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Looking for something like a big Agnes but without the pricetag if I'm going to dip my toe into bikepacking away from the comfort of a B&B
So, light, small, not extortionately expensive, say < £250 or is that unrealistic?
Have a look at the Lan Shan range. Just remember to seam seal them before use.
Alpkit must have something to fit the bill - Soloist XL maybe?
Soloist | Ultralight 1-Person Backpacking Tent | Alpkit
I've a nature hike cloud up, which has stood up to some quite icky weather.
If I was buying again, I'd get the Mongare though for the side entry.
I got a LanShan 2 a couple of years ago and like it. Easy enough to put up and packs down nice and small. Only used it with walking poles so far, need to order a couple of lightweight collapsible poles for bike packing. Decent amount of space inside.
I have no experience of it, but the budget tent I keep hearing about from mates is the Naturehike Cloud up 1. Can be have for less than £100.
Naturehike Cloud-up 1 Ultralight Camping Tent for 1 Person - Waterproof Double Layer Backpacking Tent 4 Seasons https://amzn.eu/d/cA9LTg0
Recommend what you have = Vango Helium 1
I picked up a robens arch 2 person tent, as recommended by someone on here, for £120 from Nevisport. Seems good value. Haven't used it yet tho. Light enough at 1.2kg. Obviously you can get smaller and lighter.
How tall are you?
Alpkit or DD hammocks.
I'd stay away from Naturehike personally as you won't get the same or any support as you would from the above two UK companies should something be faulty etc.
Plus some Naturehike tents are complete crap with basic design flaws. They also advertise tents being 4 season when they are clearly not, as one example. Many reviews cannot be trusted as they sent out freebies to many people with youtube channels who'd tell you night was day because they get free kit.
On another recommended what you have for fairly cheap and when I used it was really impressed.
Is light at about 1.3kg and packs small too. I got the ground sheet too.
Easy to put up but is inner first which isn't great in bad weather.
There is decent room for me inside and there's is a porch too for storing shoes etc.
The door on the side is dead easy to get into which I think is a down side of tents like the alpkit soloist .
https://www.decathlon.co.uk/p/trekking-dome-tent-1-person-mt900/_/R-p-305777?mc=8545744
I greatly like my Naturehike Mongar 2. Packs down small, well made, and let's face it, it's a copy of a very good design (I forget if it's an MSR or Big Agnes). Spacious, all goes into bar bag, with rods in frame bag. So much better than my 15y old Decathlon ultralight. It's not a four season tent by any means, but it was never false in its advertising I felt. But as for spares / customer service: it is basically shipped as is. Happily would use it throughout BST with an appropriate sleep solution.
(also - side opening, not front like a Cloud Up, which is MUCH better imho).
I don’t do cheap tents, but as a general rule if you’re over 25 or there’s more than one of you in it, always go side entrance - much easier to use and more practical.
Naturehike Cloud up 2 (this time it's personal) here.
I've no issues with it at all. Seems excellent quality.
I saw a few of them up the hidden valley in Glencoe a few months back too and they seemed well thought of talking to the fellas who were sleeping in them.
You're welcome to take mine for a look if you like and are passing through Warwick at any point.
Packs up nice and small if you carry the poles separately.
It's really an inner up first tent, though you can pitch the fly first but it's a little bit more fiddly that way.
It's a shame in a way if it's raining but not a deal breaker as the whole process is pretty quick.
How tall are you?
6ft
I have the Decathlon linked above, good tent. Was between that and the Alpkit Soloist, side entrance settled it for me
Duane…
Free Member
I have the Decathlon linked above, good tent. Was between that and the Alpkit Soloist, side entrance settled it for me
I'm just debating between those 2 - just cant decide!
Side entrance of decathlon is much better than front door for Alpkit.
But seems to be very little if no space in bedroom of decathlon so everything stored in vestabule but even then looks like its a bit smaller than xl soloist (which is still tiny!)
The answer to this is normally Nature Hike
I have a Lanshan 2 pro and its a cracker.
On hikes I use two walking poles and on the bike (only one trip mind) I got hold of two carbon fibre collapasible poles and it worked a treat.
Its a bit of a faff to seal the two long seams but other than that its increbibly big for one and great for two persons.
And its a cheap as chips.
Its also known as the 3F
https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4000345960468.html
+1 on alpkit soloist.
Given the chew I'm currently enduring with Alpkit about the quality of one of their products and the pretty crap customer service I'm getting, I'd suggest sleeping under a bin bag rather than anything they produce.
I have a Lanshan 2 pro and its a cracker.
I'm 6ft3. Had a few tents but keep looking for something lighter and bigger.
Currently trying a Lanshan 1 ( not the pro so double skin and doesnt need to be seam sealed)
Very light, seems well made, easy to put up. Seems big enough inside and a decent porch to stash my stuff in. Collapsible carbon pole means the tent even fits between road bars.
Sa far so good, especially for the money. £145 currently with footprint plus a pole.
I did consider one of these in a 1 or 2 man but they sell out so quickly I couldn't get hold of one. They get very good reviews but the price has gone up a lot!
https://durstongear.com/product/x-mid-pro-1?mc_cid=ede87c4239&mc_eid=74b6cee9e8
I picked up a robens arch 2 person tent, as recommended by someone on here, for £120 from Nevisport. Seems good value. Haven’t used it yet tho. Light enough at 1.2kg. Obviously you can get smaller and lighter
That may have been me.
It's a cracking tent, and the near identical Vango Scafell, but it's just over 2kg* on my scales of truth. That said, it's relatively compact and certainly a step up over really light tents in robustness and weather proofing.
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*There's a few specifications which say 2.3kg, but mine was 2.03kg or so.
Vango Nevis. Lightish and very good quality for the price. I've used mine on several adventures.
Anyone at 6'3" or over in a lanshan? Do you fit in it?
Also anyone got any views on alpkit jaran (2 or 3) as an MSR Hubba Hubba a-like
Not like a big agnes but I've got a luxe mini peak 2 from backpackinglight weighs in at 2kg with a pole and the pegs included, loads of space to get out the rain goes up in seconds, ive even had the bike in the porch with front wheel off in a particularly dodgy area I slept, the inner clips to the roof by one clip and I like to leave it unclipped til bed time that way you can sit on your bedding and have loads of room to cook and relax, 170 quid iirc plus a pole
6"4 and happy in the alpkit xl soloist.
Cheap, light, strong, etc. I'm wary of very cheap tents because, pretty much by definition, they're going to let you down when you most need them to do their job. The Luxe tents mentioned above are a bit different in that the company is owned by a Hong Konger who's worked with retailers overseas (including the UK) to develop his range. UK stock here. I've used a bigger version of the Firefly in some challenging conditions and liked it a lot. My current 'big' tent is a Luxe, seen here last week, but it's a bit bulky when packed for bikepacking.
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After a lot of research I ended up with one of these from Valley & Peak. Only used a couple of times but very impressed. Side entry from both sides with vestibule. Quick and easy to put up, lightweight and packs down nice and small. Very good for the price £204.
Vango Helium 1
Craigdons in Edinburgh have this at 30% off currently, making it about £240 from memory. I'm very tempted but doesn't give much benefit over my current wild country tent (bit smaller, tad lighter).
Anyone at 6’3″ or over in a Lanshan 1? Do you fit in it?
Yes, 6ft3 and I fit in it but only just. The ends have ties on the outside half way down to pull the tent out so usually tie a guide rope to my handlebars and this keeps the tent off my feet. This pulls it up rather than down (hope that makes sense.) I've seen people carry two smaller poles for this but I don't bother.
When you have an inflatable matt, big feet and a sleeping bag they can sometimes touch the outer tent. So although on spec the tent is plenty long enough (270cm I think) because of the sloping sides it's not all use able space.
Hope that helps
The Lanshan 2 isn't much heavier but you need two poles and it's a lot bigger inside.
el_boufador
Anyone at 6’3″ or over in a lanshan? Do you fit in it?
I don't have one so no idea if this is feasible, but if a Lanshan 1 is a bit tight, could you get a Lanshan 2 & sleep diagonally?
It's apparently 220x110cm, which gives a diagonal length of 245 - corner to corner. 6'3" is around 190cm I think.
I suppose there will be a small weight penalty - the tent is only a small amount heavier, but you'll need another pole.
Naturehike Cloud up 2 (this time it’s personal)
Love it.
I'm 6'3" I've got a lanshan 2 which I can fit in OK. I'm a side sleeper so isn't really an issue,but haven't noticed damp foot of sleeping bag I get on some tents. I use the 2 when waking with wife, so one set of poles for the tent and the other to pull up and out side guys. I've got 3 and 4 season inners for it.
Also have carbon poles for it. 2 sets actually, one set fold in 3 which is too long for frame bag. Another set fold in 5 which is perfect for bikepacking.
Am currently looking at a solo tent for bikepacking and hiking. Two on the list seem to be on everyone else's here. Lanshan 1 or cloud up 1.
Leaning towards lanshan 1 for following reasons...
Already have a suitable carbon pole.
The new 1 is certainly long enough.
Outer first pitch (or both together).
Lighter than cloud up 1,even including pole.
As well as the lanshan 2 I also have a 3f ul taihang 2. It's a 2 person tunnel tent, similar to the naturehike opalus 2 but a bit roomier and lighter. Great for longer wild camps or bikepacking as can squeeze 2 bikes into the porch if we're out exploring. I think it's discontinued, shame as I'd love the '4 season' inner.
Very tempted by the taji 2 too. Looks like a decently capable shit weather hiking tent.
All round very happy with 3f ul gear tents. Seem well made, stand up to shitty weather and are light and cheap for what you get.
I'm aware of the 'pick 2' rule... They're not hilliberg quality, but not hilliberg prices.
6'2" and plenty long enough in the Vango plus I can sit up.
Easy 3-season I reckon, not sure I'd fancy it with snow settling on the 'roof'.
6ft 4'' here and almost as wide.
alpkit ordos 2 was plenty big enough for me, length and width wise. packed small, and went up quickly.
i have a luxe pyramid thing now. 3 man tent. uses 1 central pole and 7 pegs. goes up outer first, which takes 2 minutes. it is massive inside.
Bookmarking, thanks to all the contributors so far.
Ultralight Outdoor Gear has an offer on the Nemo Hornet, which is very much at the lighter end of the scale.
https://ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/hornet-1p-tent/
Also an MSR Carbon Reflex for 350 if you want to extend the budget a bit further and shave off another 200 grams!
Another Vango Helium 1 user here. Short pole length when packed, goes up inner and outer together, and had no problems on Glen Nevis campsite when the wind was flattening plenty of others. It's neither the lightest or the cheapest you can get but it's a pretty decent compromise I think. The only thing I don't like about it is the porch area really is pretty small.