Snugpak ionosphere

Specifically for cycle touring subjects & questions
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Sweep
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by Sweep »

Happy New year ankling. Look forward to your tent innovation s in 2018. Yes really, do report back. All the best.
Sweep
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Sweep
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by Sweep »

The ionosphere arrived. Only erect ed the inner inside so far and it won't be camped in untill 5he end of February, but looks good. Maybe a tad more delicate looking than I expected but pretty sure it will stand up to stufr.
G
Looks like a doddlle to erect. Like 5he size of it. Feels quite roomy inside while being small enough to hide away in it, quite possibly in plain sight.
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Gattonero
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by Gattonero »

pjclinch wrote:
Gattonero wrote:You are not putting into accounts the tent design: if using a material like Cuben, you cannot rely on fabric tension but you have to rely on pole tension.
Catenary-cuts can keep the Cuben tight like Silnylon, and line-locks do allow a certain degree off set to the peg, and get the tension as it should.


Your problem hits you on any non-stretchy design if the ground isn't flat: you have a 3D shape that assumes a flat bottom, but if you don' have that then no end of clever fabric cuts and guying will get a non-stretchy shape to be anything other than what it is. So that's often not a problem on a formal campsite, but is often one on wild sites (which is of course where CT and pals were finding pitching otherwise similar Trailstars was not quite as similar as they'd expected).


Don't want to sound rude, but the one pitching in a convex or concave ground is the camper looking for trouble.
I'm not talking of tents that will have a footprint that is several meters large, all it needs is 1.5x2.5mt flat. I won't believe that you cannot find such a spot, because it must be a terrible place to stop in regards of all other facilities.
Given that you will be happy with +-5" all around this 1.5x2.5 space, the guylines will cope with the rest, it doesn't matter if they are slightly below the footprint of the canopy.

The problem with the Trailstar is its shape and design, if you don't get it right it makes difficult even to get in, as it doesn't have a door but a low vestibule. There is also it's inherent "free shape" because there is no floor is very easy to get the basic shape altered. A tarp with sewn-in floor is much much easier to pitch, as the floor tells you the final shape you can see right away where the pegs will go.

pjclinch wrote:
Gattonero wrote:Walkers can choose different journeys from what a cyclist would, we're talking off-road here not Cycle Touring on road, right? The latter, is obviously less prepared to get off the tarmac and may struggle a lot when scrambling, but then it's not a good idea to go on bridleways and remote areas with 700x25mm tyres and road-specific shoes.
Wild-camping needs a discreete place, one hectare of rural land can be all in plain sight, and walking a mile takes a lot longer than cycling 3 miles (unless one was completely unprepared and is looking for wild-camping while riding up on a climb)


I don't think many people tour on 25mm tyres with Look cleats, even purely on road. Most touring bikes, including my recumbent, are quite capable of taking in unsurfaced tracks. Even mountain bikes, however, will have a lot of trouble going through untracked heather or low bracken (or even plain long grass) that's really not much of an issue on foot.


There you go, cycle to a place that looks suitable and walk less than a 1/4 mile to the final location. What I'm talking is having had a look at the maps beforehand, to get an idea of what the place is like, the obviously you can find out the place is not good and there you go: cycling a bit further (or back) to a better spot is far easier than having to walk 2 miles.
Both cycling and walking can have the problem of a place that turns out it's not good, but the cyclist can then explore a larger area much faster.


pjclinch wrote:Wild camping may or may not need a discrete place. These were not discrete, and it wasn't a problem.

That's a personal preference, mine is to be as discrete as possible :)
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
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Sweep
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by Sweep »

In case anyone is interested in trying one.

Best offer available.
Not mine I stress.
It's first trip awaits.
https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/282806537205 ... noapp=true

Being sold due to an injury apparently.
Despite the doubts of some posters, no evidence that this was caused by getting in and out of it :)
Sweep
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Gattonero
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by Gattonero »

Not to hijack your thread, but with £130 I got this brand new :D

Image
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
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Sweep
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by Sweep »

Thanks gatto but I don't need to do yoga in my bivi tent.

And mine cost less.
Last edited by Sweep on 14 Jan 2018, 11:57pm, edited 1 time in total.
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Not to shanghai this post :mrgreen:
Bought two tents before Xmas :)
Second from same supplier was rejected as I was not allowed to buy again within 20 days :?
But did a fiddle and used another account :lol:
I thought heh just for fun, but received notice that both were posted.....................we will see..............one man and two man..£ 15 total.....IF they arrive (due this week) will post details..............if nothing else I can use the stuff to make a stealth tent.
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
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Sweep
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by Sweep »

Am all agog ankling to know what outfit has that bizarre selling rule and just what sort of tent/s you can get for that amount.
By the by, an ebay search will find an ionosphere on sale. Used one night apparently and by all accounts passed with flying colours, but the person of a certain age had trouble getting in and out. I don't see that being a problem for me, but we will see.
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nick12
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by nick12 »

I saw some tents on ebay just after Christmas 1man tent from china looked ok actually. Orange not the best colour but o tried to buy one my credit card wouldn't allow payment to pay pal unfortunately. £ 8 something including postage from china . Although the rules did state if it was advertised at wrong price they could change it. Anyhow I didn't get it. Checked my account at weekend when I got back from Indonesia. No payment was made.
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Sweep
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

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Ihave bought camping bits from china but would not buy a tent no matter how cheap. Too many things need a good quality control check.
Thanks for the reply/possible context nick.
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Gattonero
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by Gattonero »

Sweep wrote:Thanks gatto but I don't need to do yoga in my bivi tent.

And mine cost less.


Surely with the Ionosphere you don't do proper Yoga, as you can only lay down and do a Kumbhakasana (at most) :mrgreen:
Image
It is by riding a bicycle that you learn the contours of a country best,
since you have to sweat up the hills and coast down them.
Thus you remember them as they actually are...
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Sweep
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by Sweep »

good tip gatto.

If you could maintain that position, like horses standing asleep, you could maybe save the weight of poles.

Looking forward to using the Ionosphere (possibly some day in your home turf - they also do a sand coloured one for hotter climes - an ideal tent for free camping in your parts I think as 1: I understand that free camping is strictly illegal, 2: the weather will make leaving stuff outside generally a non problem) - plan to take a tough bag for life or something for aiding getting into it - I tend to carry one anyway as a multifunction touring aid, sit mat etc.

I may even break my current aversion for taking pics of my life and take the odd pic of it in situ with the tablet.

all the best
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radek
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by radek »

I took the ionosphere for another micro adventure and again it worked great !

https://www.flickr.com/photos/139077418 ... ed-public/

https://www.flickr.com/photos/139077418 ... ed-public/
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Sweep
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by Sweep »

Thanks for those pics radek. Looks like a wonderful wood as, unlike many dense woods, grass is still growing. Which area is it in? Haven't yet camped out in my ionosphere. Was scheduled to be out in it tonight somewhere in the middle of England. Plans naturally changed/postponed :)
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NATURAL ANKLING
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Re: Snugpak ionosphere

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Sweep wrote:Am all agog ankling to know what outfit has that bizarre selling rule and just what sort of tent/s you can get for that amount.
By the by, an ebay search will find an ionosphere on sale. Used one night apparently and by all accounts passed with flying colours, but the person of a certain age had trouble getting in and out. I don't see that being a problem for me, but we will see.

Update- Too good to be true, no delivery and got my refund from ebay in minutes of posting a dispute :)
I have had many bargains on ebay, over 13 years or more, probably less than 1% I was unhappy with / did not receive.
Tents were about £60-80 elsewhere on ebay, not brand tents.......china................but most bicycles certainly frames are made in china, paint jobs vary...........are gadgets are made in china etc.

I have bought two tents brand new in the past and resold for twice the price :)
NA Thinks Just End 2 End Return + Bivvy - Some day Soon I hope
You'll Still Find Me At The Top Of A Hill
Please forgive the poor Grammar I blame it on my mobile and phat thinkers.
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