Vaude Power Lizard SUL tent

[andymiller]

Apart from the possible pole issues, the UV problem I'm not worried about as we never get further than northern France, has anyone any experience of this model?

I forgot to mention the zips ...

I think it all depends on your expectations. These are ultra-lightweight tents (or even super ultra lightweight) so they're not built for the long haul. But that said, assuming you need to replace the pole after between 100 and 120 nights and the zips at the same interval, there's nor reason why the fly shouldn't be good for another 100-120 nights, and possibly more.

EDIT: to my embarrassment, I've just realise that I used the Vaude tent for two months in 2011 - so the figures here and in my earlier post unfairly understate the wear I got out of the PL. it was more like 180 nights before the pole failed.

When I said 'replace the zips' I should have said 'replace the zip runners'. IIRC Scottish Mountain Equipment repairs said they could do this for about £25.

As far as the UV damage is concerned, the fly is still undamaged but there's no way of telling how much life it still has left in it. The fly is silicon coated PA - polyamide (ka nylon).

BTW and FWIW if backpackinglight.co.uk hadn't had the Telemark I would have happily bought another PL.

[DanielFuller]

My girlfriend and I used this on a recent month long tour. We had condensation problems that meant our fly sheet would stick to the inner tent and eventually water would be dripping into the tent. It wasn't a deluge by any means but still unpleasant. Vaude advised us that ventilation was one of the trade-offs with SUL and UL tents. I think I'd rather pay a few hundred quid for a tent that's 500gms heavier or 5cm longer in packing size if it kept me dry.

I think if someone wanting a tent with some extra space were using this on their own it may be ok, half the exhaled hot air could make the difference.

[andymiller]

My girlfriend and I used this on a recent month long tour. We had condensation problems that meant our fly sheet would stick to the inner tent and eventually water would be dripping into the tent.

I had that problem with the Power Lizard when the air was humid. The problem isn't so much condensation on its own as maintaining separation between the fly and inner tent. It's always going to be a potential problem with hooped tents - but IME this is where the Nordisk scores over the PL as the design makes it easer to keep them apart, although you still have to make sure the outer is properly taut.

[foxyrider]

I had the same 'condensation' issues in the summer but as everyone else on the campsites where it occured had similar issues i put it down to atmospheric conditions and/or location (mountain tops/lake/river sides and temps from 15c to 40c variation!). Most of the damp seemed to accumulate after i woke but before i broke camp!

Generally i found the PL to have better air flow than my Taurus.

[DanielFuller]

Here's a video of us putting the tent up, on 4x speed a few times in case anyone was curious how easily it goes up.

http://jambijambijambi.tumblr.com/post/ ... nni-groove

We'll be cycling around the world using this tent starting from July '14 so there'll be a thorough review eventually.

[mtbmarkymark]

I'm selling mine if anyone is interested...i've gone tarp
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