Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB

Horizons Unlimited - The HUBB (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/)
-   Camping Equipment and all Clothing (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/camping-equipment-and-all-clothing/)
-   -   Single or double tent? (https://www.horizonsunlimited.com/hubb/camping-equipment-and-all-clothing/single-or-double-tent-59315)

Roameo 22 Sep 2011 23:57

Single or double tent?
 
So prepping for my first RTW and wondering. Should I bring a single or double tent. In other words do you need the extra room for your gear at night etc.

opinions

lynch180 23 Sep 2011 00:06

for sure, go with a 2manbier you will be glad ov the extra space when your on the road:thumbup1:

trackdayrider 23 Sep 2011 01:07

Def go for the biggest tent you can that packs up the smallest lightest.
cr\awling in and out of a one man tent even without travelling is not much fun!

gixxer.rob 23 Sep 2011 01:39

2 man for sure
 
+ 1 for a 2 man tent.

You will definitely be glad of the extra room when you have wet gear to keep in the tent with you.

Roameo 23 Sep 2011 01:42

1 or 2 person tent
 
Thanks all thats what I thought for the negligible weight and pack space difference a 2 person makes sense.

backofbeyond 23 Sep 2011 07:41

Even some two man tents will feel small when you get in them. If you're going rtw you'll be spending quite a bit of time in the tent so it's worth putting the effort in at the buying stage. For me the interior height is important - anything with less than 100cm headroom feels really claustrophobic as you can't sit up without banging into the inner tent. Look for around 120cm interior height - you'll be pleased you did when you're stuck in the tent in bad weather.

dlh62c 23 Sep 2011 11:05

Whatever you end up getting, live out of it at home as much as you can prior to leaving. This may sound stupid, but you'll find out what works and what doesn't. Try setting it up and taking it down in the rain.

I've done MC camping and I've found that I don't like the riding gear inside the tent, just me and my sleeping kit. The tent is my nest, so to speak. I don't ride all day in the rain and then dump the gear on the floor of my bedroom and I don't cook there either. I use a PACSafe for my riding gear. I can lock it to a picnic table, a tree or the bike's frame. Regarding tent size, that's something you'll have to discover for yourself.

How much volume and weight are you willing to carry and manage day-to-day?

How much use it will see?

Have you thought about a hammock instead of a tent?

Good Luck on your trip!

daryl

Samy 23 Sep 2011 11:09

Definitely a two men tent with two layers.

And you will need a tent for cold weather too. It is said some tents are for cold weather and winter. Infact most are for 3 seasons. Check the tent reviews before buy, especially the serious users. Make a good search and be ready for a serious amount for a good real tent.

It will be too late when you feel frozen in a very cold night in a remote forest, helpless and real frozen... you will be real regret for not paying 100 bucks more for a better tent.

And also go for a good sleeping bag and mat too. when you make search also look for real reviews. You will be happy at last.

Tent, mat, bag and your riding clothes-riding gear is the most important gear than your camera.

When you ride in a country where the gasoline is expensive, you can buy a good tent with the amount of a few days ride. Having a bike on economy saves you money for batter gear.

:Beach:

Roameo 23 Sep 2011 14:07

Once again valid information from all. For the gear I was thinking a 2 man tent that had a vestibule area. Just not sure how dry it would keep the gear in rainy weather. Agree on reading real reviews but al my gear that way. Know one knows better than users. Never thought of the height thing but makes sense nice to be able to sit up comfortably. Pretty much need a 4 season tent as I do not know what I will run into.......

dlh62c 23 Sep 2011 16:22

Are you camping because you want too or because you have too?

Four season gear is heavy and bulky. A three season tent should be enough. On the days when the weather sucks, seek out a hotel or hostel. The money you save by camping on the clear days should help cover the cost.

You might check out YouTube for some tent reviews: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WDlxoz8W9o

daryl

Roameo 23 Sep 2011 19:16

Hey Daryl,

a little of both reasons. I do read that people expect to camp a lot, but find accommodations cheap so end up not. I think i just want to make sure I have options. But weight is a hugh consideration (sucks picking up any bike overloaded). So will be trying to keep the tent and all camping gear light as possible. thanks for the link

Samy 26 Sep 2011 10:40

which gear is the most important than weight ?
 
Quote:

Originally Posted by dlh62c (Post 350008)
Are you camping because you want too or because you have too?

Four season gear is heavy and bulky. A three season tent should be enough. On the days when the weather sucks, seek out a hotel or hostel. The money you save by camping on the clear days should help cover the cost.

You might check out YouTube for some tent reviews: Eureka 4 Season Tent Review - Camping Gear TV Episode 26 - YouTube

daryl

How many of us here contributing had real long distance travel with an enduro ? and had very difficult time in bad weather ?

Roameo talks about RTW. RTW means you will not have a motel or something else, even camping most of the time.

You had a problem with bike and need to fix it and need to stay in a place for 2 weeks in bad weather. Or needed to camp somewhere in Mongolia, Africa, Russia, Alaska, you name it...and nobody can guarantee it will be in nice weather.

In this case should decide 1 kg heavier and better protection or lighter and worse protection ! ?

I prefer better gear in extreme situation...
Of course everybody's choice is different...

Roamao, you should decide which gear is more critical and how much can you tolerate it as weight, space and money. Make an order in which it is the more important. Than decide and do what you want and never regret ;)

dlh62c 26 Sep 2011 11:36

Quote:

Originally Posted by Roameo (Post 350025)
thanks for the link

Happy to help!

You have to weight out what your willing to spend, carry and manage day-to-day. But experiment with your kit prior to leaving. Even if your sleeping in your backyard or using your cooking kit to prepare meals at home.

As someone once said, everything has to have multiple uses. You can carry a zero degree sleeping bag. Or you could get a 3-season bag thats good down to 20 degrees F and supplement it with long underwear, some sort of fleece pants, down jacket, a fleece beanie and a pair of wristies. All of which could be worn on or off the bike.

Back to your original question: The smallest tent I would go with would be a two man. If you still plan to store your riding gear inside, I would get some sort of gear bag to put it in.

daryl

www.wristies.com

Roameo 28 Sep 2011 02:38

As always agree with all sides. No bike is the perfect bike and know gear is the perfect gear for all situations. Like most going to try and find that happy medium and adapt as need. Why else do they call it adventure riding lol.

*Touring Ted* 28 Sep 2011 07:07

It depends how long you're going to spend in that tent.

If you're doing a fair amount of camping over a long period of time then having a tent with some space to move, read, change becomes a necessity, not a luxury.

I used a two man tunnel tent on my last trip and ended up selling it cheap because I was fed up it. Very difficult to change and impossible to sit and drink a cuppa on a wet day. As people would 'retire' to their tents in the evening, I'd end up sitting outside mine getting beaten to death by mosquitoes.

I now use a 3 man dome/geodesic for me and my gear and it's well worth the extra weight.

Your tent can become your second home.

Tim Cullis 28 Sep 2011 08:26

Many tents require tent pegs for structural stability which is a real pain if you are in a sandy or very rocky area. You are better off with a freestanding tent that can stand alone without pegs and only needs the pegs for stretching the canvas. Vaude Hogan and Vaude Mark II are a couple of tents of this style.

Many tents use fine mesh on the inner tent to reduce cost. These tents are great for summer camping, but if you are camped in cooler weather in a windy spot the blasts of cold air go straight through, so look for a tent where the mesh is only on the upper spots. MSR Hubba Hubba is an example of a mesh tent, whereas the MSR Hubba Hubba HP has a solid inner.

Weight to me isn't as important as pack size. The only thing that really determines the length of the pack size is the tent poles, so if necessary pack these separate from the fabric Some manufacturers use standard pack bags for several ranges of their tents, and with some experimentation it's actually possible to get the tent fabric packed down much shorter than they reckon.

geordie_e 28 Sep 2011 08:36

Hi

Ive tried allsorts of tents and this is what ive finally settled with

http://i51.tinypic.com/2akd4ck.jpg

Its a Vango Halo 3 man tent with a tarp over the front and a single pole, the tarp provides a good area to cook in when raining or a nice sunshade on the hot days.
Pack size is really small and weighs in at just under 4 kilos.


small tents are just a pain ! believe me Ive been there...

Cheers
Geordie aka Will

Rory799 1 Oct 2011 23:04

More space is better
 
Where as I can't profess to be a fully accomplished RTW traveller, my experience is more in the line of 3 weeks in Europe every year, for the past 6 years or so.
I used to use a two man tent, now I've graduated to a three man + extension(Suncamp 3 man)
A few days in torrential rain makes the extra space a godsend.
I can store bike gear in the “extension” or use it for cooking.
To me the extra weight is acceptable as I feel that a good nights sleep can help make up for a day riding in the rain.
As people have said before ,it's my sanctuary from the weather and my prison when it keeps pissing down day after fu****g day:smartass:.


Rory

DAVSATO 4 Oct 2011 22:23

unless they are specially shaped alloy poles, most tent poles can be custom made to suit what packed length you want, you are not stuck with what comes with the tent

klaus 5 Oct 2011 00:31

Tents
 
I am very happy with my Rejka tent (two + persons) and a tarp.
I bought it something lilke 10 years ago and it is still going strong.
Pricewise it is much cheaper than other tents of the same quality.
With two entrances, mosquito netting and so on it is an (almost) ideal 4-season tent.

iainnic 10 Oct 2011 13:18

1 Attachment(s)
I've a "small" two man tent which is more than big enough for trips. Its designed for mountain bikers, and so has a huge porch that you can fit most of your kit in . 2 metal pannier and all of my kit fits in the porch and there's room to cook if needed

As many have said, its down to what you want. I struck a balance with weight / size, and being 6' 4 limits your choice in this area anyway ! I've seen the big Nomad tents, but I've always stuck with a hill tent , and its never blown away , so I've never had to sleep in a plastic bag unlike a few people I know !

Cheap is cheerful and won't last in my view. I've currenty got a Terra Nova Duolite Tourer (Buy Online - New For 2008! 2 Person Tent, Lightweight With A Large Porch Area). It fits in a 10 litre Kreiga bag / dry bag and is up in a jiffy in all weathers. Terra nova will ship spares, and they do a reinforced groundsheet which is quite good. Ifyou're not looking for a tent to resemble a house, its spot on.

Grey Beard 11 Oct 2011 16:25

I think tent manufacturers' size descriptions are like those of Estate Agents describing a box room as a bedroom. A 3 man tent is really only practical for two people, etc.

I haven't yet done much biking, but did a lot of mountaineering and a decent sized vestibule, or better two, is essential. You don't want wet gear inside your inner tent. It has to remain dry. I cook inside the vestibule with the flysheet zip undone in case of problems. i.e. I lie inside the main tent but the cooker is in the vestibule.

With biking, inevitably you are going to get wet and you have a lot of bulky gear to store. Jacket, trousers, helmet, boots, gloves and probably three panniers and more. That stuff has to go inside the vestibule and most tents are simply too small.

I would ideally go for an extended vestibule design like the Hilleberg GT designs. e,g, Nallo 2 GT or Nallo 3 GT or the heavier fabric weight Nammatj 2 or 3 GT (these are tunnel design).

Nallo & Nallo GT | hilleberg.se

All the Hilleberg tents are 4 season, but are pretty expensive. I think there is a lot of copying of designs within the tent manufacturing industry, so you will find others with a large vestibule. For a long trip I would definitely favour a 3 man tent for comfort.

I also like the Vango tents, but they are shorter inside (210cm) compared to the Hilleberg 220cm. Weight isn't such an issue on a bike.

I would also seriously consider free standing dome designs if you are going RTW and you may be camping on sand or rock slab or even snow, but they don't usually have the extended vestibule, except the Saitaris, which is quite a big tent.

Grey Beard

A.L.F 19 Oct 2011 11:43

A free standing tent is the only way to go, as it can also be put it up in some stinking cockroach / mosquito infested 'hotel' room.And yes it has to be a decent sized two man tent. It is your home after all. I used to like the silvered tents as they stopped you being cooked by the sun and kept you warmer in the cold, but I've not seen any around for a while.

A good compromise is to take is an emergency foil blanket and drape it over the tent in hot weather.

Epoch of Entropy 6 Nov 2011 05:18

I decided to go with a 2P tent, and after some research came up with this:

NEMO: Tents including camping and mountaineering tents from NEMO

It's moderately sized for one person, is free standing, VERY easy to put up (I've put it up in the dark before, you can probably do it blind) and has the option for for a zip in vestibule area which is supported by a hiking pole (in my case a tripod). It comes with stakes, but they're only required in windy conditions.

I got a new one from eBay cheaply, which came with the foot print.

I've also contacted Nemo about support, specifically asking about using the tent in cold weather.


1. What is the recommended lowest temperature the Espri 2P can be used in? While I don't plan on taking it out in a snow storm (if I can help it) it would be nice to know what the minimum climate range the tent was designed around.

"Tents don't get temperature ratings because technically you could take them in temperatures much lower than people are comfortable. Really the "temperature rating" will come down to what temperatures you can endure, both tents (being made of fairly similar materials and having a similar fly design will be about equal in wind blocking and insulation."


2. If I did get in a situation where the temperatures were quite low, what would you recommend to increase the tent's insulation? What are the trade offs for condensation? Any additional considerations? (This was answered by someone in their engineering dept)

"There are a couple ways to increase the warmth inside the tent.

1. Insulate the floor: If weight isn't a concern, adding a closed cell foam liner footprint will prevent heat from being conducted away via the cold ground. It should be easy to find material at Home Depot or Lowes to accomplish this.

2. Tent liner that covers the mesh: Cutting down on convection loss and minimizing chilly winds is one of the biggest ways to increase warmth. NEMO makes a product like this for mountaineering tents called APRI, but not for 3 season backpacking tents. The intention of this tent is to have air move through as much as possible. By reducing airflow, you can cut down on the convection (accomplish this by tying down vents, and reducing the space gap between the mesh and the fly.

Of course any time you reduce the airflow, condensation issues will increase. You'll also find that as the temps get lower, you'll have more condensation issues because the air holds so much less moisture.

3. In all seriousness, it is worth looking into getting a warmer sleeping bag! The lowest rated bags (-40/-20/0) are very good insulators and can easily extend the season of a 3 season tent."

Grey Beard 7 Nov 2011 20:34

Well this tent is a 3 season tent and the mesh inner tent will ensure you will be cold if the temperatures outside drop. But for summer use, no problem. If you are worried about cold, then you should be looking at a proper 4 season tent.

The 4 season tents will have noseeem mesh for ventilation, but the better ones will have a zip door/window to cover the mesh and stop cold air flows through the tent.

The flysheet will also come right down to the ground. Snow valences are sometimes an option, but add weight. They can also be useful for holding the tent down in sandy conditions or in wild weather.

The tent is pretty low weight for a two man dome tent.

Grey Beard

Delbert 10 Nov 2011 22:54

At the risk of making myself look like a complete arse:
I am a new joiner about to head to South America (for a year hopefully). I have the obvious GS & now have bought the following:
Force Ten Nitro 200 Tent, Lifeventure Downlight 900 Sleeping Bag, MSR DragonFly Combo cooker & pans.

I imagine everyone will have slightly different views but have I made any howlers?

geordie_e 10 Nov 2011 23:12

Best way to find out.. hit the road and do a weeks shake down

That way you will know what works and what can be improved/got rid of

Cheers
Geordie

Grey Beard 11 Nov 2011 00:34

Quote:

Originally Posted by Delbert (Post 355532)
At the risk of making myself look like a complete arse:
I am a new joiner about to head to South America (for a year hopefully). I have the obvious GS & now have bought the following:
Force Ten Nitro 200 Tent, Lifeventure Downlight 900 Sleeping Bag, MSR DragonFly Combo cooker & pans.

I imagine everyone will have slightly different views but have I made any howlers?

I like Vango Force 10 tents and I did seriously consider the Nitro when buying recently. It has good space and should be able to survive in a storm. Not too heavy either.

The MSR Dragonfly stuff is pretty well regarded. I tend to use Primus, but the Dragon Fly should suit you well. I assume this is the Multifuel stove? I favour Multifuel stoves after having problems finding gas and also paraffin - obviously depends on the location.

Don't know the Lifeventure sleeping bags, sorry.

Grey Beard

kentfallen 12 Nov 2011 19:38

Go for a 3 man tent. The extra room will be worth it. :thumbup1:

I like Vango tents which in the UK are good value for money. Expect to pay about £150 for a good budget 4 season tent capable of withstanding storm force wind and rain. Don't forget a mallet and few spare pegs. If you only need a 3 season tent you might get a Vango for around £100.

Stay warm and safe. :scooter:

edteamslr 12 Nov 2011 21:58

Ahem...cautionary tail coming up...
 
I feel completely qualified to comment on this thread having just spent 4months on a UK to Magadan trip using this....

http://www.campman.com/images/nemomio.jpg
It is a single person, single skin bivy with an inflatable airbeam. It packs down to a cylinder-shape about 8" x 6" and weighs a kilogram. For ultra-light adventures it seems to be perfect but...

...this thing could make rain in a desert! Seriously, the condensation was formidable in all temperatures! It blows flat in a gale (without damage I must add), gets stinking hot if you pitch too early in the day because it lacks enough mesh and needs to be tied down tightly which isn't always possible in all terrains. I slept "intimately" with my kit because there is hardly any room and getting dressed in it would bring a tear to eye of the Great Houdini.

The plus points - if RTW was a race then this tent would be in your pack. My GiantLoop ate this thing without blinking and made my plans for a 'superlight', unsupported, go-anywhere trip on my WR250R. It is super-tough: none of the seams frayed, the base remained waterproof all through the trip, the airbeam is awesome - in spite of being stuffed into a stuffsack everyday (you don't roll this bivy) the airbeam never lost any pressure.

Would I wish it on anyone for a trip longer than a week or two?

...No.

kentfallen 13 Nov 2011 15:54

The last post made me smile. :clap:

I think EDTEAMSLR has it about right - GO FOR A LARGER 3 MAN TENT.

If you ride a pushbike or walk and really do need to cut down on bulk & weight then go for a single lightweight jobby otherwise go for a model which allows you to sleep without having to "mount" you're best mate! doh

Delbert 13 Nov 2011 16:23

Thanks for all comments - I am relieved no one actually laughed! I will take the whole kit & caboudle for a run out later this month - should be a decent test, unless of course the weather stays like this, in which case i will test drive a Mankini !!!

dlh62c 14 Nov 2011 11:04

Quote:

Originally Posted by kentfallen (Post 355817)
If you ride a pushbike or walk and really do need to cut down on bulk & weight then go for a single lightweight jobby otherwise go for a model which allows you to sleep without having to "mount" you're best mate! doh

It all boils down to what your willing to manage day-to-day. You can pack for the hike (ride) or you can pack for the camp. There's one extreme or the other. What you need to find is that happy medium somewhere between the two that your happy with.

Are you camping because you want too? Then you might be more willing to manage gear that's heavier and more voluminous.

Or are you hauling camping gear because you think you may need it? Then ask yourself, are you willing to carry it all and never use it.

daryl

Delbert 14 Nov 2011 22:34

Got home to find the Postman has delivered my new gear
Force Ten Nitro 200 Tent & Lifeventure Downlight 900 Sleeping Bag - both are light and packed very neatly so i am happy with them. Will find out how warm & wind resistant they are in due course


All times are GMT +1. The time now is 23:35.


vB.Sponsors