Tent recommendations for touring

[Profpointy]

As a potential tent newbie, my research suggests tents are not like Carradice saddlebags or Ortlieb panniers, that is buy once and use for the next 30 years.

So, the question for the tent experts...how often do you change your tent due to the end of their useful life?

I've had five over the years (cripes, 40 years !). Probably used each for between two and four weeks each year I had them. My first was only a step up over a kid's play tent, though was double skin. Paid a tenner for it secondhand in 1980. It did me good service summer camping for a couple of years and kept me fairly dry. Bought something better when I started camping in Scotland in winter. This was a low to medium grade mountaineering tent and that got a lot of use over maybe 15+ years. An Ultimate Horizon transverse tunnel if I remember rightly. Eventually the groundsheet started leaking and the poles had a lot of black tape on them to keep the fibreglass ferrules together. I recall a winter night in Glencoe when the wind was blowing the tent flat on our legs then it was pinging up again. I didn't think it'd survive but it did. I was very impressed. I think Ultimate have gone by the wayside sadly. Mu next one was a Wild Country 3 season tent. It was a better design than the Ultimate but unfortunately the groundsheet leaked which I didn't notice straight away since my first couple of trips where in the summer. Wild Country claimed they'd replace the groundsheet - but it still leaked next time I used it on wet ground, by which time another 6 months had passed. I've doubts they did actually did anything and think they just fobbed me off. Not impressed! They do have a good reputation, but I guess mine was a dud.

After a lot of pondering and dithering I bought a Hilleberg. It is fantastic in every and very hard to fault. I went for their 2 man two porch (one extended) Kaitum 2GT. It is very roomy for 2, has withstood foul weather, in good weather can go up in 2 minutes with only 4 pegs, which admittedly is a bit minimalist, but there's another dozen for bad weather. I even bought the lighter Nallo 2 single porch subsequently for a backpacking trip. I retrospect I'd likely get the Kaitum 2 two porch without the huge extended porch and not bother with the 2nd lightweight tent - the big porch on mine is nice though. Fantastic though the H's are they are brutally expensive, significantly more so than when I bought mine. I reckon between them they'll see me out.

The above is nearly 40 years' worth of tenting with maybe 2 to 4 weeks' equivalent total use annually, perhaps less so as I've got older, ironically now I have the best and dearest tents I've ever owned

 

[Profpointy]

Providing you unpack your tent after your trip/tour, clean it and let it dry properly before repacking, it should last until something rips.

^ this.

There's an account of my university caving club and various hangers on going on a trip to France in the minibus. People were complaining on the way down about a manky smell all blaming each other's caving kit. Anyhow they got to the campsite in the Jura and started putting their tents up. My
mate tipped his tend out of its bag and out poured the metal poles and some rags and a load of slime. It seems he'd put it away wet last time he'd used it a couple of years previously. I think it was an old cotton Vango which really isn't going to thrive in such conditions, however good those old Vangos may have been looked after properly.

 

[Blue Hills]

Thanks for your long post upthread @HobbesOnTour
yes, really am always interested in exprienced folks opinions/hard-won knowledge.
Just a question - you say you like tunnel tents and also free standing tents.
I thought tunnel tents tended to not be freestanding?
I do have a tunnel tent - Vango Spirit 200+ - nice tent but it won't stand up by itself - needs a fair bit of guying.
My Robens Lodge 2 on the other hand has never been guyed, despite having sat through a government listed storm. It's essentially geodesic.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Just a question - you say you like tunnel tents and also free standing tents.

I didn't.

My current Exped was bought for an expedition. ........
For that it had to be big enough, strong enough and be able to be used freestanding.

and

Random thoughts in no particular order;.....
I like tunnels.

I bought a tent to do a particular job. Freestanding was a necessity. I have no particular grá for them.
I don't know any freestanding tunnel tents - otherwise I would have bought one!

 

[Cymro74]

I've used Summit Eiger on a few short trips. £40 on eBay. Cheap and cheerful for summer trips.
As a tip, I use cheap tents like this in forestry commission areas to keep the wind off. Not the best for exposed sites like beaches.

 

[Harril]

I'll most probably opt for one of the tent's in the links below. I was wondering if anyone here has any thoughts/experience of these?

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15980942/oex-bobcat-1-person-tent-15980942
https://www.blacks.co.uk/15980945/oex-phoxx-1v2-tent-15980945
https://www.millets.co.uk/15986984/eurohike-backpacker-deluxe-tent-15986984

 

[HobbesOnTour]

I'll most probably opt for one of the tent's in the links below. I was wondering if anyone here has any thoughts/experience of these?

https://www.gooutdoors.co.uk/15980942/oex-bobcat-1-person-tent-15980942
https://www.blacks.co.uk/15980945/oex-phoxx-1v2-tent-15980945
https://www.millets.co.uk/15986984/eurohike-backpacker-deluxe-tent-15986984

Sorry, not familiar with any of those.
I'd always start by asking myself what I'm looking for, in terms of design, space, weight, colour etc. How, when and where do I see myself using it? Then I'd go look for tents that match my needs.

For example, I used to have a Coleman tunnel tent. It was great, but set up facing into the wind. That meant in foul weather cooking in the vestibule was cold and wet - the very time something hot is appreciated. When I bought the tent cooking and especially foul weather camping was not even considered

I've always been wary of single occupancy tents due to a lack of space. Then again, I use my tent at all times of the year - space and comfort is important on long winter nights.

Having said that, a great little tent, albeit with a bit of a learning curve, is a Hexpeak 4a or Minipeak. Quite versatile, decent space.

Hexpeak 4A with a (homemade) Tyvek footprint.

Single inner, that can be lowered to give full use of the space, decent vestibule space. Silnylon fly can sag when wet but easily corrected from inside by adjusting the single pole. Gap from fly to ground can be adjusted depending on weather conditions.

If at all possible, I'd suggest visiting a store (when possible) to see one in the flesh. Get in. Crawl around. Etc.

Good luck!

 

[Harril]

Sorry, not familiar with any of those.
I'd always start by asking myself what I'm looking for, in terms of design, space, weight, colour etc. How, when and where do I see myself using it? Then I'd go look for tents that match my needs.

For example, I used to have a Coleman tunnel tent. It was great, but set up facing into the wind. That meant in foul weather cooking in the vestibule was cold and wet - the very time something hot is appreciated. When I bought the tent cooking and especially foul weather camping was not even considered

I've always been wary of single occupancy tents due to a lack of space. Then again, I use my tent at all times of the year - space and comfort is important on long winter nights.

Having said that, a great little tent, albeit with a bit of a learning curve, is a Hexpeak 4a or Minipeak. Quite versatile, decent space.

Hexpeak 4A with a (homemade) Tyvek footprint.
View attachment 566170
Single inner, that can be lowered to give full use of the space, decent vestibule space. Silnylon fly can sag when wet but easily corrected from inside by adjusting the single pole. Gap from fly to ground can be adjusted depending on weather conditions.

If at all possible, I'd suggest visiting a store (when possible) to see one in the flesh. Get in. Crawl around. Etc.

Good luck!

Interesting. I've not seen that tent before. it looks like it's an inner pitch first, which i'm trying to avoid to be honest.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Interesting. I've not seen that tent before. it looks like it's an inner pitch first, which i'm trying to avoid to be honest.

It's not at all!
Outer first, inner optional (there are different inners available, mainly from China. A double inner is pitched inner first, but that negates many of the advantages).

I usually left the inner in place so it was an all-in-one pitch.

As a matter of interest, why not inner first?
My initial thoughts were that they'd not be good to pitch in the rain. Several years later that's never been an issue.

 

[Harril]

It's not at all!
Outer first, inner optional (there are different inners available, mainly from China. A double inner is pitched inner first, but that negates many of the advantages).

I usually left the inner in place so it was an all-in-one pitch.

As a matter of interest, why not inner first?
My initial thoughts were that they'd not be good to pitch in the rain. Several years later that's never been an issue.

Ah, Ok.

Well, talking to others, and watching numerous YT reviews, the received opinion is that outer pitch first is preferable because of the issue you mentioned there. The majority of places where it will get the most use are prone to inclement weather, the last thing I want to be doing at the end of a long day in the saddle is climbing into a soggy tent!

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Ah, Ok.

Well, talking to others, and watching numerous YT reviews, the received opinion is that outer pitch first is preferable because of the issue you mentioned there. The majority of places where it will get the most use are prone to inclement weather, the last thing I want to be doing at the end of a long day in the saddle is climbing into a soggy tent!

Well, just so long as you're picky with your YT reviews. A lot of folks get freebies and or payment - they're not often the most unbiased reviewers

As for inclement weather, my experience has been that pitching location, quality of pitch and good practises are probably more important for staying dry in the wet. In those conditions a decent sized vestibule (or an easily removed inner) is a big plus.

Good luck!

 

[chriswoody]

Ah, Ok.

Well, talking to others, and watching numerous YT reviews, the received opinion is that outer pitch first is preferable because of the issue you mentioned there. The majority of places where it will get the most use are prone to inclement weather, the last thing I want to be doing at the end of a long day in the saddle is climbing into a soggy tent!

I'm one of those odd folk that really have no problems with inner first pitching. I spent the best part of twenty years working as an outdoor pursuits instructor, mostly in the Lake District. I also sea-kayaked, climbed and walked all over the mountains, both in Britain and overseas. I genuinely can't think of a time in all of these years of camping, that I've had a major issue with inner first tent pitching. It's rare that there isn't a gap in the rain for you to pop it up, however, if I really must pitch it up in the rain then I have a plan.

I construct the poles and lay them out on the ground, then place the pegs out roughly where they'll go. Next the outer tent is place to one side ready to be used. Finally, I'll lay out the inner, but folded in half, so the bottom of the ground sheet is facing skyward. Then when I'm ready, I'll unfold the tent, pop the poles in and throw the outer over it. If everything is laid out, then it's a fast process and the inner really shouldn't get wet.

Hobbes has put some good advise above and it really is personal preference and experience, but don't completely dismiss inner first designs.

Off the tents that you have linked to, at least one has glass fibre poles, which in my experience are heavy, unwieldy to use and prone to breaking, I'd personally avoid them like the plague. If you are envisaging being out in inclement weather, then like Hobbes mentions, look for the size of the tent and wether there is room for cooking inside the vestibule, though be very careful if you do. There are some good tent recommendations throughout this thread, have a good look through and see what would maybe fit your needs and if possible go and see some in real life.

 

[Harril]

@ Hobbes and Chris. Interesting viewpoints. Greatly appreciated.

 

[Andy in Germany]

Thanks for the information, I'll squirrel these links away for when I can finally think about buying a tent.

 

[HobbesOnTour]

Thanks for the information, I'll squirrel these links away for when I can finally think about buying a tent.

That's not how it works, Andy
You have to come back for more discussions! Much more interesting (and fun!) than a "what bike" thread