Quasar tent replacement

[Des49]

Hi,
I need to replace my Winter Gear/Wild Country Quasar tent. It is one of the first ones, I have had it from the mid eighties. It has been a remarkable tent that I have always had full confidence in, whether in a mountain storm or in a coastal gale. Though in recent years it hasn't been used much and has had several annual coats of Fabsil on the fly and many patches to the groundsheet. When pitching it to dry out after the last usage I snapped a pole, so with the expectation that more pole breakages are on the way I am thinking it is time to replace it.

Basically am I silly in getting a like for like replacement or are there better alternatives now? I note some improvements in the modern version, like continuous mesh pole sleeves, the entrance looks a touch wider and it is allegedly lighter. Mine all complete is 3.9kg.

Doing a bit of reading, it may be that the modern Quasar from Terra Nova is not quite what they used to be with regards to quality. Even on this forum I have caught mentions of pole breakages and sticky flysheets. This has put doubts in my mind.

How about a Hilleberg Allak 2 as a replacement? I would feel better with a strong tent and be happy to carry around an extra pound or so. You never know what the weather does. Is an Allak as tough as my Quasar?

Thanks for any advice.

[pjclinch]

Hi,
I need to replace my Winter Gear/Wild Country Quasar tent...I am thinking it is time to replace it.

Basically am I silly in getting a like for like replacement or are there better alternatives now?

Well, that depends. Particularly, first define "better"...

How about a Hilleberg Allak 2 as a replacement? I would feel better with a strong tent and be happy to carry around an extra pound or so. You never know what the weather does. Is an Allak as tough as my Quasar?

"Tough" covers a few bases: there's abrasion resistance, tear strength, static loading strength, with the Quasar you've also got the point of very different behaviour if it's taking the flak end on or side on, but waving that aside, if you are in a situation where you can't trust an Allak you're in pretty serious poop. It's a proven expedition tent.

If you really want something that can take bad weather in the context of polar expeditions and 8000m peaks you might go for a Staika instead, but properly guyed out I'd bet money that an Allak should take anything a vintage Quasar will.

A slightly more like-for-like would be a Tarra which has the same layout as a Quasar, but the fly has more tear strength and the poles are stouter. It's also easier to put up by yourself, but is noisier inside in a blow (external poles and the bigger porches mean a bit more unsupported cloth to flap). I have a Tarra I use for sea kayaking where the weight and bulk aren't issues, I can't think why I'd want it on a bike trip.

Back to the Allak, we did think about one as a cycle touring tent but in the end got a Kaitum 3, because there was a lot more space at about the same weight. It's noisier inside in a blow and not being self-supporting isn't quite so convenient for awkward pitches or shaking detritus out, but we found the space to be more use to us. If it's just you the Kaitum 3 would be far larger than you need (it's very generous indeed for two), so there's the Kaitum 2, or for bike parking possibilities a Nallo 2 GT might work better.

Having used Force 10sin the 80s I can appreciate where you're coming from in wanting "just in case" levels of insurance, but I moved to a Saunders Spacepacker at about 1/3 of the weight and while it's been out on some wild nights it's never blown down. Anything in the Hille range will be properly able to take any wind you're likley to run in to on a cycling trip, and unless you're expecting heavy snow even the 3 season ones should take anything the UK is likely to throw at them.
For a solo twin-entrance tent for UK cycle touring I'd have a Rogen higher on the list than an Allak, and a lot higher than a Quasar (always found the porches too wee to be much use, tbh, and not a fan of inner-first pitching) or Tarra.

Pete.

[Des49]

Thanks Pete for such a useful reply.

Hadn't really considered a Kaitum or similar, seem to give great space for weight. Having used largely one tent for so long I have got stuck in my ways, the Quasar, some experience of a Phaser Dome then a family sized Vaude. Only now I am starting to think about weight, never used to bother me having a tent the weight of a Quasar, even when by myself cycling, or climbing in the mountains. But have to accept I am not anywhere near as strong as I would like to be nowadays.

I do accept the entrances of a Quasar are small (and awkward to get out of), that feeling of wet flysheet against the skin when crawling out in the middle of the night for a call of nature was never welcome! But we managed to pack rucksacks or panniers for 2 people in the porches without much problem.

A Rogen certainly is surprisingly light and would cover the weather I am generally likely to encounter. Though I would probably still, maybe irrationally, favour a heavier tent. No intention for polar or high altitude expeditions! The most I would still like to plan for would be walking in mountains like the Pyrenees or British Isles. Usage is for two people, or solo.

I should be able to arrange to see some of these tents at a dealer next month to get a good feel for what the options are.

[PhilD28]

I bought a Staika to replace my 20 year old quasar. Similar weight but for my purposes, northern uk hill uplands camping the Staika is a better tent.
The quasar served me well and I had a new groundsheet fitted about 10 years ago so its still serviceable but since getting the Staika it hasn’t been used. If you are travelling with a friend The weight of the Staika split between two is fine, solo it’s too much, I have a better alternative for solo trips.
So an unreserved recommendation for the Staika if the weight works for you.

[Des49]

I bought a Staika to replace my 20 year old quasar. Similar weight but for my purposes, northern uk hill uplands camping the Staika is a better tent.
The quasar served me well and I had a new groundsheet fitted about 10 years ago so its still serviceable but since getting the Staika it hasn’t been used. If you are travelling with a friend The weight of the Staika split between two is fine, solo it’s too much, I have a better alternative for solo trips.
So an unreserved recommendation for the Staika if the weight works for you.

Thanks. That's the sort of experience between the two designs that is very useful. Seems that I would not be losing out in any way by moving towards the dome design of the Staika/Allak. Your usage in northern UK hills would certainly encounter some testing conditions. One of the worst nights I encountered in my Quasar was on the west coast of Ireland on a solo cycle tour, an early summer severe gale, I was glad I had a strong tent.

In an ideal world I would get 2 tents, for two people and for solo use. But in reality this is difficult to justify, so an Allak may be the best compromise.

[nsew]

Allak would be an excellent choice as a space for two and obviously single use. No need to obsess over a few hundred grams with a tent (half a water bottle). With Hillebergs you’re getting protection and longevity as the weight increases. The sand is an excellent stealth color.

[pjclinch]

I should be able to arrange to see some of these tents at a dealer next month to get a good feel for what the options are.

Hugely recommended. Crawling around in a pitched example (preferably after seeing how easy it is to pitch) is much the best way of making a tent choice IMHO.

While it's natural to look at self-supporting models like the Allak because that's what you're used to, if you prefer the Quasar's overall layout then the Kaitum might appeal more (porch at each end rather than to the sides, I'm happy with either though some have a preference). You don't get the nice drum-tight inner, but you get at least as much inner space, much more porch space (and the entrances better laid out to the side rather than head on) and it's quite a bit easier to put up.

Worst our K3 has taken was a gale while perched on the edge of a dune with no shelter in the Western Isles. That would have been nicer in a Quasar because the Quasar is a very quiet tent while tunnels move around more, but it's ultimately just as strong and I'll take the extra space, lower weight, easier pitching over that, and add a pair of ear-plugs for gales!

A pal replaced his Quasar with a Nallo GT (and is much happier now as a result), but I prefer the twin-porches, roomier inner and better venting of the Kaitum to the Nallo GT. The GT porch is probably big enough to park your bike inside, but that would make getting in and out rather a faff and it wouldn't work with two (unless they were folders). If you want a covered place for bad-weather bike repairs one feature of any Hille you don't get with a Quasar is the ability to dismount the inner (also handy for extra party/cooking space).

Hilles are stupidly expensive and you can certainly get lighter while still robust enough, but psychology of trusting your tent is a genuine thing for a good night's sleep and if your idea of where to put the compromise points is on the same lines as Bo Hilleberg's then they just work in use in a way I've really grown to appreciate. If I could only persuade them to make a two person/two porch version of the Akto... (And I've just had a Cotswold brochure through the door and seen how much Quasars are these days, I'd want a whole lot more change than that to put one over a Hille on a short-list).

Pete.

[nsew]

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve pitched or been invited to pitch on a man made surface. A non freestanding tent is next to useless in this circumstance. The Kaitum footprint is crazy long also. I’d still be searching out a suitable spot 24 hours later. Good luck moving a tunnel tent in a hurry when the situation arises, and it arises. If campsites are the only place you’ll ever camp then fair enough. Even then you may not be able to make it to a planned stop.

[PhilD28]

I bought a Staika to replace my 20 year old quasar. Similar weight but for my purposes, northern uk hill uplands camping the Staika is a better tent.
The quasar served me well and I had a new groundsheet fitted about 10 years ago so its still serviceable but since getting the Staika it hasn’t been used. If you are travelling with a friend The weight of the Staika split between two is fine, solo it’s too much, I have a better alternative for solo trips.
So an unreserved recommendation for the Staika if the weight works for you.

Thanks. That's the sort of experience between the two designs that is very useful. Seems that I would not be losing out in any way by moving towards the dome design of the Staika/Allak. Your usage in northern UK hills would certainly encounter some testing conditions. One of the worst nights I encountered in my Quasar was on the west coast of Ireland on a solo cycle tour, an early summer severe gale, I was glad I had a strong tent.

In an ideal world I would get 2 tents, for two people and for solo use. But in reality this is difficult to justify, so an Allak may be the best compromise.

I've cycled and camped extensively on multi month tours in Ireland/Scotland and all of Europe every year for over 40 years. For solo use I used to use an early 80's Wild Country Voyager (great tent but small) and still solid, I then bought a Quasar, then an Ultra Quasar trying to shed some weight The old Quasar was a much better tent than the later Ultra Quasar which had numerous problems due to the lighter materials. So I was a fan of the Quasar but really compared to the Staika it's just not as good. Both are similar in their ability to withstand harsh conditions and strong winds but if you do have to hole up, the Staika has more room and I much prefer the layout and twin porch and door arrangements to the Quaser's. Tons of storage space for panniers etc.
I wouldn't recommend the Staika for hot weather, I did a 3 month trip in mine through France a few years ago and decided it was absolutely overkill for warm summer camping, but for Northern European camping like the conditions you find on the West Coast of Ireland/Scotland I love it, you always feel secure in those conditions.
I'm not sure that recent Terra Nova tents are as good as the old 80's Wild Country in terms of construction quality, while Hilleberg are as good as ever, and priced accordingly.

[pjclinch]

I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve pitched or been invited to pitch on a man made surface. A non freestanding tent is next to useless in this circumstance.

There again, I can count the number of times it's happened to me on the fingers of one foot... That said, over the last 30 odd years I have camped in some interesting spots armed with nothing but a single hoop tent and a want to sleep in it, and I've never yet been defeated. There are certainly places it wouldn't go, but they don't seem to turn up where I'm camping.

This isn't man made, but it's a beach of large shingle with the tent parked on a couple of cm of turf. If memory serves we got one peg in before we gave up on pegs, and yet there it is, fully pitched...

We've pitched on loose dry sand too.

Part of the reason I have the Tarra is if I have to put ashore in a storm and there's no time or place for a decent pitch, but in practice I've never had to use it that way.

The Kaitum footprint is crazy long also. I’d still be searching out a suitable spot 24 hours later. Good luck moving a tunnel tent in a hurry when the situation arises, and it arises. If campsites are the only place you’ll ever camp then fair enough. Even then you may not be able to make it to a planned stop.

Don't often use campsites up in Scotland, particularly when we're mountaineering. One of the nice things about wild camping is you've got plenty of choice, and I really am pushed to think of anywhere where it'd take a whole day to find a pitch. The Kaitum isn't "crazy long", it's no longer than the Tarra and I've never found parking that a problem either... Moving a tunnel is easy with two, with one you gather it up so all the poles are together and it's more of a re-pitch, but since they're dead easy to pitch we are further in to the realm on non-issues.

Tunnels are Hille's best selling models, have been for years. They're used all over the places, in challenging situations (far tougher than anything I ever do). I think the problems some people envisage with them are slight paranoia more than genuine problems. I think I'd still choose a free-stander as a paddling tent, where dodgy pitches are more likely and the weight/bulk penalty matter less than when on foot or cycle, but tunnels are well proven in use with an excellent track record.

Pete.

[nsew]

Almost twice the length of the Unna. I do enough prep as it is. The current trip will take me to Greece where I can chuck it up on the outdoor deck of the ferry if taking the overnight to Patras. Once into the hills it will park nicely on the rear terrace of a friendly taverna - breakfast obligatory. Basque hand tennis courts. On top of WWII gun casements. Inside once, I still get the terrors from that night. Concreted back yards in Ireland. Portuguese gravel pits. Spanish quarries. Tiled Roman sites. Bronze Age sites. I’m a disgrace.

[pjclinch]

Almost twice the length of the Unna. I do enough prep as it is. The current trip will take me to Greece where I can chuck it up on the outdoor deck of the ferry if taking the overnight to Patras. Once into the hills it will park nicely on the rear terrace of a friendly taverna - breakfast obligatory. Basque hand tennis courts. On top of WWII gun casements. Inside once, I still get the terrors from that night. Concreted back yards in Ireland. Portuguese gravel pits. Spanish quarries. Tiled Roman sites. Bronze Age sites. I’m a disgrace.

My point wasn't that there aren't situations where other tents aren't better, but that they may tend towards the somewhat niche.

Yes, a Kaitum is twice the length the Unna, but as the Unna is a solo tent with no porch space it's not like that makes the length of a twin-porch tunnel a deal breaker, at least for camp site choices with stuff like "open space". I don't think those are favoured by an obscure minority of campers...

Pete.

[nsew]

I hardly think one person travelling by bike breaking camp on a near daily basis is somewhat niche in this forum. You can all put your hands down now. The Kaitum clearly isn’t satisfactory in this regard due to its preposterous length and 48 peg outs. However, where I can see benefit is when things get a bit frosty with the missus, opposite ends of the tent can be taken.

[Des49]

Allak would be an excellent choice as a space for two and obviously single use. No need to obsess over a few hundred grams with a tent (half a water bottle). With Hillebergs you’re getting protection and longevity as the weight increases. The sand is an excellent stealth color.

I think the sand may be a good option, the green looks a bit dark to me and may heat up more in the sun. But my wife and one daughter basically think the sand is yuk! Will try to see each if possible.

[Des49]

I'm not sure that recent Terra Nova tents are as good as the old 80's Wild Country in terms of construction quality, while Hilleberg are as good as ever, and priced accordingly.

Seems to be the feeling, and puts me off. I don't mind paying a bit extra for something that will last longer and hopefully be as dependable as possible.