Tent for 2 up RTW Trip
 

Hi all,

I'm sorry if I'm overpopulating this part of the forum a little but I'm getting a lot of the gear in place now so would like to know your thoughts on the subject :)

This time it's the tents we're looking into.

List of priorities for us:

1. Two entrances
2. Freestanding tent
3. 2 vestibules or one big one where all the gear can be stored overnight
4. Ventilation
5. Quick set up
6. Reliability
7. Strength and weather performance

After looking at Hilleberg Tents we found that they're verylight, high quality and one of the most rip resistant tent out there. The down side is obviously the price and unfortunatelly I don't think they fit our needs as much. They offer nice tunnel tents which are not freestanding and need pegs to stand up. This seems to us as a bit of a problem. The freestanding tents with hilleber have a very little or no vestibules and therefore with the price we kind of took them off the table.

We looked at The North Face tents and the minibus 23 looked nice but after speaking to the experts they are more built for US travelling rather than RTW experience therefore this one also ends up off the table.

There is one tent that I would like to show you and get your thoughts on, namely: Mountain Hardwear Trango 2.

http://www.theoutdoorshop.com/produc...um/PN57035.jpg
http://www.mountainhardwear.com/imag...s/OU9444ft.jpg

It's freestanding, very high performance both the material and structure, it's got two entrances and two vestibules (one of them quite big with extandable pole that obviously need pinning down with pegs but not a very big issue I guess). It's got a lot of built in pockets inside and is quite big for a 2 people tent. It's got some vents on it but don't know about their performance. The biggest downside to it is the weight as it is 4.5kg, but with all the other boxes ticked I think we'll be able to live with the extra 2kg in comparison to the other lightweight tents (2.5-3kg). It might also take a couple more minutes to set it up when compared to the other tents but I think that once we got our heads round it it shouldn't be a significant deal.

All in all seems to be a pretty perfect tent but would like to know what you guys think first.

Is there anyone out there who used this tent or would recommend another one?

Thanks a lot in advance!

Stay safe!
Gosia and Andy

Hey Andy,

That is one kick ass tent. In my opinion, it's probably a bit of overkill. The mountaineering tents, especially the four season ones, are built structurally very sound to withstanding wind and snow load. That tends to make them more robust with more and stronger materials and thus heavier.

Unless you are hard core and are also planning on doing some trekking/mountaineering along the way in places such as South America, then I would look more at the three season options. They are typically lighter and would likely serve your purposes better.

As a suggestion, try the products at MEC or REI. Lot's to choose from.

Depending on your route and plans, you may even find the summer or mesh tents intriguing. We tend to plan for the cold and wet conditions but usually due to organizational factors, bikers will lean towards indoor options at that point if they exist. You end up camping much more in warmer weather and hence a good tent is the starting point but weight saved here can be put towards the other little things that make camping more enjoyable and thus more likely to occur in marginal conditions.

But by all means, camp! You'll stay in those places that most people only dream of...

First and foremost I love ya. Second I disagree with about everything you said. But, feel free to correct me.

Trango’s are a great tent, I actual own one but then again I own to many tents to say the least. It is a 4 season tent(.) This is the big one, do you really want a 4 season tent? I want to say hell no. 4 season tents, are going to be able to stand up to more wind, weight of snow, UV (only over cheap tents) etc, they are meant for the mountains. The negatives of a 4 season tents, less ventilation, more weight, more time to set up, less architecture options, normally higher in price. (Trango doesn’t meet your #1 and #3 really either)

I personally feel tents like the Minibus/Hubba Hubba/Emerald Mtn SL2/SkyLedge etc are a way better choice. The two door, two vestibule design is what you want to go after IMHO.

I recommend you call around and find a local shop that has some of these tents, like the Minibus (the most liveable space), Trango, and a few others. Set ‘em up, sit in ‘em, etc basically try some out.

FYI:
Take that price and divide it by the number of nights you plan on staying in this tent. Spend the money, buying a quality tent from a quality manufacture is worth the extra bit. Also buy it from a reputable store so you can deal with them if you do have problems a few years down the road (Example is REI here in the US).


Tunnel tents equal some of the most vertical walls which equals more interior/liveable space. In the US tunnel tents never really caught on. Also all tents need pegs/stacks.

Wish you the best, will send ya a PM
EW

I once climbed with a guy who found one of those freestanding mountaineering tents. He described traipsing along one day in the mountains, when what should he see but a brightly colored tent flying across the sky....so he chased it over hill and dale until it dropped to the ground, left it at the visitor center for a month (this was in Banff or Jasper, I forget which), and when no one claimed it he took possession.

Moral of the story: you always need stakes. The only thing freestanding tents are good for is moving them around campsites looking for the perfect spot after you've erected them. Aside from that, they're heavier and less functional. But of course there are many opposing points of view.

Mark

Why ....
 

.. does everyone go for those big brand names where you have to pay lots of $$$ - when you can get the same or even better quality for less money?

So here again the link to the tent company where I got my tent 7 years ago (and it is still goign strong without any problems at all):

Rejka Outgear.

For those who don't understand German, just some specs: 3 person tent, 2 entrances, floor upto 10.000mm of rain, outer tent upto 4.000mm of rain, poles 7075 T6 ALU, 9,5 mm + 11 mm, 4 years warranty, color outside olive, inside yellow, the only problem I see is the 4 kilogram of weight. But you can get the smaller version, which would eliminate that problem.

And again - I DON'T get any paybacks from that company. If anyone is interested and worries about language barriers, get with me. More than gladly willing to help fellow bikers!!!

Oh, and here pics of my "old" tent: http://www.virtulanguage.com/images/DSCF1242.JPG or here http://www.virtulanguage.com/images/DSCF0013.JPG (mine is the one on the far left)

Tents.
 

Have a look at Terra Nova for their range.
Dave.

Hi all!

Thanks a lot for all the advice!

We've tried the Minibus in one of the shops here in Edinburgh. The problem was that the vestibules were quite small and the tent itself although very thought through seemed to eb a little unreliable - all these plastic fittings all over the tent are concerning. There's quite a lot of them and I think that after using the tent quite heavily and long I think they may go burst. Lovely tent with a lot of interior room and space overall but small vestibules, unreliable design and low waterproofing factors kinda took it off the table.

About pegging the tent I agree that all of the tents should be pinned down but there are cases when it realy isn't necessary and with a freestanding tent it's quite easy to move it around as well.

The Hubba Hubba tent is quite interesting. It's got two doors and 2 vestibules and when comparing it to Big Agnes Emerald Mountain SL 2 its waterproofing is better and it's got a stronger material. The only thing is that it has slightly smaller vestibules.

The Mountain Hardwear Skyledge 2.1 looks alright. It's big enough for the two of us, it's got 2 vestibule each 1 square m in area, it's very light - 2.13kg avg. The only thing bothering me realy is the size of it - after reading the reviews people cmoplained that there isn't enough space in it. I think we have to find a shop with some of these and get them set up and see. e could always go for the Skyledge 3 wich is bigger:)

This weekend off to the shops and try out as many as possible :)

Thanks for the comments!
Gosia and Andy

P.S. We'll check out the Terra Nova range too :)

Have a look at Vaude. I had a Mark 2 some time ago and was very impressed. Totally agree re price divided by number of nights spent in it. I use a £40 Vango for basic camping, have done 20 plus nights in it at bike shows and low level camping...less than £2 a night:thumbup1: and with b and b now being £30 plus a night.......

Andy;
IMHO
1) For the motorcyclist, add one person to the tent size. Even with vestibule(s) you will appreciate the extra room for all the other stuff you want in the tent, dry, with yourselves. (for 2 people, its a 3-person tent).

2) Weight isn't the best way to measure the choice of tents. Those doing shorter, more frequent trips can get by having a 'lighter' option, but longer-duration travelers should consider 'greater durability' over 'light-weight'. This may mean: choosing stronger, heavier zippers; heavier fabric for fly and/or tent, among other considerations.

3) If your tent comes with cheesy aluminum 'bent wire' tent pegs, then the manufacturer is saving $10 - 20 on being cheap and you need to spend more for decent pegs. (MtnHdw tents have decent ones - I like MSR better). But the manufacturer is likely taking other 'quality' shortcuts in other places (as in; cheaper fabrics/netting, zippers, production methods).

4) The majority of MC travel is done in fair seasons, in fair weather. No one tent is perfect for every type of camping. When given the option of beach over cold-ass mountain, my tent needs ventilation. "4-season" (sleeping bags too) is marketing jargon; they are also 3-season tents (and bags) - just the colder seasons. Like thinking in terms of packing long underwear vs. bathing suit, and making that choice work in 'all situations'.

hope that helps.

Oh, and one last thing.

I bought a Mtn Hdw tent in August, 2006. In Nairobi, 2 years later, I contacted MtnHdw customer service regarding the 'delamination' of the heat-welding process on their tent flies. They said it would likely be replaced under warranty, but in my present situation the only sensible solution was to have it repaired locally (sewing it up, using one of the many street tailoring/fabric-repair technicians).

When I got to Europe, I contacted them again, and since the tent was no longer in production, they would provide a refund at manufacturers suggested price ($320 USD) after I sent photo-proof of their tent in shreds. I did, and they did (the refund, mailed to my US post box in 24 hours).

Two days later, I was buying another MtnHdw tent from REI - with the $320 refund, my 2008 REI member dividend of $115, I had to put in another $45 for mostly sales tax and shipping to a friend in Seattle flying to where I was staying in Germany a few days later. Now, a week later, I can say, "it's a great tent in the rain"!

Doing business with quality manufacturers is truly worth the extra investment.

I agree. I think that for the trip we're planning we would have to consider the 3 (warmer :)) season tents. I also agree about the 3 person capacity and dong business with quality manufacturers.

What do you think about Mountain Hardwear Skyledge 3? It really looks alright and the more I read about it the more I like it. Maybe it's not the toughest tent but I think it should make it RTW with us.

As far as the price is concerned we're not really bothered as we also agree with you guys on the price per night deal :) We plan for the trip to take us a minimum of 500 days and at least half of it is going to be camping.

Let us know what you think about the Skyledge 3 please :)

Stay safe!
Gosia and Andy

Scoring more than 100% on all of these, faster to set up than you'd believe, extremely stable, very high quality and at quite a nice price compared to many alternatives too, you may want to look into Vaude Mark tents. They may be a little heavier (3.5 - 4.0 kg depending on the model), but are truly awesome. Basically you get to choose between the Mark II, which has 2 entrances + 2 vestibules on the short end of the tent, or the Mark III which has its 2 entrances + vestibules on the long edge of the tent. The upside of the III is that either person can get out at night easier without disturbing the other, and the vestibules and the tent are a little bigger, downside is it's a little heavier. If either of you are very tall, you'd pick the Mark II long, which as the name says is a little longer ;-) They also do 'lite' versions of these which have a weight advantage. I have owned the Mark III myself for over 5 years so far, and have been extremely happy with it. Regarding the setup, you should really watch someone do it live who knows their business - you can have a dry place for luggage + 1 person erected in less than 20 seconds, and have a pretty much orcane proof setup in under 2 minutes. It is really well thought through - I'd really recommend looking at it :-)

If you're considering dropping the 'freestanding' criterion from your list, then the Wechsel Outpost tents, and similar geometries, look like they make very nice use of space, but I've never tried on myself, and they seem to be more pricey than the Vaude Mark's anyways.

For my 2penneth! We were 2-up on an Africa Twin so space was an issue! It was a 6 month trip, mostly in super toasty places, but we were also in the snow line for a bit, plus bstorms/mountain fun, as well as desert and found the Vango Spirit 200+ to be tip-top.
(Vango Tent Information)
One entrance, but that actually didn't bother us and the vestibule was a nice size - you could fit 2 in plus gear on thermarest chairs if it was chucking down.
Easy to put up (only 3 poles) light but sturdy, with inner guy ropes for extra rigidity if needed.
Hope that helps (or hinders - sometimes too many options are even worse! we're looking at new stoves and are in a quandry now about which one to go for!)
ImiBee

Another vote for the Vango, I have an "Omega 250", very like the "Spirit" but with an entrance either side of the vestibule. Very spacious and comfortable for 2 with bike gear. Mine cost only £99 on eblag.

I have a freind who bought an REI tent I think is a half dome 2HC that has 2 doors, good rain capability, and is a good perfoming tent. I would get one, but my norht face is still dooing okay after 20 years, so I am not into buying one just to be modern. Jim and his other really like it and it was only about 180USD.

I liked my North Face Tadpole 23 but bit tight for two people. Also used an REI tent like that mentioned earlier. Whatever you get though, keep it small and light.

You don't say where you're headed but bear in mind the % of time you'll actually be using a tent.

For example, we didn't camp between Bolivia and Costa Rica as accommodation is so cheap and there's not really any camp grounds. We could have free camped, but for that kind of money, you may as well have a room. Argentina/Chile is a different story and you'll camp a lot there. Similarly in North America and Oz mainly because rooms are too expensive.

From Oz to UK, I didn't really camp until mountains in India (once), Islamabad (twice) and the KKH (once). Then nothing till Turkey/Greece etc towards the way home. Again, you won't want to camp in SE Asia given the heat/humidity and relative cheapness of rooms.

Also bear in mind your gear will get scratched, cut, punctured, melted, soaked etc and maybe even stolen along the way so I really wouldn't recommend spending a fortune on kitting yourself out for the trip, there's plenty of bargains on Ebay etc for 2nd hand kit.

Get a beer evening arranged in Edinburgh and we can all come along and overload you with information!!

I am not about to read all responses, I'm afraid, but I will offer you what advise I can having done a 2-up trip. Sorry if it's already been said.

Initially we went with the same design that you specified and got a 2 man geodesic tent from Robert Saunders for our 2-up overland trip in South America. It was free standing and had two entrances, etc. It performed very well, but space was a premium. Basically, we never needed the two entrances and I doubt you will either when you get in the swing of things. When you pitch you will do so with one clear point of entry and exit: you don't end up needing the second one. You might once in a while but it's really not that essential.

Then, about 18 months ago, we got a dog and if the 2 man was a bit cramped before with all our kit, now it was ridiculous. Our solution was to buy a tunnel tent.

It weighs and packs down the same as the 2 man, but it is vast. Admittedly, only one entrance, not free-standing (you need good tension on the two ends to maintain the form) and probably not as solid in strong winds (but that is only relative: it does not mean it will collapse if you sneeze on it, either).

However, the atrium area is huge: as big as the sleeping area which, in turn, is already bigger than the geodesic. We have not used it in very demanding conditions yet, but we met other tunnel users when in Patagonia and they had no complaints (ever been in Patagonian wind?).

If you pitch cleverly you can off-set probably all disadvantages of a tunnel, they are quick to set-up and so spacious.

The geodesic is now my comfortable 1 man and his dog tent when I go off alone. Otherwise it's the tunnel.

I've been using a Trangia alcohol stove for 3 years with few complaints. Sometimes I had to stick the alcohol burner into a warm body part to get it lit, but it always lit and worked under all conditions, altitudes, planetary alignments; and its pretty goof-proof. Stoves for Dummies! The wind-screen/burner assembly is very efficient and sturdy.

Gets my :thumbup1::thumbup1::thumbup1::thumbup1:

How about a cheap, easy to put up tent and a lightweight tarp? They're useful to live and work under as well as being an obvious alternative at night.

Just a thought. :thumbup1:

Ok after looking through a lot of tents today I think I've narrowed it down a little as to what we'll look into.

1. Mountain Hardwear Skyledge 3
2. Vaude Mark III
3. MSR Mo Room 2
4. Big Agnes Emerald Mountain SL2 with extendable vestibule

Hilleberg Staika - off the table because of the price

Mountain Hardwear Trango 2 - off the table because of the overkill 4 season (or 3 colder seasons :)) tent, longish set up, heavy

The North Face Big Fat Frog which is the follower of the famous Tad Pole - seems to be a little too small for 2 -up

The North Face Minibus 23 - thought through design but overdone a little maybe - too many things can go wrong with it and the waterproofing is not the best.

Bear in mind that it's not as if I used any of these - just sharing my thoughts with you.

@Warthog:

I don;t know why but the tunnel tents frighten us a little :) It's just all about where u can use them. A freestanding tent will stand on its own and if the weather is crappy you peg it down and you're sorted. With the tunnel tent you always have to peg it down no matter what the weather is like. I think that MSR Mo Room tent is close to beeing perfect - it's built almost as if it was a tunnel tent but is freestanding thanks to one additional pole PLUS it has an extandable vestibule which makes more room for gear.

Let us know what you think,
Stay safe!
Gosia and Andy

[quote=quastdog;245931]I've been using a Trangia alcohol stove for 3 years with few complaints.

Stoves for dummies - like it! We too used a trangia, and yes, had to warm up the fuel - the last thing you need after a chilly night camping is to not get a brew going! But to find fuel (burning alcohol), esp in Morocco, was v tricky - we had to get some dodgy moonshine from under a tarp down a side alley, but at least it burned and we got to meet some great locals!!

That is a fair point and it's your choice so yo need to be happy with it regardless what others may think. I'll be curious to see how often you are in a place where pegging down is impossible, even if it means huntng around for a spot for a bit longer, though. Still, if your heart is set on a dome type, then also have a look at Robert Saunders tents. We bought a Mountain Trek and it has been fine, albeit a little small. It has the same form as many dome tents but was far cheaper than other brands like Terra nova, North Face et al. However, they have lots of models, so you may find the shape you want, but a lot cheaper than many. I would say the Base camp, Satellite Plus, Spacepacker, or Space-Trek may be worth a look-see.

Whichever tent you decide to go for, get a good footprint (I made mine by ironing together opened out rubble bags: not pretty but it works) because tent ground sheets seem pretty flimsy these days (all the brands included!!) IMHO.

Happy hunting.

I second the tarp option. MSR do one the TWING which is only 800 grams


Tarps are hugely versatile, you can use them as extra porch/cooking room for your tent, pack it on the top of everything and pull it out when you want a shaded siesta or a rain-sheltered lunch, suspend it over your inner tent when things are really hot to let the breezes blow, throw it over the two of you while you slide the poles into your tent in the pouring rain or sleep under it in an emergency when your free-standing tent blows away.

If you combined it with a lighter tent like MSR's 2.84kg FURY




you end up with a more versatile set up for the same weight.

One thing I'd really make sure is how long the tent takes to set up. When you're cold, wet, muddy and stood in howling wind and rain, do you want to be fiddling with complicated clip together pole systems, particularly ones which clip to the inner tent which has a nice big mosquito netting-ed "hole" in the roof.

nice tarp Alex but...... Twing - $229.95 ....:eek3: it can be!
I use a 4m x 3m tarp and it cost less than 2/3rds of that price!
and a +1 for the Nammatj 2 Hilleberg - had it for ...must be 6 years now I think and good as new except 1 wee tear in the roof which was my fault as packed next to a sharpy-
I can put it up in under 2 minutes, 6 pegs (can take more) - inner remains suspended and outer all attached in 1 piece- 2 poles- either fits- 2 ends taped up. The Staika is too expensive sadly for me- I'd get another but perhaps the Plus version that has a larger porch.
Solid & reliable-

Oh, eeek, yes, didn't look at the price, it was more for illustrative purposes only. I think my tarp was about £20 from Blacks.

Hi Andy,

This is a very exciting part of the trip - when I was looking for tents I ended up with quite a few before I settled on my favorite (Tatonka Narvik 2). It's a very personal choice and you've had some fantastic advice from the folks here - nearly all of it I totally agree with. I'd just like to throw in one more option to your list.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3113/...b28b7f.jpg?v=0

The Exped Orion. The Exped site is at http://exped.com and worth a little browse. I suggest it on the back of taking it to Russia and back, it's a solid geodysic design with exceptional quality parts and materials. It has two vestibules that importantly sit at a perpendicular angle to the inner - meaning it's much easier to get in and out of the tent, and store kit without having to climb over it to get out.

It's simple to erect, and one of the most solid tents I've ever tested. In fact have a glance at the video below - scroll through to 4 minutes to see the Exped.



If you do decide to go with something along these lines then give Les a call at Travel-Dri Plus - he's the chap that helped us out for our last journey - he's the most knowledgeable person I've ever met when it comes to this kind of thing. His website isn't the best in the world, but by God his advice and help is!

Hi Matt!

I must say that this tent really kicks ass! It ticks almost all of the boxes and I think we'll be trying it out in one of the shops and if it is what we think it is we'll be buying it.

Thanks a lot for the info:)

@Alex

Hi alex and thank you for your input as well as others! :)

I think you're right and taking a tarp with us is a good advice. I think that's what we'll do as this will add quite a few options that you've already mentioned.

Thanks a lot all!

Stay safe!
Gosia and Andy

I'd suggest you choose from the Travel Dri, Touratech and similar specialist catalogues.

- Beware of mesh tents as they are freezing cold when you're in windy conditions--if you are interested in something like the MSR Hubba Hubba, go for the HP version with non-mesh interior.

- Get a footprint so you're not packing up a wet floored tent. It also gives you a dry area to pack everything up.

- Consider how the entrances work in the rain, some tents will tip several gallons into the tent when you open them up!

My personal shortlist was:
Exped - Venus II, Venus III, Andromeda
MSR - Hubba Hubba HP, Mutha Hubba HP
Coleman - Phad X3
Vaude - Hogan, Hogan XT, Mark II, MK II long, Mark III

There's nothing worse than being cramped in a small and low tent when you have wet biking gear. I ended up buying an Exped Venus III from Les at Travel Dri which is a three-man-and-a-dog tent with a high 1.5m interior. It's a kilo heavier than some of the tents listed above but at 48x19 it packs down smaller than most of the Vaude alternatives, so it's a real Tardis tent!

- Twin entrances
- Twin vestibules, one with a gear loft
- Freestanding
- Good ventilation
- Quick set up, though I wouldn't agree with the claimed 2.5 minute setup time, more like 5 minutes for me.
- Poles and pegs that are tent porn
- Internal pockets, hanging points for lighting

I imagine Les will be at the Horizons Meet at Ripley this coming weekend if you fancy a short jaunt south. With 300+ tents Ripley would also be a good place to ask fellow travellers what they think of their tents. ;)

Tim

Here comes an opposing point of view :) what if you can't stake? Like in loose sand, on concrete, etc.

RE the MSR Fury tent, I've seen one in action - impressive but where is the ground sheet under the entrance? Not much use for storing stinky bike gear outside the main space and keeping it dry...

Oh and tarps. Decathlon do a very cheap one (£20 inc guys and pegs) that I'm bringing to Ripley... not a clue how to pitch it, could well be memorable! :D

I have seen tents come and go in my life spending $10 to $400 and almost none have lived more than year or 3 with any use. Most have a zipper go out pole split shatter bend or the floor get so thin it rips or a pole rips a hole in the tent when I am setting it up at 1:00 am or have a friend pack it away wet. Price is a good bet on "quality" but its a tent and is made light and so you buy a new one every few years.

There are a few places that make them to last
Exped
black diamond
And others but be willing to pay for it. $600+ for 3 person

My advice go to a online shop and look there. Here is one I have gotten kit from Tents and Shelters at REI.com | 100% Satisfaction Guarantee | Customer Reviews

Most tents I have come with the worst set up gear the pegs are scrap AL. rod best given away the "rope" for the down lines are some polly junk that is land fill bound. Get some good line and pegs and you will spend less time setting up and tarring down the tent.

Have a tarp and rope with you at all times. I like the cheap blue tarps big so that you can cover the bike and you in it. I spent more than few nights under one. You can use one as a footprint for the tent to works better than most.

Stove? coleman all the way cheap and works and you have a tank of gas for it between your legs.

One thumbs up fro Exped
 

I have a Venus II and highly satisfied...

Well for sand you tie bags on the corners and fill them with sand, and for concrete? Well you find somewhere without concrete. But actually I'm with you a free-standing tent is a great thing, I've used mine on a ferry to give me a bit of privacy from the drunken hen-parties, and it was great.

BUT, there's always a risk with free-standing tents as shown in the following story:

I spent a couple of nights camping a few weeks back, beautiful spot on a headland, only a few campers there. A car rolls up and out get a couple of mates, one clutching his nice new pop-up tent. He unzips the bag and pulls it out, then says to his mate,

"Watch this, no fiddling with anything."
aAnd throws it into the air like on the advert. Just at that point, big gust of wind and his now unfurled tent sails straight up into the air and out into the Channel.

Moral or the story, ALWAYS tie your tent to something.

Just got one this morning, and it's great, you can always tie it to your handlebars, or your tent, or a tree, or something. Best to experiment at home though so people don't laugh.

Hi all and thanks for all the great advice!

We're going to Ripley and that's one of our goals to see all types of tents to find out what might be working for us.
Believe it or not I was looking at the Exped range already :) I think that this is what we're going to go for.

Something like Venus II or Orion with a footprint of course and a nice tarp maybe from Decathlon if you guys recommend it :)

Great! We're a lot closer to the decision then we were a week ago!

Looking forward to seeing you all in Ripley!

Stay safe!
Gosia and Andy

I just bought a Nemo Morpho two man tent. It is single wall with air bladders instead of poles. It sets up very easy but has to be staked down.
Here is a picture of it set up in my yard. I have not used it yet but thought I needed the practice. I also set up my lightweight tarp. I think I will be ready for my next rain camping event!

http://bigdon55.smugmug.com/photos/5...31_jGrjc-L.jpg
http://bigdon55.smugmug.com/photos/5...31_jGrjc-L.jpg

macpac make the best tents I've used. Just wish I could afford one. Hemisphere seems to fit your bill

Needle Sports Macpac

We used a Mountain Hardwear tent for three years of travels in Europe and Morocco. It was the Atrium 4, which is no longer available. We set it up and took it down around 500 times. We used it in rain and sun, wind and freeze, hail and snow and it worked fine. We have two of their fleece jackets too. This is a recommendation for their products. We have been very happy with their stuff.

Bibler Tempest
 

I'm quite surprised no one has mentioned the Bibler Tempest. Black Diamond Tempest Tent 2-Person 4-Season from Backcountry.com
I've been using mine for the last five years, enough to wear out a set of poles! It's preformed flawlessly! Very waterproof and breathable single wall design, no fly to mess around with. It's kinda wierd setting up at first, but you get the hang of it in no time (the poles are inside, which is also great for hanging your laundry to dry.) It weighs just over 3 kg. and checks all the marks on your list. I have never read a bad review on this tent and highly recomend it!

mountain hardwear trango 2
 

i use the mountain hardware trango 2 tent and enjoy it very much. it is an excellent tent for high altitude mountain travel, yet can be used as a base camp on a biking trip.i do a fair bit of camping/hiking/trekking and over the years have always tried to put together functional durable gear that can be used for multi purpose requirements . the trango 2 has a seperate flysheet and also has a footprint.they can be used as a tarp,as a work area,as a bed platform on warm nights when all you need are your bed roll.horses for courses but you won`t go wrong if you decide to buy one

saw this recently and it made me laugh

http://i211.photobucket.com/albums/b...9/P1000333.jpg

http://i267.photobucket.com/albums/i.../DSCF0920a.jpg

Trango 2 a couple of weeks ago at -18`.

Absolutely bombproof!

Also look at the Eureka range - my second choice.