Author Topic: Experienced tourers wanted: Ultimate Solo Long-Term Cycle-Touring Tent Survey  (Read 1760 times)

tomsbiketrip

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Hi folks,

I've done a ton of research and collected a shortlist of the tents most frequently recommended for long solo tours of the round-the-world or thereabouts variety.

If you've done lots of solo touring and have an opinion on the best tent (by which I mean the best balance of compromises), it'd be great to get your vote:

--> http://j.mp/19C3wBP

Cheers in advance. I'll post the results in this thread. Should be interesting!

Tom

John Saxby

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Hi Tom, welcome, and good luck with this question, and especially with your Great Safari To Come!  You'll get lots of feedback here, I'm sure.

At the risk of complicating your life some more--have you checked the commentary on Tents in crazyguyonabike.com? Or maybe that was part of your research?  I mention this because you'll find numerous prolonged, informed, detailed, opinionated commentaries there -- you'll notice that I have so far refrained from saying "Tense discussions" and all the other bad-'cos-obvious related puns...

But an opinion on a tent, because my tent is one of the one you list:

1)  MSR Hubba Hubba:  Have had one for four years now, and have used it for hiking, paddling, cycle-touring and motorcycle touring.  All in all, I've found it to be a good balance of cost/weight/space/quality/ease of pitching & striking, with some qualifiers:

     >  other people have had problems with the tent (see various CGOAB threads).  It may even be that the Hubba Hubba is no longer sold, because it violates flammability codes.
     >  I've encountered condensation problems, which might / might be resolved (or at least counteracted) via a vented fly, such as the one MSR now offer on their "Nook" tent.
     >  you can't erect it in the rain without serious risk of getting the inner tent wet -- I compensate for that by using an ultralightweight tarp (Integral Designs Siltarp) & would recommend one of those no matter what tent you buy.

2)   I have used my Hubba Hubba in all sorts of different locales & conditions, but for relatively short trips (i.e., up to a month).  If I were to do a Grand Safari like the one you're considering, I'd look at a Hilleberg or a TarpTent rather than the Hubba Hubba. 

My reasons:  The former seems to offer better all-around quality and hence durability, and both can be pitched in the rain while keeping the inner tent dry.  One consideration is whether to get a 4-season tent or not -- i.e., one suited to winter camping. That would depend on how you approach seasons and altitude.  You'll be carrying extra weight with a four-season expedition tent -- perhaps for that reason, the TarpTent is worth a close look.

You would also expect to spend more than I did on the Hubba Hubba.  But, beware the Dreaded False Economy here -- you do not want something to go seriously wrong because a fabric/zipper/pole/etc fails in a dodgy situation.  At altitude, or in the winter, negligence or bad equipment or "it seemed like a good idea at the time" can mean disaster, and in short order.  Sorry to sound apocalyptic, but...

3)   Summary opinion/recommendation?  Um, er, "It depends" -- on factors such as those I've outlined above. 

Hope this is helpful nonetheless.

J.

jags

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i just sold on my hilleberg akto never liked it like sleeping or trying to sleep in a coffin.
so i bought second hand a mountain hardware spear 2 much heavier and bulkier that the akto but a much better tent loads of room which suited me better.
now if i had the dosh i would buy the hilleberg nallo gt2 seen that pitched and its a fine tent.
on a multy day tour the weight of the tent would not bother me i would sooner have a tent that has plenty of room for me my gear and maybe cook inside as well.
oh meant to add i don't do touring any more but if i did. ::)

il padrone

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Don't know what it is but that link doesn't work for me ??

[edit] Works now.
« Last Edit: October 11, 2013, 12:26:01 pm by il padrone »

Danneaux

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Hi Tom and welcome to the Thorn Cycling Forum!

I look forward to the results of your survey. Meantime, you may find the Forum Archives helpful in terms of past tent discussions and enumerations of what members use and prefer. I have written a little tutorial on quickly and effectively searching the Forum: http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=4390.0

Meantime, I've rounded up a few of the more relevant threads so you can view them directly at the links below:
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=3942.0
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=5681.0
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=4304.0
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=4197.0
http://www.thorncycles.co.uk/forums/index.php?topic=7009.msg44175#msg44175

While not in the form you asked for, these discussions still might prove helpful in some way.

My vote still goes to my old-original tent purchased 30-odd years ago: An Early Winters Pocket Hotel Gore-Tex bivy-tent that weighed exactly 1kg complete with stakes, lines, poles and stuff sacks. Great tent that eventually wore out (the urethane coating on the floor became sticky and rotted after so much use). I'd buy another if they were available, despite the inconvenience of entering from the top. I do like the side entry on my current double-wall tent; it is a real joy to simply roll into and out of the tent...especially when camped in mud after a heavy rain.

Best,

Dan.