Camping Tent

[dwnptrl_777]

I'm using a Big Agnes Seed House now, also. Short of some kind of last-minute switch (which I don't intend), the Seed House will be my tent for this summer's TransAm ride.

[bogiesan]

Rather like trying to buy a bike based on an inquiry posted here, all you're going to get are personal experiences and limited comparisons. I've owned five or nine tents (depending on what you call a "tent") but direct comparisons are impossible because they were all from different technological eras and from different manufacturers, amny of which are long gone.

I counted recommendations and enthusiastic reviews of 15 different tent models. Hitting some backpacking equipment review sites will reveal many more. I see more than 20 "highly regarded" one- and two-person tents reviewed in Backpacker magazine alone, dozens more on noncommercial sites. That amount of data doesn't help anyone make an intelligent choice, that kind of data only provides confusion. But at lest the persistent searcher can find a cross-section of comparable products in specifc price ranges and sharing similar characteristics.

david boise ID

[paddleboy17]

I'm using a Big Agnes Seed House now, also. Short of some kind of last-minute switch (which I don't intend), the Seed House will be my tent for this summer's TransAm ride.

I only have one complaint about my Seed House:  The vestibule door's roof line does not overhang the inside of the tent enough.  If it is raining buckets, and you unzip the vestibule door, water running off the rain fly can drop down through the no-see-um mesh into the tent.  I keep my pack towel up front to blot up the water, and make sure that everything else is behind the drip line.  This is totally manageable, as long as you know to plan for it.

Confused?  Just check out the rain fly's coverage with the vestibule door open next time you set up your tent.

My previous tent was a Kelty that is no longer in production.  Nice and roomy, but heavy, and it diid poorly in high winds.

[CraftGeek]

<snip>
Another great tent in this category is the Kelty Gunnison 2.  It's a bit lighter, looks to be a bit sleeker, and is a bit more expensive.  And, even though you may be able to find it $10 or so cheaper elsewhere, if you buy it from Adventure Cycling the profits go to promote the sport/lifestyle we all enjoy!

Cameron

This message was edited by CNC2006 on 7-24-07 @ 12:42 PM

The Kelty Gunnison 2.1 sold here at ACA looks good. I went looking for some reviews of it and found this
http://www.rei.com/product/763437#customerReview
I especially liked the one titled "I can even set it up when drinking". 
All the reviews are informative and worth the read.

The one reservation I have is that the tent's mesh windows do not appear to have cloth inner panels to close them up as some other tents do. This isn't necessarily a bad thing because the huge wrap around mesh panels are probably the reason this tent is condensation proof. My only worry is that in very cold weather, it's warmer to completely block all the mesh to keep the warm air in. On the other hand, I doubt I would be doing much snow camping while cycle touring.

[MIBIKER]

The MSR Hubba tent is a very small one man tent.  I bought the MSR Hubba Hubba tent for the extra room and it only add 1/2 pound to the total weight of the tent.  It is a two man tent with a door on each side.  So no one has to climb over someone to get in the night.  Both of these tents have a mesh top with a nice fly and free standing.  I went camping in October in Michigan.  When  we got up the ground was covered with a hard frost. The air temp was 35 degrees. I packed a down sleeping bag, good to -25. I was comfortable all night.  I was able to use this tent for three weeks this past summer.  In 2010 I hope to use the tent at least 4 weeks if not more.   This tent can be used with just the fly, main tent body only, fly and footprint.  The fly comes down low enough so prevent the rain from coming in the door when the fly is open. You can also add a gear loft.  It has two mesh pocket on each end to store things like glasses, cell phone, flashlight etc. Lots of head room for me but I am only 5' 3".  The first day of spring is only 9 weeks away!!!!!!! GOOD LUCK
 

[computermatter10]

If you are concern with condensation, try to purchase at he MSR Hubba, a one person freestanding tent and rainfly that weighs about 3 pounds. I'm able to fit my panniers under the vestibule, and it is easy to set up and keeps my dry in the rain. I have never gotten condensation in the tent itself, but have seen some on the underside of the rainfly. You should check it out, the two person version is the Hubba Hubba.

Try to make you satisfy!

[mucknort]

This is a great 2 person tent at a great price, Nemo Losi 2p from REI outlet:
http://www.rei.com/product/799099

[CraftGeek]

This is a great 2 person tent at a great price, Nemo Losi 2p from REI outlet:
http://www.rei.com/product/799099

THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!! THANK YOU!!!

Normal price; $339.00
Closeout price; $234.93
20% more off until 3/11/10; $46.99
Total I paid; $187.94

Nemo has not made any changes to this model this year and this is not a used or seconds so this is a great deal.

Thanks again.

[staehpj1]

The MSR Hubba tent is a very small one man tent.  I bought the MSR Hubba Hubba tent for the extra room and it only add 1/2 pound to the total weight of the tent. 

Small, very small, and roomy are all relative terms so it depends on your perspective.

The comment about adding 1/2 pound to the total weight is just wrong at least according to the published specifications.  It is more like a pound and a quarter or a bit more depending on which number you use.  It may be worth it to some (even many?) for the extra space but the pound and a quarter is a significant percentage of the whole tent and enough weight that it should definitely be factored in to any decision.

I am not knocking deciding in either direction, but using a weight differential that is less than half of the actual one does not make for good decision making.

Hubba Hubba:
Average minimum weight   4 lbs. 3 oz.
Average packaged weight   4 lbs. 11 oz.

Hubba:
Average minimum weight   2 lbs. 15 oz.
Average packaged weight   3 lbs. 6 oz.

[John Bailey]

This is a great 2 person tent at a great price, Nemo Losi 2p from REI outlet:
http://www.rei.com/product/799099

Thanks for the tip.  I got one and it's probably the nicest tent I've ever had.  It's 4" wider than the Hubba Hubba, 6" higher and has about 10 sq. ft. more vestibule space.  It is listed at a lb. heavier, but I think that weight is the heavy duty case.  It's a great case, but I don't think I'll be using it, so the weight difference in nominal.

Great Deal!!

John

[samantha48]

There are many lightweight tents that can occupy 1 to 2 persons. But I think it is better if you have this SansBug pop-up tent that is indispensable gear and offers a quick shelter when you need it most. Enjoy the outdoors without being bitten or stung by mosquitoes and other harmful critters when this pop-up tent is in you.

[Westinghouse]

I bought an Alpine hiker tent at Sports Authority for a transcontinental bicycling tour this past winter which I completed in 55 days, but not with that tent. The first day I set out had me setting up that tent in intermittent rain showers. The tent leaked, not all that badly, but the floor of the tent and my closed cell foam pad were pretty well soaked by morning. I had used my own lightweight aluminum tent pegs instead of the heavier steel ones that came with the tent, so I just pulled up my stakes and left that tent right where it was in the woods. After that I used a tarp which I found to be more versatile than a tent, and what with winter temperatures at historic lows along my route, mosquitoes and other wiggly biting fuzzies were no more a concern than being a victim of shark attacks on the summit of Mount Surubachi.

[ericb]

Another Big Agnes Seed House (SL2) user. I've toured and back packed with mine extensively, in all kinds of conditions.

For some reason it is often on sale, and I think at the sale price it is a great deal. I think I paid just under $200 for it in 2008.

Pros: Light, very fast to set up, very airy so condensation is rarely an issue. Seems pretty durable so far. Spacious for one person + gear. I did the Sierra High Route with it and was very very happy.

Cons: Because it's open, it is really a 2.5 season tent. It handles wind very well, but if you are wind+snow, you're going to be unhappy (speaking from experience here). With misty sort of rain or heavy rain + wind, it's possible to get moisture coming into the tent from under the fly. You really have to stake out the fly properly to not get condensation and to have it handle wind properly -- which is a small extra hassle. Tight fit for two people.

[pipedreamer]

has anyone toured with the quechua 2 second pop-up tents?  they seem hard to find in America (except via Ebay), but it sounds like they're pretty weather resistant and priced very reasonably.   I think it would be nice to have something that sets up so quickly.

[CraftGeek]

has anyone toured with the quechua 2 second pop-up tents?  they seem hard to find in America (except via Ebay), but it sounds like they're pretty weather resistant and priced very reasonably.   I think it would be nice to have something that sets up so quickly.

For the convenience of quick setup, the tent is heavier than most of its size and it cannot pack down into as small a package as most other tents do.  For example, the 2 person version weighs almost 6 pounds and when packed into its smallest form is still over 2 feet across.

See:
http://www.quechua.com/EN/2-seconds-simple-ii-33683756/