Tents

Thanks all for the responses - you made me think of stuff I'd never considered!

I own the Marmot Zonda, very light weight for me to pack.

My Isotek Isodome of 13 years is on its death bed. A pity, as it is such a great tent. It has survived multiple hail storms(even golf ball sized), gale force winds and heavy rain.

I am really sad that they arent around anymore, I would buy a new one in a heartbeat.

Anyway, I am now faced with buying a new tent. Ideally a 3-man. I am not keen on anything from kway, but there dont seem to be any shops around that have anything else. Due South stock north face, but only 1 type, and it doesnt meet my spec.

So I guess I am left with shipping one in myself.

Some good suggestions here, but I havent seen mention of possibilities I have seen elsewhere.
Namely, e3 Escape and North Face Rock 32.

1. Are those two any good?
2. And where is a good place to buy tents online?

Hello,

I've owned & used various tents in various conditions. Also sat in a Hilleberg Nallo (GT2 I think is the name of the one with the huge extended porch) when it came down on Helvellyn due to strong winds.

The Hillebergs are exceptionally light for their size and very well engineered and manufactured. However, even though it withstand extreme conditions it is not so good at withstanding general abuse (i.e. jumping on it to force it into the rucksack etc). Generally speaking, if you want a expedition class (or high mountain tent) tent you will have to fork out. 3kg seems to be the magical mark, the moment an expedition class tent ditches under 3kg the price rockets upwards. also above 3kg the weight in your rucksack becomes akward. For serious wind-conditions you have to have a full geodesic design. That said, I've sat out 160 + km/h winds on the Cairngorms in a tunnel tent (the classic TNF Westwind, for wich there is no replacement of the same specs and you can't find it anymore). At that speed the wind picks up small rocks & stones.

Expedition class tents are usually very strong, lightweight etc. BUT, the groundsheet has got a relatively low hydrostatic head, as these are usually used on high mountains where any moisture wil freeze and remain frozen. In this class you look at some MSR tents, Hilleberg (like the Jannu at 535 GBP), Crux (The X2 bomb is a monster!) and a few others like ferrino.

I have a ferrino svalbard. Ferrino's are generally very good in snow conditions. One interresting fact is that small low tents, like my MSR microzoid, are exeptionally good in winds, since they are so low (±0.5m high) they withstand very strong winds even though one wouldn't expect it.

In essence, any tent will see you through, as long as you choose your site carefull according to your tent's abilities. It is a matter of how much you want to pay and how heavy you want to carry. Look at the prevailing wind-conditions, pitch accordingly. If strong winds are expected build a horseshoe-shaped wall ± 0.5m high on the wind side of your tent with biggish rocks. The wall must have lots of holes (The wind must be able to pass through this wall, something about slowing the wind down and the difference in airpressure both sides of the wall that makes this very effective) and this will see you through winds way above the tent's specification.

To make your life easier, look for a tent that picthes outer (flysheet) first. The Hilleberg Nallo 2/Nallo2 GT and the Crux storm and Crux bomb are both of this type. The Hilleberg in fact can also pitch all-at-once. If a tent pitches outer first, it is not such a wet and messy affair to pitch whilst it is raining, as the inner can remain dry.

In SA your choice of high mountain tents are limited. The isodome had a strong following because of it's quality. It's weight and practicality compared to other tents left much to be desired. But it worked and it used to be the Hilux of mountaineering tents. The Eclipse, E3 and the likes are not bad considering their price, but don't expect them to be as bomb proof as the isodome for instance. Though you can buy two or three of them for the price of the Crux and Hillebergs etc, so they need not really have to last that long. That would be my choice of tent. It will see you through and won't break the bank.

Seven summits in Cavendish (or mountain mail order for that matter) sells good tents at respectable prices. Drifters are way too expensive, I find that I can import the same , similar or better equipment from US and UK shops at better prices even if taking import tax into account. www.ultimateoutdoors.co.uk ship to SA.

Hope that helps

I've got the K-way Treklite, pitched here on the Trojan wall in a near gale. It weighs just over 2kg and so far very happy with it. Bought it 2 years ago for R850, but I see the price has gone up to R1500!

Scag

I posted a thread late last year about me looking for a set of poles for my Isodome. I'm not sure if your's is two or three man since you say Isotek Isodome 0 according to methe ISodome was three man and teh Isodome two man? Since your tent is finished - can I take over your poles if you have the three man? Are they aluminium?

For those interested, have a look at this site:

www.findmeatent.com/

American Parks have a "visual pollution" policy, therefore you will find a lot of the tents from the States or those popular in the States (i.e. Hilleberg) are typically in green or dark colours. High mountain tents tend to be of very bright colours to make rescues a little easier.

Compare the seems, stitching and attachment devices of the K-way range to the Isodome and you will quickly see why the Isodome was so bombproof. The K-way tents are all manufactured in China or somewhere similar. As long as one knows this, it just require some extra care and attention and you should be fine...

@BergAttie, I'm soon going to order some poles from the UK. DAC featherlite. Please send me the dimensions (total length of each pole + diameter) I also think using DAC poles you can downscale 1 mm in diameter as the quality of the DAC poles are vastly superior to the poles used for the Isotek/Isodome which used a fairly standard alloy to keep costs down.) a photograph of the pole ends will also be appriciated to simplify matters.

BergAttie wrote:

Scag

I posted a thread late last year about me looking for a set of poles for my Isodome. I'm not sure if your's is two or three man since you say Isotek Isodome 0 according to methe ISodome was three man and teh Isodome two man? Since your tent is finished - can I take over your poles if you have the three man? Are they aluminium?

I have the 3 man Isodome.

My flysheet pole is bent through 90 degrees (part of the reason for wanting a new tent). I have tried unsuccessfully to get a new pole made (in this country). The pole got hit by golf ball sized hail under gale force conditions while camped at Midmar dam.

For the record, my isodome was the only tent left standing . An amazing thing with igloo type designs is that no matter what the wind, it doesnt look like there is even a breeze blowing on the thing. I laugh at camping tents which always have a silly little roof which acts like a yacht spinnaker under breeze!

For those of you wondering about e3.

I have an e3 Endurance 2. It's a 3-season two-man tent with a pretty large vestibule. At under R3k and at 3kg's it's an reasonable prospect.

It probably won't stand the extreme Berg conditions, but I've had it on the edge of the Trojan wall with a pretty severe wind coming from Lesotho without a worry, and also survived rainy nights without getting wet. I.m.o. by far the best tent at its price.

Also very fast to pitch, and quite spacious (2 people with rucksacks at their feet - no worries).

It's on the photo plouw posted, except that darn K-way is in the way ;p

Scag

Seems like we have exactly the same problem. Between the two of us we have a very good tent! Fully agree with Isodomes wind hadnling pedigree - I've camped on shark Island at Luderitz with tents blowing into the see while the Isodome stood like it was casted in concrete!

So Scag - what do you say? One of us buy a new tent and the other buy an Isodome with a broken fly pole?

Phone me at 083 4170042 if interested or else post your phone number.

I'll be in Spain next week and will be shopping for a fly pole there - if I get lucky should I get you one?