This tent is made for camping...

[RonK]

We've had this discussion before. Those tents have floor fabric that is lighter than the fly on my Exped Vela. No thanks, I value the durability of a floor that can be pegged out on surfaces more abrasive than beach sand or mown grass. And before you say 'footprint', I use a groundsheet as well as the heavier floor of the Exped. It works for stony ground and rough bush ground (grass clumps, bark & sticks).

There is an interesting discussion going on over at cgoab right now about the expected lifespan of a certain tent, which illustrates a potential issue with very light tents.

[Aushiker]

Hilleberg Akto is 1.6kgs packed weight (1.2kgs min weight). Maybe not ultralight but light enough for me. My Exped Vela 1 is 1.85kgs packed weight

Not sure of the relevance of your reference to the Akto. My comment where about the claims made on the manufacturer's website about the Soulo.

BTW the Tarptent Scarp 1 comes in at a claimed weight of 1.3 kg IIRC. Also I treat claimed weights with caution ... some manufactures have been know to leave out pegs and/or poles in calculating their weights for example, hence my preference to user reported weights.

Regards
Andrew

[Aushiker]

Personally I love my TarpTent Scarp1 - lightweight without compromising on livability and flexible enough to be used as a single-wall tarp shelter in summer or in snow with the additional poles. Having a second vestibule is great - one for storing gear and one for access and cooking. I've added a Tvek floor but TBH don't think it's strictly necessary with a bit of care to clear the site before pitching - but use it anyway to minimise condensation and keep the floor clean.

Cool to hear your views on the Scarp 1. Was just looking at a review of this morning at http://blogpackinglight.wordpress.com/2 ... -1-review/.

Regards
Andrew

[Aushiker]

Those tents have floor fabric that is lighter than the fly on my Exped Vela. No thanks, I value the durability of a floor that can be pegged out on surfaces more abrasive than beach sand or mown grass. And before you say 'footprint', I use a groundsheet as well as the heavier floor of the Exped. It works for stony ground and rough bush ground (grass clumps, bark & sticks).

As with a lot of things in life, you need to be smart about the use; with these tents a few minutes cleaning up the ground (when I remember) has meant the floors have been fine for me. I have used my "lighter" tents for a few years now without trouble and I don't use a footprint; never bothered with them.

I haven't camped in snow but have in temperatures around 0 and below both in WA and in the NT (hard very rocky ground some nights too) and in torrential rain and have had no issues with my Big Sky Evolution 1P (link is to the later version) or my earlier MSR single walled tent of which the name escapes me.



This is the MSR tent after a day of torrential rain had eased off ... was actually dry inside despite the way it looks on the outside. Please no comments on the poor pitching. I was frozen and wet. We took about fifteen minutes or more using fuel stoves to even get a fire going that day.

Nor for that matter with my Black Diamond Mesa either (only used for car camping now days but).

Oh I sleep well to and I don't use a sleeping bag now days, preferring a liner and quilt. I am a bit of a fan of Roger Caffin's thinking on tents and sleeping gear etc.

But each to their own ... if you are happy with your heavier tents etc so be it, some of us prefer to be lighter

Andrew

[il padrone]

Hilleberg Akto is 1.6kgs packed weight (1.2kgs min weight). Maybe not ultralight but light enough for me. My Exped Vela 1 is 1.85kgs packed weight

Not sure of the relevance of your reference to the Akto. My comment where about the claims made on the manufacturer's website about the Soulo.

The Akto is the tent I originally referred to as an alternate one-man tent comparable to my Exped Vela 1. At 1.6kgs I regard it as pretty much a lightweight tent.... ultralight, meh ??

The Soulo is heavier, but then it is a true snow tent

[Baalzamon]

Well I ended up buying a TarpTent Scarp 2. Claims 1.7kg but I'll be weighing it as I've got additional poles. For a 2 man tent yes it is light and I have heaps of space, quick setup time, can setup in the rain and not get the internal wet, and have plenty of headroom. It meets all my requirements. Everyone has their own requirements, so everyone's ideas for the perfect tent for touring will be different.

[RonK]

Well I ended up buying a TarpTent Scarp 2. Claims 1.7kg but I'll be weighing it as I've got additional poles. For a 2 man tent yes it is light and I have heaps of space, quick setup time, can setup in the rain and not get the internal wet, and have plenty of headroom. It meets all my requirements. Everyone has their own requirements, so everyone's ideas for the perfect tent for touring will be different.

A wise choice - you won't regret having the extra space. I'm very impressed by the many innovative features of this tent.

[il padrone]

Also I treat claimed weights with caution ... some manufactures have been know to leave out pegs and/or poles in calculating their weights for example, hence my preference to user reported weights.

Just weighed my Exped Vela 1 on the digital scales, with everything, in the bag. It came out as 1.844kgs, so the manufacturer's packed weight claim is, in this case, correct.

[stubbie]

Anyone got an opinion on the Terra Nova Laser Comp?
http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/Product_Typ ... ade_A.html
I bought one a couple of months ago and have used it around a dozen times with no complaints so far.
Weighs in at 900 gm without a footprint.

[Comedian]

I'm considering doing Cycle Queensland. It's a supported event, so I won't have to carry anything myself. However I'd like to choose a tent that doesn't rule out the chance of doing some touring at some point. I've got young kids, so I can't see it being a big thing for me for many years so I don't want to put down too much cash. Does anyone have any thoughts on a tent that is less than $150?

[Baalzamon]

I'm considering doing Cycle Queensland. It's a supported event, so I won't have to carry anything myself. However I'd like to choose a tent that doesn't rule out the chance of doing some touring at some point. I've got young kids, so I can't see it being a big thing for me for many years so I don't want to put down too much cash. Does anyone have any thoughts on a tent that is less than $150?

My exped vela 1 when I'm selling it

[m@]

Anyone got an opinion on the Terra Nova Laser Comp?
http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/Product_Typ ... ade_A.html
I bought one a couple of months ago and have used it around a dozen times with no complaints so far.
Weighs in at 900 gm without a footprint.

I considered one, but iirc they're only rated for three-season use so not much good for my purposes (lots of walking in Tassie where four-season gear is essential pretty much year round). Great weight if possibly a bit claustrophobic for someone my size. They also do a cuben fibre fly/carbon fibre poles version that's seriously light - about 600g I think.

[Baalzamon]

Btw I just looked at exped's website and the Vela 1 is now listed as a 4 season tent

[Aushiker]

Anyone got an opinion on the Terra Nova Laser Comp?
http://www.terra-nova.co.uk/Product_Typ ... ade_A.html
I bought one a couple of months ago and have used it around a dozen times with no complaints so far.
Weighs in at 900 gm without a footprint.

They where tested by BackpackGearTest.org. Might be worth a read to see what the three testers thought. Also discussed at BackpackingLight. Both are credible information sources in my view.

Andrew

[rifraf]

They where tested by BackpackGearTest.org. Might be worth a read to see what the three testers thought. Also discussed at BackpackingLight. Both are credible information sources in my view.

Andrew

Neither seem to have much to say with regards to the extensive Macpac gear which is/was
extremely well regarded back in NZ.
My Macpac xp800 down sleeping bag would have to be my favorite possession as it keeps me
warm on the coldest night.
I remember doing an above the snowline tramp and staying in a hut where it was my fellow
trampers teeth chattering in the morning that woke me up.
It replaced my Macpac Saphire 900grm down bag that after 15 hard use years finally started falling apart
and smelt too bad to embarrass myself asking anyone to repair.
My 12 year old Macpac Cascade 90 liter pack was refurbished by Macpac last year by renewing the shoulder-straps ($100)
and alloy inserts (two flat bars that run from top to bottom).
I think it was a five day turn around which I thought was exceptional service.
Now physically as good as new although slightly grubby from repeated plane travel.
I would take some convincing to buy anybody elses stuff so take it as a recommendation
from me for their gear.
(Cept for their wet weather gear which I've never gotten on with although I continue to buy)
My tent reviewed:
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/macpac/minaret/#reviews
http://www.productreview.com.au/p/macpac-minaret.html
http://www.buachaille.com/p1914-2-18/2- ... -2005.html
Pack
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/macpac/cascade/

[il padrone]

They where tested by BackpackGearTest.org. Might be worth a read to see what the three testers thought. Also discussed at BackpackingLight. Both are credible information sources in my view.

Andrew

Neither seem to have much to say with regards to the extensive Macpac gear which is/was
extremely well regarded back in NZ.

USA websites.

The world ends at Canada (oh yes, there's this funny little bit called "Europe" - good for holidays)



OMGosh I am sooo cynical

[rifraf]

They where tested by BackpackGearTest.org. Might be worth a read to see what the three testers thought. Also discussed at BackpackingLight. Both are credible information sources in my view.

Andrew

Neither seem to have much to say with regards to the extensive Macpac gear which is/was
extremely well regarded back in NZ.

USA websites.

The world ends at Canada (oh yes, there's this funny little bit called "Europe" - good for holidays)



OMGosh I am sooo cynical

To be clear I wasnt suggesting they wernt credible.
I was just miffed everyone seemed so up to date and familiar with each others gear
and their own reasons for their choices.
When I bought my stuff their wasnt a great deal of info easily available to me and
I was really lucky taking pot luck with the Macpac stuff.
I've had a really good run with it and now that I can find reviews I'm finding a lot of
positive comments.

[Warnesy]

I've got a Macpac Olympus tent (for hiking) and its great, absolutely bomb proof.

[il padrone]

To be clear I wasnt suggesting they wernt credible.
I was just miffed everyone seemed so up to date and familiar with each others gear
and their own reasons for their choices.

I'm not suggesting they're not credible either - just that, as with so much from the US, they miss out on so much that is available/happening elsewhere because they don't 'look out the window'.

When I bought my stuff their wasnt a great deal of info easily available to me and
I was really lucky taking pot luck with the Macpac stuff.

Macpac gear has been acknowledged as top-quality camping/trekking equipment for the past 25 years.

[rifraf]

I've got a Macpac Olympus tent (for hiking) and its great, absolutely bomb proof.

I was just remembering a friend who put me onto the Macpac gear convincing me to drive nearly 2 hours down to Petone, near Wellington (the capital) to pickup his Olympus expedition tent and have a squiz at their range.
Being unfamiliar with the price of outdoor gear at the time I just about had a nose bleed at the price of his tent.
The Minaret was considered the Olympus's little brother. It was a bloody long trip to drive in my old diesel series two (a) landrover which cruised at 75kmph.

[rifraf]

To be clear I wasnt suggesting they wernt credible.
I was just miffed everyone seemed so up to date and familiar with each others gear
and their own reasons for their choices.

I'm not suggesting they're not credible either - just that, as with so much from the US, they miss out on so much that is available/happening elsewhere because they don't 'look out the window'.

No,no of course not.
I've just seen how my poorly worded mutterings looked when broken down.
I freaked thinking how it might be received as critisism of Andrews post.(My text and not yours IP)

Oh and I agree the yanks often come across as a little insular in their nationalistic thinking.

[rifraf]

[
Macpac gear has been acknowledged as top-quality camping/trekking equipment for the past 25 years.

I hadnt realised it was that long.... although realising how old some of my gear is starting to make me feel old.
I've never found their claims of waterproofness to match quite the reality.
I've had wet weather gear and panniers and packs and although no worse than anything else my friends and I tried,
I found rubbish bags were needed in all carrying gear to keep things dry in NZ's torrential conditions.
The coats and leggings kept you dry for a while before succumbing to a long deluge.

[rifraf]

No thanks - a tent with hub type poles won't ever be on my shopping list.

Hi Ronk,
put me out of my misery and tell me what hub type poles are?
Excuse my ignorance.

[il padrone]

Macpac gear has been acknowledged as top-quality camping/trekking equipment for the past 25 years.

I hadnt realised it was that long.... although realising how old some of my gear is starting to make me feel old.

Yes, I recall a friend of mine buying the Olympus tent for cycling and XC snow camping in about 1985. It was the best tent around.

I've never found their claims of waterproofness to match quite the reality.
I've had wet weather gear and panniers and packs and although no worse than anything else my friends and I tried,

OK. I have really only used their tents, some clothing and camping bits. They've all been great. Never had a Macpac rainjacket, though I drooled over them but could not afford them. They made a brief forray into panners but they never took off. The main problem was that people look for bike panniers in a bike shop, not the camping stores. Sad really because their panniers were not bad quality overall.

[il padrone]

No thanks - a tent with hub type poles won't ever be on my shopping list.

Hi Ronk,
put me out of my misery and tell me what hub type poles are?
Excuse my ignorance.

I'll answer that. Tent pole systems that use joins like this




I think the disadvantages are that they are slower/fiddly to set up, and they may be prone to failures like this (or I may be wrong??)





Such a pole design cannot, by it's very nature, be an exo-skeleton tent with the poles through the fly. These are the best design for multi-pitching, set-up/taking down in rain, and for stabilty in strong winds.