Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Specifically for cycle touring subjects & questions
willem jongman
Posts: 2750
Joined: 7 Jan 2008, 4:16pm

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by willem jongman »

Decathlon's main business is outdoor gear rather than bikes, of course. And yes there are still bike stores in France, principally but not exclusively to cater for the slightly more expensive stuff. The same applies to stores for camping gear such as Le Vieux Campeur. Finally with regard to monopolism, no one can argue that Decathlon charges monopoly prices.
User avatar
bigjim
Posts: 3244
Joined: 2 Feb 2008, 5:08pm
Location: Manchester

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by bigjim »

Not many small bike shops in France. I broke a crank when I was in Beziers. Could not find a bike shop. But they had a Decathlon, so I scooted a couple of miles to the store. I had to buy a cheap MTB chainset. They offered to fit it for €20 but I had the tool, so said I would do it myself in the carpark. The mechanic said, wait a minute and put my bike on the stand and whipped the old one off "to make it easier monsieur". Nice people.
crazydave789
Posts: 584
Joined: 22 Jul 2017, 10:21pm

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by crazydave789 »

willem jongman wrote:Decathlon's main business is outdoor gear rather than bikes, of course. And yes there are still bike stores in France, principally but not exclusively to cater for the slightly more expensive stuff. The same applies to stores for camping gear such as Le Vieux Campeur. Finally with regard to monopolism, no one can argue that Decathlon charges monopoly prices.


Decathlon seem to put as much effort in all their kit, their bikes and accessories are good value and even better, good quality. we've had stuff from most departments over the years and been happy with all of it. my brother used to bring bikes back from majorca because they were much cheaper and better quality.

some stuff they brought to market first like the pop up tent which remains much better quality than any copies that followed.

you can't compare them to halfords, go outdoors maybe but without the hassle of having to buy a discount card.

going around a different store is great fun as they are all different, the one at merry hill is great but a hassle to get to so we go up the M5 a bit to the next one.
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
My Spitfire comes in at 1.5 kgs, is larger and hence more comfortable but has a lot of mesh so 3 season, the decathlon has min inner mesh so it will be less drafty?
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.
pete75
Posts: 16356
Joined: 24 Jul 2007, 2:37pm

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by pete75 »

willem jongman wrote:It is indeed comparable to Ikea:
high quality design teams who really know their stuff
production in low wage countries
huge sales volumes and low distribution costs


Not necessarily low wage countries. I have some Decathlon skis and they are made in Austria.
I bought one of these little tents a couple of months ago as an alternative to a bivvy bag. The tent is fairly narrow but enough room for a thermarest with a bit of space round the edges along with sitting headroom. There is quite a large storage area under the flysheet and the built in footprint covers this area as well. I find it easy to pitch so either I'm doing something wrong or the reviewer who claims it's hard to pitch is. The groundsheet appears fine particularly as the tent is supplied with a foot print . Weight wise it's just 120 grammes more than my bivvy bag.
'Give me my bike, a bit of sunshine - and a stop-off for a lunchtime pint - and I'm a happy man.' - Reg Baker
PH
Posts: 13099
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 12:31am
Location: Derby
Contact:

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by PH »

pete75 wrote:I bought one of these little tents a couple of months ago as an alternative to a bivvy bag. The tent is fairly narrow but enough room for a thermarest with a bit of space round the edges along with sitting headroom. There is quite a large storage area under the flysheet and the built in footprint covers this area as well. I find it easy to pitch so either I'm doing something wrong or the reviewer who claims it's hard to pitch is. The groundsheet appears fine particularly as the tent is supplied with a foot print . Weight wise it's just 120 grammes more than my bivvy bag.

useful review, I'm looking for a fast and light tent for the occasional overnighter and this might just be it. I've tried a bivvy bag and it's not for me, though the weight saving was nice.
hamster
Posts: 4128
Joined: 2 Feb 2007, 12:42pm

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by hamster »

NATURAL ANKLING wrote:Hi,
My Spitfire comes in at 1.5 kgs, is larger and hence more comfortable but has a lot of mesh so 3 season, the decathlon has min inner mesh so it will be less drafty?


I think you are right - US-style tents with loads of mesh are not so fun towards the start and end of the season.
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Four season lightweight cheap tents are few and far between if a tad small.
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.
hamster
Posts: 4128
Joined: 2 Feb 2007, 12:42pm

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by hamster »

'4 season' and 'cheap' are effectively conflicting requirements? :?
Cheap implies compromise, 4 season demands the opposite.

Light, strong, cheap; pick two.
User avatar
pjclinch
Posts: 5457
Joined: 29 Oct 2007, 2:32pm
Location: Dundee, Scotland
Contact:

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by pjclinch »

hamster wrote:'4 season' and 'cheap' are effectively conflicting requirements? :?
Cheap implies compromise, 4 season demands the opposite.

Light, strong, cheap; pick two.


Strong and cheap can be 4 season. It'll weigh quite a bit though...

But what exactly is a "4 season tent"? The answer depends who's asking and who's answering. For some it means can take storm force winds... but I've been in storm force winds in summer. For some it means ability to take static snow loading, but you generally don't need that in the Antarctic because much of it is technically a desert and ironically it doesn't snow much, but I'd still want a "4 season tent" there at any time of year. Hilleberg's particularly 3 season tents differ from their others by having the fly not reach the ground and having mesh panels that can't be blocked off, so that's about air circulation, but plenty of folk are happy to use those in winter. And so on.

It's not so much "cheap" implies compromise as "tent". Any tent is a compromise because the ideal tent is impossible (what with it needing a tiny footprint, provide masses of space, weight nothing much, be immensely strong, keep you cool when it's hot and warm when it's cold).

Pete.
Often seen riding a bike around Dundee...
User avatar
NATURAL ANKLING
Posts: 13780
Joined: 24 Oct 2012, 10:43pm
Location: English Riviera

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by NATURAL ANKLING »

Hi,
Maybe I should of said economical / low cost, you know what I mean.

Trouble is what matches-
Low weight (two person up less than 1 kg / person) (solo 4 season will probably be nearer 2 kgs)
Good head height (narrows it down a bit and very important I.M.O. comfort)
Small foot print (but enough space for gear and comfortable sleeping, without touching inner)
Four season (that is draft proof so mostly non mesh inner) (if not solid inner then temperature stability is difficult in winter)
Stability (so not skimping on pegging fly and guys)
Low cost (less than say £100)

In the seventies I used "Campari" tents and ruck sacks, vastly better at the time weight and comfort, nylon mould proof, (inner mesh was never heard of so solid inner but old school ridge type design, simple fly) Aluminium framed rucksack with mesh bands.

Cheap is not always rubbish.
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.
crazydave789
Posts: 584
Joined: 22 Jul 2017, 10:21pm

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by crazydave789 »

and rubbish is not always cheap :D
User avatar
Sweep
Posts: 8441
Joined: 20 Oct 2011, 4:57pm
Location: London

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by Sweep »

PH wrote: I'm looking for a fast and light tent for the occasional overnighter and this might just be it. I've tried a bivvy bag and it's not for me, though the weight saving was nice.

Out of interest, which bivvy did you use?
Mine is an ex army gore one - very good but not light and maybe bulkier than my Snugpak ionosphere.

Did see a very compact bivi recently but fear that it wasn't remotely breathable.
Sweep
PH
Posts: 13099
Joined: 21 Jan 2007, 12:31am
Location: Derby
Contact:

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by PH »

Sweep wrote:
PH wrote: I'm looking for a fast and light tent for the occasional overnighter and this might just be it. I've tried a bivvy bag and it's not for me, though the weight saving was nice.

Out of interest, which bivvy did you use?
Mine is an ex army gore one - very good but not light and maybe bulkier than my Snugpak ionosphere.

Did see a very compact bivi recently but fear that it wasn't remotely breathable.

Alpkit Hunka, seems to do everything it claims, no problem with the kit, I've just decided in most circumstances I'd rather be using a tent.
User avatar
Sweep
Posts: 8441
Joined: 20 Oct 2011, 4:57pm
Location: London

Re: Lightest Decathlon tent yet?

Post by Sweep »

PH wrote:
pete75 wrote:I bought one of these little tents a couple of months ago as an alternative to a bivvy bag. The tent is fairly narrow I'm looking for a fast and light tent for the occasional overnighter and this might just be it. I've tried a bivvy bag and it's not for me, though the weight saving was nice.


If it's a furtive overnighter there is the snugpak ionosphere.

I have one but haven't used it yet. Thanks for thumbs up on the alpkit bivi, may take another look at it. It breaths, at least a bit, I assume?
Sweep
Post Reply