Bushwalk Australia

I am getting sick of lugging my Olympus 'castle' around on solo hikes. Putting cost aside for now (I'll cross that bridge when I get to it), what is a good tent fitting the following?

4 season in Tassie
1 person or compact 2 person
Lightweight (less than 2kg)
Compact when folded up

cheers.

Yes I will steer clear of a Minaret.

If price is not a concern then you can't go wrong with Hillebergs - huge range to chose from...

Price is a concern, I just dont want it to make me compromise on the other factors. Paying a bit extra will seem well worthwhile when the wind and snow are buffeting me on a mountantop, or I'm carrying it for km after km.

I used a Macpac Olympus for all my walks for many years as I used to share the tent on most walks. However, most of my walks in recent years have been either solo or self-catering so I was likewise getting sick of lugging the unnecessarily large and heavy tent around. Don't get me wrong, I still love the Olympus and still use it when walking with my wife (or occasionally sharing with somebody else).

My first attempt at a solo tent was the Exped Vela I Extreme. It was great, but took up too much ground area for a solo tent, and was very poor at snow loading. See my review (read further into the topic for the snow loading issue).

I replaced that with the One Planet Goondie which I still use now. If I had to get another tent again, it would definitely be the One Planet Goondie. The only down side (for me) with the Goondie is the lack of integral pitch, and the overhang of the fly is not always sufficient to keep drips out of the inner during rain (but nowhere near as bad as some other tents). See my comprehensive review.

Tarptent Scarp 1, can't fault it, mine has seen many nights of uber strong wind, is really versatile and relatively light and affordable. Dual vestibules are awesome for ventilation and being OCD helps me organise my 'living quarters'. The pitch is so tight the tent makes very little noise in wind that most flap all night, makes for a good nights zzzzz. You could squeeze a 2nd person in but much better as a roomy one man.

I'm pretty keen on the new Moment as an even lighter weight 3 season option.

I've got just the shelter with the specs your looking for. Covers all the above. Less than a kilo total in weight including all lines and pegs.

A MLD Cuben DuoMid Shelter with a Oooknest inner.

Like the Goondie SOB but agree the lack of integral pitch and more accessible second vestibule are points of concern.
These two negatives seem to be addressed by the Scarp 1, thanks SBS. And it appears to have a fair bit of internal space. Are the additional poles included in the advertised price and packed weight???
It's early in the race but Scarp 1 is in the lead. Any other contenders??

Phillipsart wrote:I've got just the shelter with the specs your looking for. Covers all the above.

4 season in Tassie? Surely you jest Phillip? No way I'd be taking that 'tent' on the walks I do.

stepbystep wrote:

Phillipsart wrote:I've got just the shelter with the specs your looking for. Covers all the above.

4 season in Tassie? Surely you jest Phillip? No way I'd be taking that 'tent' on the walks I do.

They do overseas. I've seen plenty footage and images of the DuoMid easily handling such conditions. There's a SilNylon version, which might be more suitable for snow conditions in Tasmania.

Andrew Skurka uses this shelter on his Alaskan trips.

Phillipsart wrote:Andrew Skurka uses this shelter on his Alaskan trips.

But he's not normal.
A more conservative suggestion in an online forum might be wiser. I've spent many nights in exposed Tasmanian conditions and I wouldn't trust that setup, I would trust a Hilleberg or my Scarp however.

yeah, andrew skurka can do what few other people can do or are willing to do... so i wonder how much higher his threshold for discomfort is over the majority of the population of bushwalkers...

wayno wrote:yeah, andrew skurka can do what few other people can do or are willing to do... so i wonder how much higher his threshold for discomfort is over the majority of the population of bushwalkers...

Would he post on the internet if his tent leaked in his backyard?

Just kidding...

I'd take Phil's fly (though the trailstar might be less flappy), a floor and a bivy bag, less than a kg and couldn't feel safer
I'm norml ..perhaps it is a leap of faith if you've only used bent pole tents?

Nuts wrote:I'd take Phil's fly (though the trailstar might be less flappy), a floor and a bivy bag, less than a kg and couldn't feel safer
I'm normal ..perhaps it is a leap of faith if you've only used bent pole tents?

yeah , just call me a woos, but i sure as hell wouldnt be using skurkas choice of sleeping bag, i'd be going for something pretty bombproof for cold weather locations....

Nuts wrote:I'd take Phil's fly (though the trailstar might be less flappy), a floor and a bivy bag, less than a kg and couldn't feel safer
I'm normal ..perhaps it is a leap of faith if you've only used bent pole tents?

So you dont carry a tent?

It's just been bivy and tarp on the Overland Track (and other track walks). Pretty sheltered (though some of places wev'e tarp camped & the old sites definitely weren't). Have used our Nallo tents when its two-up but no, for solo I haven't used a tunnel or dome tent anywhere for a long time. SBS is right, general forum comment and all, tipi style has it's pitfalls (as well as a few positives). As Phil has it there (with a fabric inner) he effectively has a two skin tent. It could be pitched further into the ground in wind. I would just choose the same fly with a floor and bivy (instead of his inner tent) as i'm used to that setup (and bivy makes the integrity of the/any tent fly less crucial).

Of the dome/tunnel solo designs we had the Hilleberg Akto, nice strong little tent.

Nuts wrote:It's just been bivy and tarp on the Overland Track (and other track walks). Pretty sheltered (though some of places wev'e tarp camped & the old sites definitely weren't). Have used our Nallo tents when its two-up but no, for solo I haven't used a tunnel or dome tent anywhere for a long time. SBS is right, general forum comment and all, tipi style has it's pitfalls (as well as a few positives). As Phil has it there (with a fabric inner) he effectively has a two skin tent. It could be pitched further into the ground in wind. I would just choose the same fly with a floor and bivy (instead of his inner tent) as i'm used to that setup (and bivy makes the integrity of the/any tent fly less crucial).

Of the dome/tunnel solo designs we had the Hilleberg Akto, nice strong little tent.

Food for thought.
What do you use as a floor and do you have a mattress between the floor and the bivy?

I've been doing a bit of surfing.
Does anyone have experience with both the Hilleberg Akto and Soulo? I'd like to hear some comparisons.
The search continues.

Tried all sorts of groundsheet. It was always just drop sheet plastic but in Phil's shelter one of the heavier cuben fibre materials is common. The last couple of solo trips I have been using a tent (of sorts), its in the MYOG forum with a cuben floor.

If not a 'packaged' tent then there are all sorts of options. I like the sewn in floor in Phils Golite shangri-la 3 (for example), simple (and the fly can't blow completely away .. if that was ever a chance).

Tried a few bivys, some (eg Outdoor Research) allow a mat inside but the lighter (waterproof) ones are usually too small. Just groundsheet, mat and bivy on top. last time I used a Klymit mat (that does fit inside the bivy), gets even further into personal preference and experiences then though.

tbh I didn't like the Akto size and style tent and similar options, otherwise (if I could live with it) I would have just kept Luvy's/Tortoises Akto The tipi/Cuben mids just give more room for less weight (something I thought might help). If I had a chance to jump into the Nallo in a blizzard that would be the choice but then that is a lot of weight to carry everywhere for want of a bit of extra care and campsite choice.

tibboh wrote:These two negatives seem to be addressed by the Scarp 1, thanks SBS. And it appears to have a fair bit of internal space. Are the additional poles included in the advertised price and packed weight???

The crossing poles are an extra $30 from memory - check the TT website.

Strider wrote:

tibboh wrote:These two negatives seem to be addressed by the Scarp 1, thanks SBS. And it appears to have a fair bit of internal space. Are the additional poles included in the advertised price and packed weight???

The crossing poles are an extra $30 from memory - check the TT website.

X-over poles are extra. but probably worth getting. I've stopped using them other than in snow. I have 2 guylines fixed to the side loops and find these just as effective as the poles for windy conditions.

tibboh wrote:I've been doing a bit of surfing.
Does anyone have experience with both the Hilleberg Akto and Soulo? I'd like to hear some comparisons.
The search continues.

I had an Akto, loved it. It came on many long trips and always performed beautifully. The Soulo is also an excellent tent, but it is a bit heavier, more expensive, and seems to suffer more condensation than the Akto.

Like SOB I now use an OP Goondie. So far it's been a great tent. I mirror his review.

I've also got a Ferrino Nemesi which I use quite often, it's a bit lighter than the OP, but probably only 3.5seasons.

Seen SbS's Scarp in action alot, and it has been unfaultable.

I am also a converted Goodie user. I used to (or still) have a Mountain Designs Neutrino 1. Couldn't fault it on performance, but not free standing, thats where the Goondie comes in. Can't really fault it so far.

Outside your weight guidelines, but I've got my hand up for the Soulo or Nallo 2, I have both.

stepbystep wrote:Tarptent Scarp 1, can't fault it, mine has seen many nights of uber strong wind, is really versatile and relatively light and affordable. Dual vestibules are awesome for ventilation and being OCD helps me organise my 'living quarters'. The pitch is so tight the tent makes very little noise in wind that most flap all night, makes for a good nights zzzzz. You could squeeze a 2nd person in but much better as a roomy one man.

+1 with sbs
corvus

Never seen one, just reviews, the weights of some of the tents in this range (in the 'traditional' styles), make them look interesting: http://www.forcetentents.com/tents-nitro-lite-200.html

I like these! I have the version with the extended porch. tttp://www.outdoorsmagic.com/reviews/te ... 25311.html

don't you mean this? http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/reviews/te ... 25311.html need to change the first t to an h...

Nuts wrote:Never seen one, just reviews, the weights of some of the tents in this range (in the 'traditional' styles), make them look interesting: http://www.forcetentents.com/tents-nitro-lite-200.html

I agree. Very light, especially the one person models.
Anyone here used one?