Tents

The Helio is an excellent choice. I recently used mine on a motorcycle trip down to Lake Eland. My wife and I are both small so space is really not a factor. Over Easter I used it as a one man tent on a 4 day hike up Giant's pass and down Langalibalele. It is a spacious and warm tent. If you look at the floor layout of other options such as different Vango models and even MSR (very expensive), my conclusion was that the Helio offers the best usable floor space. The design of the pole structure makes pitching this tent really easy.

Hi Guys,

im a hiking newbie here.
I am planning to my first multi day hike in June 2021.
first thing I got is the tent >>  K-Way Expedition Series Kilimanjaro 2 Person Tent  www.capeunionmart.co.za/products/k-way-expedition-series-kilimanjaro-2-person-tent/108748-8607.html .

I have not seeen a lot of reviews about the tent, and just wanted to know what anyone else who has used it thinks about?

thanks,
L

Hi the First Ascent Helio is a great 4 season tent. relatively light at 2.45 kilos .It is about 2600 .Good for Berg hiking . sleeps 2

Hello! 

Would a trekking pole tent be suitable for most hikes? I know the learning curve is a bit steeper but the price and weight seems worth it. I have next to no experience on the ground conditions around the Drakensberg. Right now it's between the Lanshan 2 or a 3ful/naturehike dome. We are from Gauteng and a Kruger hike is on the cards one day as well. Just worried that if we must backpack somewhere and we have to pitch in soft sand or unsuitable ground an A frame won't work. 

Hi Dieter,

I have a couple of trekking pole tents. I have Pyramid tents ("mids").  I can fully endorse them for the Drakensberg.  Mid's are very storm worthy, due to their geometry, and the strength of the trekking pole(s). They can be pitched with either one or two trekking poles (two poles is in an inverted "V"), and at variable heights depending on conditions.  They are also very light, especially if you are a trekking pole user.  A mid with an inner tent means you have a double wall shelter often weighing under a kilogram. The small downsides are they are not freestanding, and the footprint of a mid is usually larger than the equivalent freestanding tent. (Many so called freestanding tents need to be staked out at the vestibules, anyway).  Also mids typically have one door, which is a downside if you are two people sharing a tent.  Below is my trusty mid.

There is a company in the Ukraine called Liteway that is making reasonably priced Pyramid tents.  These mids even have 2 x doors. liteway.equipment

That looks brilliant! They have some really nice stuff and would dig to own some DCF one day   I have read up a bit and the pyramid seems to be the ideal shape for wind! The one I am looking at is an A-frame though but your points are still valid. Even some of the lightweight freestanding tents aren't that freestanding, without some rocks or decent ground they aren't that structurally sound. I'm not looking at dropping too much on a tent just yet. It will probably be from aliexpress and is between that 3ful Lanshan 2 and the Naturehike Vik 2 (Naturehike Africa only brings in the 1p). The Lanshan is double walled and has 2 entrances which will be great! For around 2000 (before tax which may end up being negligible) it seems like a no brainer...? 

Hi Dieter, the Lanshan looks a lot of tent for the money. Let us know how it goes ordering from AliExpress and how long it takes to get here.

Chris

I would be happy with just a tarp to feel like i'm really outside, but my wife has made it clear she won't sleep with the goggas   I got my pack from Aliexpress (www.3fultralight.com/product/3f-ul-gear-qi-dian-backpack-ultralight-camping-pack-travel-backpacking-4610l/) Was just over 1000 landed and I love it! Rona has stuffed up shipping a bit so not all the stores are viable anymore. 

@Intrepid, that's a great fast and light set-up.  What are the limits of its weather-worthiness? Would you, for example, take it into a summer Drakensberg thunderstorm?  I guess you can increase its waterproofness by the choice of bivy or inner tent (semi-solid inner with higher bathtub floor, perhaps)--just wondering what the tarp/outer tent would stand up to?

Perhaps you can experiment and report back