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TIP: The online Bushwalk Inventory System can help bushwalkers with a variety of bushwalk planning tasks, including: Manage which items they take bushwalking so that they do not forget anything they might need, plan meals for their walks, and automatically compile food/fuel shopping lists (lists of consumables) required to make and cook the meals for each walk. It is particularly useful for planning for groups who share food or other items, but is also useful for individual walkers.The best 4 season tents
Thu 22 Aug, 2013 4:42 pm
Outdoor gear lab have just released their latest review for the best all rounder 4 season tents. They took out 24 of the best tents around and tested them over 4 years so its a pretty comprehensive test.
http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/4-Season-Tent-Reviews
Ive used all of them (in their 3 man versions) except the Nemo Tenshi and largely agree with the review. ... nearly picked this 2nd hand tenshi up last week for $279 after eying it for a while but decided it was too similar to my EV3.
Would have been a great deal though: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/111141232485?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Whilst there are stronger tents out there like the Quasar and VE-25, I wouldnt want to carry a 5kg tent on my back unless a porter was carrying it for me. in no particular order) a few of my favourite tents for 2 people are:
Hilleberg nammatj 2/3 GT
Hilleberg Jannu
Hilleberg Saivo
EV3
Trango 3.1
Direkt 2
and ofcourse the VE25, because there is no other tent on earth that has had as many photos taken in beautiful moutains.
There seems to be 3 brands that dominate. If money was no object, which 2 man/4 season tents would people choose ?
http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/4-Season-Tent-Reviews
Ive used all of them (in their 3 man versions) except the Nemo Tenshi and largely agree with the review. ... nearly picked this 2nd hand tenshi up last week for $279 after eying it for a while but decided it was too similar to my EV3.
Would have been a great deal though: http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/111141232485?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649
Whilst there are stronger tents out there like the Quasar and VE-25, I wouldnt want to carry a 5kg tent on my back unless a porter was carrying it for me. in no particular order) a few of my favourite tents for 2 people are:
Hilleberg nammatj 2/3 GT
Hilleberg Jannu
Hilleberg Saivo
EV3
Trango 3.1
Direkt 2
and ofcourse the VE25, because there is no other tent on earth that has had as many photos taken in beautiful moutains.
There seems to be 3 brands that dominate. If money was no object, which 2 man/4 season tents would people choose ?
Re: The best 4 season tents
Thu 22 Aug, 2013 6:45 pm
Looks like they added more models to their previous reviews.
I went through that. First had the Macpac Olympus. Then the NF Mountain 25. I don't rate it as poorly as they did - it is a very tough tent and comfortable to boot. But a #$%@ to set up in high winds and a little heavy. Along with the VE25 and Trango would be the benchmark do-it-all heavy / tough true four season tents.
Traded up to the Hilleberg Tarra. A bit lighter and much easier to set up. But other than that not necessarily a stand-out.Pros and cons with each option.
Probably the same for all the tents - pros and cons depending on the users requirements - though some will have objective failings for all i guess.
ninjapuppet wrote: There seems to be 3 brands that dominate. If money was no object, which 2 man/4 season tents would people choose ?
I went through that. First had the Macpac Olympus. Then the NF Mountain 25. I don't rate it as poorly as they did - it is a very tough tent and comfortable to boot. But a #$%@ to set up in high winds and a little heavy. Along with the VE25 and Trango would be the benchmark do-it-all heavy / tough true four season tents.
Traded up to the Hilleberg Tarra. A bit lighter and much easier to set up. But other than that not necessarily a stand-out.Pros and cons with each option.
Probably the same for all the tents - pros and cons depending on the users requirements - though some will have objective failings for all i guess.
Re: The best 4 season tents
Sat 24 Aug, 2013 5:03 pm
ninjapuppet wrote:Outdoor gear lab have just released their latest review for the best all rounder 4 season tents. They took out 24 of the best tents around and tested them over 4 years so its a pretty comprehensive test.
http://www.outdoorgearlab.com/4-Season-Tent-Reviews
Interesting review...not one Exped tent tested in there though?
Re: The best 4 season tents
Sun 25 Aug, 2013 12:55 am
Only flaw with the Nammatj that I can tell is that at 6'4 I probably wouldn't fit in it with an expedition weight sleeping bag!
Re: The best 4 season tents
Sun 25 Aug, 2013 6:53 am
ninjapuppet wrote:There seems to be 3 brands that dominate.
Most likely those that make the largest financial contributions towards the review.
Re: The best 4 season tents
Sun 25 Aug, 2013 8:24 am
Maybe not...
From their FAQ :
Q: Do companies pay you to review their gear?
A: No, we never receive money from companies for reviewing their gear.
Q: So how to you make money?
A: Right now we get (a little) revenue from:
Advertising that runs on the site, most typically Google ads
Links to online retailer sites with today's pricing on the gear being reviewed found at each products Price Comparison page. Please use this feature if you are going to buy some outdoor gear to save money and help fund this site!
Q: How do you get the gear?
A: We either buy the gear in retail stores or online just like you do. In some cases companies loan us gear for testing. However, we won't accept gear from manufacturers who try to influence our review editors, and we only review products we have selected ourselves as one of the top products in a category. So far, out of 640+ reviews, companies have loaned us gear for about 150 of the reviews.
Outdoor Lab did some months ago a very favorable review of one of our Tarptents.
They did not even get a free tent from us for that.
Of course I understand the "best of" to mean best of what we know/have tested. There are hundreds of brands out there that sell tents.
From their FAQ :
Q: Do companies pay you to review their gear?
A: No, we never receive money from companies for reviewing their gear.
Q: So how to you make money?
A: Right now we get (a little) revenue from:
Advertising that runs on the site, most typically Google ads
Links to online retailer sites with today's pricing on the gear being reviewed found at each products Price Comparison page. Please use this feature if you are going to buy some outdoor gear to save money and help fund this site!
Q: How do you get the gear?
A: We either buy the gear in retail stores or online just like you do. In some cases companies loan us gear for testing. However, we won't accept gear from manufacturers who try to influence our review editors, and we only review products we have selected ourselves as one of the top products in a category. So far, out of 640+ reviews, companies have loaned us gear for about 150 of the reviews.
Outdoor Lab did some months ago a very favorable review of one of our Tarptents.
They did not even get a free tent from us for that.
Of course I understand the "best of" to mean best of what we know/have tested. There are hundreds of brands out there that sell tents.
Re: The best 4 season tents
Mon 26 Aug, 2013 5:12 pm
"Of course I understand the "best of" to mean best of what we know/have tested. There are hundreds of brands out there that sell tents."
This is important. A few of their reviews are fairly good "state of the market" reports, but many are severely lacking certain brands/models. Not that that's a deal-breaker you just need to be aware that they aren't representative of the entire market. For example their trekking pole review excluded Komperdell who I think actually make the best walking poles at the moment.
This is important. A few of their reviews are fairly good "state of the market" reports, but many are severely lacking certain brands/models. Not that that's a deal-breaker you just need to be aware that they aren't representative of the entire market. For example their trekking pole review excluded Komperdell who I think actually make the best walking poles at the moment.
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