You don't need to be an 'investor' to invest in Singletrack: 6 days left: 95% of target - Find out more
Looking for some advice and opinions on a tent choice....
Next summer we will be doing a surf/bike tour, Roscoff to Santander. Will be a pretty relaxed trip mileage wise over 5 weeks.
We currently own a hilleberg nallo 3 gt. Amazing tent but very warm and heavy for this trip where we will be expecting nice weather (generally)
Alpkit ordos 2 - lovely and light but very small which I think will be unpleasant when it's hot.
Currently looking at
Alpkit tarpstar 4 - light and nice big inside space for 2 of us. No vestibule, no vents but inner is all mesh. Good price.
Big Agnes salt creek sl3. Heavier (although not bad). More expensive.
Obviously once the sun is beaming / 30deg any tent is pretty unpleasant! Wondered if anyone had any suggestions for a suitable tent? Lightweight, decent pack size, good ventilation (space inside to make us feel less clostraphobic when it's hot!)
Thanks
I’ve yet to use my limited edition all white version of this:
the white colour should reflect the heat and (in scotland), repel the midges.
afaik, insects are attracted to dark colours.
I don't think an Ordos 2 is especially small, it all mesh so pretty cool. If you're worried about space go for the ordos 3. We fit 2 adults, 2 kids and a dog in ours. Brilliant tents, and I don't think they can be beaten, that's before you factor in they're 1/5 of the price of a hilleberg. Ours has done literally hundreds (c250 since you didn't ask!) of nights and is still going strong, albeit in a slightly patched and faded fashion. The tarpstar 4 may be bigger, but it's not terribly usable space as it tapers to the edges.
Lanshan 2.
Full mesh(and capable of freestanding) inner. Or no mesh at all.
Two vestibules.
Pale greyish white kind of a colour.
Tiny in a packed sense but surprisingly spacious.
No recommendations on a specific tent but the ground on continental campsites can be rock hard - free standing (or a handful of six inch nails or appropriate pegs). I'd also consider a tarp and the means to rig it if you don't have trees available - shade.
afaik, insects are attracted to dark colours.
Nah. I was once rock climbing in a yellow and purple harness and we got hit by a cloud of flying beetles - they settled all over the yellow bits of the harness, not one on the purple bits.
I think the only reason not to take the Hilleberg is weight. Having camped lots on the Atlantic Coast of France and Spain i don’t remember it ever being hot at night. That’s 3 weeks cycling west of Santander and say 6 weeks of trips in Les Landes. I’ve also seen enough rain to think i might want an outer pitching first tent
I think the only reason not to take the Hilleberg is weight. Having camped lots on the Atlantic Coast of France and Spain i don’t remember it ever being hot at night. That’s 3 weeks cycling west of Santander and say 6 weeks of trips in Les Landes. I’ve also seen enough rain to think i might want an outer pitching first tent
it was camping near Bilbao that convinced us we needed a better ventilated tent than own hilleberg Nammatj tunnel, and it was still the lightest and smallest packing tent we’ve owned and by far the best quality
OP might reject it on weight grounds but I’ve found traditional cotton (or polycotton) canvas “boutique camping” style tents/bell tent/teepees are way better in hot and sunny conditions than modern lightweight nylon tents. It seems to be more than just the light colouring, but they don’t heat up to sauna like temperatures the moment the sun hits them.
We’ve got one of the nordisk “scout” tents that has full mesh at both ends and side vents too (though a few gaps around the end that would need taping if you had an insect problem)
however - second the comment above about freestanding/ hard ground. They completely rely on pegs (true of the hilleberg tunnels as well)
Insects are attracted to flower like colours - yellow is worst, red too. (Though general advice is wear light coloured clothing to avoid bites which I’ve never understood)
The big Aqnes tent I saw is much higher cut at the sides so will allow more air circulation than many designed for northern europe
My Trekkertent drift custom has the ability to open two full width doors on each side and that I have used when its hot to allow a breeze thru the tent ( Its hexagonal in shape). Its huge inside for 1.5 kg complete and two can sit up in it and with all 4 doors open its very well ventilated. However it does require pegs to stand up - its not freestanding
On pegs - I have the square section alloy pegs as they can be hammered into the ground on hard or stony sites
The decathlon tent appealed to me, as if it goes wrong in Europe, you’re never far from a decathlon store.
and there’s a good chance that they’ll buy it back.