Hilleberg Tent thread

[Stuart .]

Wow, Casey! That’s some serious snowloading ability. How was the spindrift in the vestibules? Any get in through the open vent(s)?

[Crow]

Only a little bit on the upwind side where our packs and snowshoes were stowed – it wasn’t very windy though.  It wasn’t a problem because it didn’t melt so brushed off easily.  On the second night I closed the mesh on the vents which eliminated that.  Unfortunately I also fully closed the mesh doors on the inner tent, and since it was only 10 degrees out, our breath froze into the mesh at the top, and we got a little bit of condensation.  Better to leave the tops of the inner tent doors fully open at least a few inches.

[Crow]

Stuart, do you know the weight difference between a Kerlon 600 Enan and a Kerlon 1000 Enan?

[Stuart .]

Agreed on keeping the inner tent doors opened to improve air circulation. I like zipping the door on my Nammatj 2 down from the top, about 2/3 of the way. It keeps the condensation down without any direct breeze on my head.

Did you get up in the night to knock any snow off the roof to prevent sagging between the poles?

[Stephen M]

Hi Casey,

You will still get some frozen condensation even if the doors are open.

[Stuart .]

Casey, comparing this year’s catalog with last year’s, it looks like the 2016 Enan (Kerlon 1000) is 3oz heavier than the 2015 (Kerlon 600). Shannon did say they still have a few of the original spec on hand. If you were to order direct from Hilleberg, I’d ask them to swap the tri pegs with the V pegs.

[Crow]

No, I went out shortly before retiring and dug out the tent to the ground for about a foot around the tent and shook it off a couple more times once back inside by reaching out of the inner tent and pressing on a pole, but then was out for the night.  It would clear itself though after building up enough – I would occasionally become semi-conscious hearing the snow sliding off until I got used to it.

It also escapes the pictures, but tightening up the straps at the corners of each vestibules as well as the 3 along the poles really helped cinch it back up.

[Crow]

This is the condensation frozen in the top foot or so of the inner mesh doors (fully zipped up) that I was referring to.

[Stuart .]

I had frost showers inside my Nammatj 2 on a 4F night whenever my son rolled around and collided with the inner tent wall. Ever since I’ve left the vents wide open and the inner tent door 2/3 of the way down as I described before. On high humidity nights I may use the footprint to help keep condensation rising from the vestibule. But if there’s not much breeze, it can still be tough to mitigate. I’m told having a UCO candle lantern can help, but I’m nervous about using one.

[Crow]

One thing I didn’t know about the Anjan prior to buying one, which I think is worth mention, is that the outer tent can be raised on one side to allow lowering it on the other.  So if you want to block a sidewind, you can get the outer tent on that side pulled down nearly to the ground, with the other side being pulled up higher.  On the other hand if you want to allow for more ventilation, you can do the opposite.  This makes the pole setup more complicated than the Keron, since both ends of each pole are adjustable, but it looks to be a great design consideration for an outer tent that does not reach the ground, and which does not have any other ventilation than the perimeter ground gap.

[Donald Browning]

I took my Nammatj 2 into the last snow storm we had here in Georgia. I had a candle lantern burning through the night. The first night I still had condensation, but opening both vents fully and 2/3 of the door made it all go away the second night. It was nice and roomy for me and the dog.

[Doug Smith]

Great photos Stephen and Casey and Gina!  A Keron is going to be my next Hilleberg.  I’m just debating on GT vs non-GT, and 3 vs 4.  My wife has made it known after a family camping trip in our Nammatj 3GT we used to have, that she wants more room.  A Keron 3 would feel bigger inside, without the sloping wall, and would not seem like massive overkill on solo motorcycle trips.  But the 4 or 4GT would feel incredibly roomy for family camping trips (less common than solo trips).  It’s a tough call.   I should probably be satisfied with my Tarra and Nammatj 2 for solo M/C rides and go big for family trips.  lol

[Crow]

1lb 6oz to upgrade from a Keron 3 to a Keron 4 seems worth it if you will use the space.  That upgrades the space of the inner tent which is where you will spend most of your time.

1lb 13oz to upgrade from a Keron 3 to Keron 3 GT or Keron 4 to Keron 4 GT, plus the added bulk, did not seem worth it to me, though it would enable you to hang out in the vestibule while cooking or whatever else without needing to sit inside the inner tent.

The footprint for the 3 is 1lb 5oz, and I justify carrying that along somehow.  Larger footprints weigh more – up to 1 lb 15oz for a 4GT, so keep that in mind if you like using a footprint.

At the same time, the weight is really not that bad for how much extra space you get, if you have an application for it.  We fit a big Kelty Super Tioga pack and Deuter Kid Comfort III, along with our snowshoes, in one vestibule, and used the other for getting in and out of the tent, keeping our shoes in, and rolled back the footprint to use it for cooking.  We could have piled a lot more gear in the storage vestibule – another full backpack wouldn’t have been a problem.  There was enough space in the vestibule to be comfortable, although the GT would have been appreciable, especially when I first needed to get out since I could have opened the GT door partially from the top.  The feeling of being in the GT vestibule on the Anjan is wonderful, as well; and it’s not even as big.

“I should probably be satisfied with my Tarra and Nammatj 2 for solo M/C rides and go big for family trips.”

That’s what I think is best.  If you get caught solo camping in a Keron 4 GT, I’m afraid they might throw you in an asylum! ;)

[Stuart .]

The Keron’s steep walls and two vertical doors make it very spacious. The 3 was a step up from the Kaitum 3, which I found misleading because the doors were so much narrower than the midpoint, where much of the extra width was wasted.

However, I would up selling the Keron 3 because it felt like an oversized 2P rather than a true 3P. For my son and me, I kept reaching for the Nammatj 2 and saving significant weight. Once he’s older, I may reverse course. I’m leaning towards the Nammatj 3GT with that in mind. At 5’9″ I’ve never missed the extra length of the Keron / Kaitum.

Doug, given your usage parameters I’d suggest sizing 1P larger than your intended normal capacity. The 3 for two adults; but the 4 if you plan to use it mostly for 3, and occasionally 4. As for regular vs GT, I have to say I do love the latter on these big tunnels. It makes a world of difference if at capacity and / or in bad weather.

[Stephen M]

Used my Keron 4gt a couple of more times this winter and really liked it.  I did swap out my Anjan 3gt for a Nallo 3gt but did not use it yet (Thanks Casey)

[Pigeon]

Can anyone compare Hilleberg’s yellow inner fabric to Terra Nova’s? I have a Solar Photon 2, now consideing a Hilleberg and am hoping to have a reference.

Thanks!

[Pigeon]

I have another question I can’t answer. Are there black fabric Hillebergs? I see someone local to me selling two black colored, not black label, Hillebergs. Any help appreciated!

[Stuart .]

Around 2 years ago, Hilleberg swapped out the green flysheet fabric for a much darker version. In some lighting conditions it looks black when viewed from the outside, but get inside and you’ll see it’s clearly dark green. The first pics I saw were of the Enan prototype in July 2014. Since then the entire range has followed suit. Further up this thread is a set of comparison photos I took of the old green on a Nammatj 2, and the new green on a Nammatj 3GT.

[Pigeon]

Thanks, Stuart. I guess the seller is mistaken.

[Stuart .]

Just a thought, it might be a milspec version of a black label tent. They are even darker than the standard green, and don’t transmit light so as to keep them hidden. Still not marketed as black, however.

[Doug Smith]

Yeah, that’d be the first I heard of a black Hilleberg as well.  But anything is possible.  They definitely do some custom stuff for military customers.  For example they make a Keron 4 GT that has the GT vestibule at both ends, not just one.  I believe the reasoning that was explained to me was so that soldiers could do sentry duty from inside the tent in inclement weather, with two people watching both directions from the shelter of a GT vestibule.

[Alistair B]

Hi guys

interesting and long thread. One of my main reasons for buying a Suolo was a miserable night on the Grand Canyon in a sandy campsite with an old Sierra Designs Sphynx 3 which had substantial amounts of mesh. I chewed sand all night and in the morning the tent was full of sand. Similar experience on west coast beaches while Sea Kayaking.

The ability to fully button up when needed is invaluable so this meant ruling out Anjanette and similar tents that don’t have full coverage. Equally on warm quiet buggy nights it’s nice to have the mesh.

[Tipi Walter]

Alistair B says—The ability to fully button up when needed is invaluable . . .

Something I’ve been saying for the last 35 years.  Mesh inner tents and/or mesh inner tent panels are all the rage nowadays but all of my backpacking tents have inner tent canopies with no unsealable mesh.  Because sometimes I need to fully button up . . . or keep dripping condensation between the tent fly and the tent canopy with no mesh, please.

[Alistair B]

Agree… I hate the condensation dripping through the mesh..

[Stuart .]

Interesting feedback, Alistair. I have only ever thought of the Soulo as a winter tent due to its weight. Blowing sand isn’t part of my realm of experience. I’m heading to Utah tomorrow and will be using my Nammatj 3GT as a basecamp in areas that are notoriously sandy, and I’m feeling good about that decision after reading what you posted.

[Author]

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