Pictures of your tents.

[Toffee]

Berghaus Peak 3.3 ok for 2 with panniers

Did us for a week round The Netherlands

Derek

[Gattonero]

Alux mini peak

That's the best answer for keeping the bike safe and sheltered from elements!

[mercalia]

Alux mini peak

That's the best answer for keeping the bike safe and sheltered from elements!

looks a nice tent, shame it aint silicon coated - why do they use pu these days still?

I think if that was my tent I would wake up with it collapsed and the pole broken

[Gattonero]

...
looks a nice tent, shame it aint silicon coated - why do they use pu these days still?

I think if that was my tent I would wake up with it collapsed and the pole broken

They do the Sil-HexPeak:
http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/shelters-1/WF129.html
Slightly more expensive (£30?) and exagonal shape, slightly bigger, but lighter due to the material I guess.

Pitching seems pretty easy to me, it's going to be all about staking the corners, putting the pole in, tightening the guy lines.

[khain]

...
looks a nice tent, shame it aint silicon coated - why do they use pu these days still?

I think if that was my tent I would wake up with it collapsed and the pole broken

They do the Sil-HexPeak:
http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/shelters-1/WF129.html
Slightly more expensive (£30?) and exagonal shape, slightly bigger, but lighter due to the material I guess.

Pitching seems pretty easy to me, it's going to be all about staking the corners, putting the pole in, tightening the guy lines.

Can you pitch all in one go or is it inner first?

Also, is the pole not a bit annoying? It looks like it's in the exact spot I would want to sit. Other than that those tents look great. I may just get one.

[700c]

It annoys me that a really nice tent like that Sil Hexpeak comes without a pole.
I understand that many people will use a walking stick or whatever, but I dont do walking.

I then read;

we recommend user to apply seam sealing on inside seam of flysheet and certain points on inner tent corner in order to obtain better rain proofing

So, it's a tent ... that isn't rain-proof (without end-buyer interference) and has no pole (unless end-buyer spends an extra £21.99).

They just talked themselves out of a sale, as that tent looks perfect.

[Tangled Metal]

Actually a lot of tents need seam sealing to be 100% rainproof. Silicone coated nylon isn't easy to tape the seams if it is coated both sides. This requires seam sealant.

Some top brands use other means to prevent leakage at the seams. Hilleberg use what I believe is called fell lapped seams. Not 100% sure what tree structure is but the fold of the seam and the thread used creates the water right seam. Mechanical sealing if you like.

This tent is a bit cheaper than hilleberg tents so not IMHO not unreasonable to need sealing IMHO. It's still a good tent. The pole issue isn't much of one, just buy the pole, it's made especially for that tent if you're not a walker using trekking poles. It'll be light and conspact, better than trekking poles.

One more thing, I once had a tent needing seam sealant to make it waterproof. It was a a single skin tent too so without an inner to shed any drips. I never had any leakage despite never sealing the seams. It might not actually be needed, just the company covering themselves from people asking for a refund if it did leak. It's expensive to refund or replace for smaller companies.

[khain]

Actually a lot of tents need seam sealing to be 100% rainproof.

Including Hillebergs though publicly they claim otherwise.

At least this company are letting people know up front and providing seam sealer, rather than claiming the tents are 100% waterproof then telling you to buy seam sealer when the tent leaks.

[firestarter]

I haven't sealed mine yet and it doesn't leak, touch wood. Pole doesn't get in the way at all as it's flush with the inner. I really rate it

[nmnm]

Great bargain, that lux mini and the hexpeak too. It's good they sell the bits separately. My old "silLite" Golite Sangri-la 3 (way back on page 2 in this thread) was £250ish, I think, with the pole and inner, with taped seams (the sil is on the outside and steeped through, I think). Not the absolute easiest tents to put up well first time, the hex ones and at its best in warm weather (big inside means cooler). But yes, assembly is outer first, and for disassembly you can pack everything up onto the bike under the fly, very good for rainy mornings.

[andymiller]

It annoys me that a really nice tent like that Sil Hexpeak comes without a pole.
I understand that many people will use a walking stick or whatever, but I dont do walking.

They sell the poles (OK they are out of stock at the moment): £23.99

http://www.backpackinglight.co.uk/tarps ... WA134.html

Although so far as I can see the major reason for going with that design is so that you can use it with a walking pole - I'm not sure what advantage it has otherwise.

[700c]

It seems strange to me (as a camping luddite) to purchase a tent that cannot be used for the intended purpose until you buy a pole (extra 20 odd quid) and then have to mess about with sealant.

I talked myself out of buying what looks like a great piece of kit.

[khain]

It seems strange to me (as a camping luddite) to purchase a tent that cannot be used for the intended purpose until you buy a pole (extra 20 odd quid) and then have to mess about with sealant.

I talked myself out of buying what looks like a great piece of kit.

Many in the target audience will own a walking pole so will have no need for the pole. I think it's better to have the choice rather than pay more for a feature many won't need.

I kind of agree about the sealant. It's pretty shocking that many expensive tents are not in fact fully waterproof and need to be sealed, and that most manufacturers and retailers don't even bother to notify customers of this let alone provide sealant. The reason is that better quality tents use silicon as a coating, which gives a very strong and light tent but doesn't allow taped seams. Essentially, if you want a very strong, light tent that is fully waterproof the seams may need sealed and you will need to do this yourself. I'm actually impressed that this company notifies you about this in advance and provides sealant. Most don't.

[JackRabbitSlims]

Can someone recommend me a good seam sealant product please?

[rualexander]

Can someone recommend me a good seam sealant product please?

https://www.mcnett.com/gearaid/silnet#10440

https://www.mcnett.com/gearaid/seam-grip#10510