Bushwalk Australia

Currently looking at one man tents.

Requirements are:
Minimal Mesh
3 season+
Under 1.7kg or there abouts

So far I think the best option is the Helsport Ringstind, as they are very similiar to an Akto but much better suited to my height. They also work out cheaper once the added cost of a footprint and shipping is weighed up. They are Hillebergs main competitor in Europe and seem to hold up to the conditions just as well.

Also looked at the Exped Vela and many others, but the Vela seems to be hard to pitch well because it's so long.

Any suggestions for other tents that would suit my needs?

Aarn Pacer 1.

I have the Pacer 2, I think it's a great tent. It also happens to be great value. I think even the Pacer 2 fits your weight requirement if you don't consider the walking poles.

Looks like an interesting tent but would not consider because it uses walking poles. I do not use poles and imagine it makes it more vulnerable to winds. Are theses types of tents fiddly to pitch?

I'm in a similar quandary. Anyone have any inexperience with Wild Country, the cheap end of Terra Nova? I'm particularly looking at the Zephyros. Looks to be the same as the Laser but with cheaper materials. They are saying 1.57kg so pretty light.

http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/Product_Typ ... _Tent.html

Tarptent Scarp 1?

mjdalessa wrote:Looks like an interesting tent but would not consider because it uses walking poles. I do not use poles and imagine it makes it more vulnerable to winds. Are theses types of tents fiddly to pitch?

Aarn Pacer....

Quite the opposite, the trekking poles and the attached ridge pole are a very strong combination.

It's an integral pitch, it can stand happily with just two pegs. I'd call it easy to pitch, but it does have a very long footprint.

However, don't even bother looking if you don't use poles. No point.

Edit:

If you're really looking for a tent that can stand a big snow load and a blizzard I'd recommend the Rab Latok range. My little Ultra weighs only 1.3kg, is exceptionally strong, but has limited headroom. Oh, and it's a 2 man, so heaps of space for all your gear inside. This kind of tent is not for everyone.

I bought one of these a couple of weeks ago, well actually the xt version as I like a bit of space! I like to try gear from smaller manufacturers that not many people would have I have only pitched it in my garden on a blustery day so far but it looked nice, well built and not flappy. I am hoping it will be a tent suitable for 4 seasons in Tassie
http://www.cheaptents.com/acatalog/ligh ... -tent.html

Mjdalessa
How tall are you ?
(there are many tents I fit in nicely at 172cm that don't work all that well if you are 185cm...)

Pacer 1
Probably the most underrated solo tent I know of.
IF you use trekking poles and are not of the fixed and or superlight type, the Aarn in my view will stand up to much harsher weather than a certain highly fancied tent from Sweden...
I can set one up in my bedroom with two bricks and probably less than 5 minutes but some find them fiddly (I have no idea how...)

Zephyros
Loads of comments on that at the Outdoor Magic forum.

Franco

Ill second the aarn pacer 1. Great tent. I've just had a mesh inner made for mine by Evan from TRG (still integral pitch) so I can use it year round up here in QLD.

Go for the extra weight and get a Hilleberg Soulo, freestanding and "bombproof."

Bluegum Mic wrote:Ill second the aarn pacer 1. Great tent. I've just had a mesh inner made for mine by Evan from TRG (still integral pitch) so I can use it year round up here in QLD.

What length poles does this require? Full solid inner, or some mesh areas? And how much vestibule space - enough for cooking + full gear storage?

The Aarn website is useless.

Pacer: not sure about pole length. The inner has a small mesh vent at the peak and smallish mesh panels at each end. I reckon you might get a little snow drift through those, so I'm thinking I'll make some flaps to cover them.

Plenty of room in vestibule to cook. Also has some storage space under fly at each end.

Miyata610 wrote:Pacer: not sure about pole length. The inner has a small mesh vent at the peak and smallish mesh panels at each end. I reckon you might get a little snow drift through those, so I'm thinking I'll make some flaps to cover them.

Plenty of room in vestibule to cook. Also has some storage space under fly at each end.

I guess what I'm really asking re: inner is, would it provide adequate ventilation for summer use also?

I think it would be fine. Its just obviously quite warm up here in summer so I wanted the option for a full mesh inner (not necessary...just a nice to have). Ill use the solid inner for majority of stuff.

Pole length from memory I usually have mine around 120cm for the tent. The vestibule space is good and you can always detach the inner (or part of it) if you want to make more room (easily done from within the tent). There's a great little flap you can velcro in place that allows you to have the door partially open for venting. Ill see if I can dig up some pics for you.

Here you go

doogs wrote:I bought one of these a couple of weeks ago, well actually the xt version as I like a bit of space! I like to try gear from smaller manufacturers that not many people would have I have only pitched it in my garden on a blustery day so far but it looked nice, well built and not flappy. I am hoping it will be a tent suitable for 4 seasons in Tassie
http://www.cheaptents.com/acatalog/ligh ... -tent.html

They look pretty good and in the weight range of the others I was looking at. Might just wait to see how yours goes

Are you worried about not being able to pitch in off track type campsites? The XT's look great but the area the tent requires looks more trouble than its worth.

"Fitting it in" shouldnt be a bother on 95 % of the walks I do, most off track walks than I have done have had surprising good camp spots. On trips that notoriously hard to find camp sites or ones that may need a bit of gardening to fit a tent in I would take a smaller, less comfortable, tent. (I also tend to attract rain therefore the slightly bigger 1 man tent !!!)

Miyata610 wrote:
If you're really looking for a tent that can stand a big snow load and a blizzard I'd recommend the Rab Latok range. My little Ultra weighs only 1.3kg, is exceptionally strong, but has limited headroom. Oh, and it's a 2 man, so heaps of space for all your gear inside. This kind of tent is not for everyone.

Yeh that looked ok, I must ask though Phil, why did you have a tarp attached to the front of it??

ILUVSWTAS wrote:

Miyata610 wrote:
If you're really looking for a tent that can stand a big snow load and a blizzard I'd recommend the Rab Latok range. My little Ultra weighs only 1.3kg, is exceptionally strong, but has limited headroom. Oh, and it's a 2 man, so heaps of space for all your gear inside. This kind of tent is not for everyone.

Yeh that looked ok, I must ask though Phil, why did you have a tarp attached to the front of it??

Experimentation.

I'd like to be able to use it with rainy drizzly weather, where I might want to cook under cover, or stay inside the tent for extended periods. The old bibler i-tent has a rather dicky add on "vestibule", and I was trying to come up with a similar solution, but using an item that had other uses. In this case a S2S poncho tarp. That was the first time I tried the poncho/tarp in that config. I took it down because I knew it wouldn't survive much of a blow (nor would the i-tent vestibule). I did cook under it. It works.

I used that same tent in a blizzard on saturday night (without the makeshift vestibule). I must say I felt very secure and slept well. My neighbour (in the i-tent) did get up at 2:30am to dig me out. I only travel with really helpful people.

Ah nice, how much do those things weigh out of curiosity?? It looked a good set up.

ILUVSWTAS wrote:Ah nice, how much do those things weigh out of curiosity?? It looked a good set up.

The RAB Latok Ultra with poles, guys and pegs weighed 1.3kg on my scales. The S2S ponch tarp came in at 285g, I think. I used my trekking poles to hold up the tarp.

Miyata610 wrote:

ILUVSWTAS wrote:Ah nice, how much do those things weigh out of curiosity?? It looked a good set up.

The RAB Latok Ultra with poles, guys and pegs weighed 1.3kg on my scales. The S2S ponch tarp came in at 285g, I think. I used my trekking poles to hold up the tarp.

Thanks. Good bit of kit for a group those tarps... i've seen them used as emergency flys on a damaged tent. Very nifty.

And they work as a poncho, if you're so inclined. Lol.

Miyata610 wrote:

ILUVSWTAS wrote:

Miyata610 wrote:
I used that same tent in a blizzard on saturday night (without the makeshift vestibule). I must say I felt very secure and slept well. My neighbour (in the i-tent) did get up at 2:30am to dig me out. I only travel with really helpful people.

Helpful, insomniac people (sigh) I was a tad nervous about being buried!!

My 2 cents worth while on tents; The Bibler I-Tent I spent the night in was it's element in those blizzardy conditions we experienced last weekend. It has oodles of room for one, with all your gear inside. Any condensation froze, as did any damp clothing, but my water bottle didn't. I wished for chunkier zips on the door though, as the snow clogged the teeth up and froze the thing solid. Overall I felt very safe in it and I was glad to have a cross-over pole set-up in those ferocious winds, as opposed to a tunnel design. There was a Wilderness Equipment Second Arrow camped with us and by morning they had some serious sagging from the heavy snow load up the sides, despite the high protective snow wall they built around them..

Cheers

PiniPowPow wrote:I'm in a similar quandary. Anyone have any inexperience with Wild Country, the cheap end of Terra Nova? I'm particularly looking at the Zephyros. Looks to be the same as the Laser but with cheaper materials. They are saying 1.57kg so pretty light.

http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/Product_Typ ... _Tent.html

If you're on a budget I have a brand new Terra Nova Laser Comp II I want to get rid of.

Hi NNW, Im pretty interested, sent you a PM.