# Perfect bike touring tent?



## vikingcyclist (15 Oct 2010)

I've just seen these and they looked pretty much ideal for any bike touring. No heavy tent to worry about, comfortable, waterproof, all looks good.

Planning to buy one for myself for Christmas, but wondered if anyone had any experience with them - http://hennessyhammock.com/catalogue.html


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## Riding in Circles (15 Oct 2010)

What if there are no trees?


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## rualexander (15 Oct 2010)

Pretty miserable in bad weather I would think. Strong wind and rain?


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## courtenay (15 Oct 2010)

My concern would be the sleeping positon, you would be stuck on your back in one position all night, with a curve in your spine, personally i cant see it being much use other than in a wooded area where avoiding contact with the ground is a neccesity due to poisonous reptiles and insects, as mentioned before anywhere you are likely to get hit by wind or anything other than vertical rain would make for quite an unpleasant night i would think. Personally i'd go for a 1 man tent most come in between 1.5 and 2 kilos your back will thank you atleast.


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## Tim Bennet. (15 Oct 2010)

No trees ?


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## Kirstie (15 Oct 2010)

That wouldn't be much good if you didn't have anywhere to hang it and I reckon it would give me back ache...


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## snorri (15 Oct 2010)

It can be difficult enough finding a campsite, to find a site with suitably placed trees for a hammock would be all but impossible!
In a tent you can have your open panniers conveniently placed around you, not so handy witha hammock.


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## Crankarm (15 Oct 2010)

vikingcyclist said:


> I've just seen these and they looked pretty much ideal for any bike touring. No heavy tent to worry about, comfortable, waterproof, all looks good.
> 
> Planning to buy one for myself for Christmas, but wondered if anyone had any experience with them - http://hennessyhammo.../catalogue.html



Is this a wind up?


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## jags (15 Oct 2010)

ray mears uses them all the time so they can't be all that bad.
edit ooops


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## John Ponting (15 Oct 2010)

jags said:


> ray mears uses them all the time so they *can* be all that bad.



Probably a typo but you are right ... ray mears uses them so they ARE all bad.


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## dellzeqq (15 Oct 2010)

I slept in a hammock every night for six months and never had a twinge of backache.


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## andym (15 Oct 2010)

Well yes, but what about the practicalities of _living_ as opposed to _sleeping?_ What do you on a day when there's torrential rain all day and all night, and nowhere else to shelter? What about getting dressed and undressed or even putting on a jumper? Where do you put all those bits and bobs that you want to have to hand inside the tent? Where do you put your panniers and the other stuff that you would normally keep in a tent vestibule?


Nothing against hammocks - these are genuine questions.


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## Ravenbait (15 Oct 2010)

All I can think is: NO MIDGE PROTECTION. Are you INSANE?

Sam


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## andrew_s (15 Oct 2010)

Horses for courses.

There's no real weight saving over a lightweight tent like a Laser Comp.
If you don't normally sleep on your back you may not get on with them. You lie diagonally and are meant to be able to lie flat, but that's something I'd want to try before I buy.
Very few campsites will have suitable trees that aren't obstructed by someone else's tent. Wild camping only, no showers
You are either in them, sleeping or reading, or out of them. How/where do you cook in bad weather?

They do have, or can be had with, midge screens

The no trees argument doesn't really stand up. You would just get used to finding somewhere suitable, the same as you do when wild camping with a small tent. Those need flat ground with suitable pegging, which can be hard to find in some areas.


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## Jaguar (15 Oct 2010)

dellzeqq said:


> I slept in a hammock every night for six months and never had a twinge of backache.



I have severe back pain, and the best thing for it is my hammock. I just wish I was allowed to hang it in the house.


I used a Eurohike one man tent for about 13 years for biking/camping, it was superb (sold it for a Vango with no porch, wish I'd kept it)


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## Crankarm (15 Oct 2010)

jags said:


> ray mears uses them all the time so they can't be all that bad.
> edit ooops



Did you know that behind the camera Ray Mears has all life's mod cons at his disposal - a luxury caravan or cabin with air con, shower and a jacuzzi, a fully kitted out kitchen, lounge with huge sofa, flat screen TV, DVD player surround sound, huge comfy double bed, he loves his mod cons, takes his comfort and gadgets seriously apparently even if it means lugging it all hundreds of miles through jungle or across tundra.


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## elduderino (15 Oct 2010)

This guy managed alright using one for nearly 18000 miles http://www.crazyguyo...doc/longwayhome Seems he never really had trouble finding somewhere to hang it, with a little creativity that is. He also used it like a bivvy bag a couple of times. Each to their own I say.


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## HelenD123 (15 Oct 2010)

Quite a few North Americans on Crazyguyonabike use them successfully.


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## jags (15 Oct 2010)

Crankarm said:


> Did you know that behind the camera Ray Mears has all life's mod cons at his disposal - a luxury caravan or cabin with air con, shower and a jacuzzi, a fully kitted out kitchen, lounge with huge sofa, flat screen TV, DVD player surround sound, huge comfy double bed, he loves his mod cons, takes his comfort and gadgets seriously apparently even if it means lugging it all hundreds of miles through jungle or across tundra.



emm not sure if your pulling my tail or not, but regardless he sure know's his bush craft.
nah your pulling my tail......


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## Crankarm (15 Oct 2010)

jags said:


> emm not sure if your pulling my tail or not, but regardless *he sure know's his bush craft*.
> nah your pulling my tail......



Indeed he does. He is extremely knowledgeable and very engaging. I very much like his programmes. He has made some brilliant programmes recreating epic journeys and escapes. But he also loves mod cons and labour saving devices which he is not shy about admittting.


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## jags (16 Oct 2010)

i would have thought he would be the last person to be into mod con's.
but there you go you learn something new every day.


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## Deafie (17 Oct 2010)

I have the ultralight backpacker which I have used for wild camping. getting in and out of a sleeping bag and on to your Thermarest is quite a challenge but it is VERY comfortable once you get settled in. it is a lot quicker to set up and break down than a tent. You most definitely need to use a Thermarest even in moderate weather or you will freeze.
There are pros and cons with any system but I really like the Hennessy.


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## MontyVeda (17 Oct 2010)

if your budget is tight, this isn't a bad tent... http://www.amazon.co.uk/Highlander-Glen-Orchy-Two-Tent/dp/B001S47FI2

Foot room is limited if like me, you're 6'3" on a 5" air matress... and like all two man tents, it's a one man. 

It's easy to put up and the poles are short so perfect for bike luggage.

although there are far better toents available, this is a good low budget option.


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## bigjim (17 Oct 2010)

My £7.50 Asda tent survived 2 nights of torrential rain and wind without any problems. I only just fit in lengthways at 6'2" but good headroom to sit up and enough width to fit panniers etc. Weighs 1.3K. Throw it away if you don't like it.


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## billflat12 (17 Oct 2010)

How about the 2 man coleman bedrock on sale £25, double skin helps condensation issues + inner can be used separately as a ventilated shelter keeping pack weight down in warmer weather.
http://www.winwood-o...iking_Tent.html


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## courtenay (17 Oct 2010)

i've been looking at these 2.

1 man halfords tent 17.99

1 man gelert solo also from halfords 29.99


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## billflat12 (17 Oct 2010)

halfrauds 1man single skin, touch the sides an you get wet, 
gelert worm tent ok if your a midget, sold mine after realising how small they really are , youll also find they are 2kg not the 1.5. kg stated.


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## vikingcyclist (18 Oct 2010)

Not a wind up at all - and I have a tent for living in, the idea of getting one of these would be purely for sleeping - no ambition to use it as a base, just as a quick place to spend the night.

Since wild sleeping is the idea I'm going for, being able to quickly throw it up in a wooded area, and take down and pack away without fiddling around with pegs, guys, poles and so forth seems ideal. The original idea was to just use a good mountaineering sleeping bag, and a tarp or bivvy bag.


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## jay clock (18 Oct 2010)

Agreed there are quite a few US cyclists on Crazy Guy who go for these. I can see all sorts of reasons why it would not be ideal for me.

http://www.quechua.com/EN/t2-ultralight-pro-4225812/# is what I have. As an interesting addition I have now bought one of these hammocks as an EXTRA to take along possibly. http://www.facewest.co.uk/Exped-Scout-Hammock.html weighs 330g, could be a nice early evening place to relax but I can't see myslef spending all night on it (dew and mozzies being major reasons).


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## Ravenbait (18 Oct 2010)

We've got the Hilleberg Nallo GT2 for cycle camping. As most of our trips are out in the Highlands I wouldn't want to spend any time in anything that didn't have some sort of midge screen. The 10 minutes you spend making a brew and putting the tent up is enough to get seriously bitten, and I've yet to find an insect repellent that does much more than reduce the number of bites.

Sam


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## andym (18 Oct 2010)

There are times when crazy guy on a bike seems quite literally true, and sometimes people do seem to get into a competitive thing: who can suffer more pain and misery. 

A shellter is for more than sleeping. Say you ride between 6 and 8 hours a day and you sleep for ten, that still leaves a fair number of waking hours. If the weather isn't cold and it's not raining then OK, but what if it's cold and it's been raining all day? Being stuck in a small tent is bearable, but in a hammock?

OK, maybe, for short trips, but for the long haul - i'm not convinced.


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## Crankarm (18 Oct 2010)

andym said:


> There are times when crazy guy on a bike seems quite literally true, and sometimes people do seem to get into a competitive thing: who can suffer more pain and misery.
> 
> A shellter is for more than sleeping. Say you ride between 6 and 8 hours a day and you sleep for ten, that still leaves a fair number of waking hours. If the weather isn't cold and it's not raining then OK, but what if it's cold and it's been raining all day? Being stuck in a small tent is bearable, but in a hammock?
> 
> OK, maybe, for short trips, but for the long haul - i'm not convinced.



As I said. it's a wind up ................. .


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## vikingcyclist (18 Oct 2010)

andym said:


> A shellter is for more than sleeping. Say you ride between 6 and 8 hours a day and you sleep for ten, that still leaves a fair number of waking hours. If the weather isn't cold and it's not raining then OK, but what if it's cold and it's been raining all day? Being stuck in a small tent is bearable, but in a hammock?



The non-sleeping, non-riding hours are what pubs are for. It's nothing to do with wanting to experience more pain and misery, just wanting to take the bare minimum in terms of camping equipment. I'm not really planning to do much in the way of cooking (stove and a selection of meals for emergencies), and I'm also not planning to go completely off the beaten track.


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## andym (18 Oct 2010)

vikingcyclist said:


> The non-sleeping, non-riding hours are what pubs are for. It's nothing to do with wanting to experience more pain and misery, just wanting to take the bare minimum in terms of camping equipment. I'm not really planning to do much in the way of cooking (stove and a selection of meals for emergencies), and I'm also not planning to go completely off the beaten track.



I hope it goes well. 

The reason I'm sceptical, is because I once spent 24 hours in torrential rain in a tiny ultralight tent in a campsite miles from anywhere where the only shelter was the toilets. Not fun!


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## greenmark (21 Oct 2010)

I've seen one of these things in action - out wild camping next to a swimming hole in a river near Taipei. It wasn't raining at the time, but he hammock seemed quite versatile. He had lowered the hammock so he could sit sideways on it and use it as a chair with his feet on the ground. While sitting on it he was busy preparing a BBQ on the ground. All of this while sitting underneath the main covering - so he probably would have been able to sit down like that for a while even if it were raining.

I didn't watch him when he pulled up the hammock up horizontally so that he could lie down, so I can't really comment on how it would work for sleeping.


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## andrew_s (22 Oct 2010)

andym said:


> vikingcyclist said:
> 
> 
> > The non-sleeping, non-riding hours are what pubs are for. It's nothing to do with wanting to experience more pain and misery, just wanting to take the bare minimum in terms of camping equipment. I'm not really planning to do much in the way of cooking (stove and a selection of meals for emergencies), and I'm also not planning to go completely off the beaten track.
> ...


I once spent 24h in torrential rain and high wind camped in the field attached to a pub. Get changed to do 100m between tent and pub, indoor clothes in drybag, quick dash, change back in the loos.
Even spending as long as the opening hours would allow in the pub, I wouldn't have liked to not have a proper tent to retreat to for the rest of the day. Not cheap, spending that long in a pub either.


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## bigjim (25 Oct 2010)

> I once spent 24h in torrential rain and high wind camped in the field


I could not do that. I'd have wimped out and found a B&B or gone home. there is only so much suffering I will put up with.


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## chrishodges (1 Nov 2010)

Depending on what you need it for I used the vango spectre 300: http://www.fieldandtrek.com/vango-spectre-300-tent-783120?src=google for 2 of us and it was plenty big enough, very lightweight and easy to carry.

I would recommend it to anyone.

Chrus


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## Ticktockmy (2 Nov 2010)

In the right location the Tarp and hammock are great, the only problems I every had with them was if you dont make sure the tarp is covering the surporting cord of the hammock, then in Heavy rain the, the rain can run down the ropes into the Hammock, and you get a tad wet. which can be a tad annoying, to say the least.


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## chrishodges (2 Nov 2010)

I used the Vango Spectre 300 with 2 others, for a fair few consecutive nights of torrential rain and everything including all kit stayed perfectly dry.
Probably more suited to 2 people and kit, but I would recommend them to anyone!

http://www.theoutdoorshop.com/showPart.asp?part=PN70202


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## greenmark (3 Nov 2010)

Stumbled upon this on the net yesterday. Personally it seems a bit like a solution in search of a problem...

http://www.slipperybrick.com/2009/12/bike-tent-ride-a-bike-pitch-a-tent/


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## andrew_s (3 Nov 2010)

That's the sort of idea that surfaces about every 10 years, after the previous attempt has been forgotten (like puncture proof foam tyres).


a) you can't use your bike to go down to the pub, shops or whatever
b) it's not very weatherproof - OK if the bike is at the downwind end, but you'll get damp if the wind swings round.
c) small & cramped, no under cover storage or cooking space
d) it's no lighter than a decent proper tent


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## coddy (3 Nov 2010)

If I am going posh, I'll take the £300 Terra Nova Solar 2.2 with it's two sizeable porches. If I am slumming it, it's out with the £17 Argos Pro-Action 1 man tent in glorious orange.

I like them both. The two porches are very handy on the Solar 2.2 and the green fly sheet helps in stealth mode. The Argos pro-action is perfectly alright for the job though, apart from the "I am here" colour scheme. The poles are shorter and can be stored vertical in an ortlieb rear pannier. I have modified the Pro-Action and it weighs about 1.6kg and packs down smaller compared to 2.1kg with the Solar 2.2. Looking back I wouldn't have bought the Terra Nova if I knew I'd be happy with the Pro-Action at a fraction of the cost.

My personal criteria in tent selection is:

1. comfort - need a good nights sleep
2. strength and shelter - needs to stand up to the unexpected 
3. storage space - room inside the tent for the panniers
4. pack size - needs to be small if using just two rear panniers although can go on the rack top
5. Midge/mosquito barrier - they like biting me for some reason
5. Weight - why carry more. 
6. Price - why pay more.
7. Cooking - space to cook in relative safety if the weather is poor

Would I but a Hennessy hammock? 

No

Why not? 

I'd rather buy a tent for less money and just a bit more weight which would provide far more shelter especially in UK conditions. I would want to be able to pitch in most places and have the ability to put my cycling gear inside. In my opinion the Hennessy just wouldn't be suitable for populated places and camp sites and unfavourable weather conditions can be found in most places around the world.


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## HelenD123 (3 Nov 2010)

coddy said:


> If I am going posh, I'll take the £300 Terra Nova Solar 2.2 with it's two sizeable porches. If I am slumming it, it's out with the £17 Argos Pro-Action 1 man tent in glorious orange.



You have exactly the same tents as me! The Pro-Action is fine for a night or two but any longer and I really appreciate the extra space and the porches on the Terra Nova.


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## furball (4 Nov 2010)

[QUOTE 1220293"]
Hammocks are great. All this nonsense about not finding trees, the point of a hammock is the convenience for wild camping. Is anyone seriously suggesting that anywhere in the UK you are more than a handful of miles from two trees 10 feet apart ?
[/quote]

Have you been to Shetland?


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## Riverman (4 Nov 2010)

Would be an odd experience if you dropped some cookies in the hammock, fell asleep and had a close encounter with a bear during the night.


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## coddy (4 Nov 2010)

HelenD123 said:


> You have exactly the same tents as me! The Pro-Action is fine for a night or two but any longer and I really appreciate the extra space and the porches on the Terra Nova.




Wow. That's a co-incidence, Helen. Guess what.... I've also got a Dawes Ultra Galaxy.


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## Franckster (6 Nov 2010)

We've been using a Wild Country Duolite Tourer for the last few years. I'd recommend it. It's a two man tent with a big porch area and reasonably lightweight at around 3kg. That said, we're planning to get a Hilleberg Nallo 3GT for next years shenanigans in France. Outrageously expensive but much bigger (a three man) and in fact slightly lighter! Comes in at a featherlike 2.8kg I believe. Very easy to pitch and quality is excellent. On the price issue, I know many people who are buying caravans and motor homes. This is my version of the outdoor life and at £600 it's far cheaper than theirs.
Both of these tents are on YouTube if you care to view.
Have also got two Hewitt Cheviott SEs on order! It's going to be a blast...


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## andym (7 Nov 2010)

Maybe if you have a tent that weighs 3 kg 2.8kgs seems like featherlite but to anyone else it's heavy.

But definitely lighter than a caravan.


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## slowdown (7 Nov 2010)

I found the Hilleberg Nallo 3GT had excellent build quality and was very quick to put up / take down.
I did find however, that the claimed weight was inaccurate, and the lightest I found after weighing 3 in a shop was 3.1kg. It was also very noisy in medium strength winds,however well pitched, which seems to be a common problem.
I have now sold it and have 2 Terra Nova tents - a standard Laser for single traveling, and a Solar 2.2 for more comfort or together with partner and couldn't be happier.
One tent which doesn't get mentioned very often is the new Vango Force Ten Nitro 200+, it has an accurate weight of 2.25kg, and a vestibule similar in size tl the Nallo 2GT, allowing to get the bike in the porch after removing the front wheel...if only it wasn't orange inside I would have gone for one.


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## Franckster (7 Nov 2010)

andym said:


> Maybe if you have a tent that weighs 3 kg 2.8kgs seems like featherlite but to anyone else it's heavy.
> 
> But definitely lighter than a caravan.



Ha ha, yeah I guess you're right. However, those of us that manage to get our wives to come with us on these adventures are lucky and few and far between. I wouldn't want to jinx my luck by announcing that from now on we're going to be sleeping beneath a tarp! She's do her fruit!


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## Franckster (7 Nov 2010)

slowdown said:


> I found the Hilleberg Nallo 3GT had excellent build quality and was very quick to put up / take down.
> I did find however, that the claimed weight was inaccurate, and the lightest I found after weighing 3 in a shop was 3.1kg. It was also very noisy in medium strength winds,however well pitched, which seems to be a common problem.
> I have now sold it and have 2 Terra Nova tents - a standard Laser for single traveling, and a Solar 2.2 for more comfort or together with partner and couldn't be happier.
> One tent which doesn't get mentioned very often is the new Vango Force Ten Nitro 200+, it has an accurate weight of 2.25kg, and a vestibule similar in size tl the Nallo 2GT, allowing to get the bike in the porch after removing the front wheel...if only it wasn't orange inside I would have gone for one.



Interesting. Thanks for that. You're not the only one who has commented on the noise that the Hilleberg Nallo makes in moderate winds. As I had set my heart on one of these, I've started a new topic on it to invite other owners to share their experiences before taking the plunge.


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