Hilleberg Nallo 2

>there is a rear guy line that attaches to the outer tent just above the rear zipper

I have added this modification myself (mainly to try and increase ventilation), but the inner of our Nallo still touches the fly. Because the tent is several years old AND I have made modifications to it, I don't think Hilleberg would want to touch it!

Anyway Charles, it *may* be possible to sleep in this tent with you head against the front door and a prayer that you don't slip down in the night, but I still think it's reasonable to point out to a prospective buyer that the useable floor length is somewhat shorter than would appear based on square feet alone. Thus there is a greater chance of your bag touching the end of the tent and wetting out. Knowing in advance simply allows you to place stuff sacks or packs or rain jacket down there so it won't happen.

I live in coastal BC, among the wettest regions on the planet and have spent most of my 50+ years of wilderness time in various regions of BC. I have used a LOT of gear and have a simple rule, which is that, for dampish conditions, when using down bags as I much prefer to, I just use one with a wpb shell, in a tent or not.

I do not have a Nallo, do not intend to get one as I have enough tentage now for the rest of my life, but, if I were concerned about a "wet out" of a bag by touching my tent, I would just go with the above. I used my Feathered Friends ultralight bag and Bibler Solo Dome from 1989 to 2007 and never found a problem, except it was just TOO confining for any longer trips.

It is hard to find the light tent with lots of space that we all want, but, a Nallo is a fine option and the wpb shell will deal with the problem at issue.

Dewey, do you mean a "bivy bag", or a bag made with WPB? I agree 100% with the first option, strongly don't like the second option!

I never leave home without a bivy bag…it's just that, like you I find them confining, so would rather not use one if the conditions don't warrant it. This is especially true in the Nallo as it is a warm tent, but at least I have the option of placing it over just the foot of the bag when in the Nallo. A rain jacket would work just as well provided it wasn't already soaked from wearing it all day.

I mean wpb shelled bags, which I have used here for 30+ years in every month and found just excellent. I have never had a problem with one, in severe cold or warm, wet conditions and this is using it for weeks on end without a break.

I think that depending on using a rain jacket to "jury rig" something is false security as it MAY WELL be soaking wet and, here at this time of year, getting wet without a heat source can/will kill you, real fast.

I DO often use a "microfibre" shelled bag, my WM Alpenlite or Valandre Shocking Blue, but, for serious trips, I use a custom Integral Designs Himalayan Overfill that has an Endurance shell and I have had this runnig with H20 and yet was comfortable on that four day trip in April, 2004…when it is 70*F in the daytime and below freezing at night.

I do not use a bivy bag inside a tent as I have done and found that it feels too clammy for me, but, any of my wpb bags have given me " yeoman service" in that application.

Interesting…different strokes and all.

I agree having to jury rig is not a perfect option as when things get really wet, everything gets wet, and putting a wet rainjacket over the foot of a bag is not a good idea!

I could never get WPB shelled bags to work for me. Although the shell kept the water from soaking through when I was IN the bag, I had BIG problems with packing up the bag and having the water that WAS on the outside of the shell seep through into the down and kill the loft over a short period of time. How do you circumvent this if you don't get a chance to dry the bag out between use?

This is looking like a new topic…

The shell needs to be seamsealed and then no H20 seeps into your down, IF, this is done correctly. I use my towel to wipe off any outer moisture and then am careful how I pack my bag, so far, this has worked well for me.

My Integral Designs bag, among the finest (and most costly) bags available, is shelled with Endurance and the seams are triple sealed with a water-based goop, a laborious pita task, BUT, it is H20 proof under very severe conditions and, with a VBL, works like a hot damm in the winter.

The only real problem with a wpb shell is extra weight and considerably more difficulty in stuffing your bag…on a -20*F morning, this can be a major cuss motivator!

However, I had many miserable nights winter camping with supposedly top notch down bags from Europe, USA, UK, Canada and your own "Fairydown" during the '60s and '70s until I discovered the original Marmot Mtn. Works of Grand Junction, CO. and bought my first Gore-Tex and down bag custom built for me by Eric Reynolds the manager.

I used this hard for 21 years and it was still like new when it was stolen…the synthetics I tried at that time were heavy and too bulky to carry in most packs, so, I finally had found a winter down bag that really worked and I am an advocate of wpb bags, GOOD ones, properly used.

Ever tried turning it inside out to stuff it? I find this works great with my Dryloft shelled bags.

Rod

>I had many miserable nights winter camping with supposedly top notch down bags from Europe, USA, UK, Canada and your own "Fairydown"

Haha, I make no claim of ownership in Fairydown, and agree both them and MacPac used relatively low quality down until very recently. There was a company that made very high quality down bags and garments called J&H Wilderness, but they no longer make bags and have changed their name and gone pretty commercial. I got my first and only DryLoft bag from them, and found that, without my body heat to drive the moisture away from the down when packed, the moisture on the outer shell actaully diffused back through the fabric (not the seams) if it got hotter on the outside than the inside of the stuffed bag.

Anyway, I'm a devotee of Western Mountainnering now, and have been for 20 years or so. Best and lightest bags I've ever used. Adding a separate bivy bag adds a mere 180 grams and increases the flexibility of my sleep system a tremendous amount while allowing me to pack a damp bivy bag separately to my precious down. It makes me a happy camper!