Best Touring Tent

[mickeg]

Above on page 6 in the middle of the page I described my new Big Agnes Scout Plus tent.

Soon after that I found another fantastic clearance price on the Big Agnes Super Scout tent.  That is a very similar design, it is a single wall tent designed to use two trekking poles instead of providing tent poles with it.  But the Super Scout has a enourmous vestibule.  Super Scout weighs a bit more at 1320 grams than the Scout Plus which is 1035 grams.  And as I noted above, I had to cut my own poles.  But this thing can be used to store massive amounts of gear.  The vestibule is about 7 feet or about 2 meters long.

I am keeping both tents, I will decide on future trips which tent to use based on how much space I anticipate having for the tent, is the extra ~~300 grams of weight a concern, potential for wind as I suspect that the Scout Plus (described and pictured on page 6) will hold up better in wind, etc. 

Big Agnes still makes the Scout Plus with a different color, but they appear to have discontinued the Super Scout.  And they make one without a vestibule but I would never buy that one.  As I noted in my previous post on page 6, these are single wall tents with potential for significant interior condensation.  I would never suggest either of these tents for two people for that reason, but as a solo where I can stay in the middle taller part of the tent, it works ok. 

It is a tradeoff between condensation in a single wall tent or using a heavier double wall tent that is more bulky when packed.  I still have my older double wall tents and expect at times to use them instead where weight is not an issue.

A couple photos of the Super Scout.  There are two tents in the first two photos, I am referring to the tent with a light gray roof that is much longer than the other dome shaped tent.  The third photo, I am looking out the tent door towards the vestibule where I have a bunch of gear scattered about.  I added a clothesline in the vestibule by adding a line to two existing sewn-in loops, I have a few items hanging from the line in the second and third photos.

[Danneaux]

Goodness! I realize I seem to be at the extremes here...

For over 30 years, my father and I each used Early Winters Pocket Hotel 3-layer single-wall GoreTex bivy-tents...24in/0.6m high at the entry, 19in/0.48m in the middle and the foot section like a sock, weight complete with stakes at 1kg each. Dad used his right up till he was 74 years old. Said getting in and out of the low little tent kept him limber. He was age 90 in the photos below.

In 2010, I upgraded to a larger 1-person Coleman eXponent [sic] Dakota 1 tent with side entry. Luxury, as I could at last sit up at the waist while inside and didn't need to crawl in and out on my back. I bought mine (three at the price) for USD$60 each on a half-price closeout sale. Good quality with polyester floor and fly and DAC aluminum poles.

The small tents work for me because I only use them for sleeping. If it is daylight and raining, I'm usually riding or standing around outside doing something like cooking. I can just store all my bags in the side vestibule of the Coleman when the fly is rigged. See: http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=3942.msg90686#msg90686

Both were a real contrast to my Dutch pal's Tatonka Alaska 3 DLX we used together on a 2008 tour of Netherlands and Belgium. That tunnel tent had a vestibule nearly as large as the sleeping compartment and measured 14.5ft/4.4m long. Current cost is a tick over 700€.

Best,

Dan.

[jul]

Julio,

 Also bear in mind that with the Rainbow, you have to purchase the alu or carbon support poles. (Or use your own trekking poles.)

John

John,

To buy the alu or carbon support poles is only if i want to have a freestanding tent, but it's not essential i think..

On the other hand, i need to apply this : http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/practical/LC103.html

To sealing seams ...

[mickeg]

Goodness! I realize I seem to be at the extremes here...

For over 30 years, my father and I each used Early Winters Pocket Hotel 3-layer single-wall GoreTex bivy-tents...24in/0.6m high at the entry, 19in/0.48m in the middle and the foot section like a sock, weight complete with stakes at 1kg each. ...

I never used a bivy, but I would not say you are at extremes.  I used to use a couple different one person tents that I could not get my gear into.  But after a lot of camping at campgrounds where people are wandering about, I decided I really need to get my gear more under cover.

First photo is a one person tent (2070 grams), small vestibule that I can get a good amount of gear into, but it still is pretty tight.  The photo is from a trip where we had vehicle support to haul gear, so my bike lacks racks in the photo.  Second photo (1670 grams), the vestibule is too small for more than two panniers.

I still have the tents in the photos, but expect to only use them where I have no potential theft concerns.

***

There is mention of trekking poles for putting up tents, above.  I bought a long 11mm aluminum pole (on Ebay, shipped from China, took a month) and cut it into several poles of the correct lengths to substitute for poles for my new Big Agnes tents that are considered trekking pole tents.  For biking that is the way to go, I can fold the pole to a pannier friendly length.  I also bought some trekking pole rubber tips that fit over that 11mm pole to put on the ends.  Works great.

[jul]

Where it was on the first photo ? lovely landscape   

[mickeg]

Where it was on the first photo ? lovely landscape   

If the question is about my photo in the post above yours, that was on the White Rim trail, Canyonlands National Park, Utah, USA.

[jul]

Thanks to you







Bag size with footprint inside : 50x16 cm
2.6 kg

On reflection and also as i found my dream tent finally i sold the Vaude tent for a Hilleberg Soulo. Yes my
ex Vaude was a litlle to big only for me, i mean it's more simple to find a small place than a large place to install the tent in wild bivouac..

I found a good deal some weeks ago, and bought this tent 40% discount. i already love it !



What i like, the footprint can stay in place with the roof top only.
The interior room can be installed when you're safe inside.





No regrets   

[rualexander]

I didn't like my Soulo, sold it on and got a Nallo 2.

[jul]

Can you tell me why you didn't like the Soulo ? 

[rualexander]

A few things bothered me about it julio.
Having also had a Hilleberg Stalon (no longer available) for 20 years, I was used to having pole sleeves and the ease of pitching by just pushing the poles through the sleeves.
The Soulo uses the clips which take time and are a bit fiddly, and there's the extra faff of the extra roof panel.
I thought the entrance zip was in the wrong place, it would have been better in the corner between the main body and the vestibule.
Whilst its a freestanding tent, in reality you need to peg it out to stop it blowing away when you aren't inside it, but i didn't like the guyline system.
It would be better if the entrance was on the smaller end of the vestibule, as it is on the larger end there's less space for gear and keeping it protected from the weather.
For a 1 person tent it is quite heavy.

[PH]

I wrote this on another thread in 2009, nine years and around 20 nights a year later, I don't think I've changed my opinion one bit. Time has reinforced my opinion that it has the best door design of any tent I've seen.  Sitting, or sleeping with them wide open (With the full mesh of the inner doors exposed) has been the highlight of some of my camping.

After not camping for 22 years I started again three years ago. I've been amazed at how much better tents are now.  Even the £80 Coleman I started with was better than the top range stuff from the 80s.
After trying a few tents my criteria was;
Two door for organisation
No permanent mesh, the Coleman could get draughty.
Sleep across the door, I find this far better for getting in and out and it gives more accessible porch space.
Less flappy than the tunnel tents I tried (including Hilliberg)
I bought a Terra Nova Solar 2.2, after 26 nights in it I'm well pleased.   The flatter roof and steep ends mean there's more usable space than the floor plan would suggest.  The two porches are great, I keep all the stuff in one and use the other as the entrance, which means I don't have to bring much into the inner tent.
it's not perfect, rain can form a pool on the flat roof (though that's never been a problem)  Pitching inner first takes more planning when done in the rain.  I takes careful adjustment to minimise condensation.

http://thorncyclesforum.co.uk/index.php?topic=1951.msg9070#msg9070

Fugeres campsite by Paul, on Flickr

[jul]

Hi all,

I found a very interesting 3 seasons tent, even if i keep my Hilleberg Soulo with me for winter time, i bought a new ultralight tent and very small once folded, i used it this summer in mountain hike, i love it !

Big Agnès Copper Spur Bikepacking hv ul1



https://backpackinglight.dk/tents/one-person-tent/big-agnes-copper-spur-hv-ul-1-bikepack-grayorange-2019

[in4]

Thanks for posting Julio. How tall are you and did you find the tent  big enough for you?
Thanks
Ian

[jul]

The tent is big in length, widely enough for me, i'm 175 cm tall.
As well, the space inside is well designed..

[mickeg]

There are several different tents in the Copper Spur series of tents.

Some of them are popular with backpackers due to the light weight.

Right now I have too many tents, need to shed some of my older ones that I have not used in years and likely never will.