[Closed] Tents: Decent, light, not cheap ones, for bike touring

Can you not get Marmot tents here then?

A tent geek and you haven't shortlisted the Hilleberg Nallo or the Hilleberg Akto??

Mountain hardwear tents are bombproof.

you haven't shortlisted the Hilleberg Nallo or the Hilleberg Akto??

Looked at them. Too small or too expensive.

SbZ, yes, that seems to be the general opinion. It's the fave so far....

MSR are my fave brand after Marmot, but I dunno about that one.

Can you not get Marmot tents here then?

Ruled out.
I really, really have kicked the arse out of this search!! 🙂

MSR are my fave brand after Marmot

Care to elaborate on that? 🙂

Have you looked at Wild Country tents?

Yep.

Looked at around 30 different brands. I'm not bullshitting. I REALLY HAVE kicked the arse out of this search. That's the shortlist up there. I'm looking for comments on those tents, or maybe similar models or general info on those 3 manufacturers. 😀

Well. I've owned a North Face Westwind (back when it was light weight, not the modern incarnation), a MSR something (twin pole design like this:
[img] [/img] ) and a Marmot Aeros 3P.

The MSR was good - very roomy for a 2 person (two people could sit cross legged at each end), pitching was easy - hard to remove all the wrinkles though when pitching. Supplied alu pegs were good. It was probably a 2001 tent or thereabouts.

The Marmot is way better though. It weighs the same as the MSR and less than the North Face at about 2.5kg or so, and is a three man so is huge inside. Room to sit around, eat, get changed and all. Lighter fabrics and general construction than the others. Absolutely brilliant.

All Marmot stuff is ace 🙂

I assume this is for 3 people then? Or is the extra space because of getting bikes etc in?

S****. Tent geek and no Hilleberg, as mentioned. Tent nerd then, maybe.

Check out the soulo as well as the older models. Have a picture of my Akto on the summit of Clisham last August.

[img] [/img]

If it's for bikes, I really would consider the saunders galaxy. We toured with one across europe, middle east and africa. It's not the ultimate in light weight (2.75kg), but can sleep 3 in the inner at a push, is huge for two people and can fit a bike and panniers (with enough room still to cook) in each of the two porches. You could get the outer up in about 2 mins and be inside hanging the inner out of the rain. Ours needs new zips now after a year of nearly daily use in some pretty grim conditions (especially sand storms) and another 6 years of weekend camping trips.

Tent geek and no Hilleberg

Doesn't fit my needs or budget. Simple. £400 is stretching it, and that's what we can get the Mountain Hardware for. The Hilleberg prices are waaaay above that. I don;t need that quality and they're hardly any lighter than the Mountain Equipment above.

I assume this is for 3 people then? Or is the extra space because of getting bikes etc in?

No, 2 people, but we need space to live and cook if the weather is bad and space for leathers, lids and panniers on the motorbikes 🙂

Mountain Equipment DragonFly 3XT

I've had the two man equivalent for a few years now. Has never let me down in some of the more interesting weather the UK has to offer. It's light, pretty much rock solid if pitched correctly, plus easy to pack and spread around a pack if required. You also get some cool anodized alloy pegs with little MA logos on, which to be honest is the only reason i bought it!

On a slight downside it can turn into a bit of a sauna in summer conditions, though what tent doesn't.

If i was to buy again it would be a ME Dragonfly.

Why why'd you discount my fave then at £300? 🙂

EDIT Just seen you are motorbike touring. Surely you coudl go a bit heavier and more substantial/durable than these?

EDIT 2 I see the ME dragonfly for £350.

http://www.gear-zone.co.uk/mountain-hardwear-drifter-3-pid8173.html

That mountain hardwear tent for £180. You sure it's the drifter 3?

And please never ever cook inside a tent. I have seen how quickly they set alight and the damage it causes to people.

Okay, I accept your original choices. The only advice I can give you is that a pal had an MSR and it didn't last as long as other tents of similar construction/price. If you're on a motorbike heavier but quality might be better.

Yes I know that you say you've looked at all tents available in the UK... just like to check you've considered Helsport tents? They're currently 20% off at [url= http://www.tamarackgroup.co.uk/acatalog/Helsport.html ]Tamarack [/url]and, from the research I did several months ago, they are reputed to have the same quality as Hilleberg tents.

[url= http://www.uttingsoutdoors.co.uk/Product/193/107899/wild-country-trisar-tent-44tr?src=froogle ]Wild Country Trisar[/url]

Pete, I have one of these which I want to sell. Barely been used, Glastonbury last year and about 5 nights total in Wales. Replaced it for a Terra Nova Voyager.

It's not superlight but it is tough, stable and roomy. Comes with all guys, poles, pegs etc and always stored in a dry place and aired after use.

I'll be down in London at some point in the next month which would save postage and can supply photos if yr interested. Email in profile.

Molgrips, Marmot Grid is too small, Asgard too expensive. Not a tough decision! 🙂

SbZ - http://www.outside.co.uk/shop/Drifter+3?utm_source=google&utm_medium=shopping&utm_campaign=shopping

Saw it at that price in more than one place!

Pete, I have one of these which I want to sell. Barely been used, Glastonbury last year and about 5 nights total in Wales. Replaced it for a Terra Nova Voyager.

Thanks for the offer but it's nowhere near big enough 🙂

If I had the money at the moment the GoLite Shangri-La 3 http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/product348.asp would be my tent of choice coupled with a mesh inner for buggy areas and this ground sheet for the rest of the time. http://www.oookworks.com/oooktubs.html

tent is just over 1.1 kg

ground sheet I don't know but not a lot!

plus you can do away with the pole and use walking poles if you want to reduce the weight further.

EDIT 2 I see the ME dragonfly for £350.

Link? 🙂

GoLite Shangri-La 3

No thanks. 🙂

Terra nova laser is very good

OK, no more suggestions please, I've given you the shortlist 🙂

ANy more comments on my 3?

He needs the extra room for the wheelchair...

DrP

That would be funny if it wasn't true. 🙁

I have the poster's remorse... 😳

DrP

PP what was the spec you used to get to your shortlist?

Drifter looks tiny compared to the others, and I can't see there's much storage/living space

I'd go for the dragonfly out of the 3, if i was going for MSR I'd choose Mutha Hubba over the Holler

Have to say I like the design of of the 3XT. The bad weather stability of a geodesic for the upwind living quarters and the weight and space efficiency of a tunnel tent for the porch.

I'd save up for a Hilleberg though. Sell a motorbike or something 😀

Fine with your list,but someday you will be setting up,and somebody will be next to you with a Big Agnes, and you will be bitter and envious. 😀

Do you really need a highly-specced mountain tent for motorcycle touring? You could save a lot of money by buying something more basic, but quite capable from someone like Vango given that a few extra grammes isn't going to tire out your bike and you're not likely to be pitching it on some remote highland plateau at 4000 feet in a hoolie.

I'm not criticising, just wondering. Mostly you're paying not so much for strength here, but the combination of lightness and strength.

BWD - Currently we have 2 tents. One decent but cheapish and bulky for the motorbike touring and a Blacks Constellation I bought in a sale for our first cycle tour last year. There are problems with both of these tents.
The MC tent was great when we had 2 motorbikes as we had loads of space. We now don't have one at all but when we do it'll be just one bigger bike for the 2 of us. So we NEED to save as much space as possible!
The Blacks tent is good, but just waaay too small! We can't even sit up in it to put socks on! This was OK in the good weather in the South West last year, but this year we're doing a northern C2C. And if it rains, we need more living space!
So we need a tent that weighs a bit less than the Blacks tent, but is as big (or close to) the motorcycle tent as there's a lot of gear to store on motorbikes!
Does that make sense? 🙂

When I was touring on motorbikes, I used a Saunders Spacepacker. The Plus models give you a bit extra internal space. Door system gives you one large alcove for storage and one for cooking in. Easily overlooked these days as they've dropped out of the mainstream.

Too small to sit up in:

[url= http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/4974641923_b7bcdeb463_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm5.static.flickr.com/4111/4974641923_b7bcdeb463_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter_atkin/4974641923/ ]IMG_9981[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/peter_atkin/ ]PeterPoddy[/url], on Flickr

Good, but heavy and bulky:

[url= http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3091/2825799218_52ac2af7c3_z.jp g" target="_blank">http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3091/2825799218_52ac2af7c3_z.jp g"/> [/img][/url]
[url= http://www.flickr.com/photos/peter_atkin/2825799218/ ]Scotland 2006 001[/url] by [url= http://www.flickr.com/people/peter_atkin/ ]PeterPoddy[/url], on Flickr

One tent to replace those 2! 🙂

Druid, thsoe Saunders tents look decent, I might have missed those in the search, I'll have a look, thanks 🙂

So we need a tent that weighs a bit less than the Blacks tent, but is as big (or close to) the motorcycle tent as there's a lot of gear to store on motorbikes!
Does that make sense?

You'll maybe think I'm joking, but take a look at the tenteepee, erm, teepees - brilliant, simple, deceptively tough, go up in three minutes.

I know you said no more recommendations but this the tent me and the claustrophobic missus use for cycle touring:

[url= http://www.tarptent.com/scarp2.html ]Scarp 2[/url]

It's 1.7kg, tall enough for me to sit up in (6ft) and has doors either side. Also has a choice of mesh or solid inner liner and optional extra poles to take it up to 4 season use.

[IMG] [/IMG]

Nice campsite jmct, Traigh Sheileboist dunes if I'm not mistaken? Or is it the campsite to the south (dunes are worth a try). A nice bit of machair 😀

That Mountain Hardwear one has an awful lot of mesh on it, which IME can be a bit draughty so that would put me off that one for a start. At first glance the Mtn Equipment one looked to have a lot of extra porch, but if you're on motorbikes I don't suppose it matters.

Good spot WD, thought it was time for a shower after three nights wild camping - the wife definitely agreed! So many great spots out there though.

[IMG] [/IMG]

Continuing thread hijack - that's the way I do it to, as many nights as I can tolerate wild camping/bothing till the dirt gets too much, then a campsite for a good shower. 😀

(my photo above is looking in that direction, over West Loch Tarbert)

Aye, it's good for marital relations to not push your luck when it comes to roughing it! That's a great pitch for the Akto - always thought I was going to get one but wanted double sided openings and a bit more room so the wife would be up for coming along.

I have a wild country trisar Great tent, two folk can sit up in it at the same time comfortably, good porch to cook in, we have had 4 people sitting in it, mine is very robust ( but it is an older one)

We lived out of it for 4 months motorcycle touring