Hilleberg Tent thread

[Franco Darioli]

Tipi,
for some reason you have a talent in finding folk that can't set up a tent (yes I reccomend a freestanding tent to those…) and then post a bad review.
Take a minute to look at the two different set ups on the Notch (SIDE BY SIDE !!!) , one is done correctly the other (from the writer) isn't.
Take a careful look at his added red guylines (again compare with the Notch next to it) and, maybe not you but someone else, will see where the problem lies.
Reminds me of you posting that crappy Contrail set up telling folk what a terrible tent it is when in fact just demonstrated that you don't have a clue or try , on purpose ,to mislead the new ones.

My advice remains the same :
when you see a badly set up tent, ignore the comments.
If you can't tell when a tent is badly set up, buy a freestanding shelter.

BTW , I would be happy to see all of the previous , and this, Tarptent comments transfered to a new thread or just deleted because I think it is bad form to pollute this thread with them, however I don't take cheap shots directed at me all that kindly.

[r m]

I'm 6', I sold my Soulo, I didn't like the shortness. I've kept my Jannu.

Yeah, I can throw a jacket over the toe of bag. Most times I do. But when my jackets wet or muddy, it's not so nice. But probably my bigger problem is that now you have a jacket compressing your footbox in addition to however much I might be pushing against the end of the tent. Of course I can move up head wise, but then I might find the same problem around my head.

(The high bathtub floors make pushing up against the sides more of a big deal, as I mentioned earlier (maybe this thread?) they're condensation magnets. To be honest I'd be happier with a 1" high bathtub floor, I use the jannu either on on snow where moisture management is key, or on off snow where I pick sites that aren't going to turn into giant puddles in the night. I accept that they have high bathtub floors to cover more usage cases, though).

It's annoying, given the large weight penalty for a hilleberg, I'm still cramped. The soulo would have been wonderful if I'd been just a little bit shorter.

The Keron and tarra do appeal to me with the vertical walls. But man they sure aren't light or cheap.

Great tents though, despite my complaining. I just wish more of them were either longer, or I was shorter.

[Doug Smith]

I really wish Hilleberg went back to making a Keron 2. I know they did at one point, I've seen photos of it. I understand that they probably intended either the Kaitum or Nammatj to replace it in the 2-person size, but it really would be nice for someone who wanted the size of a 2-person to have the full-length ceiling of the Keron. Don't get me wrong, I'm not a sloping wall hater. In fact I sleep head-first in both my Nammatj and Jannu. I like the cozier feeling of my head further from the door, and since I'm only 5'10", I haven't run into length problems.

For me the nice thing about the Keron 2 would be the full length headroom for lounging around in. My Tarra is a very similar size, but a Keron 2 would shave about 1.5 to 2 lbs off the weight and be a smaller pack size. With the Nammatj 2 already sharing so many of the same components, ramping up Keron 2 production would be a breeze.

[Tipi Walter]

R M—
I like your post and it reflects in a way what I've been saying. You mention the shortness of the Soulo and having to sometimes use a jacket over the bag foot but sometimes the jacket is muddy or wet. So true.

And one time I did the rain jacket—foot box trick and woke up with a layer of ice between my bag shell and the rain jacket. Oops.

Your comments are exactly what I'm talking about—real Hilleberg usage and critical personal insights. Keep them coming.

R M says,
"It's annoying, given the large weight penalty for a Hilleberg, I'm still cramped."

Yes! I spent years in a Staika and looks are deceiving. It looks like a pretty big 3 poled dome but actually inside it's a fairly small 2 poled wedge tent.

For long winter trips my basic rule is: NO part of your sleeping bag should touch the inner tent walls.

And R M—You're not complaining—You are reviewing.

[Rob P]

Tipi Walter

Do you have PM's set up? I'd like to ask you some more in depth questions about your Hillebergs.

Thanks!

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Franco,

I agree that you need to refute posts that are misleading, lies or damned lies. Posters need to be more careful when criticizing how tents fare during inclement weather WHEN SAID TENTS ARE POORLY PITCHED. Trouble is, as you noted, they often don't know when a non-freestanding tent IS poorly pitched.

Maybe Roger C. will move your above TT Notch post on good and bad pitching to the Tarptent thread. It's instructive, to say the least. I like the example that you know that a tent is properly pitched "when you can bounce a quarter off it."

[Roger B]

This tent looks interesting, looking forward to seeing one when they appear, youtube.com/watch?v=_rTqe6yyq44&feature=youtu.be

[Robert Alexander]

Yes, interesting. However it's the same weight as the Anjan. What's the appeal?

[Roger B]

I like side entry shelters and it reminds me of the Macpac Microlight from many years ago, certainly a heavy shelter when compared with say the TT Notch, but with crossing poles it is more of a mountain tent.

[Marcus Bendixen]

Looks like an Unna with a vestibule added.
I love the Unna, as I actually fit in it (at 6'4"). I've yet to miss having a vestibule when using the Unna. But the design of the Niak looks like a winner.
Unfortunate that it isnt as long as the Unna.
I imagine the price will likely be unfortunate also…

[BlackHatGuy]

"What's the appeal?"

I agree with others that it's an Unna with a vestibule. BUT.

If I'm seeing correctly, it also seems to have a full screen door. That would be a very nice addition.

[David Ure]

Based on the weight it looks to be made out of the new 20d fabric.

[Stuart .]

Oof, the Niak 1.5 will be priced at 890 Euros. Shouldn't be that much of a surprise given that the Enan was priced at a significant premium over the Akto.

Two other models being introduced next year, the solo Tarp 5 and the monstrous Stalon XL that sleeps 14.

http://docs.hilleberg.net/news/Hilleberg2016-NewsFlyer-Niak-StalonXL-Tarp5.pdf

[David Chenault]

"My advice remains the same :
when you see a badly set up tent, ignore the comments.
If you can't tell when a tent is badly set up, buy a freestanding shelter"

Good advice all around.

[Stephen M]

Not sure if I posted this one already.

I think it's obvious I much prefer winter.

[David Ure]

"the Niak 1.5 will be priced at 890 Euros."

Gulp.

[Stuart .]

I can just see the press release in July 2016 "New for 2017: Our cheapest tent will cost $750. All 2P and larger tents will cost at least $1000." The rate of appreciation in North America in the last 4-5 years has been staggering. And yet they continue to sell…

[David Ure]

Stuart… You must stop buying!

My Akto was $345 just a few years ago.

[Tipi Walter]

Thanks Stephen M for posting your red Hilleberg pic in the snow. There's nothing better than seeing a red Hilleberg in white snow. I have a few winter pics of my own—

This shows my old green Staika in a winter windstorm on a mountaintop in NC.

The morning of a very cold night at -10F on Hangover Mt in NC. Nearby Mt LeConte got -22F.

My red Staika in a blizzard on Bob Mt in NC.

[Stephen M]

Nice pics Tipi, I really like the red for winter, so much so I might even try to trade my green Soulo for a red one.

[Charles Jennings]

NM

[BlackHatGuy]

I'm looking at driving around the country for a few months or so and staying at campgrounds/off the beaten path camping for much of the time, so I'm looking for a quality, roomy, car camping tent. For you Hilleberg folks, would the Saivo fit the bill? Hoping for something I could actually sit in a camp chair inside of it when not sleeping (for when the weather's bad). I've looked at the REI Kingdom 4, which certainly seems like it would suffice, but am concerned about durability.

All comments welcome. I might even listen to some of them….

[Matt Dirksen]

Well on one hand:

1) you can buy three Kingdom 4's for the price of one Saivo. So just keep an extra Kingdom 4 in the car in case you have a problem with the one you are using.

2) At the end of the trip, return the unused one. I'm sure REI will be cool with it.

3) I think the height of the Saivo might accommodate your camp chair, but certainly not you sitting on the chair, inside the tent. Unless you lean way over.

On the other hand:

1) You probably will have ZERO issues with durability

2) You and your chair could probably sit ON TOP of the tent, in case you ever felt like it.

3) As user of high-end tents (Moss Little/Big Dippers) in car camping situations for 20+ years, it is very comforting reside in a tent which doesn't make a sound during pop-up 50-70mph thunder storms – a frequent and normal occurrence in trailer parks or car campgrounds during the summer, so it seems. Car camping folks will then completely understand why you use such a small (and short) tent.

[Richard Lyon]

Doug,

The Saivo is a beast but I agree with the prior post that you and a full-size camp chair would be a very tight fit. Probably work with one of the smaller beach-type chairs. I have an old Bibler Ahwahnee that I use now and then for car camping, and I use it many other times for base camp backpacking for one or two. A Hilleberg's an investment. I have an Unna that I bought from a guy who used it on two long Arctic expeditions and five years and dozens of nights later it's as functional as ever.

Richard

[BlackHatGuy]

"Unless you lean way over."

That depends on how much scotch I've had…..

[Author]

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