Real world experience of the Alpkit Ordos tent?

Anyone actually spent some time with one now? They look very tempting for bikepacking and lightweight camping, when they chance of rain/midges make a bivy less appealing. Also, the quoted 1.3 kg weight is actually lighter than our tarp and 2 Hunka XL’s combined.

The size for weight looks excellent, but read some reviews this it really needs the extra footprint due to the relatively lightweight floor, which sort of negates the weight benefit.

Alpkit Ordos 2

Other suggestions welcome, but struggling at that sort of price point. The classic cheap, strong and light issue….

I’m surprised the lack of response from the Singletrack Alpkit fan club!

I nearly pressed buy a number of times but just couldn’t sanction the price. I ended up with a Wild Country Zephyros 2 for a shade over £100 and lived with the extra 300g. And spent the spare £120!

I can pitch the Zephyros with no inner if I want to go proper light. Gets it down to about a kilo.

I am in the market for something like this.

The Ordos is mighty tempting but less than complimentary reviews and price is pushing me toward a Zephyros too.

Though the pack size isnt quite as impressive, poles would have to go somewhere outside the luggage.

Check out Trekkertent. They pitch using trekking poles but you can get regular poles for them too. Might not suit but worth a look.

Do you use the Wild Country Zephyros 2 as a 1 or 2 man theboy? It looks 10 cm narrower inside than the Alpkit which might be cosy for two.

The Trekkertent Phreeranger looks interesting but wish there was a floor plan. Also doesn’t look like it is in stock per say and ideally want something for May. Might drop them an email.

I really like the look of the MSR Carbon Flux 2 though £400 and maybe too much mesh for the UK.

Shite.

A concise review Jam bo. Any particular reason?

The Trekkertent Phreeranger looks interesting but wish there was a floor plan. Also doesn’t look like it is in stock per say and ideally want something for May. Might drop them an email.

I don’t think the Phreeranger is a 2 man. Currently 6 week delivery time I think.

Clearly the answer is a Terra Nova Solar Photon 2. If I just had £400+…

Ive been in one briefly – it seemed OK, but that’s the limit of my review.

It also goes by name of Snugpack Scorpion I think.

FWIW I have one of the ‘duff’ Alpkit Delta’s that they sold off for £50. Slack and no venting inner issues aside, it’s well made, has stood up ok to some wet and windy weather, weighs 900g, and is four years and maybe 40 uses in. I’ve used it in bivvi mode as well as full tent mode. Typical Alpkit – not flash, just works ok.

Clearly the answer is a Terra Nova Solar Photon 2. If I just had £400+…

Couple of threads over on UKC lately indicating that TN have some fairly major QC / customer service issues.

Heavier (but cheaper) Wild Country Helm 2 from Sports Direct. No idea what they’re like (I don’t own one) but eyeing one up at the minute.

Couple of threads over on UKC lately indicating that TN have some fairly major QC / customer service issues.

🙁 One hopes that this isnt the case of British based companies like TN, but I guess that is wishful thinking!

Heavier (but cheaper) Wild Country Helm 2 from Sports Direct

That is about the same weight as our Litewave tent – great tent but wanting something with a small pack size/weight for on the bike.

Heavier (but cheaper) Wild Country Helm 2 from Sports Direct. No idea what they’re like (I don’t own one) but eyeing one up at the minute.

Please don’t line Mike Ashley’s pockets by buying one from Sports Direct though…

One hopes that this isnt the case of British based companies like TN, but I guess that is wishful thinking!

There are lots of stories, mainly about poles snapping but stitching too and customers being told that it’s user error / misuse rather than a warranty issue. I’ve returned 3 WC/TN tents now and would be unlikely to get another because of this. I was fortunate in that the retailer took the return without quibble but others have met a real stonewall when dealing with WC/TN.

5 years ago I bought 30 tents for the outdoor centre, 50/50 Wild Country and Vango.

I returned nearly half the WC tents on first pitch for iffy stitching, wonky zips etc.

The Vango’s cost half as much, weighed more, but all of them were well built, if a couple of design quirks (huuuuge long sleeves that need to be Teflon sprayed to keep poles sliding through, complex guys etc).

On balance, the Vango’s were superior.

How much does the footprint weigh for that Alpkit? Doesn’t seem to say.

On balance, the Vango’s were superior.

The one I had, bits of it fell off due to dodgy stitching.

Agree re WC/TN customer service

Got 10 pitches out of my Hoolie 2 etc before a pole shattered and tore through the pole sleeve.

WC did fix it in the end but not before i had to fling an email at them about how I’d be returning it to the store as not fit for purpose if they didn’t.

They did claim user error at first ….It’s not my first rodeo with a. Tent.

If you want a robust mid weight look at vaude tents they weigh a little more but you don’t have to wonder if it’ll last the night 🙂

How much does the footprint weigh for that Alpkit?

On the separate product page it says 180g. It’s a fair point, it’s not a lot.

As if by magic, a user appears. I have one on long term test. It is well built and light to boot. The inner space is pretty generous. I would recommend you buy a super light Tyvek footprint as they pack really small. I have had no issues with the groundsheet in the real world. It is a good tent for the money. The mesh deals well with condensation.

The inner pitch design gives reasonable stability in wind but if it rains when you are erecting it, the mesh roof of the inner will let water in so you have to be quick. If it was outer first, it would be awesome.

I have a Hilleberg Niak on test too. It is a better all round tent but then it costs nearly 3 times as much. You do notice the difference in quality.

I have a Trekkertent Phreeranger coming to test soon, the 20d Silnylon version. It has the potential to be a great bike packing tent. I think it is 120cm wide which is the same as the Niak and should fit two. I’ve been emailing Marc at Trekkertent and he clearly knows his stuff. Very helpful too. I like that he is a Scottish business and can do custom work. The Phreeranger is an old Phoenix design which I always wanted as a kid but never bought. Looking forwArd to trying it.

Cheers

Sanny

Thanks Sanny. Our very own Singletrack mini test. I’ll drop Marc an email and see what his lead in time is. Be interested to hear how you get on with it.

We have an inner pitch Litewave and now we are pretty speedy, it’s never got that damp. Outer pitch is ideal, but not a disaster. Interested to hear you think the Ordos is decent option, considering the price. I have always loved Hillebergs from the day I very first saw one, but just can’t justify the cost.

I have one on long term test

When you test these tents Sanny do you actually sleep overnight in them? Your garden doesn’t count. 😉

I have always loved Hillebergs from the day I very first saw one, but just can’t justify the cost.

I once thought as you and spent years buying other tents and then returning them when they fell apart. In the last 5 years I’ve returned 6 tents due to manufacturing faults. 1 Vango (stitching coming undone on inner after a week’s use), 1 Force Ten (warranty replacement for the Vango, returned unused due to faults in fabric and stitching), 1 Lightwave (a leaky, impossible to pitch disaster from day 1), 2 Wild Countries (stitching separating on inner after a couple of nights) and 1 Terra Nova (same as the WCs).

I’ve now got a Hilleberg and it’s already done about 40 nights with no sign of any issues. If you do a lot and the design, weight etc fits your brief then they really are worth saving up for.

The only other tent I’ve had of comparable quality was my old Macpac Minaret but it was just a bit small for extended use.

Oh I agree with you – buy it once right – but as we already have a Lightwave for slightly large space duties, this is going to probably end up being our light and fast(ish) option and therefore not used a much.

My first tent (18th birthday present from my parents) was a Macpac Minaret – the asymmetrical sides did make it a bit cosy, we so upgraded it with the Lightwave, but it is still going strong on long term loan to my brother.

Another Minaret fan here… Mine did nearly a decade of hard, regular use including summer and winter ML, before succumbing to UV degradation of the fly.