a bivy using an air tube ages back which Mike Hall used on his round the world trip.
All I'm saying is that they're actually deceptively good in high winds. On the flipside, conventional poles are a reliable, proven technology that's not going to puncture and fail catastrophically through random user error or hedgehog attack and is trusted by users.
Something can work, even if it has drawbacks, and still be niche.
Shirley rule 1 of lightweight backpacking tents is to pitch them somewhere where they're not going to be subjected to properly high winds? They're not built for it being 'lightweight backpacking tents'... If you want highly resilient, try the heavy duty stuff designed for it but lightweight is not something they can be accused of...
We've just returned from a couple of weeks bike touring using our venerable (2011) Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 - a 2 person backpacking tent. It's quite small (obviously), very light (1.5kg) and (probably) wouldn't stand up to a gale but for ~3 season bike/backpacking for 2, it's ace.
Now, bad and good news. It might not sound like a ringing endorsement but after 11 years the taping has started to delaminate a bit though its not leaking - yet. The fabric and everything else is still A1. Big Agnes have warranteed the tent immediately no questions asked which I think is astonishing Customer Service. I've had other tents and all manner of mountain gear where the taping failed after a few years and it's rare (IME) to get so little aggro for such a decent result.
So I'll happily recommend Big Agnes if you want American designed, self supporting, fully tensioned, lightweight gear that lasts well enough for the genre and is decently supported by the manufacturer.
It won't last a 1000 years and withstand Hurricane Hilda but you probly want stone for that...
Fair enough BWD mate.
Shirley rule 1 of lightweight backpacking tents
I wasn't aware we had rules, though that was just the roadies! 🙂
Aye, I do try to camp in suitable locations, but I also like to get as close to summits as I can, and have had wind change directions unpredictably overnight before, so I like to have a tent that can take a wee bit of wind.
Used the Hubba Hubba NX for the first time at the weekend, Very impressed so far. Already had a 1 person MSR Freelite, but wanted something a wee bit bigger for either camping with the missus, or just to have a bit more room to bring everything inside in shit weather. The HH can be pitched outer first too, which is ideal in such weather. No summits though, was too claggy!.
The gore-tex version was the Phreerunner.
My mistake, it is the Phreerunner I've got.
And definitely 3-4 season - just needed care with the venting of the 'inner', ie zips ajar.
Another MSR vote here, I opted for the elixer 2 man for solo backpacking/climbing trip through S and N America where I wanted to be able to comfortably get all my kit inside. It has very fractionally less height at the sides than the Hubba due to using two crosswise poles rather than a yoke system but I preferred the simplicity and the more durable fabric. It lasted daily use on that 6 month trip and still holds up now 3 years on for weekenders in the UK. I think for a traditional tent I wouldn't bother going lighter as sometimes you need to pitch up on rocks. If I did go lighter it would be full on ultralight teepee type deal like a six moons or something. Met a bikepacker in Argentina with one who rated it highly.
Bloody hell this tent buying malarkey is hard! Just want something reasonably portable for me and the boy to do the odd night or two out and most probably sometimes just me and will likely be hiking with it a bit but not miles and miles.
So Vango Scafell+ (the one with the porch) or the Naturehike Mongar Superlight? Is the Mongar waterproof? That is my main concern :).
Or the Berghaus Cairngorm? Looks a nice option too
Have a look at Luxe hexapeak, with the double inner. Nice and light, and by all reports, bloody good in the wind, I really fancied one but all reviews say anyone over 6' is too tall. Backpackinglight sell them, Bob is very helpful too btw.
dannybgoode
Is the Mongar waterproof? That is my main concern :).
Does seem to be going by that, haven't tested it myself yet, will report back when I do get rain. I reckon it'll be fine though.
btw don't btw the purple yin, my god that's ugly. I really like the grey yin for the natural light and brightness inside the tent.
Been really happy with mine.