Bushwalk Australia

Hi All, I want a tent for the Bibbulmun this year mainly Spring and Autumn and some parts of the track during the Summer down South. The Tarptents by Henry Shires seem to be very popular and I like the idea of the cottage industry thing (He must be selling heaps as there is a waiting list for most of his tents.) The light weight is important and the cost is very competitive to some of the other tents. I am keen on the Scarp 1 with both liner options so I can choose what to take depending on conditions and in summer the mesh liner would be fine. I have (am) also considered the Sublite sil (I dont use walking poles so I guess there is optional poles if I go that way) and the Moment sounds OK with a clip in liner to protect against condensation. The reviews on the Moment were quite varied. I think the Scarp 1 has my vote but comments for and against would be appriciated. I am 57 years old and returning to trekking after a very long absence. I hope to do some trips to Tassie and The Snowy Mountain region in the next year or two. I intend getting the Golight Pinnacle as it seems to get a lot of good reports and the price is good. Any comments would be helpfull. Regards Quigs

How come your getting a tent for the Bibbulmun with all those gorgeous huts at the end of each day?
When I did it I took no tent and was fine. Being on your own makes it easier, as if by chance the huts crowded there will always be room for one more...albeit no more than 2 other hikers in 1 hut for me for the whole walk.
Unless you want to tent it and stay away from the huts?

Ive got a Tarptent Contrail and found it very gooood. I was always a bit circumspect about the front beak not going fully down when its raining and windy, however after using the similiar TT Rainshadow 2 in some very stormy weather over Xmas here in Qld (floooood time), Im happy that it will stand up to most rain storms and keep me dry.

For Tassie there are plenty of others who can better advise you. The good 'ol Hillberg Akto is a popular favourite.

For the range of conditions you want to hike in it would be worth while buying two tents, so that the extra weight of a 4season tent isnt weighing you down during hikes in summer in WA....if the bank balance can do it.

I too have a Golite Pinnacle, it rocks!

I'd go something light. I have a tarptent cloudburst 2 that dies the job well. Less than 1.2kg all up, single piece tarp tunnel tent. 3+ season, which (in WA) means 4 season. Certainly worth a look. Ditto to Earthling re the front beak not going down all the way.

Thanks for the comments Earthling. I need a tent for the Bibbulmun because some of the sections I will camp between huts and sometimes stay in the huts (time restraints due to work and family so some days walks will be longer. The Bibbulmun is close to where I live and I will do some sections between work breaks to get my fittness levels up.) I will also be doing fishing trips on the coast and on the Murray River(WA) and, hopefully next year in Tassie or the Snowy Mountains. The abilty to take just the mesh inner and maybe a light tarp for shade makes the Scarp 1 a good choice as is the Moment. The Hillberg Akto also sounds good but is stretching the budget a bit too far (so is the Scarp 1 a bit!) Ive just been checking out the Exped Synmat 7 UL and that looks like it will be on the list too. I am currious to know with the R value thing why people dont use those cheap silver emergency blankets under theyre sleeping mats to stop loss of heat through the mat and into the ground. Thanks also for the comments on the pinnacle. It gets a lot of good reports and its lightweight and price a good, it is firmly on the list. Regards Quigs

Hi Hans, I just checked out the cloudburst 2 and its not bad, good price, light,good floor area and good reviews, its a definate contender. Thanks

quigs wrote: Ive just been checking out the Exped Synmat 7 UL and that looks like it will be on the list too. I am currious to know with the R value thing why people dont use those cheap silver emergency blankets under theyre sleeping mats to stop loss of heat through the mat and into the ground. Regards Quigs

Yes the Exped was on my list until the Thermrest Neo AllSeason came out:
http://www.adventure-journal.com/2011/0 ... on-neoair/
R4.9 - 550grams of warmth. Ive had mine down to -5.5c and was warm. Theres another thermarest coming out soon with a better r value at 450grams!

Re:cheap silver emergency blankets...someone will expain it better than me so I will leave it to them, however apparently its more insulation rather than reflective properties regarding heat loss that we need.

Thanks Earthling for the heads up on the Thermarest R4.9 (it just keeps getting better)

Hey mate i noticed youve only considered tarp tents etc, their great, the only con i can think of is all the guying out etc (may not be a con for some) but with the stretch of the guy ropes your tent is sometimes flapping in the morning anyway i thought id just chuck another option on the table (or two), The big agnes fly creek UL 2, msr hubba hubba, big agnes seedhouse sl 2, and personaly i own the down mat 9 great mat extremely warm ! Also if youre going into the snowies checkout the sleeping bags i have for sale
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=7197
viewtopic.php?f=13&t=7198

mattmacman wrote:Hey mate i noticed youve only considered tarp tents etc, their great, the only con i can think of is all the guying out etc (may not be a con for some) but with the stretch of the guy ropes your tent is sometimes flapping in the morning anyway

For tarps sure - for Tarptents they are set up like any other tent and guylines are optional depending upon the model and weather.

There are tarp tents and there is Tarptent (the brand...)
Many tarp tents do indeed need as many and as long guylines as a tarp does.
Not long ago I set a solo version up , from another manufacturer, that takes up ( with guylines) more space than the 4 person TT Hogback..
It was very light though, so swings and roundabouts.
Franco