Tents
Can anyone recommend a good 2 - 3 man hiking tent for the Berg? You know all the usual specs, lightweight, waterproof, double seal etc etc. Not going to be hitting the Himalayas or Antarctic any time so don't want to spend much more than about R6K. Something like one of those old Challengers from Outdoor Warehouse, or a Cadac Isodome (but really struggling to find one at the moment). The K-way Makalu seems a reasonable product, but I'm a bit wary of K-way, anyone got one who can advise based on personal experience?
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It has a snow flap, entrances on both sides, tassels with eyelets to roll up either / both sides of your flaps. Duraluminium poles, snap together easily. 2 air vents on top. Lamp holder + map / book holder inside. 2 ropes available to secure tent in event of strong wind. I've noticed that with lamp on at night, tent is barely visible from a couple dozen metres away.
Only one small issue : 2 men and full bags at feet and it becomes a touch cramped for space.
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I have used or know that the following tents are used successfully in the Berg:
North Face Merlin, North Face Tadpole, MSR Hubba, Kway Treklite, Kway Makalu, e3 Eclipse, the old Sunseeker Isodomes and various technical models of Vaude and Ferrino (the exact models of which I don't recall).
I think that most technical tents available in South Africa will see you through 95% of Berg weather (my opinion). There will be times where some of them will not handle extreme winds, snow blizzards, hard hail or cloud bursts that well (where you start to get worried but you survive in the end), and in some cases they may even fail totally (ripping or soaking through).
Not all of the tents I've mentioned above are actually meant for absolutely anything the Berg can throw at them. While 3 season tents are fine all year round in the Berg (in terms of insulation and webbing of inner tents), I have heard unsubstantiated reports of even MSR Hubbas being ripped in strong winds.
Some of the considerations I have when buying tents are a strong wind resistance (shape, material and poles), that the fly sheet goes all the way to the ground (or at least snow flaps), and that the gap between the fly sheet and the inner tent is big and sturdy enough that the inner does not keep touching the outer due to flapping. This is where I have seen many tents fall short.
I have been considering Black Diamond and Mountain Hardwear tents, since some of their models are not an overkill (like being designed for Everest), but are reasonably affordable, lightweight and can handle the most extreme Berg conditions with ease. I don't have any experience with them, but if those models fit your budget they are worth looking into.
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
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Very happy with it so far...Google it and read the specs. I'd go so far as to say it comes close to the Nallo that Intrepid uses (- if ANYTHING can in fact come close to a Hilleberg), as far as design goes.
Nice thing is you can pitch it 'fly only' / 'fly first, then inner' / 'inner only' / 'as one unit'.
Very clever little design features added like two way zipping on all zips, vents can open all together; or just netting etc etc. nice space between inner and outer.
From experience, I wouldn't touch K-way again - If only for their copied designs from better brands

Fatshark, A mate of mine still has one or two 'new' Cadac Isodome 2's if you're keen?
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Never heard of that brand before Mike,interesting...it is quite similar to the Nallo. I actually have the Nallo GT, which has an extended vestibule, roughly 2/3rds of the length of the sleeping area.I've got an Xped Sirius...friend of mine brought it over for me when the rand was weak; last year.
Very happy with it so far...Google it and read the specs. I'd go so far as to say it comes close to the Nallo that Intrepid uses (- if ANYTHING can in fact come close to a Hilleberg), as far as design goes.
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
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Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
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Here is a brochure for the xped sirius.
I am in australia for a while, and saw one of these in the local hiking shop. I don't have it yet, i usually use an isodome, but this is lighter, and i like the idea of putting up the inner first.
Karl
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Yesterday I pitched a 2-man Marmot Zonda to test. It’s impressive, with a reasonable vestibule and its maximum weight is only 2kg! While it is a 3 season tent, without some of the hardier features, it’s probably great for October-May, and for mild winter conditions, in the Berg. It is reputedly tougher than the MSR Hubba series because the material actually allows for some stretching. Will hopefully be using it in the Canadian Rockies in 2 weeks time.
Take nothing but litter, leave nothing but a cleaner Drakensberg.
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