Yet another 2-man tent discussion - help!

[masopa]

Ok, I've been researching this topic for some time, with difficulty...

1. A lot of reviews are US. With all due respect to our cousins across the Atlantic, what makes a good App Trail tent doesn't necessarily make a good tent for Scottish 3-4 season use
2. I can't decide on budget... what started off as a £100-150 target appears to have drifted up towards £400
3. The eternal quest / balance between price vs weight vs flexibility vs comfort vs robustness. There is no perfect answer and any tent choice is a compromise
4. Would love to do a "try before you buy" but it ain't an option!

So, what are my key criteria? In summary (and not in order):
* As light as possible, preferably under 3kg and target 2.5kg - almost always sharing the weight between 2, though
* Must sleep two blokes (medium size) who don't want to go all Brokeback Mountain - 90%+ of the time it'll be two of us
* Must stand up to Scottish 3 season use and, ideally, be able to do the occasional / careful winter camp - mostly low level, occasional high level
* Want a big vestibule as I'd prefer to change out of wet outer gear there and keep 2x rucksacks, boots etc.
* Other necessary Scottish features: midgie nets, not inner-first pitching, decent venting, good in high winds & rain
* Usually used for single overnight, but occasional multi-day trips. If pricey, I'd want it to do everything!

This says to me I need robust, without it being expedition-grade, and a large 2-man or compact 3-man. I also don't want to spend £700 on a Hilleberg Nallo 2 GT, which would otherwise be ideal...

I'm thinking tunnel tent rather than full geo, and leaning towards a Fjallraven Abisko Lightweight 2: http://www.fjallraven.com/outdoor-equipment/tents/abisko-lightweight-2 (in green, not ghastly blue).

It's not cheap (£400+) and I'm struggling to find many reviews of it, but it seems well-appointed, well-made and pretty much exactly what I'm after. I just haven't found any reviews of people who've used it in our conditions: Scandinavia is obviously a different climate - more snow, less rain, for example. I don't want to pay more than I need to, but I'd be willing to pay that sort of price (grudgingly!) if it's going to last and do exactly what I need.

Any thoughts or alternative suggestions?

[geefre]

There is also a really nice brand called "Husky" which is based in the Czech Republic. Although it looks like it is difficult to find any of their products in the UK, internet shops (eBay, Amazon or even shipping from the Czech Republic) might be an option. I would say it is worth having a look at international shops.

Two tents I would recommend:
Husky Sawaj 2: 1.89kg/1.6kg (max/trail) weight, 5000/8000 waterproofness, 199GBP*. Inner tent is pitched firstly.
http://www.huskyeu.eu/tent-extreme-lite-sawaj-ultra-2-green-d1884.html

Husky Flame 2 (black or red): 3.1kg/2.8kg (max/trail) weight, 6000/10000 waterproofness, 147GBP*. Outer tent is pitched firstly. Tested in Anapurna in height of over 8000 meters (over 26000 feet).
http://www.huskyeu.eu/tent-extreme-flame-2-prs-red-d123.html

The prices are based on the shop based in my home country Lithuania, so might be different in the Czech Republic or the UK. Also, you might save enough money to visit the Czech Republic and buy tent there, which is one of my most favourite countries in the Europe. Beer prices should still be around or even less than 1 pound per 500ml in pubs (I am not even talking about beer prices in shops, it's just bargain!). They also have beautiful mountains (entirely different from the UK with better weather). Yes, it sounds ridiculous, but you can kill two birds with one stone.

Talking of this brand, I have got lightweight sleeping bag and rucksack from Husky. They both serve very well, had no problems in ~3 years.

[spiderwebb]

Vango Tempest or Vango Havoc, various sizes with porch.

I have a Banshee and confess didnt pay enough attention but the porch area is not big enough for say cooking in foul weather.

[Meatball]

Ive just bought a voyager....ticks enough boxes for me.

[masopa]

Thanks Spiderweb and Meatball... I've had a look at the two Vangos and the Terra Nova. Unfortunately none of them have a big enough porch / vestibule for what I'm after...

GeForce, I haven't seen husky before so will take a look. I'll admit I'm a tad sceptical (sorry, just being honest!) but will do some research...

[electricfly]

Have you looked at the Vango Halo 200? It offers double entry/vestibule on each side so there's room for each persons stuff on their own side. Pitches fly first or all in one and is a decent semi-geodesic design. Reasonable priced at £118.95 (rrp £160). The only compromise I can see looking at your criteria would be it's weight of 3.65kg.

http://www.outbacktrading.co.uk/product/vango-halo-200-tent-2013/?gclid=CK_57-6qq7gCFcLHtAodmQgAsA

Another option which is slightly lighter at 3kg and cheaper at £90 (rrp £170) is Karrimor's Beta semi-geodesic tent. Much the same design as the Vango Halo but is inner pitch first which might put you off, but as an owner of this particular tent I can't recomend it enough! It can be pitched in under 5mins.

http://www.millets.co.uk/activities/104728-karrimor-beta-2-man-tent.html

[dunirie]

have a wee look at the vango spirit 300+, it might be a good option, i have been using one for a couple of years the porch is massive and it comes in at 3kg the living area is perfect for two. i managed to get mine for around £200 in the sale, only downside is it sags a bit when wet, but so do all tunnel tents

happy hunting

[masopa]

Thanks for all of the suggestions... it's good to look at alternatives - even if it just ends up reinforcing my view that the Fjallraven is still my favoured option. Halo and Karrimor porches looks too small (but prices are good!)

The Vango Spirit is interesting and seems like a (very) slightly larger version of the Fjallraven tent - very similar set-up. The only downside is I can't seem to find it for less than £300 and it is 3.25kg according to the specs (vs 2.5kg for the Fjallraven)... that's a fair bit more weight for a cash saving of only about £75. It's probably the closest alternative though. Reviews do suggest the Vango poles might not be up to much cop though... bit of a worry, perhaps.

I'll keep looking before I take the plunge!

[Arthurs Eat]

Hi there, I bought a marmot grid semi geo for a trip to Torres Del Paine earlier on in the year. I'm not sure you can still get them. You pitch outer first but can do inner/outer at the same time - great for this country. Comes in at 2.7kg and cost about £230 I seem to remember. It took a battering in the Patagonian winds but stood up to everything. I'm glad as this is why I bought it knowing the winds in the area. There were lighter ones but i'm really happy with it. Check out the guy lines in the picture!

[masopa]

Thanks for that... looks interesting. Porch not massive, but could be big enough to get by. I've also seen a Mountain Equipment Dragonfly 2XT, which seems reasonable: http://www.trailoutdoor.co.uk/mountain-equipment-dragonfly-xt2/

Perhaps a tad heavier than hoped for, and still not cheap (I'm going to hazard a guess that good tents simply aren't!) but does everything required.

A bit of a curve-ball, but how about this Nallo GT copy: http://www.blacks.co.uk/equipment/112872-blacks-octane-3-man-tent-yellow.html#read_more

Now, a few thoughts:
1. It's yellow! Leave No Trace incompatible, but...
2. It's yellow! I still can't get over that.
3. It's cheap - if it lasts 5+ years I'll be happy as I may well "want" to upgrade by then anyway
4. Is the 3000mm hydrostatic head enough? I guess I could add more waterproofing and at that price, I don't mind taping seams etc.
5. Not sure how it will fare re: condensation/venting etc... reviews aren't widespread or detailed
6. Did I mention the colour?

I have to say, the price (which works out at £160 inc delivery) is very tempting. I know you get what you pay for, and my sensible head is telling me a tent is not something you should gamble with, but at over £200 less than the Fjallraven or similar, I'm really struggling to justify spending the higher amount.

Is yellow that bad?

[Caberfeidh]

1. It's yellow! Leave No Trace incompatible, but...
2. It's yellow! I still can't get over that.

6. Did I mention the colour?

Is yellow that bad?

Just go camping in a birch forest in the autumn, you'll blend right in.

[murwilson]

I would suggest this as an alternative.

http://www.forcetentents.com/nitro-lite-200+.html

It can be had for less than the RRP stated, I've seen it online somewhere for around £400.

Mur

[masopa]

I would suggest this as an alternative.

http://www.forcetentents.com/nitro-lite-200+.html

It can be had for less than the RRP stated, I've seen it online somewhere for around £400.

Mur

Talk about coincidence... I've just spent the last couple of hours researching this one! Well, both the 200+ and the plain old 200.

I've also discovered a rather embarassing point re: the porches: all of these tunnel tents should have detachable inners. When we want to take off our wet outer gear, if the porch ain't big enough, it's pretty easy to make the inner disappear/smaller and the porch way bigger!

I must admit, if it's only 200g or so to have a large porch, I'd probably rather have it, but perhaps it's not the deal-breaker I initially assumed it would be?

[murwilson]

In my experience, and 200g is nothing, go for the larger porch. You sound like you value the space more than the discomfort. WIth the 200+ you can get changed, get in and out without moving anything, store two rucksacks and cook in the porch, if you need to. With the smaller porch of the 200, or similar tents, you can of course still do that but space management becomes , well, a hassle. A hassle I can do without, for 200g.

I have the older version of the 200+ and a Crux Storm, they weigh about the same. If it's not snowing and there are two of us, I take the 200+ every time because of that porch.

Mur

[weaselmaster]

Reading this page got me looking myself.
came across the North Face Big Fat Frog, which looks interesting
It appears to be quite similar to the NF tadpole, which is what I currently use and which has stood up well to big winds/cold weather/rain and is quick to pitch and adequately roomy to sleep in, but falls down when you want to store sacks or cook in bad weather - the fat frog has a poled vestibule that would be good for that purpose.
weight is just under the 3kg mark, reviews that i've read are pretty positive
blacks have it on sale now for £220 minus another 15%