Bushwalk Australia

Hi All,
I am looking to buy an ultra light tent. I am a 55 year old female, 5'1" and 46 kg and fairly fit. My pack fully loaded with a weeks worth of deyhradted food and water is about 15kgs, which I cope with very well. So I am looking for a tent that will do at least to the snow line at no more than 1.5 kgs. So far I have considered the MSR Hubba and the Exped Vela 1Ul. Does anyone else have any other ideas of good tents to have a look at that will fit the bill.. I would prefer to have 2 layers but will go single skin if I have to.
Annie

You can read my comprehensive review of the older model of the Vela I here: Exped Vela I Extreme. Read the whole topic to get the full picture, including use in heavy snow.

The summary is that on the whole, I loved the tent. My only concerns were that it took me a while to figure out exactly how to pitch it taught (after which it was no problem), and that in heavy overnight snowfall, I had to keep pushing the walls out away from me as they got squeezed in by the weight of the snow. I know a lot of people think that's not a problem, and that it's perfectly fine to have to bump the snow off frequently during the night, but when I'm used to a solid tent with steep sides that the snow just falls off, I found it too frustrating - I just couldn't get any sleep. I eventually sold the tent again for this reason.

However, I'd highly recommend the tent if you don't think that having to bump off the snow during the night would bother you (or if you don't think you'll get that much snow).

Hilleberg Akto- I have only had mine out for 4 nights. All those nights clear with no wind so I havent tested it under wild conditions. If you read the reviews online it mainly gets very good reviews.

Roger

G'day Annie,
I have a Scarp 1 with crossover poles and Tyvek footprint that I belive from use is so good that I have just purchased a Scarp 2 with all of those extras to share with my Son
Annie the Scarp 1 is a palace for one (two doors two vestibules) mine weighs 1464g ( add extra poles and 2 Ti pegs tyvek footprint + 510 g if you want ) still a light weight proper 2 skin shelter . IMHO
corvus

Thanks for the quick responses - interesting reading in the Exped and will read up on the Scarp 1.

Im hoping to purrchase a solo tent in the next 6 months and everything is pointing towards the hilleberg akto at 1.6 kg. Be keen to see how you find it Roger.

If your getting the MSR Hubba get the Hubba HP it has less mesh and is warmer and lighter than the stock. My mate has it. It is a nice tent and would fit you well. Im 6'1 and its a bit to small for my liking but Steve is 5'8 and he loves it. I have also had the Hubba Hubba HP that had alot more room for me.

I have just ordered a Terra Nova Laser Comp 1, with the Photon footprint as extra insurance for wet conditions underfoot. I chose this because of good reviews here and elsewhere, light weight, although not super ultra light, (1.9 ex footprint if I recall correctly) and hopefully a bit tougher than some ultra lights.

Not sure when I'll get to use it ....... Soon I hope.

Humpo wrote:If your getting the MSR Hubba get the Hubba HP it has less mesh and is warmer and lighter than the stock. My mate has it. It is a nice tent and would fit you well. Im 6'1 and its a bit to small for my liking but Steve is 5'8 and he loves it. I have also had the Hubba Hubba HP that had alot more room for me.

I like the sound of this, found the specs and weight is good as is the reduced mesh and have been looking on the web for somewhere that stocks this with not a lot of luck. Any ideas?

Blister wrote:Im hoping to purrchase a solo tent in the next 6 months and everything is pointing towards the hilleberg akto at 1.6 kg. Be keen to see how you find it Roger.

I had a look at it and think it might be a bit heavy for me. I have set maximum at 1.5 if I can.

Another tent I have come across is the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 - anyone had experience with this one.

We got ours from Moose Jaw but i cant see the HP on the web site. You could flick them a email.

annie wrote:

Blister wrote:Im hoping to purrchase a solo tent in the next 6 months and everything is pointing towards the hilleberg akto at 1.6 kg. Be keen to see how you find it Roger.

I had a look at it and think it might be a bit heavy for me. I have set maximum at 1.5 if I can.

Probably not a 4 season tent like the akto but check out this at 1kg http://www.vaude.com/epages/Vaude-de.sf ... /102655050

annie wrote:

Humpo wrote:If your getting the MSR Hubba get the Hubba HP it has less mesh and is warmer and lighter than the stock. My mate has it. It is a nice tent and would fit you well. Im 6'1 and its a bit to small for my liking but Steve is 5'8 and he loves it. I have also had the Hubba Hubba HP that had alot more room for me.

I like the sound of this, found the specs and weight is good as is the reduced mesh and have been looking on the web for somewhere that stocks this with not a lot of luck. Any ideas?

The Hubba HP line is no longer made, only the normal Hubba.

Hi,
thanks everyone for your input, I have decided to go for and have ordered the Tarptent Scarp 1 and now can't wait for it to be delivered. Will report back when I have used it.

gayet wrote:I have just ordered a Terra Nova Laser Comp 1, with the Photon footprint as extra insurance for wet conditions underfoot. I chose this because of good reviews here and elsewhere, light weight, although not super ultra light, (1.9 ex footprint if I recall correctly) and hopefully a bit tougher than some ultra lights.

Not sure when I'll get to use it ....... Soon I hope.

Thats pounds I believe. 1.9 pounds. they weigh about 800grams these tents so yes, they are super ultra light. For a 2 walled tent anyway.

I am in the same boat. I currently have a Eureka Spirtfire 1 http://store.eurekatent.com/products/36 ... ire_1_Tent and it's ok for basic needs, but I have been looking at the Vela or the Atko. They seem to be the best in the lightweight category.

sthughes wrote:The Hubba HP line is no longer made, only the normal Hubba.

don't think that's true

there still being made, but currently sold only in Europe

no idea why

manufacturer specs here http://cascadedesigns.com/en/msr/tents/experience-series/hubba-hp/product ... if you do the local store search on that page and type in United Kingdom or Germany you get quite a few listed

online available for example here http://www.outnet.eu/msr-eu/hubba-hp.php and here http://www.fliegfix.com/suche/search/hubba (my fav shop, Austrian version of moontrail, tent fanatics )

Hey Don, have you tried buying one from those sites? Notice how they say, sorry currently out of stock........

gayet wrote:I have just ordered a Terra Nova Laser Comp 1, with the Photon footprint as extra insurance for wet conditions underfoot. I chose this because of good reviews here and elsewhere, light weight, although not super ultra light, (1.9 ex footprint if I recall correctly) and hopefully a bit tougher than some ultra lights.

Not sure when I'll get to use it ....... Soon I hope.

Gawd, I could have sold you my Competition 2 (it's really a one man tent, despite the name, but it does have 2 doors). Only been pitched once.

Yes, you're right, outnet says "out of stock"

Fliegfix seems to have them in stock, it even has 2010 stock listed at 20% off.

You can't use their online shop setup tho, it isn't set up for countries outside Europe.

Need to email them at bestellung@fliegfix.com, they handle English OK. The price for sales outside Europe is minus ~16.5% VAT. I did one order with them a while ago, postage was 25EU, much lower than any other European dealer.