Tents

Hi All,

Looking at buying a three man tent for berg hiking and (light weight) camping.
I have considered these two options:

www.firstascent.co.za/shop/peak-tent/
www.mountainmailorder.co.za/index.php?_a=viewProd&productId=3035

The FA Peak being cheaper, and heavier with a higher waterhead (much like my previous Treklite 3), while the Elixir is more expensive, and lighter with a lower waterhead.
Beyond the weight and price differences, what difference does the fabric and coating make(Polyester - PU/Oxford/DWR vs Nylon-Taffeta)?

Peak:
Flysheet: 210T PU Polyester – Waterhead: 3000mm
Inner: 210T Breathable Polyester
Mesh: Fine no see B3 mesh on doors
Floor: 150D PU Oxford Polyester – Waterhead: 5000mm

Elixir:
Rainfly Fabric 68D ripstop polyester 1500mm Polyurethane & DWR
Canopy Fabric 40D ripstop nylon
Mesh Type 20D nylon micromesh
Floor Fabric 70 taffeta nylon 3000mm Durashield polyurethane & DWR

Has anyone used these tents? What is your opinion?

Thanks in advance,

Errol

Personally I would look at

www.takealot.com/cadac-3-person-adventure-camp-tent/PLID41356618
Not as good as the old iso dome but should do ok.

www.firstascent.co.za/shop/eclipse-tent/
Looks close to the old iso dome

You will gather that the preferred shape is the iso dome...

But certainly get a second opinion!

I haven't used either of these but I am also looking for a new tent. In my opinion the First Ascent is a stronger design in that it has four poles which are all anchored at the ground sheet, and most of the extra weight is in these poles.
None of these will be as strong as the Isodome (or the original geodesic tents; Wild Country and North Face) since the cross over poles are not anchored at a common point.
The MSR comes with a footprint and my experience is that using it protects and increases the life of the ground sheet

JonWells comments about ex factory zipper faults is not a good omen and I think MSR are less likely to allow the same sort of fault with their reputation.

You get what you pay for and I think the MSR will be better value for money in the long term.

I have the Mutha Hubba NX which has a 20D canopy and rainfly, the Elixer is a bit thicker I see. This measurement means it's 20 Denier, or, the definition, "a unit of weight by which the fineness of silk, rayon, or nylon yarn is measured, equal to the weight in grams of 9,000 metres of the yarn and often used to describe the thickness of hosiery" A strange unit of measurement but by contrast the bottom of your back pack is usually 1200 D, and the rest around 200D or so. Oxford is just a weave pattern I wouldn't get worried about that. I use an Oxford polyester as the inside liners on the board bags I make, a 120D. Anyway, if money isn't a consideration, go for the MSR. Probably not the most helpful of posts but the brand has been good to me in their other products by MSR and being owned by Cascade Designs means you'll also get proper help should something go wrong. My Platypus hydration pack developed a leak after more than a year and they replaced it free of charge two months or so ago. ( www.cascadedesigns.com/Brands ) When my tent poles broke on my Mountain Hardware and I wanted to buy new ones, zero help. Something to consider. I've always considered First Ascent a very good brand though, so I am not knocking them at all :) Never easy to make the choice. Good luck.

Taken me a while, but I've made some progress..
900g here, still needs a cover for the poles at the top, and guys, peg attachments etc.

Now, do I leave single skin and stitch the floor directly to the skin, or make a bathtub
floor that can attach/detach, or make a complete mesh/fabric inner that can attach/detach?

Any thoughts welcome please!

Hi all

I am looking at buying a hiking tent for myself and girlfriend to use, mostly in places like Cederberg or Winterhoek in the Cape, but then also in the Berg when i make my way back there. So resistance to big storms is very important, especially as it will also house my very precious other half.

I am looking at Vango's range - either a tunnel tent (zenith) or a freestanding semi-geodesic (mirage). Could someone report on your experience with tunnel tents in general, especially risks as they are not freestanding?

I am sold on the semi-geodesic but decided to open the bid for a tunnel design due to its lower weight and potential to be good in storms (as per some posts on this thread). Have experienced semi-geodesic firsthand in a Kway Nerolite and i can see the Vango Mirage will be bombproof albeit heavier.

Opinions / inputs would be appreciated.

I think your assessment of geodesic vs tunnel tents is correct

Proof of this is the common use of Hilleberg tunnel tents for Antarctic trips. In spite of this geodesic designs are more popular with mountaineers though.

I have 2 top geodesic tents by Black Diamond. One is the older Bibler series which is rated among the strongest tents available and are commonly used in the Alps and Himalaya. What I can say from experience on trips alongside my friend Riaan's Hilleberg tunnel tent is that both tents have withstood the worst weather I have seen in terms of wind and snow with very small difference in performance.

The only 2 identifiable differences are that to achieve the same space / weight ratio my tents are single wall and a bit more prone to condensation issues. This varies depending on the fabric used. I don't find any problems with the heavier Bibler (2 man for 3kg) but my BD Skylite does get condensation in some conditions (2/3 man for 2kg). I find it quite managable and worth the benefits. On the other side of the equation I see that the Hilleberg is strong but very noisy in strong wind and the guy lines need a fair bit of management in a storm. That said it will last forever and the lines can always be fixed.

So as you can see, there are pros and cons for both. I'm happy with my tents but can see that it's a matter of personal preference. Hope this input help you choose.

Looking good there PapaD.....

I would personally go with a lightweight, clip in bath tub floor.

Do you have a vent in the top of the tent?
If not it is going to get a bit "tropical" in there with no ventilation

wookie wrote: Looking good there PapaD.....

I would personally go with a lightweight, clip in bath tub floor.

Do you have a vent in the top of the tent?
If not it is going to get a bit "tropical" in there with no ventilation

Thanks wookie

Floor and single skin?

There is still a "canopy" to come over the top, a la Hilleberg Unna, and the zip is a double slider, so one can open a fair sized portion of the door at the top..