Recommend me a tent for a world tour

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robing
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Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by robing »

I'm setting off RTW in July 2020. Looking for a 2 man tent. Contenders so far the ever popular MSR Hubba Hubba and Vango F10 Helium UL2. Prepared to spend decent amount for the right tent. The MSR scores on being free standing which is a big plus point.
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horizon
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by horizon »

robing: I'm also interested in the replies but it would be good to hear what you have in mind. Here's a recommendation for example:

Cheap Vango tent that you can afford to lose/have stolen/lost by airlines for quick emergency overnight stop in a warm country if no hotel found and to be thrown/given away after a number of weeks. Lighter the better for high mileage days.

Or perhaps:

Top quality tent that will survive long periods at higher levels while crossing the Himalayas to be used throughout the trip.

You get my point.
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
robing
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by robing »

More the latter. I already have a cheap Vango tent that has stood me very well over 5 years and it's a great little tent and it's a fairly decent sized one man (Blade 100) so am looking for something a little bigger as I intend to be away for 18 months. I'm hoping airlines don't lose it - I'd probably either take it on as hand luggage or bundle it up with my luggage. Any flight I take should be direct flights. Looking for something light, and with a decent porch size. I'm only 5'9-10 so don't need a massive sleeping area. Strength in wind would be good too.
Ivor Tingting
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by Ivor Tingting »

robing wrote:I'm setting off RTW in July 2020. Looking for a 2 man tent. Contenders so far the ever popular MSR Hubba Hubba and Vango F10 Helium UL2. Prepared to spend decent amount for the right tent. The MSR scores on being free standing which is a big plus point.


As long as you don't get the MSR Tour 1 or 2 tents as they leak quite badly. MSR seems incapable of producing one that keeps occupants and possessions dry.

This guy has had a saga of woe with his MSR Hubba Tour 2. He's had two or three of them and they have all leaked. He's seam sealed the current one and it still leaks like a sieve.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxDSzu63uec

My choice would be the Elixir 2 as it has a polyester based fly sheet which is more durable as opposed to Nylon of the Hubba Hubba series and includes the footprint where as the Hubba Hubba NX doesn't. Also it is a little more robust. It's definitely a 3 season tent as opposed to 2-3 season for the Hubba Hubba NX. Also the Elixir has a more robust pole pattern. You still have all the features of two doors with large vestibules and lots of head room. It's also free standing. It is also a bit cheaper than the Hubba Hubba.
"Zat is ze reel prowoking qwestion Mr Paxman." - Peer Steinbruck, German Finance Minister 31/03/2009.
robing
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by robing »

Ivor Tingting wrote:
robing wrote:I'm setting off RTW in July 2020. Looking for a 2 man tent. Contenders so far the ever popular MSR Hubba Hubba and Vango F10 Helium UL2. Prepared to spend decent amount for the right tent. The MSR scores on being free standing which is a big plus point.


As long as you don't get the MSR Tour 1 or 2 tents as they leak quite badly. MSR seems incapable of producing one that keeps occupants and possessions dry.

This guy has had a saga of woe with his MSR Hubba Tour 2. He's had two or three of them and they have all leaked. He's seam sealed the current one and it still leaks like a sieve.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxDSzu63uec

My choice would be the Elixir 2 as it has a polyester based fly sheet which is more durable as opposed to Nylon of the Hubba Hubba series and includes the footprint where as the Hubba Hubba NX doesn't. Also it is a little more robust. It's definitely a 3 season tent as opposed to 2-3 season for the Hubba Hubba NX. Also the Elixir has a more robust pole pattern. You still have all the features of two doors with large vestibules and lots of head room. It's also free standing. It is also a bit cheaper than the Hubba Hubba.

This was posted on another forum -
"I left on my rwt tour 18 months ago with a 2 man Elixir. Fly no longer water proof after 9 months which msr replaced. Also poles are pretty poor so had problems with a couple splitting, again msr sent new ones (postage to UK address only though)
Inner and zips still going strong".

I wonder if he meant the Tour?
Also there is a Luxe Habitat which is a budget version/copy of the MSR?
Ivor Tingting
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by Ivor Tingting »

robing wrote:
Ivor Tingting wrote:
robing wrote:I'm setting off RTW in July 2020. Looking for a 2 man tent. Contenders so far the ever popular MSR Hubba Hubba and Vango F10 Helium UL2. Prepared to spend decent amount for the right tent. The MSR scores on being free standing which is a big plus point.


As long as you don't get the MSR Tour 1 or 2 tents as they leak quite badly. MSR seems incapable of producing one that keeps occupants and possessions dry.

This guy has had a saga of woe with his MSR Hubba Tour 2. He's had two or three of them and they have all leaked. He's seam sealed the current one and it still leaks like a sieve.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WxDSzu63uec

My choice would be the Elixir 2 as it has a polyester based fly sheet which is more durable as opposed to Nylon of the Hubba Hubba series and includes the footprint where as the Hubba Hubba NX doesn't. Also it is a little more robust. It's definitely a 3 season tent as opposed to 2-3 season for the Hubba Hubba NX. Also the Elixir has a more robust pole pattern. You still have all the features of two doors with large vestibules and lots of head room. It's also free standing. It is also a bit cheaper than the Hubba Hubba.

This was posted on another forum -
"I left on my rwt tour 18 months ago with a 2 man Elixir. Fly no longer water proof after 9 months which msr replaced. Also poles are pretty poor so had problems with a couple splitting, again msr sent new ones (postage to UK address only though)
Inner and zips still going strong".

I wonder if he meant the Tour?
Also there is a Luxe Habitat which is a budget version/copy of the MSR?


No the MSR Hubba Tour and the MSR Elixir are quite different tents.

That doesn't sound good with respect to the fly leaking though. Mine is fine but whilst I have used it quite a lot, I have not done so for 9 and 18 months continuously. My older MSR Hubba Hubba HP is still going fine and doesn't leak. But I am always suspicious of people who have pole breakages as I see so many campers not treating their poles with respect, chucking them around, putting huge strain on them by bending them where they are not supposed to be bent and generally mistreating them. Of course breakages do happen. End of the day cold and hungry, darkness rapidly falling, the mozzies biting, hurrying to get the tent up and start cooking. Oooops ........bugger! Touch wood I have never had a pole break on any make of tent I have owned - Vango, Vaude, Wild Country or MSR. I like the Elixir as the inner is a mixture of mesh and panels for privacy which allow you to still gaze up at the stars on warm cloudless nights. The Hubba Hubba has a different mesh panel pattern which doesn't quite allow you to do this.

There are quite a few knock off Chinese copies of MSR tents as the MSR design is second to none. It would seem they just need to up their durability in terms of weather proofing and not leaking! Then there are REI tents in the States which are all very similar.

Don't know about the Luxe Habitat copy of MSR.

Another tent to consider is the Terrra Nova Southern Cross 2. I've not owned this tent. I only demo'd it a a few times and it seemed pretty good. Two doors one each side with vestibules like the MSR tents. It's quite pricey. More pricey than MSR but not quite as expensive as Hilleberg tents.

https://www.terra-nova.co.uk/tents-and- ... n-cross-2/

Tents are a compromise. If you want light then you might be compromising on durability and robustness to stand up to bad weather. But that's not to say that you can't get light weight all season tents. They are just a lot more expensive and are still a compromise. It's a bit like sleeping bags. People want just one bag that will keep them warm in all temperature ranges, from a light cover in warmer summer months down to -15C in a northern European winter. It's not going to happen.
"Zat is ze reel prowoking qwestion Mr Paxman." - Peer Steinbruck, German Finance Minister 31/03/2009.
gbnz
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by gbnz »

Ivor Tingting wrote:
Tents are a compromise. If you want light then you might be compromising on durability and robustness to stand up to bad weather. ..... a bit like sleeping bags. People want just one bag that will keep them warm in all temperature ranges, from a light cover in warmer summer months down to -15C in a northern European winter. It's not going to happen.


And I'd suggest not worth the compromise. Longest spell I've had living in a tent / sleeping bag was somehwere around the 11-13 month mark and knowing that you've got somewhere dry and warm to sleep at night is worth an extra few hundred grams in weight.

That said the run of the mill Vango tent I had was superb, much better than the Vaude I've since replaced it with. Though the Vango down sleeping bag was .......had to bin it in August/September within six weeks of starting, as it was too cold to get a decent nights sleep :!:
Ivor Tingting
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by Ivor Tingting »

gbnz wrote:
Ivor Tingting wrote:
Tents are a compromise. If you want light then you might be compromising on durability and robustness to stand up to bad weather. ..... a bit like sleeping bags. People want just one bag that will keep them warm in all temperature ranges, from a light cover in warmer summer months down to -15C in a northern European winter. It's not going to happen.


And I'd suggest not worth the compromise. Longest spell I've had living in a tent / sleeping bag was somehwere around the 11-13 month mark and knowing that you've got somewhere dry and warm to sleep at night is worth an extra few hundred grams in weight.

That said the run of the mill Vango tent I had was superb, much better than the Vaude I've since replaced it with. Though the Vango down sleeping bag was .......had to bin it in August/September within six weeks of starting, as it was too cold to get a decent nights sleep :!:


I would agree with this. I should imagine there is nothing worse than waking up to a leak that has soaked clothing and sleeping bag. But then people have different priorities or convince themselves along a line thinking that has compromises with little understanding of the consequences. For me it's just a shame that MSR has some durability issues with waterproofing as the design of their tents imho is brilliant. I too like Vango tents. They are like the donkeys of the tent world. Will get you through most stuff, they just keep on going. They are a little bit heavier, quite a bit actually compared to MSR tents, but then again they are a lot cheaper. You pays your money and takes your chances.
"Zat is ze reel prowoking qwestion Mr Paxman." - Peer Steinbruck, German Finance Minister 31/03/2009.
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pjclinch
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by pjclinch »

We have a Hubba Hubba HP and it's a good tent for what we want it for (short lightweight raids for two) but I'd be wary about using it for round the world, I'd choose something a bit stronger. The groundsheet is thin enough that parking it on cold saturated ground immediately gives you condensation issues inside, and the inside coating being PU means it's much weaker than a silicone-both-sides coat. Also if a pole goes at one of the hubs it would be a bit of a game to do a field repair.

A Hilleberg Rogen is a similar weight and has similar space, but the design and materials should be a bit more fiasco-resistant on a long trip away from easy repair. I say this having not actually crawled around one in person, my absolute "you need to do this" before selecting a tent for a big trip. Even if I had and loved it wouldn't mean you loved it, so whatever looks good make sure you're pitched it and crawled around it before deciding (if that means risking posting it back for a refund, take that risk).

A Rogen is still "3 season" by Hille's standards, though what they mean by that is it's not built for snow (fly not down to the ground). This is not necessarily an issue on a cycling trip. The 4 season equivalent is the Allak 2, which is a lovely tent but weighs quite a bit more. It is more bombproof though, with a stronger fly fabric, and it's fully free-standing (a Hubba Hubba and a Rogen need the porches pegging out, the tent inner stands up on its own but the porches will flop without pegs, while an Allak will have the porches set without pegging).

Hilles are, of course, very dear, but they're built for expedition work with the "reliability" compromise point a lot more conservatively set than a lot of lightweight tents. This doesn't mean others aren't up to the job: Mark Beaumont's first round-the-world trip was using a TN Laser Comp, and obviously he came back in one piece! As has been noted, tents are a compromise and it's often a matter of finding a design where the compromise points are in places you feel happy with. I come across like a Hilleberg advert because the compromises tend to be where I like them. But if you want lighter or cheaper you can certainly get that, and still have a good tent.

Pete.
Often seen riding a bike around Dundee...
robing
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by robing »

gbnz wrote:
Ivor Tingting wrote:
Tents are a compromise. If you want light then you might be compromising on durability and robustness to stand up to bad weather. ..... a bit like sleeping bags. People want just one bag that will keep them warm in all temperature ranges, from a light cover in warmer summer months down to -15C in a northern European winter. It's not going to happen.


And I'd suggest not worth the compromise. Longest spell I've had living in a tent / sleeping bag was somehwere around the 11-13 month mark and knowing that you've got somewhere dry and warm to sleep at night is worth an extra few hundred grams in weight.

That said the run of the mill Vango tent I had was superb, much better than the Vaude I've since replaced it with. Though the Vango down sleeping bag was .......had to bin it in August/September within six weeks of starting, as it was too cold to get a decent nights sleep :!:


I found the same. My basic Vango Blade 100 tent has been excellent. I've had it 5 years and it's still going strong. I did have a pole break in a freak storm in Spain but got better replacement poles and it's been fine since. I proof it every now and then. My only problem is it's a bit on the small side for a prolonged tour and although has a porch isn't a lot of storage space.
And I returned a Vango down bag for the same reason, it was too cold. I think they exaggerate a bit with their temperature readings for comfort etc. I got a Robens down bag which has been excellent, ok to about 4C. I think it would be ok for most of my trip, but for colder sections I might need something warmer. I don't think you can have one bag that is going to be suitable for RTW - it's bound to be too hot or too cold somewhere.
Ivor Tingting
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by Ivor Tingting »

robing wrote:
gbnz wrote:
Ivor Tingting wrote:
Tents are a compromise. If you want light then you might be compromising on durability and robustness to stand up to bad weather. ..... a bit like sleeping bags. People want just one bag that will keep them warm in all temperature ranges, from a light cover in warmer summer months down to -15C in a northern European winter. It's not going to happen.


And I'd suggest not worth the compromise. Longest spell I've had living in a tent / sleeping bag was somehwere around the 11-13 month mark and knowing that you've got somewhere dry and warm to sleep at night is worth an extra few hundred grams in weight.

That said the run of the mill Vango tent I had was superb, much better than the Vaude I've since replaced it with. Though the Vango down sleeping bag was .......had to bin it in August/September within six weeks of starting, as it was too cold to get a decent nights sleep :!:


I found the same. My basic Vango Blade 100 tent has been excellent. I've had it 5 years and it's still going strong. I did have a pole break in a freak storm in Spain but got better replacement poles and it's been fine since. I proof it every now and then. My only problem is it's a bit on the small side for a prolonged tour and although has a porch isn't a lot of storage space.
And I returned a Vango down bag for the same reason, it was too cold. I think they exaggerate a bit with their temperature readings for comfort etc. I got a Robens down bag which has been excellent, ok to about 4C. I think it would be ok for most of my trip, but for colder sections I might need something warmer. I don't think you can have one bag that is going to be suitable for RTW - it's bound to be too hot or too cold somewhere.


Indeed. Temp ratings on sleeping bags are just guides. They have to comply with EN reg what ever number I can't remember now. If you are a bit sensitive to the cold then go for a warmer bag. This is so important in cold weather. It is better to be a bit warmer in colder weather as you can die if you get caught out and succumb to cold. There will invariably be other factors affecting the chances on your survival. A sleeping bag is actually a piece of emergency equipment as well as a piece of sleeping equipment. You need to work out whether you will be going to places where it can potentially be very cold. If you are then you are not only going to need a warm sleeping bag but all the other cold weather gear. If I were going to such cold places I would be looking to stay indoors. I don't enjoy cycle touring in such cold conditions not because of the cycling but what everything else entails principally getting clothing dry for the next day or trying not to get frost bite in your fingers or toes. In milder climates if you are too warm it's not such a bigger problem as being cold in cold climates. You can still use the layering system with sleeping bags. Cotton liner bag, thermo liner bag then sleeping bag, insulated down trousers or Rab thermal layers and Icebreakesr 260 winter LS jersey or even micro baffle down jacket. You could jus use these to sleep in if the weather was relatively mild and not too cold, but a good sleeping bag is better. Not a fan of Vango sleeping bags unlike most of their tents which are very good value. Most of Vango's sleeping bags are cheaper heavier and larger packed size synthetic ones. I much prefer a lighter and smaller pack size down bag.

HTH.
"Zat is ze reel prowoking qwestion Mr Paxman." - Peer Steinbruck, German Finance Minister 31/03/2009.
robing
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by robing »

Most of the time I will be in warmer climes. The pamir although in summer might be cold at night because of the altitude. And the return through Europe will be in autumn.
Thehairs1970
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by Thehairs1970 »

I'm no expert in this but...

To my mind, a tent you might do a fortnights tour in, is going to be different to a RTW tent. Vango s are great but are they durable enough to be used night after night for months on end? I'm not sure. The problem is that you'll have to spend far mor if you want the durability of something like a Hilleberg.

One alternative could be to buy cheaper tents and accept that they are going to die after a while. This could work well, enabling you to buy to match the local climate but maybe just as expensive in the end.

Good luck!
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by PDQ Mobile »

I think for prolonged heavy use groundsheet is an important consideration.
Obviously a weight compromise but one that leaks/is damp significantly is a pita.
Worse than a slightly leaking fly perhaps in really wet weather/ground conditions.
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horizon
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Re: Recommend me a tent for a world tour

Post by horizon »

My Robens Voyager EX is spacious, strong and light enough for an extended tour - it is a tent I could "live in" for a long while. I reckon, given what I can see of the build, it would last for months even if it had to be retired at the end of the tour. Some parts are in any case easily repaired like a broken pole or indeed AIUI, a small rip. And if the worst came to the worst, a new one or similar could be purchased. The tent is strong but not polar strong: the OP hopefully isn't going up mountains or across the Arctic.

But:

I think the real weakness of this sort of tent is the problem of UV degradation (and maybe other forms of "wear" such as groundsheet abrasion). As the material degrades, then the tent becomes unusable, not just unsightly from de-coloration and fading. Cycle touring oddly might mean that you pack your tent way during the day so UV degradation is minimised. What we are looking for isn't so much wind tests and rainwater repellence statistics but days' life: what is the expected number of days' life of this or that tent, especially if left standing during the day?
When the pestilence strikes from the East, go far and breathe the cold air deeply. Ignore the sage, stay not indoors. Ho Ri Zon 12th Century Chinese philosopher
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