Bike Forums - Show me your Tents?

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Show me your Tents?

I'm wanting to purchase a Tent and I know that there are a million good suggestions. But I'd like to see an actual picture of the tent setup....might help me to choose.

We have a Quechua which we picked up at a Decathlon in France in 2007 ...

This is our tent, set up in a campground in Japan ... Rowan is getting something out of a pannier ...
http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7254/7...53c5b129_z.jpg

Here it is, closed up, in a campground in Albany, Western Australia ...
http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3793/9...9a037576_z.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...ps749b495a.jpg

http://i80.photobucket.com/albums/j1...pscab2ed16.jpg

I really like my double rainbow. Will be getting some titanium stakes this Christmas, but the ones that come with it (easton nano nails) were fine for the transam. : )

Another in our group had a carbon reflex (MSR) and it's great for the taller among us.

Kelty Gunnison 2........... by Glenwood Lake at the start of Ragbrai a couple years ago.
http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/x...-36-52_400.jpg

no need really, overall I'm pretty laid back.

http://warmlite.com/products-page/tents . My pictures are on film, not digital ..

3 person green .. sil nylon .. held up well ..

Quote:

Originally Posted by Konasutra (Post 16144878)

Kelty Gunnison 2........... by Glenwood Lake at the start of Ragbrai a couple years ago.
http://i755.photobucket.com/albums/x...-36-52_400.jpg

How are the zippers on the Kelty? I've been told they are much heavier grade than others. That has always been the problem I have with tents that get a lot of use, most manufacturers skimp on the zippers.

Marc

For solo tours: Exped Vela I ultralite, for two persons Exped Venus III DLX.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=345043 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=345044
The Vela weights only 3 pounds, the Venus weights 12 pounds and comes with a wonderful large room for luggage or cooking.

First is the Eureka Spitfire 1. Best bang for the buck out there. Second is a Sansbug pop up mosquito shelter. Has its own unique niche for touring. Rain? Tarp fly is easy.

http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=345055 http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=345056

Big Agnes Lynx Pass 3

Big Agnes Lynx Pass 3 , $ 124.00
Over 250 nights/set ups/tear downs, so far. No problems at all.
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=345087
http://bikeforums.net/attachment.php...hmentid=345088

Sierra Designs, Lightning 2

A true 3-season, 2- person tent. This one has "been ridden hard and put away wet" many times.

Without Rainfly- sil-nylon ground cloth.
http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...ba1bb34c62.jpg

Rainfly installed-about 4 pounds.
http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...chmanFlats.jpg

Tent and rainfly stuffed into blue compression sack- about the size of a loaf of bread.
http://i783.photobucket.com/albums/y...c412c0b5c3.jpg

The two that I generally use at this time.

Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2, very lightweight at about 3 lbs though not perfect in design

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m...36fc55f22b.jpg

Kelty Teton 2, a little heavier than the Big Agnes at about 4 lbs but a little roomier as well

http://i299.photobucket.com/albums/m.../keltytent.jpg

Big Agnes SL 2 on my trip last month:

http://www.flickr.com/photos/davez20...57635548910265

It was my first experience with the tent. I like it better than my Hubba Hubba. It's noticeably lightter and easier for my 6' 2" self to get in and out of. Wouldn't try to put two people in it though.

Big Agnes SeedHouse SL2

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps262de5d7.jpg

As other's have said about 3 lbs. I don't have any problem with the design nor the room in it. It fits my 6' tall 200+lb frame just fine with plenty of room for my daughter (5'6") or wife (5').

For solo, I use a Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1

http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...ps40cbc0cc.jpg
http://i144.photobucket.com/albums/r...psab1a9295.jpg

It weighs in at 1.5 lb. I have plenty of room as you can see in the second picture. Would I want to spend a whole day in it? No. But I wouldn't spend a whole day in any tent.

Marc,
the zippers are very good on this Kelty, I have a MSR Hubba Hubba too and they are also a good grade zipper.

Marc B

I've used the Moss Solus I quite a bit, and like this tent. The image in the upper right corner is pretty good. A larger, better version can be seen by clicking there.

https://www.google.com/search?q=moss...&bih=976&dpr=1

This one,

http://www.google.com/imgres?sa=X&bi...0&tx=133&ty=63

I really like a North Face tent I've also used quite a bit. I believe the model is the Ventilator. It is a larger, two-person tent, and it is heavier. But it is super stable in wind; and sometimes it can be nice to have the extra space that it provides, especially if one is spending a lot of time in it. On some tours I don't mind the extra weight; the trade-off is worth it. The NF Bullfrog series tents are a similar design. The Ventilator has much more mesh, which I like (the Moss Solus tents also have full mesh). It can be much more pleasant in warm weather to have the extra ventilation. It also has a pleasant desert sand coloration.

Black netting gives better visibility (through the netting) than lighter colors.

This is another, smaller model, in different colors; but it has the same basic design, pole configuration, and shape:

http://www.google.com/imgres?start=2...4&tx=105&ty=89

http://www.google.com/imgres?client=...6&tx=98&ty=103

There is something very appealing about the pole configuration, but it doesn't show up well in the above images. If you click on the small images that appear below -- where it says "Member Uploaded Images - click to enlarge" -- you can get a much better feeling for this, and for what it is like inside the tent. It's very pleasant to be in.

Image #'s 6, 8. 15, and 17 here give a better sense of it. And some of the interior shots are also good:

http://www.ukcampsite.co.uk/tents/p/...Tadpole-23/955

This design does have the disadvantage of not shedding snow very well. There is an area on top that allows the snow to accumulate, and I've had to periodically poke or push it (from inside) to get rid of the snow. Not a deal breaker for me, but some people don't like this. There are other designs that are better at shedding snow.

It is also fairly easy to get a good, drum-tight pitch with this tent, which I like. To me, tents are way better when good and taut.

I also have a bunch of other tents that I don't use as much. And some bivies. And some tarps. I'm currently exploring some additional tarps and tarp designs.

It can take a while to sort through it all, and one doesn't always find the final answer, if there is one. I could go with a good, versatile hammock system, for example; or with a good tent; or with a good, versatile tarp system; or with something else (an experimental system, for example; or a bivy; or simply cowboy camping). And I might choose one or the other depending on conditions, inner and outer, including my current mood and interests.

I use a Warbonnet Blackbird hammock while out on tour. Takes less than a minute to set up, and I fall asleep nearly instantly in it. So comfy. Here it is without the rain fly or underquilt on it: http://i.imgur.com/Zhea4jY.jpg

I also have a Mountain Hardware Twin Arch 2 that is pretty sweet. Super easy and quick to set up on your own and has been very durable over the years. Sadly I don't use it much anymore since I prefer sleeping in the hammock over sleeping on hard ground (even with my Therm-A-Rest).

REI Quarterdome. My first choice would have been a Big Agnes Copper Spur 2, but I couldn't justify spending twice as much money to save about 1 lb. The Quarterdome is reasonably light and packs down well with relatively short poles. With a ground pad, I only paid about $200 for the tent from REI Outlet. Comparably equipped, the Copper Spur would have cost more than $400.

Thanks guys, some great Tents! I thought this would help me narrow it down but I'm still not sure what I'm going to go with...

boy that Big Agnes Fly Creek UL1 is something, packaged weight at just over 2 lbs and as your photo shows it, you would even have ample room to have a couple of panniers in there without issue, even more so for a skinnier fellow like me. Its even on sale now at rei for 240 american.

pretty amazing the neat tent designs out there now.

Last year got a 2 per. Hubba hubba and its a couple of pounds lighter than my old tent, but these 1 per ones are really neat and compact.