Gear, Gear, Gear from the OutDoor fair

[Roman Ackl]

What the Outdoor Retailer fair in Salt Lake is for the US, the OutDoor fair in Friedrichshafen (Germany) is for Europe. All the major manufacturers from Europe, Asia and US come together and I was able to sneek in pretending I was from the Press…:-)

I've looked after some new products to be released in 2008 and write about them in the next few days in my blog at:
http://lighthiker.wordpress.com/

Please come over if you are interested.

[Mark]

Thanks for the recon. Some of those GoLite tents look promising. And that canned cheeseburger looks simply delicious.
-Mark

[Sarah Kirkconnell]

Roman,,totally offtopic, but I was catching up on your blog, and saw this link: http://www.lakeland.co.uk/product.aspx/!10914_10915
in an entry on food. What does the price of those bags work out to in US dollars? Supposedly they are bringing back that style of bag here in the US, but I have yet to see them.

[Mark]

UK £4 is approximately US$8.20. That's what the Google says, anyway.
-Mark

[Roman Ackl]

Sarah,

Mark is about right with the exchange rate. Hopefully you get them cheaper when they got introduced in the US! At the end of the day it is a good plastic bag only.

[Franco Darioli]

Roman
What a great report. Some nice new tents there.
I have been waiting to see the new sub 2 kg freestanding Hilleberg solo tent and you are the first to come out with a picture of it !!., I have found another shot on the net but there is something about the design a bit odd. Do you have any shot from a different angle ?
The Soulo addresses some of the concerns with the Akto. Namely smallish interior space, long footprint and snow loading capability. A nice feature, IMHO, is the zip up the center of the inner, I can see the possibility of wind and rain protection whilst keeping good ventilation for cooking ( warning, never cook inside your tent…..)
I like also those sleeves. Should allow a fast set up. Great to see the North Face vent/wind stabilizer , also used now by Vango and Pacer ( Aarn Design ?)
This is an instant winner.
Franco
Picture from Hilleberg

[EndoftheTrail]

Hi Franco:

This looks like a lighter version of the Staika…

I have been told about an upcoming lighter version of the Unna. Any ideas?

[Franco Darioli]

I think that the Soulo is the replacement for the Unna. I only know of three new tents from Hilleberg for 2008, the Allak, a 3kg 2 person version of the Soulo, and the Kaitum 3, a tent that is possibly big enough for you, are the other two. I would not expect any other solo tent from them anytime soon. ( educated guess).
Keep in mind that Hilleberg include all of the bits with their stated weight.
Soulo and Allak sound like Sami for one and all. Any Sami speakers out there ?
Franco

[EndoftheTrail]

Hi Franco:

The reason I suspect Staika is because the tent you pictured has three poles — like the Staika — which is one of the few truly freestanding tents in the world — no need to stake out the vestibule in order to use it.

EDIT: Franco, I just re-read your post. So, this Soulo / Staika-Lite will replace the Unna? Seems like a worthy successor — a fully freestanding tent with vestibule for 6/10th of a pound increase in weight. Wonder what the internal dimensions are? Hopefully not weirdly shaped or coffin like…

[Roman Ackl]

Hi Benjamin

I've explicitly asked the guys from Hilleberg at the show if they are planning other tents than the one mentioned by Franco and the answer was no.

Hi Franco

I wasn't allowed to take more than the one picture shown at my blog but if you leave a comment on my posting including your mail address I can send you a PDF copy from their 2008 catalogue page for the Soulo which includes a drawing that might help you further.

[Franco Darioli]

Hi Roman
I was delighted to discover your web site, I just realized that part of the Via Alpina goes through the area I used to hike when I was growing up, Val Bognanco, Blue Trail between the start and Monte Rosa. My grandfather used to "import" coffee, sugar and cigarettes through there ( not using that trail…) and on a couple of occasions "exported" Jews to "neutral" Switzerland.
( my father was in Switzerland when the Americans bombed some of the factories supplying arms to the Germans).
back to Hilleberg …
My E Mail address is franco dot darioli at gmail dot com
Your info will be very much appreciated.
The other tent that is somewhat interesting is the GoLite Xanadu 1. That silnylon/Epic combo is such an obvious solution ( I wish I had thought of it….)
Franco

[Roman Ackl]

Franco

You have mail..;-)

[Woubeir (from Europe)]

Hi Roman,
are there any changes to the current Hillberg models. I've been looking to a Nallo 2 as my luxury backpacking shelter, but I was hoping to see a bit lighter version. Any changes on that front?

BTW, how easy was it to get a press card? On what basis dit you get it? I have been thinking with a friend about going to Outdoor Friedrichshafen for a while now but up to now we haven't found the time. I'm just wondering how hard it is to get in.

[Franco Darioli]

Roman you are the best. Enjoy your Via Alpina with your Tarptent.
Usually I can work out the structure from any picture, however the "four pole" description had me confused. It is in fact a very similar three pole dome design to my Bibler Pinon, including the freestanding vestibule. I suggested that only a few weeks ago to someone else. (blast)
The addition of no see-um mesh on the door (covered by zippable fabric !!!) makes this a true 4 season shelter.
Franco
BTW, Soulo is a Sumi word but it means island.

[Roman Ackl]

Hi Tom,

the Nallo range remains the same in 2008.

In terms of the press card I initially tried using my blog as a reference to proof that I'm "press worthy" which didn't work. At the end I've managed to get in over a friend of mine who wrote to the press office that I'm their freelance press agent in Germany. That worked out easy but you need to find someone with access already.

[Johan Engberg]

deleted

[T. Sedlak]

The Soulo is not replacing the Unna. It is a more minimalist version of the Staika, with 3 poles crossing at the top and a small vestibule. I have tried out an Unna, and though it does not have a vestibule, one of the corners easily detaches to allow the user to create a vestibule if desired.

The Unna has two crossing poles, the Soulo three.

Unna has pole sleeves, Soulo has clips.

Unna has a rectangular footprint, the Soulo looks more hexagon-ish.

Stats (inner sq ft, vestibule, total sq ft, height, min wt, max weight with stakes/stuff sack)

Akto (18.3, 8.6, 26.9, 36 in, 2lb 14oz, 3lb, 5oz)
Unna (27, 0, 27, 40 in, 4lb, 4lb 7oz)
Soulo (21.5, 7.6, 29.1, 38in, ?min, 4lb 10oz)
Jannu (36.6, 13, 49.6, 40in, 5lb 8oz, 6lb 3oz)

Opening US price on Soulo, $525. Ouch! I suspect all the tent prices will go up with the 2008 catalog.

For those not familiar with the manufacturer, their tents are bomber, the organization is smallish with great customer service, and the tents are handmade with the name of the person who assembled it stitched onto a seam. Their tents are far from ultralight, but are on the light end of the expedition spectrum, for use in climes where you aren’t going to bring a tarptent.

[Steven Evans]

Any chance one of you fine gentlemen could forward a copy of the Soulo info..Roman, Franco, Tom?

I am extremely interested in this tent. The freestanding vestibule is a killer feature.

steven dot evans at opg dot com

it would be greatly appreciated.

Steve

[Jimmy Vick]

Getting carbon fiber poles from fiberplex knocks another 10oz off the Soulo… switching to titanium stakes also takes off another oz or 2. You can get it into the sub 4lb realm which is amazing considering how tough it is.

I can't wait to bust it out on the mountain.

[F. Thomas Matica]

Correction: it is http://WWW.FIBRAPLEX.COM

[Author]

Posts