Bikepacking Tents?

[AlanW]

Years ago l used to do a little bit of motorcycle touring and camping. Now despite me saying many times never again, l'm now looking at doing some cycle touring and camping again.....l'll never learn!

But of course l now need to upgrade my tent and sleeping matt to smaller and lighter equipment.

The sleeping mat l've sorted now with a Big Agnes Rapide SL Regular Wide.

But as for the tent, l'm really struggling to fine one that ticks all of my boxes:-

1) Two man (l've got to have some comfort!)

2) Outer pitch first.

3) Less than 2kg would be ideal.

4) Ideally green as l may venture into wild camping.

5) Not cost a fortune, maybe £400 maximum?

In saying all that, the Decathlon MT900 two man tent ticks all the above boxes, other than the colour. UPDATE - I've since been told that this is inner pitch first?

Ive spent far to long looking at tents and reading specs, but the Vango F10 Helium UL2 has now immediately jumped out as a really strong contender! That said, any of the Vango range seem to tick all my boxes, the Radon, the Nexus and the Xenon.

Any other suggestions or thoughts would be really appreciated, but only if its meets all five of the above. I'm not interested in one man tents, single skin or tarps!

 

[fossyant]

Take a look at the OEX stuff (Jackal II or Rakoon II) for some ideas, nearer 3kg though.

 

[Moodyman]

Wild Country Helm 2 is an award winning tent from Terra Nova. It’s grassy green, inner & outer pitch together. I’ve put mine (Helm 1) up in heavy rain a few times and the inner’s always been dry.

It’s a British company so the design works well for UK conditions. Marked as 3 season but I have used it below 5c no problems.

Edit: the inner is attached to the outer via hooks and the way it folds away, means when you unfold it for erection, it’s outer first.

Paul Messner has a great review of the Helm 1 on YouTube. For clarity, the 1 and 2 mean 1 person / 2 person.

 

[wakemalcolm]

In saying all that, the Decathlon MT900 two man tent ticks all the above boxes, other than the colour. UPDATE - I've since been told that this is inner pitch first?

I've got the equivalent decathlon 1 man tent which did me fine last year. It is an inner first pitch but it can become an outer pitch first tent if you buy the footprint.

Mrs Wakemalcolm has the Big Agnes copper spur 2 man which she loves and is occasionally available at your price point if you shop around.

 

[KneesUp]

A fair bit of variety at alpkit, plus some offers (perhaps as a result of their recent financial difficulties)

The Jaran 2 might be of interest?

 

[AlanW]

Take a look at the OEX stuff (Jackal II or Rakoon II) for some ideas, nearer 3kg though.

Thanks, Ill take a look at those, but the weight may be the stumbling block

 

[AlanW]

Wild Country Helm 2 is an award winning tent from Terra Nova. It’s grassy green, inner & outer pitch together. I’ve put mine (Helm 1) up in heavy rain a few times and the inner’s always been dry.

It’s a British company so the design works well for UK conditions. Marked as 3 season but I have used it below 5c no problems.

Edit: the inner is attached to the outer via hooks and the way it folds away, means when you unfold it for erection, it’s outer first.

Paul Messner has a great review of the Helm 1 on YouTube. For clarity, the 1 and 2 mean 1 person / 2 person.

Thanks, I looked at the Helm 2, but cannot recall why I semi dismissed it, will go back and have another look.

 

[AlanW]

I've got the equivalent decathlon 1 man tent which did me fine last year. It is an inner first pitch but it can become an outer pitch first tent if you buy the footprint.

Mrs Wakemalcolm has the Big Agnes copper spur 2 man which she loves and is occasionally available at your price point if you shop around.

I have since seen that on a You Tube clip that it is actually possible to pitch outer first. Its a real shame that its not green though!

 

[AlanW]

Mrs Wakemalcolm has the Big Agnes copper spur 2 man which she loves and is occasionally available at your price point if you shop around.

Ive looked at those as well, arnt they inner pitch first though?

 

[wakemalcolm]

Ive looked at those as well, arnt they inner pitch first though?

Again, we've got the footprint.

 

[AlanW]

A fair bit of variety at alpkit, plus some offers (perhaps as a result of their recent financial difficulties)

The Jaran 2 might be of interest?

Yes, I looked at this one, and although its says inner pitch it can be pitched outer first if you have the ground sheet. Its also just over my weight threshold, that I'm trying to beat.

But what sort of made me dismiss it, other than the overall weight, was the pack size, its 42 x 15 compared with say the Vango Helium at 32 x 13.

 

[AlanW]

Again, we've got the footprint.

Just looked at the spec for that one, its huge isnt it, which is reflected of course in the pack size 50 x 15. I wanted a smaller pack size as its my intention to hang the tent from the handlebars to try and balance some of the weight distribution out on the bike when its fully loaded

 

[oxoman]

I swear by my wild country zephyros 2 under 2k and pitched all in one, no pitching inner first which is why I brought it. Well under budget even with the groundsheet. Used on several bikepacking trips. Still prefer my coleman phad x3 for car camping though as even roomier.

 

[wakemalcolm]

A fair bit of variety at alpkit, plus some offers (perhaps as a result of their recent financial difficulties)

The Jaran 2 might be of interest?

One of the Alpkit tents I wished I'd considered more closely is the tarpstar 1. It's the same size as their 2 man tent but the inner takes up half the floor space leaving a huge area for your kit....and it's outer first.