2 person tent advice

[SlopperSlapper]

Hi

I'm looking to get a new 2 person tent and I would like to get some advice from the hive mind. My main requirements are that the tent be under or close to 2kg and be as durable as possible for the weigh, have two doors and be under 800 Dollars. I mainly camp and hike in places like the Blue mountains, Kosciuszko, Arapiles and I'm hoping to do some more trips in Tassy. I'm trying to keep the weight down as I usually climb when I camp and minimizing weight where I can is important to me. I am hoping to use the tent year round but it does not have to be a 4 season tent as I have access to a Macpac Olympus when the weather is looking terrible.

So far I have narrowed it down to 3 options:
OP goondie 2 mesh, I like the cross pole design and thick floor but due to stock issues I haven't been able to see one in person yet. I also haven't found any pictures showing how small it packs up but I'm assuming its comparable to the moondance 2.

Mont Moondance 2 mesh, Its very similar to the goondie but I don't really like the hubbed pole design. Something in me seems to think its not as strong as a cross pole design but it is a very popular tent and I'm sure it will hold up to some bad weather. There are lots of reviews on it so I'm sure it will be a good choice.

Macpac duolight. Again a very similar tent but slightly heavier. It is cheaper than the other two but I haven't been able to find any reviews on it that makes me a bit hesitant.

Does anyone have any of these tents and can offer some insights on what you like/don't like and how they've held up over the years. I mainly looked at these as they are designed for Australian conditions and not too light weight to affect the durability too much. I'm also open to suggestions of tents I haven't considered. I know that in the price range most tents will be great but I'm trying to narrow it down to the right one for me.

Other tents I have considered are the mont Dragonfly, WE second arrow. Both look great but might be overkill for my needs.
Cheers.

[EGM]

I encourage you to try and see some lighter weight tents. Just because they are light doesn't mean it's low durability. I expect my Tarp Tent double rainbow sil nylon to last a long time, nothing about it is particularly thin or weak it's just lighter by design.

Out of the ones you mentioned I'd get the WE second arrow (I don't have one it's on my wishlist) and possibly sell the Olympus.
I haven't used one but I don't like the polyester macpac use on the Duolite, it feels cheap.

I've never heard a bad word about any tent you mentioned so good luck and enjoy the new tent.

[north-north-west]

WE Second Arrow is single door. Otherwise it more than meets your requirements. It's a damn good tent. (Yes, I do have one. It's my current go-to tent.)

Know quite a few people who have an OP Goondie. Never heard anything but praise for it.

[SlopperSlapper]

Thanks for the replies. I have looked at lighter tents such as the nemo dagger and hubba hubba but my conclusion there is that although they should be durable enough I dont like the floor fabric being that lightweight and the idea of carrying a second ground sheet seems silly to me.

The tarp tents also seem very nice but stock issues look like they will persist until next year. I only have two reasons I havent gotten the second arrow yet, the first is the fact that its not free standing. I've never used a tent platform but they seemed very popular in Tasmania and I don't really know how you get around them with a tunnel tent. The second is condensation and how it fairs in the summer season but I suppose that's got more to do with where you pitch and if here is a breeze or not.

[north-north-west]

Second Arrow is the least condensation prone tent I've ever had; it helps that I always keep the vents open unless it's absolutely pissing down, and the solid panels on the door and rear open open, but at least it does have well positioned vents.

[bernieq]

I have a 1st Arrow (bigger footprint than 2nd Arrow but otherwise very similar) that we have used on platforms (eg in the Western Arthurs - a decade ago, good grief). Platforms were not a problem - I just carried a bit of extra utility cord.

I also have a newer 2nd Arrow that I've used in NZ. Both are great tents and condensation just hasn't been an issue at all. Ventilation options are many and the sloping tunnel encourages air to move moisture through rather than condense on the inside.

Because it's lighter, my 3rd tent is the one I use most (especially when "normal" conditions are expected) - it's a Tarptent Scarp1. Not a major concern but, like most tents, condensation does occur.

[north-north-west]

Agree so much, bernieq. The Scarp is the most comfortable and practical 1p tent I've ever used. Best design I've ever seen. Built with Hilleberg red label materials it would be just about perfect.

[Hiking Exped]

So many good choices and good advice. Tents like most equipment is very personal though.

I’ve recently got a Illumina X ultralight 4 season, 2 person and very pleased. Used in high winds and snow on Stirling. It comes with an extra groundsheet, but I’ve never used it as the fitted one is adequate for me. I always check the ground as best I can and use my air mat on top of closed cell foam for protection. It weighs in (without the extra groundsheet) at 1.5kg. There is enough room for two of us, but not much else. We just get our packs in the vestibule or one end. If weather looks bad, and using for two we take the groundsheet 250g and use a hiking pole to make it into a larger type vestibule for cooking, etc.

Its inner is half mesh so it stops the wind well, and it’s great for sitting up in. Only had a bit of condensation once, but that was more due to campsite choice.

It’s about half the price of similar tents and I brought it as an extra roomy one man for longer trips, but have been using it for both so far. May be worth a look?

[Petew]

Id suggest revisiting the tents with lighter floors and using an ultralight groundsheet. Nyloflume makes for an excellent groundsheet. It weighs virtually nothing and keeps dirt off (and protects) your expensive tent floor.

[legend]

I once thought the heavier the floor the better (eg Macpac tents). After a few years, the floor would begin to leak so I carried a large piece of plastic to cover the inside.
I now use tents with much lighter floors (Tarptent). These still wear out in time (my Tarptent Notch is approaching 10 years but is still good). If I know I will experience heavy rain. I carry a lighter weight plastic (again for the inside). If I'm walking all day in the rain, I set up the tent, climb in with my wet clothes, change, then put the inner plastic liner down. Hence the tent is completely dry for.

[Wingnut]

WE Second Arrow is single door. Otherwise it more than meets your requirements. It's a damn good tent. (Yes, I do have one. It's my current go-to tent.)

Know quite a few people who have an OP Goondie. Never heard anything but praise for it.

I do not recommend a One Planet Goodie tent if you are in wet conditions.

I'm currently camping in a OP Goodie 2 30D, I'm not that impressed to say the least. If you are camping in wet conditions the outer shell slowly drips water through where the inner fly clips hook over the poles and make contact with the outer shell. Also the floor is not water proof or resistant at all compared (as OP states) to my Exped tents. I'm currently finding after a night of rain or showers I can lift my mattress up and see water seeping through the base and pooling underneath. It appears that pressure through the floor on a wet ground slowly allows water to migrate through, there are no holes as this is a new previously unused tent.

The tent is holding up well to relatively strong winds. When set up the poles refuse to line up under the sealed seams of the outer shell, no matter what tension or adjustments are made when pegged down alignment with the sealed seams is near impossible. Also the shell will not cover one end of the inner fly so the base pokes out exposed to the elements.

Apologies for the rant but I believe I have some valid observations and I'm over this piece of crap OP tent.

[Warin]

WE Second Arrow is single door. Otherwise it more than meets your requirements. It's a damn good tent. (Yes, I do have one. It's my current go-to tent.)

Know quite a few people who have an OP Goondie. Never heard anything but praise for it.

I do not recommend a One Planet Goodie tent if you are in wet conditions.

I'd be returning that with your observations. Not fit for purpose = full refund if you want it.

[headwerkn]

I encourage you to try and see some lighter weight tents. Just because they are light doesn't mean it's low durability. I expect my Tarp Tent double rainbow sil nylon to last a long time, nothing about it is particularly thin or weak it's just lighter by design.

Ditto. We have the DCF version of the Double Rainbow and at about AUD$800 delivered (at the time, might be a little more now) it is a far better value proposition than the MSR Hubba Hubba NX that it replaced and other, similar tents pushing near the $1000 mark. Complete with a DCF Ground Sheet and extra pegs/cord it still comes in under 1KG, very compact/packable, quick to put up (no separate fly), very spacious for two humans, quite adaptable in how it can be set up and surprisingly storm resistant. Has handled plenty of blowy/stormy conditions, including three trying nights over the Western Arthurs and most recently one very gusty night at Lake Marion. For such a lightweight tent its shape deflects wind extremely well. DCF doesn't absorb water and takes about 5 minutes of sun to completely dry out. Has proved no less durable than silnylon and it 53 times easier to repair when you (or a critter) do manage to put a hole in it. Only real downside are the kinda-small vestibules.

For 2KG of carried weight I wouldn't be taking anything other than a storm-grade four-season tent these days. Science is a marvelous thing.

[SlopperSlapper]

Hi Everyone, thanks again for all the input.

At the time of posting I had decided to put my search on hold until all the tents on my list where back in stock. That was until the WE second arrow went on sale so I pulled the trigger and bought myself a xmas gift. I’ve used the tent for 5 rainy nights in the blue mountain. This is not a review but rather my initial impressions.

It’s a bit finicky to pitch, the long pole is a struggle to slide through the outer and getting the main body of the tent taunt wasn’t too easy. I believe this is because of my limited experience with tunnel tents but it’s getting easier.

The ceiling is much lower than a free standing tent, again it’s a tunnel tent and this helps it do what it was designed to do. I’ll probably get used to it.

It is a small tent. I’ve only used the tent alone so that’s not a problem yet but it would be very cozy for 2. But I know this is the case for most 2p tents.

It has kept me warm and dry so I’ll continue to use it. Hopefully I can take it on some bigger adventures soon.

[Moondog55]

Pitching tunnels is easier if you peg down the rear first and handle the weather better back into the wind, then you stretch the tent to put tension on it.