Naturehike Cloud Up vs Star River vs Mongar

[SvenA]

Hi,

I'm looking at these three tents as good budget options for 3-season camping throughout the UK. I'm mainly planning to do shorter 2-3 days hikes.

Most of the time it's only going to be me, but I do prefer to have a bit more room in my tent, thus looking at 2-person options and don't mind too much the extra weight.

So far I've narrowed down my search to these three tents but found a few concerns with each of them and I'm curious to hear if anyone else has had those issues and which of the three options would you recommend.

CloudUp 2:

pros: lighter than the other two
cons: apparently issues with condensation, doesn't really fit 2 people, single front entrance

Star River 2:

pros: very roomy, good wind protection, side entrance
cons: some reviews mentioned issues with condensation, heavier than CloudUp 2,

Mongar:

pros: most roomy out of the 3, very good ventilation, side entrance
cons: can get too much wind going through the tent due to the full mesh inner

Thanks!

[AyrshireAlps]

The mongar is the same shape as the hubbahubba, which basically hugs the ground (ventilation from the high openings at either end), so I don't really get a through breeze.
Tbh that was the reason I sold my SMD lunar solo, so I get your thinking.

[Marty_JG]

I have a Cloud-Up 2. The condensation issues might exist in the snow skirt version, but I don't see why the standard version would be any worse than most other tents. Plenty of room for one person, a dog, and a huge amount of kit. A mansion for 1, a dungeon for 2. If most of the time it's only you it's a valid option.

I also have the Cloud-Peak 2. I (very simply) modded it a bit to help with rigidity against wind, but it's vast. A palace, but also heavy at 2.5kg, though what is "heavy" these days would have been lightweight years ago. Yes its bulky to pack, but I can pack it in my 60 litre pack along with all my kit AND a dog's bed and all the dog's kit and food. And my kit includes a camping Trekology chair, speaking of which if the weather if horrific you can detach the inner of the CP2, erect a Trekology-sized chair, and sit in the tent comfortably without your head touching the ceiling. Makes whiling away rainy hours a LOT more kingly that being forced to lay on the ground / curl like a snake for hours.

My reasons for moving from the CU2 to CP2 was (1) freestanding, mine is an older CU2 they are now freestanding (2) all-in-one pitch; I have started to despise the flapping around with separate flysheets and (3) space - foxhole vs cavern.

Another Naturehike tent that might interest you for you needs is the Vik. Lightweight, all-in-one pitch, freestanding (other than vestibles, but main tent body).

[SvenA]

Thank you both for your input.

I went and ordered all three tents, just to get a better feel for them. I've only managed to put them up inside my flat, so no outdoor testing was done. But overall, these are some of my takeaways:

CloudUp 2

I've ordered the 20D (upgraded version, no snow skirt) forest green color. This color is heavier than the other colors, coming up at 1.85kg, not sure the reason why?
I think the size is perfect for 1 person, with plenty of room left to keep all your gear inside.
Packs smaller than the other two options.
Looking at the design of the tent, and also some of the feedback from other members, I don't think condensation will be an issue. There is a vent at the back with correct tent positioning, I can probably get pretty decent airflow going through the tent if needed.
Single front entrance and a smaller vestibule compared to the other two, but not a deal-breaker for me.

Star River 2

Ordered the 20D grey version. Comes up at 2.1kg.
It's fairly big, 2 people can easily fit into this tent, but it also packs pretty big. I could probably get it down smaller by using a compression sack and removing the pools.
Given its size, I think it's a bit too big for what I'm after (mainly a roomy single-person tent).
I like the ratio of mesh on the inside, I think it would provide good protection for colder windy nights, but also not get too hot in the summer if I just use the inner.

Mongar

Ordered the 20D grey version. Comes up at around 2kg.
Packs smaller than Star River 2, but bigger than CloudUp 2.
Out of the 3 tents, this one is I think the nices. It has a dome shape, with 2 large vestibules and D-shaped entrances.
Has the most room out of the three.
Inner is all mesh, which again was my main concern initially. If two people were sleeping inside, I think the tent might get warmed up on a cold breezy night, but for a single person, I don't feel it would be the right option. It's too big and too airy. If I were after a 2-person tent strictly, I think this would be my choice.

My decision:
I decided to go with CloudUp2 for the following reasons:

Pack size is smaller than the other 2 tents, although the weight for the forest green is very close to the other 2 options.
The size is I think perfect for what I need.
It's the only one that comes in a forest green color, which makes it a better choice for wild camping.

I'm hoping to get it outside and do a proper outdoor test in the upcoming weeks!

[cruachan06]

I've got the Cloudup-1 in grey/red (only colour I could get the upgraded version in at the time) and I really like it. I think the condensation issues were mostly in the V1 Cloud-Ups, as most of the reviews that I saw also mentioned lack of pockets and lantern hook as an issue, as well as the vent, all of which are present on the upgraded versions.

The Naturehike tents all seem to be creeping up in price though, they seem to be getting a decent rep as one of the better tent manufacturers at their price point.

[Ewen1966]

We used a star river in France last August/September as a stop gap as I couldn't get an x-mid (still had no luck)
Very roomy for two and two entrances. Weight was manageable when split. It can be put up fly first but is a faff. The seams were straight with no loose threads and was well made considering the price.
The maín downside is condensation. A few mornings it was so bad that it dripped onto the mesh and onto sleeping bags. It only has one vent. Air flow can be encouraged by having the fly up and out at each end.

[Yetibob]

Hi folks new on here and I have just bought a star river 2 in forest green 210t 2022 upgraded and wondered if anyone else had the same as I have a question.
My one is not colour coded?
Poles are all silver and no identifying colour tabs on inner tent?
I can work it out but thought it was strange.
Have emailed Naturehike but no response yet..

[Yetibob]

Update.
Have returned tent now as not only no colour coded poles and material but not happy with the fit of the fly over the doors and yes I did have it on the right way round. . Will stay with my Hiby 3