Cheap tent?

[Heltor Chasca]

I have found over the years we have downsized the tents. Setting up these monumental space stations is knackering and spoils the fun before it starts.

 

[Blue Hills]

@amasidlover

Wandered back this way.

Any impressions of that tent?

 

[amasidlover]

Only had it up in the garden so far due to lack of opportunity; first trip next weekend though...

From putting it up in the garden; it seems well made, its nice and dark inside, there is a decent amount of space at the head end for two, but a bit tight at the feet end, packs very small and light, would have preferred and 'outer' first pitch but you can't have everything at that price.

 

[Blue Hills]

Had a cheap tent from Millets back in the day - survived many an Interail adventure.

you used a tent on youthful interail? Luxury I tell you! I slept in stations, on pavements, Parisian roundabouts frequented by prostitutes, Viennese woods in a bag with no cover.

 

[Blue Hills]

That is not a cheap tent - I have spent many bikepacking in a tent that was brand new for £15.

View attachment 427716

HH is only 2000, so best for the dryer trips, but at 1.5kg it is not a heavyweight. I tend to chose this often over my bigger more expensive tents, but you need to treat it carefully.

what is it? Not the fabled Argos wonder on knock-off by any chance?

 

[Blue Hills]

That's a right pretty tent.

As they would say, down t' Ozarks.

mm - if ever get to the Ozarks on my bike camping trips will make sure I take an ugly non enticing tent. Never can be too careful.

 

[Blue Hills]

Only had it up in the garden so far due to lack of opportunity; first trip next weekend though...

From putting it up in the garden; it seems well made, its nice and dark inside, there is a decent amount of space at the head end for two, but a bit tight at the feet end, packs very small and light, would have preferred and 'outer' first pitch but you can't have everything at that price.
View attachment 468160 View attachment 468161 View attachment 468162

Thanks amasidlover - seems my post was timely.
Look forward to the in-action report.
More thoughts/questions.
One question for now - can I ask how easy it was to put up in your garden test?
How many pegs (roughly) do you need?
How much did you pay? Mountain Warehouse pricing is more flexible than PlanetX.
On it being inner first I wouldn't fret too much. My favourite tent is inner first - and I believe stats show that it is surprisingly rare to have to actually put the tent up in rain.

As you can maybe tell I am starting to tempt myself with the thing - and I particularly like the stealth colour.

Oh another thing -your pics implied that you are planning to use it with two people. Would the three person model be more suitable?

 

[amasidlover]

Thanks amasidlover - seems my post was timely.
Look forward to the in-action report.
More thoughts/questions.
One question for now - can I ask how easy it was to put up in your garden test?

It was straightforward enough the aluminium poles took a bit more persuading than the fibreglass ones on my Decathlon tent - but I'd been expecting that and apparently they do get easier as metal poles age.

How many pegs (roughly) do you need?

Can't recall I'm afraid - will try and remember to count next weekend!

How much did you pay? Mountain Warehouse pricing is more flexible than PlanetX.

It was £50

On it being inner first I wouldn't fret too much. My favourite tent is inner first - and I believe stats show that it is surprisingly rare to have to actually put the tent up in rain.

As you can maybe tell I am starting to tempt myself with the thing - and I particularly like the stealth colour.

Oh another thing -your pics implied that you are planning to use it with two people. Would the three person model be more suitable?

I think it will be down to you and your tent mate - if you both sleep reasonably still and are not light sleepers it should be fine. But having said that if I was going on a trip where weight wasn't an issue then I'll be taking the Decathlon 3 person tent (which weighs an extra 2kg).

 

[Milkfloat]

what is it? Not the fabled Argos wonder on knock-off by any chance?

A Yellowstone Matterhorn, I am not sure they still sell it.

 

[Gravity Aided]

mm - if ever get to the Ozarks on my bike camping trips will make sure I take an ugly non enticing tent. Never can be too careful.

Probably best.
I might give the Ozarks a miss, myself. There was a time when I traveled all over the place down yonder, working advertising product research while in Uni. You meet a lot of interesting characters down there, but a couple of decades of drugs and poverty's' influence on some have not made it idyllic. Tread lightly.

 

[Siimo]

Recently bought a Eurohike DLX2 after reading a couple of reccomendations on other cycle blogs/sites. It's not sophisticated but went together and seems fine even after a night of intermittent rain and fits neatly on top of my rear rack/under saddle with minimal overhang (although I will have to find an alternative location for my rear light as normally attaches to saddle). They had a massive sale of everything so it was half price too. I would say that although it's advertised as a 2-man tent it would be very cramped for two adults, and does require crawling to get through the outer door (which is not so easy to unzip one-handed either). I expect that there are lighter ones for more money but it's not inordinately heavy at just under 3kg.

 

[Blue Hills]

Just under 3kg sounds fine to me if you like the tent.
Can't you put the rear light on the back of your rack, just checking that your luggage doesn't overhang it?
I like to have two rears, especially when touring, and as i can't use my normal seatpack light due to my ton of stuff i use a second rear clipped to a bum bag.

 

[bygone era]

you used a tent on youthful interail? Luxury I tell you! I slept in stations, on pavements, Parisian roundabouts frequented by prostitutes, Viennese woods in a bag with no cover.

I did the interrail back in the late 70s early 80s I slept on the luggage rack in the passage way of a train slept outside in a container in Norway in sept bloomin freezing but great experience

 

[R25]

Recently bought a Eurohike DLX2 after reading a couple of reccomendations on other cycle blogs/sites. It's not sophisticated but went together and seems fine even after a night of intermittent rain and fits neatly on top of my rear rack/under saddle with minimal overhang (although I will have to find an alternative location for my rear light as normally attaches to saddle). They had a massive sale of everything so it was half price too. I would say that although it's advertised as a 2-man tent it would be very cramped for two adults, and does require crawling to get through the outer door (which is not so easy to unzip one-handed either). I expect that there are lighter ones for more money but it's not inordinately heavy at just under 3kg.

Has anyone considered a Tarp for touring?. The DD Hammocks Tarp is 3m x 3m, weighs around 800g,has plenty of pegging points and is a palace for 2 with rucksacks or panniers. They even give you a CD to show configurations, I paid around £37 Inc Post. Find them on backpackinglight. com.

 

[Heltor Chasca]

Has anyone considered a Tarp for touring?. The DD Hammocks Tarp is 3m x 3m, weighs around 800g,has plenty of pegging points and is a palace for 2 with rucksacks or panniers. They even give you a CD to show configurations, I paid around £37 Inc Post. Find them on backpackinglight. com.

I have used one with a bivvy on a very wet 3 night 4 day tour.

It was...damp

Great in the dry when it stays in my luggage and I just kip in my bivvy. Fills a gap in a pointy place where nothing else fits.