exped gemini II Tent

[andy_spacey]

I am going to get a exped gemini II tent. Who out there is using one, I have used my Terra nova lager lesser (1.8kg) now for four years and could still get a few more years out of it. Its a great tent but i am window shopping and love Exped gear. i have looked at lots of tents but exped gemini II ticks all the boxes and on a extended tours you need to live in a tent and not just sleep in it,

 

[rich p]

Not cheap but looks like it may be a good tent Andy. I'd certainly consider thr Gemini III for 2 people when my laserlarge 3 bites the dust.

 

[Yellow7]

Hi Andy. The Gemeni looks very similar to the MSR Hubba Hubba, a tent I can strongly recommend after recently using on a year-long tour. Also weighing in at 1.8kg;

http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/tents/experience-series/hubba-hubba/product

 

[andy_spacey]

hi . i have been looking at the hubba hubba, which is lighter than the exped but. the two thing i like better in the exped ,, is the pole set up and the guying to the poles and not the fly.The exped is 2.4kg

 

[Yellow7]

I've just looked at youtube footage on erecting the tent. The flysheet is pegged on each corner & rain-sheet also clips to the corner in the same manner as the MSR but I see what you mean about the end guying on the poles, although not sure if this makes much difference, I never had any needs where strong winds may have caused a problem but wouldn't want to pull the guys too tight on the frame in case it strained it.

The frame on the MSR was a one-piece set-up so could be clipped together before laying on the flysheet then laying one end over it, clipping one end in, then moving the second end in place, forming the arch, then clip the 7 clips onto the frame, no sleeves to pass through, an extremely quick process

I found the MSR yellow/beige colour stood out when free-camping in europe & the [now] green version they do may have been better but felt the reverse when in many of the dry arid / sandy countries’ of Africa, where it blended in really well.

 

[MontyVeda]

Hi Andy. The Gemeni looks very similar to the MSR Hubba Hubba, a tent I can strongly recommend after recently using on a year-long tour. Also weighing in at 1.8kg;

http://cascadedesigns.com/msr/tents/experience-series/hubba-hubba/product

that looks like the dogs' .... it's got the all important two doors!

 

[P.H]

The Exped is very much an American design, for climates where ventilation is of greater importance than European designs. You'll notice the extensive use of mesh that can't be covered and the high cut fly. compare this with something from the likes of Hilleberg, Terra Nova, Vaude... That's not to say one is better than the other, that would depend on a few factors including personal preference and not least where you intend using it.
I'm a fan of these sorts of tents, where you sleep across the door and have a porch either side. For me Terra Nova's Solar 2.2 is the best of type, the octagon shape gives better storage than the more common hexagon, it also has the best fly doorway I've seen on any tent. The two big inner doors have enough mesh for ventilation, yet can be closed off. The model is now discontinued, the replacement is the Voyager 2.2, which I haven't had a proper look at. There's an almost new Solar 2.2 for sale on the CTC forum, might be worth a look.

on a extended tours you need to live in a tent and not just sleep in it,

The one drawback of this design of tent is the lack of head space in the porches, plenty of floorspace for storage, but nowhere to sit or comfortable change out of wet gear. It's a compromise I'm happy to make for a few days, but on an extended tour it wouldn't IMO be ideal.

 

[bikepacker]

I am going to get a exped gemini II tent. Who out there is using one, I have used my Terra nova lager lesser (1.8kg) now for four years and could still get a few more years out of it. Its a great tent but i am window shopping and love Exped gear. i have looked at lots of tents but exped gemini II ticks all the boxes and on a extended tours you need to live in a tent and not just sleep in it,

Did you ever get one of these tents, if so how do you rate it?