Hilleberg Soulo Tent - Questions

[Psamathe]

Background: For last year I used a very lightweight tunnel tent (Nordisk Halland 2 https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co.uk/equipment-c3/tents-shelters-c25/two-person-tents-c26/halland-2-lw-tent-p4289) and the nature of the light material meant when wet the fly stretched, allowing sagging, soaking the inner ... Discussed with supplier and here and seems it is the nature of the lightweight material. But it's grief for me having a wet inner so frequently. I also wonder if the tunnel design makes this sagging worse where a lot of the tent is unsupported by poles and the tension is maintained along the longest length of the tent (i.e. from the pegs in the front material right to the back - small stretch=lot of sag).

Considering: Getting a Hilliberg Soulo.

Questions:
1. Is the design (free standing, less material unsupported by poles) better in avoiding fly sagging should the material stretch?

2. Is the heavier material less prone to stretch (compared to lighter materials)?

3. Is the Soulo vestibule or space OK for cycling with 4 panniers (ideally in the vestibule after a wet ride). The massive vestibule in previous Halland was often "full" but if you have the space you easily use it!

4. Anything else I should consider or be aware of? (I looked at the Unna but I prefer a vestibule for wet gear). Looking for good quality to last.

Many thanks
Ian

[tatanab]

I considered a Soulo about 10 years ago. A shop erected one for me and I quickly rejected it because it seemed like crawling into a little cave. In wet weather the narrow entrance would quickly become a quagmire. I thought the inner was very close to that of an Akto, and definitely for a single person with not much kit inside. The same shop erected an Unna for me. Much more space inside, large entry. Lack of vestibule was not a problem because the inner to outer separation is about 8 inches, so there is space between; plus of course one corner of the inner could be detached to allow more external room. Most of my bags would come inside with me if they were dry. I used that happily for about 8 years and replaced it with the 3 season equivalent, the Niak. Very similar space inside, possibly a little more, and a small vestibule. Slightly lighter and smaller pack size than the Unna due to lighter materials. Niak is better ventilated than the Unna since it has a full mesh door (no solid inner panel) versus half a mesh door on the Unna. I have used the tents in some very heavy rain with no problem. The Unna stood up well with its heavier material and larger inner to outer separation, but the Niak showed no problem either.

[pjclinch]

Considering: Getting a Hilliberg Soulo.

Questions:
1. Is the design (free standing, less material unsupported by poles) better in avoiding fly sagging should the material stretch?

2. Is the heavier material less prone to stretch (compared to lighter materials)?

3. Is the Soulo vestibule or space OK for cycling with 4 panniers (ideally in the vestibule after a wet ride). The massive vestibule in previous Halland was often "full" but if you have the space you easily use it!

4. Anything else I should consider or be aware of? (I looked at the Unna but I prefer a vestibule for wet gear). Looking for good quality to last.

More poles => less effective sag, but having said that it isn't "lightweight material" that sags particularly but specifically wet nylon. If you don't want so much sag then using polyester (or Cuben if Hilleberg is a bit too cheap for you...) may be a better option. The light silicone coated nylon in the Hille will sag too, though TBH I don't know what the differences in weight will do (heavier fabrics might have more tendency to hold themselves taut but on the other heavier means more weight pulling them out).

As for the vestibule space being okay or not, this is really a case of suck it and see, because I've heard people describe Quasars as having "massive porches" where they strike me as being barely adequate to leave your boots in so different people clearly have different ideas about what's big enough. But having said that, as a liker of big porches, I didn't like the Soulo I looked at because I felt the porch was on the thin side for my liking: you get quite a bit more space in e.g. an Akto.

The particular niche for a Soulo is a one-person bunker-class tent, where it's one of the very few games in town. But if you're not expecting storm force winds camped where pegs won't go in it's heavy, small and expensive. At about the same price and ~ 300g less weight you could get a Rogen which will give you masses more space inside the inner, each of two porches and give you an extra door to play with. It also has enough pole support to prevent sag on the inner. Wouldn't be so good e.g. sitting out a blizzard, but most cycle touring doesn't need that.

Pete.

[leftpoole]

Considering: Getting a Hilliberg Soulo.

Questions:
1. Is the design (free standing, less material unsupported by poles) better in avoiding fly sagging should the material stretch?

2. Is the heavier material less prone to stretch (compared to lighter materials)?

3. Is the Soulo vestibule or space OK for cycling with 4 panniers (ideally in the vestibule after a wet ride). The massive vestibule in previous Halland was often "full" but if you have the space you easily use it!

4. Anything else I should consider or be aware of? (I looked at the Unna but I prefer a vestibule for wet gear). Looking for good quality to last.

More poles => less effective sag, but having said that it isn't "lightweight material" that sags particularly but specifically wet nylon. If you don't want so much sag then using polyester (or Cuben if Hilleberg is a bit too cheap for you...) may be a better option. The light silicone coated nylon in the Hille will sag too, though TBH I don't know what the differences in weight will do (heavier fabrics might have more tendency to hold themselves taut but on the other heavier means more weight pulling them out).

As for the vestibule space being okay or not, this is really a case of suck it and see, because I've heard people describe Quasars as having "massive porches" where they strike me as being barely adequate to leave your boots in so different people clearly have different ideas about what's big enough. But having said that, as a liker of big porches, I didn't like the Soulo I looked at because I felt the porch was on the thin side for my liking: you get quite a bit more space in e.g. an Akto.

The particular niche for a Soulo is a one-person bunker-class tent, where it's one of the very few games in town. But if you're not expecting storm force winds camped where pegs won't go in it's heavy, small and expensive. At about the same price and ~ 300g less weight you could get a Rogen which will give you masses more space inside the inner, each of two porches and give you an extra door to play with. It also has enough pole support to prevent sag on the inner. Wouldn't be so good e.g. sitting out a blizzard, but most cycle touring doesn't need that.

Pete.

Above agreed!
At present I have a Niak 2 person (2018) which I think is going to be a tent I hold on to because it is lightweight, spacious and easy to erect. Good for UK weather all year in my opinion.
John

[Psamathe]

Many thanks for the feedback.

My initial consideration of the Soulo was from a cycling blog https://www.pushbikegirl.com/ where she comments "I love my Hilleberg Soulo". That was what made me start looking at it but nowhere around where I live seems to sell them so can't go and look at one.

Last summer I did find the sagging outer regularly making the inner wet was "rather a nuisance" but I was lucky with the weather and normally I could pitch the tent and allow it to dry before having to "use it". But I consider that luck which might not happen this year.

Ian

[Psamathe]

.....
At present I have a Niak 2 person (2018) which I think is going to be a tent I hold on to because it is lightweight, spacious and easy to erect. Good for UK weather all year in my opinion.
John

I see the Naik vestibule is only slightly larger than that on the Soulo (Naik 25" at widest point vs Soulo 21" at widest point - which given the 0"->21"/25"->0" is not a big difference in ground area). Would you Naik be easy with 4 panniers? That is from Hilleberg's drawings of their tents.

Ian

[tatanab]

^^^^ you would have to stack the bags, especially if you use huge panniers. I don't use panniers but have everything inside two bags the sort of size of Campers Longflap saddlebag which I put on to of each other if I leave them out there. Often they come inside with me since there is lots of space.

One thing to bear in mind, the bottom of the Niak is shaped into scallops (adds ventilation) but this means that large items in the vestibule are visible.

[leftpoole]

.....
At present I have a Niak 2 person (2018) which I think is going to be a tent I hold on to because it is lightweight, spacious and easy to erect. Good for UK weather all year in my opinion.
John

I see the Naik vestibule is only slightly larger than that on the Soulo (Naik 25" at widest point vs Soulo 21" at widest point - which given the 0"->21"/25"->0" is not a big difference in ground area). Would you Naik be easy with 4 panniers? That is from Hilleberg's drawings of their tents.

Ian

The older pre 2016 model was smaller and only a 1.5 person.
The later model is a full two person with a larger porch.
Much more room when solo.

John

[PH]

Have you considered Soulo's big brother the Allak? It is the tent I lust after though don't expect to ever spend that much. For the extra half a kilo you get a fair bit of extra space and two porches which is great for kit. I dislike tunnel tents, yes they're unbeatable for space Vs weight and porch space isn't comparable because of the height difference, but all that unsupported material either flapping or sagging or both.
As for panniers in the porch, I leave at least one of mine on the bike, the sleeping kit is in stuff sacks and lifts out of the pannier into the tent. The pannier is outside on the bike all day, is see no need to bring it inside at night.

[tatanab]

Niak 1.5 or 2 - It is all in the marketing. The Unna was sold as a 1 person even though it was generous, the Niak was sold as 1.5 perhaps recognising that generosity. I think it was last year that they changed the description to 2 person, although it would be snug just like most 2 person tents. The inner end sidewalls are a little more vertical than in the Unna, which is partly why I have the impression of more space. This is the original release info from 2016 (when I bought mine) and the current information. You will see that the dimensions are the same. It is all marketing hype and in the mind's eye.
http://docs.hilleberg.net/news/Hilleber ... -Tarp5.pdf
http://gb.hilleberg.com/EN/tent/yellow- ... ents/niak/

[pjclinch]

My initial consideration of the Soulo was from a cycling blog https://www.pushbikegirl.com/ where she comments "I love my Hilleberg Soulo". That was what made me start looking at it but nowhere around where I live seems to sell them so can't go and look at one.

Since it's free-standing you can pitch it inside and asses it with no danger of getting anything dirty, and thus send it back unused if it doesn't tick the boxes. Obviously this will cost you the postage back if you don't like it, but on a tent that expensive it's something worth considering.

"I love my Hilleberg Soulo" needs the context of why. Some people sleep much better in really tough tents just from the psychology of knowing it won't blow down, and if a camper is one of those then the Soulo is as tough a solo tent as you'll find. If you camp in boulder fields , on rocky skerries or on shingle beaches then the fully free-standing nature would a winner, some people just like the attention to detail in a tent like that. But for every tent that someone loves you'll find someone else telling you it sucks. It's your portable home from home, it needs you to love it, not someone else! I love my Saunders Spacepacker... my wife dislikes it intensely!

Pete.

[leftpoole]

Niak 1.5 or 2 - It is all in the marketing. The Unna was sold as a 1 person even though it was generous, the Niak was sold as 1.5 perhaps recognising that generosity. I think it was last year that they changed the description to 2 person, although it would be snug just like most 2 person tents. The inner end sidewalls are a little more vertical than in the Unna, which is partly why I have the impression of more space. This is the original release info from 2016 (when I bought mine) and the current information. You will see that the dimensions are the same. It is all marketing hype and in the mind's eye.
http://docs.hilleberg.net/news/Hilleber ... -Tarp5.pdf
http://gb.hilleberg.com/EN/tent/yellow- ... ents/niak/

The Niak 2 is a genuine 2. It’s larger than the original 1.5
John

[pjclinch]

The Niak 2 is a genuine 2. It’s larger than the original 1.5

For some values of "genuine 2" that is. The inner is 20cm narrower than a Staika, for example. My Spacepacker is 120m wide in the inner, and that's part of what my missus has against it. Personally I'd want a bigger porch, even for one. Having said all that, it really is down to personal taste.

Pete.

[rualexander]

I didn't like the Soulo I had for a while, sold it and bought a Nallo 2 instead.

Things I didn't like bout the Soulo :

The door arrangement seemed wrong to me, I'd have preferred the zip to run parallel to the sleeping direction rather than perpendicular (hard to describe).
Pitching it using the clips onto the poles system felt fiddly to me after being used to Hilleberg's normal pole sleeve system.
The 'umbrella' canopy thing on the roof seemed a faff and not really necessary if the design had been a bit different.
The guy lines were a faff compared to those on other Hillebergs I've had.
The vestibule area is pretty small, considering you need to keep more than half of it clear to use the entrance.
The freestanding aspect is good but in reality you still need to be able to peg it out to keep it in place in windy conditions.

[pjclinch]

Pitching it using the clips onto the poles system felt fiddly to me after being used to Hilleberg's normal pole sleeve system.
The 'umbrella' canopy thing on the roof seemed a faff and not really necessary if the design had been a bit different.

I'd say these are "features" rather than "bugs". The sleeves work well in the context of poles all going through from one side in the same direction (or nearly the same direction, as with the likes of the Unna) but with 3 different directions I suspect it wouldn't work as well, especially with a fairly tight curve such as the Soulo middle pole. Given Hille's domes started off with sleeves, I imagine they changed as they found clips worked better: they're prone to tweaks like that, the reversal of the clips and part-sleeves on the mid poles of the Saivo are a good example.

The point of the umbrella is to allow you to have chimney vents in the outer. You obviously don't need these, but as warm, moist air rises it is the most effective place to put them. It's a trade off between extra fuss and better venting: you choose, you lose...

The freestanding aspect is good but in reality you still need to be able to peg it out to keep it in place in windy conditions.

Freestanding is remarkably popular as a bullet-point marketing feature, but years of using a single hoop tent and even managing to pitch on rocky skerries has made me wonder how often it really makes a difference. I think the main advantage in action is freestanders are generally easier to pick up and move, or turn upside down to shake out a couple of days' accumulation of grass, crumbs etc. Not being able to do that is a shame, but hardly a deal-breaker.

Pete.