alpkit tents

[bygone era]

anyone on the forum use alpkit tents how do you get on with them and do you use any other bits of kit from them re bikes etc

 

[jay clock]

I have Alpkit dry bags. Excellent. Not used tents. This looks lovely https://www.alpkit.com/products/ordos-2 and as always a 2 person tent is comfy for 1! Very light indeed

 

[HelenD123]

I use an Alpkit gourdon 20 rucksack as my rack pack, putting my tent in it. It makes carrying everything easier when getting on a train and I like being able to stuff a coat or odd bits of shopping under the elastics.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

When Alpkit first entered the market they sold their stock at affordable prices and as a result I have a fair amount of it. All of it is pretty good except for their merino. Very sub standard.

Once they had established well, their prices went ‘competitive’ meaning they just entered the ring with lots of other brands for me to consider. I don’t consider them good value anymore. Just average. I also found their colour choice was boring and stock almost always out.

As a result I haven’t purchased one thing from Alpkit for quite a few years.

 

[Blue Hills]

mm - maybe something in that.

Must admit I have long found their naming a tad irritating - trying too hard to be cool and hip - terrible visions of hipsters sitting around camp fires fighting to mention their product names with a knowing-ironic-theatrical-but-deniable-wink-pout.

 

[bianchi1]

Im with @Heltor Chasca on this one. I brought a few bits of them years back that was good value and quality. Recent purchases not so much. Strange sizing, dodgy zips and less hard wearing materials some of the issues. One strange one was a 2 pence coin sown into the lining of a down jacket, literally no way of removing it other than cutting it out!.

A tent is an important purchase. On a recent tour I met a bloke who must have had £1000 worth of phones, sat navs and solar charges on his bike, but hadn't had a decent nights sleep in a week because his £30 decathlon tent had failed after night 2. Given the quality issues I have experienced with Alpkit, I'm not sure I would trust a tent from them at the moment.

 

[KneesUp]

I live neat to the Hathersage shop, where they have the tents up. They look quite nice - I guess most tents to in the shop. They still advertise their repair service and so on, which would be a selling point for me, because I can easily get there. https://www.alpkit.com/support/stickies/store-repair-station-price-list

 

[Tenkaykev]

Just to add my voice to the opinion that their gear is no longer the great value that it once was. I bought a fair bit of gear off them for my SW Coast Path walk in 2007. I also have a Rucksack / dry bag roll top that is excellent.

 

[classic33]

I live neat to the Hathersage shop, where they have the tents up. They look quite nice - I guess most tents to in the shop. They still advertise their repair service and so on, which would be a selling point for me, because I can easily get there. https://www.alpkit.com/support/stickies/store-repair-station-price-list

How easy would it be to repair the tent when away and using it though.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

On a recent tour I met a bloke who must have had £1000 worth of phones, sat navs and solar charges on his bike, but hadn't had a decent nights sleep in a week because his £30 decathlon tent had failed after night 2.

In fairness to Decathlon I personally know people who tour perfectly well with Decathlon tents. They're not the best, but they are certainly usable. At that price, I think it can only be one of those pop up tents which provided me with enormous entertainment one morning in France as a young couple tried to dismantle their pop up tent . It might go up in 60 seconds, but it sure wasn't going down!

I know they used to offer the facility to buy a tent, try it out for up to 1 year and if not suitable use it in part exchange for another. Another factor in favour of Decathlon is the fact that they are pretty much everywhere if you are experiencing problems with your tent.

 

[R25]

In fairness to Decathlon I personally know people who tour perfectly well with Decathlon tents. They're not the best, but they are certainly usable. At that price, I think it can only be one of those pop up tents which provided me with enormous entertainment one morning in France as a young couple tried to dismantle their pop up tent . It might go up in 60 seconds, but it sure wasn't going down!

I know they used to offer the facility to buy a tent, try it out for up to 1 year and if not suitable use it in part exchange for another. Another factor in favour of Decathlon is the fact that they are pretty much everywhere if you are experiencing problems with your tent.

anyone on the forum use alpkit tents how do you get on with them and do you use any other bits of kit from them re bikes etc

I have Alpkit Gourdon 20 & 30ltr bags, also their Rig 3.5 Tarp, Hunka bivi bag, Titanium cookwear and their Stem cell and Fuel Cell bike bags. I'm a big fan, never let me down.