Recommend me a tent

[dcrofty]

I've tried shopping around and surfing the camping forums but its doing my head in. It must be like buying bikes for the uninitiated, there is so much out there, everyone thinks theirs is best blah blah. So I'll give good ole Farkin a go.

I need a tent. 2 person. 3 season. Must be very waterproof and well ventilated as the primary concerns. Light is also fairly important but I'm not a massive weight weenie. Certainly under 3 kilos though and preferably less than 2.5 .
I would prefer it to have 2 doors and vestibules as I think that would help with the ventilation. Price wise I was thinking $500-$700 but might stump a bit higher if there is something that really stands out from the crowd. I need to have it by 14th of next month so internet purchases from OS are a little risky and I kind of preffer to buy locally (raging deals will be considered however).
I will be taking it to PNG for 2 months but then using it for general hiking and camping duties when I get back, probably not involving snow but hey, who knows what might happen in the future.

So far the short list is
MSR Hubba Hubba (or possibly the Hubba Hubba HP if I lash out)
Wilderness Equipment Dart 2 (probably the Siliconised fly version)
Mont Moondance 2
Luxe Habitat (cheap copy of the Hubba Hubba - would love a good review of this)
Salewa Sierra Leone ultra
Wilderness Equipment 2nd Arrow
Marmott 2P Limelight Tent

If anyone has any other suggestions or experience with these I'd love to hear from you.

thanks

Crofty

 

[conor.1]

macpac! they are great quality!

 

[3viltoast3r]

I have no idea in regards to which tent to get, or infact anything about them more than average....But if your planning on camping in places where the sun dont go down (ie far north hemisphere), make sure you get a light blocking tent...I know someone who found out the hard way.

 

[Captain Sensible]

Long ol taim yupela stap long Nuigini yu bai stap we, bilong we? Olsem wanem? Kisim wanpela liklik na lait tent, nah kisim em i cam liklik cago tu bilong em i taim bilong san na em hat tru!

 

[dcrofty]

Long ol taim yupela stap long Nuigini yu bai stap we, bilong we? Olsem wanem? Kisim wanpela liklik na lait tent, nah kisim em i cam liklik cago tu bilong em i taim bilong san na em hat tru!

You don't think you could teach me pidgin in 2 weeks do you, Matrix style? Would be very handy.

macpac! they are great quality!

Yeah I like Macpac gear but I went to their shop today and it seems they have a new range coming out about 2 days before I leave so they have bugger all old stock and I can't risk waiting for the new gear to arrive and possibley miss out so I think they are out of the equation unless someone can point me towards a shop with old stock.

Add the Exped Venus 2 to the mix too, sounds like a contender.

 

[brisneyland]

Can't offer you much real advice, but do have a good look at the tents in person. I have a Macpac Eclipse that's over 20 years old and when I went to look for a replacement I was pretty unimpressed with the construction of some of the lighter modern tents.

MSRs in particular, looked pretty flimsy. The lightest ones use what looks like the same material as the fly for their base, which is asking for trouble IMO.

My poor Macpac was put away wet once and the floor is delaminating. The pole is also on it's last legs, but it's been used relatively frequently in it's lifetime. Other than that it's lasted very well, and I'd be tempted to replace it with another (they still make them).

 

[Captain Sensible]

Like Brisney I am impressed by the lack of durability of modern tents. I had $1000 to spend on a tent recently and bought a swag instead. But this ain't good for trekking on foot. The tent I had picked, if I'd bought one, was the Exped Venus I thinks. All these flimsy tents are great in the shop, but mostly crap in the bush if you can't treat them somewhat tenderly. I am not tender in the bush, and spend a lot of time there. I therefore kill flimsy tends (and backpacks it seems ).

Make sure you can open it up at both ends, with a vestibule large enough for a big pile of smelly and wet gear, which is what you'll have in short order in PNG. Other than that it's pretty much personal preference.

Sorry Crofty, can't administer toksave in such a short period

 

[AngoXC]

So many options! So little space to type!

PNG, you're likely to encounter both humidity and rain so look for something with a relatively high static waterhead on the fly (PU-rating) but, something that is also very well ventiliated. Provided it is set up properly, there is no reason why you can't pitch it in snow.

Also, because the majority of the tents you're looking at are PU based, make sure you dry them properly as they will develope mildew very quickly in that environment.

MacPac once made very nice tents but they never were very well ventilated. I've had two MacPac tents and I'd dismiss any made after they began manufacture in China. The quality is not there and even then, their designs are rather dated. My first on was very good, though, as I said, condensation was a real issue. Lasted for years untill an unfortunate incident. It was latter replaced with the current model which was a disappointment on the whole.

Also dismiss Black Diamonds single-skin range (or anything with 'EPIC' in the title), purely because it isn't waterproof...just highly water resistant.

Luxe are an interesting brand in that they copy and shortcut a number of 'iconic' designs. Many of them you will find are not seam sealed, but are still waterproof in that the seams have been doubled over several times, thus, minimising cost. If you're on the cheap, check it them out. I LOVE their BlackDiamond Mega-Mid copy...it's lighter, and better vented than the real thing!

Otherwise, I can speak for the Salewa (and a few other tents of identical design)...very roomy with pleanty of vestebule space either side (two doors). We had the older 'Sierra Leone' which was heavier...don't recall the construction of the Ultra Light though but definatly a player.

A cheaper option though might be the (shameless plug), The North Face RoadRunner 23. Weight comes in around 2.45kg (for the blue tent...grab one quick as they are beeing superceeded by the heavier orange range), same design as the Salewa (I think it's an old MSR patent), 1400/5000mm PU nylon on fly/floor respectivly (with seam sealing) and you can also get a seperate footprint that enables you to pitch the tent fly-only for superlight trips.

If you have the funds, check out Hilleberg. Best tents on the market. Period. Fantastic designs, super light and very strong. Has a 3-ply Sil-Nylon outer (from memory, EPIC but 3 ply rather than one) which is a very expensive process, hence the price. Bibler is also another tent manufacturer worth looking into in that their fabrics are made of 'ToddTex', a PTFE-based membrane identical to GoreTex. Very effective at venting.

My $0.02...for now.

 

[dilzy]

Bibler. Fantastically light. Some people don't tend to like the single skin deals though, they're not as durable.

 

[aidz44]

DO NOT get sucked into getting a DENALI tent from anaconda. they are home brand ripoffs, and not worth your trouble. I'm an ex employee, and the amount of warranty replacements i have had to do is BS.
i have a black wolf, never troubled be. but it's only a 1 man.

 

[brisneyland]

Ah man, I saw this japanese dude flogging all his gear in Camp IV to buy a ticket home; there was a Bibler stuff sack in there. I asked him what it was and he said it was a portaledge fly. Not owning a portaledge, I wasn't interested in a fly for one.

My mate bought it later when I wasn't there and it turned out to be a top flight bivvy bag. All for the grand price of USD 40. Dammit!

 

[Pebble]

Can't really help you as we ended up with a couple of cheapish Huon Derwent hiking tents. Still interested in reading this thread though, and maybe dreaming

 

[dcrofty]

Sorry Crofty, can't administer toksave in such a short period

No worries I'm sure I'll pick a bit up and it sounds like plenty of people speak english around the place so I'll be good.

So many options! So little space to type!
A cheaper option though might be the (shameless plug), The North Face RoadRunner 23.
If you have the funds, check out Hilleberg.

Thats the kind of advice that makes me love this forum so much, thanks for all that. I did see a Roadrunner in my travels, I'll give it more consideration.

Yeah Hilleberg do keep coming up in all the research I do. Like I said I could possibly stump for a bit more cash if needed but I don't think anyone in Sydney stocks these so I'd be reduced to buying it sight unseen of the web which I am a little hesitant to do. They get a big rap though so if I can find someone who sells them I'd certainly consider them.

Bibler. Fantastically light. Some people don't tend to like the single skin deals though, they're not as durable.

OK thats good to know, I kept coming across them in my searches as well. Will do more digging.

DO NOT get sucked into getting a DENALI tent from anaconda.

I wasn't planning on doing that but thanks for confirming my suspicions.

 

[slowK]

Have a Luxe Habitat. Very, very happy with it in terms of weight, cost, function. But I've only used it in Australia in mild conditions - eg Great Ocean Walk in Victoria, Blue Mountains in Sydney.

Packs down remarkably well in a compression sack, easy to assemble. Being so lightweight I'd be worried about long term durability. But for what I do and the price and weight, it's fantastic.

 

[sawtell]

seems not quite in your quality range, but i have one of these.
http://www.blackwolf.com.au/adventure1000078/mantis-ii/
got it for like 150 bucks down from 300, only used it a 4 times, but its light, and easy to pack up back into its bag!! i hate tents that come out really easy.. but you go to pack it up and geeeezzz you feel like leaving it there!

only thing i would say is, much like all the other super dooper fab wonderfull new light weight tents, it just feels "weak", one day i swear im going to wake up, sit up, and tear a whole through the roof with my head torch, the material feels that thin.

but i feel the same with any light weight hiking tent...

Ive been in this where we coped 35mm of rain in 24 hours, with 70km winds, and stayed dry in side..

i should ad, its a two man, and big enough for two people, but with gear its not that comfortable! ive sleep in it solo 3 out of the 4 times.

 

[Battler]

Considered Eureka tents.

http://www.eurekatent.com/c-2-tents.aspx

Bit pricy but they'll last forever. English/European tents are so far beyond Australian tents in quality and design. Personal opinion but thats my take.

 

[Wingsowinter]

I haven't read all the posts, but I gather you are going to PNG? I recently trekked Kokoda using a Black Wolf Mantis 1. Like the previous contributor says, they don't 'seem' strong, but my experience is not so - it's been awesome since I got it (I did a heap of research before buying because I had the same concerns as you i.e. waterproofing, build quality, materials, weight, ease of erection [insert snigger here]) They retail for a decent price and ticked all the other boxes I stated above - the only mod I did before Kokoda was to spray the fly and lower walls with waterproofing spray as a final insurance. Probably not necessary but moisture is your enemy at that place. Good luck with the research and your trip!

 

[Lorday]

Considered any off the oztrail/outerlimits tents. They ain't the best out, but they're pretty farkin good, great valve for money. Worked in 2x camping stores so I am partly qualified to comment.
They are bloody light weight. Might not recommend them for PNG though. Apart from that the blackwolf stuff always sold well, as it was a quality product.

May be stating the obvious, but steer clear of Kathmandu.

 

[dcrofty]

Thanks for the comments again, keep them coming I'm a long way from a decision.

Yes going to PNG, somewhere along the Kokoda Track. I don't know exactly where I'll be staying yet, might get a hut or guest house but they told me to bring a tent so I'm aiming to get something where I can be comfortable in it for the whole two months in case I have to.

More general question but still with tents. What kind of quality gear is Mountain Hardware (the one with the nut logo)? I'd seen them in the Canadian equivalent of Rebel Sport and had written them off as a cheapie brand but noticed them today in a lot of high end camping stores. Should I have splashed out in Canadia when everything was super cheap?

 

[Benduro]

I have a Fairydown Assault - has proved itself in over 11 years to be absolutely bomb proof!
Super fast and easy to set up with pole stopping boots at end of pole sleeves, making it a cinch for 1 person to erect. The pole sleeves are made from a fabric similar to the old basketball tops/shorts and poles slide easily through sleeve.
Seam-sealed tub floor has never leaked nor has the fly.
Pre-bent easton poles are super light and very very strong!
3kg.
New Zealand made.
I doubt you would find better
These were the best photos I could find. It is a version 1 but the version 2 is very similar and yellow in colour. My brother picked one up recently and is very happy.