Tent Philo

[john seward]

I recently acquired a GoLight Hex tent and am partly wishing I'd held out for one of the "Tipi" styles made by Kifaru or Titanium Goat. Their smaller models are about 60% or so bigger than Hex and still only a few pounds or so.

The Hex is fine; works as advertised.

I bought the Hex after 20 or so weekends using Integral Designs SilShelter when going solo, minus a few nights with MSR Twin Peaks and the (discontinued) Mt Hardwear Batwing 2. The small size of SilShelter seemed like an unnecessary discomfort, given than mostly I wasn't even backpacking.

I haven't had bug troubles this year and have camped exclusively in NY Catskills & surrounding region. That said, I'm very leery of using these tarp shelters in summer alpine mosquito country, and last time I went, took my miserable mini-bivvy tent, the discountinued Sierra Designs Divine Light, circa 1989. It's very light and though I don't really like sleeping in tiny spaces, one can manage for a while if needed.

I would consider taking Hex and headnet in some areas. I think it would be heckish in summer coastal marshes or similar. Excellent for three-seasons including good enough for winter if not winter alpine.

[b d]

I am new to UL gear, pretty much. You have to try it out and calculate before you buy what your use is going to be and then read everything here you can find on the topic or specific piece of gear before you buy. Otherwise, like I have done many times, you have to figure you may need another piece of gear sooner rather than later to replace the one you just bought.

[john seward]

I've owned eight backpacking tents including two small domes (SD, NF) a Eureka four-pole dome, a K-mart puptent and a bunch of tarps & tarp shelters. Currently I have my eye on Golight pup-tent with zippered door, as well as a Kifaru six-man tipee with stove.

[E. Smith]

I own a fair bit of gear from a company called 'Outer Limits', the lightweight division of OzTrail. Their 'Backpacker' tent is excellent, 230cm long by 160cm wide and 105cm high – and only 2kg. It is a double-wall design for 2 people and has peak ventilation as well as front and rear exits + a decent front vestibule. I swear by it – its done me very well over the few years I've had it. Check it out at http://www.outer-limits.com.au

My alternative accomodation on the trail [for good weather] is an outer limits hiker fly; 11.5ft x 6.8ft, and 1.3lb. I like the room it gives me to cook, stow my pack, and generally not give a d@mn about running out of space.

[Author]

Posts