Always good to take a bit of extra time when shopping around for tents.
Will you always be camping alone, or do you want to be able to share the tent with someone?
Thanks Arno
The tent will be for me, myself and I. And smelly shoes
I know that there have been a few replies mentioning the F.A. Helio, but I can finally back a few of them up after recently buying one.
Can be packed small enough to be comfortable in a 50l backpack, two is a squeeze but I think itās perfect for solo hikes, itās got enough of a vestibule for your kit and smelly shoes , and feels sturdy enough to take on the Drakensberg⦠all-in-all I know that there are probably better options for you if you look hard enough, but I donāt think its easy to make a mistake with the Helio. Especially considering that it can take on all four seasons at that weight and price.
In that case, my top 7 would be:
- Naturehike Cycling Ultralight 1-person (R2199): 1620g and very compact when packed; Can handle quite bad weather; Very airy, so cold in winter.
- Naturehike Cloud-Up 2 (upgraded model) (R2799): 1700g, also very compact when packed; Can handle worse weather and has a bit more living space than the 1-person tent.
- Naturehike P Series 2-person tent: (R1499): 2kg; Dual entrance and lots of living space.
- Naturehike Mongar (R3199): 2.2kg; Dual entrance; A mansion for one person and fantastic for two.
- First Ascent Lunar (R2199): 2.6kg; Good price; Very roomy and livable; Slightly heavier and bulkier; Very durable; Can handle extreme weather.
- K-Way Nerolite 2 (R2499); 2.65kg; Lots room; Big vestibule; Can handle extreme weather.
- First Ascent Helio (2499): 2.45kg; Good price; Quite cramped; Low roof; Awkward to get in and out; Durable; Can handle extreme weather.
Now youāve thrown a curve ball
Good you mention the airiness of the Naturehike Cycling Ultralight.
I get cold very easily, even when bundled up in thermals and a sleeping bag.
The Lunar seems like it could get cold too?
I do like that it has two doors and a fair amount of vestibule space.
Throwing my support in with the various Naturehikes as well. Just received a tent from one of the good cottage manufacturers in the US and I have to say that the Chinese manufacturers like NH are doing better quality or equal work for less money.
If it is just for you the two things I would focus on is weight and having a decent vestibule for if you get stuck in the tent in bad weather. The ability to make a cup of coffee while it is raining out canāt be understated:)
The CloudUp 2 is great, and the new version is worth it for the side guylines and more ventilation. Iāve also had good experiences with the FA Starlight 2, but 90% of the time if I was hiking alone I would happily loose the room to not carry a KG more. Weight adds up quick, but it is cheap and goes up easy. Single door but bit roomier than the Lunar.
In terms of warmth, for a three season tent it is largely in your sleeping bag and pad. Especially the pad which is often overlooked. You actually need reasonable airflow to deal with condensation build up in the tent, so there is a balance.
Just to make things even more complex If you hike with trekking poles, arenāt too tall and donāt mind waiting a bit, I would give the 3F UL tents from China a serious look. Not as traditional in our market, but solid, light and well tested on things like the AT.
I donāt have trekking poles yet. I need the tent by 9 November, so I would prefer to buy local.
Iām going to head to PE next week and check out the Lunar, Nerolite and Helio.
Thanks everyone
EDIT:
Leaning towards the Cloud 2 now.
I was hoping to get something for a trip on the 9th, but Iām not sure if I want a white tent (they only have the white in stock).
Pros and cons of colour?
Donāt think I will be in snowy areas any time soon.
How about a Hillerberg Alto?
Lovely tent, but way out of most peopleās price range.
Pros would be that it is easy to spot in an emergency, technically should run cooler in hot weather. The major advantage for me is a neutral colour can be great if you get stuck in your tent all day. Living in a red or green tinted world for hours on end gets to me
Cons would be that it is more visible if you are trying to camp a bit more discretely. Also lighter colours can feel a bit less private.
The one thing to check is that with some of the NH tents the white tents are a different material. They are often silnylon vs polyester. Polyester doesnāt sag which is great, but is often heavier.
Sorry ment Akto
I assumed that was what you meant
(First post - thanks for the site.)
Im doing a 5 day hike in the Lowveld in June and need a 2 person tent. (its a requirement to have a tent.) Obviously weight is imperative, as is airiness.
I looked at the First Ascent Lunar (weight was hugely attractive as was the dual side openings making it really open and airy) but its too small to fit two people and your gear inside - unless you sleep toe to toe with the rucksack as a pillow.
Looking at the Kilimanjaro it seemed a good compromise with a vent at both ends and lots of space, plus it seemed sturdy.
The Nature Hike Mongar 2 seems like a good alternative, but is there a store where you can see one?
I also donāt understand the dimensions: Im sure theres a logical explanationā¦
2100 x (600 + 1350 + 600) x 1000mm
Anyone got any suggestions for a multi day hiking tent for hot weather that provides a shelter from hyenas eating your kit?
On the Mongar, W 1350 x L 2100 x H 1000 would be the interior dimensions and I think 600 is the max extension of each vestibule.
I have a Star River 2 from Naturehike which is pretty close in design. Very livable interior size, and not too bad of a weight when split across two people. You might struggle a bit getting two people inside with their packs, but more than enough space for bringing food etc inside and store the packs under the vestibules. Having two doors and not having to crawl over each other when someone needs to pee at night is a godsend Wouldnāt want to go back to a single door two man. also gives you the ability to open both sides and get a cross breeze when it is hot.
The Kilimanjaro seems like it might have slightly more interior space but only the single front entrance? 3.5 kg feels heavy to be frank, or Iām not seeing what you are gaining based over what you are losing over the Mongar.
If you felt like you wanted to see it, NH Africa are based in Pretoria. If you are that side, could send them a message and see if you could pop by? No idea if that is something they accommodate though.
Many have already said that the K-way Nerolite 2/3 does very well in really bad weather. Can anyone speak to whether it is a suitable and dependable tent for the Drakensberg?
Iāve used the Nerolite 3 in some hectic wind and rain in the Cederberg and I was very impressed with how well it performed - solid tent and great value for money.
A very similar design with some better design elements, slighly lighter and āScottish weather approvedā testing is the Vango Helvellyn 200: Vango Helvellyn 200 | Online at Mountain Mail Order South Africa
I havenāt used the Nerolite so canāt comment on its performance. But personally for the money I wouldnāt buy it, iād rather buy the First ascent Helio. Much better tent!!
Or the First ascent lunar tent Iād rather have than the k-way one.
Furthermore the naturehike series seems to be ticking boxes, I will be getting the mongar 2 soon so weāll see if all the hype is warranted.
Otherwise Vango you canāt go wrong, considering where they are designed and tested (kak conditions).
I think the biggest problem is the amount of variety out there and making up ones mind. Everyone has their own opinion. Work out what is more important to you (ie ventilation/two enties/large vestibule/weight/price etc) and make a decision from there!!
I have both the Helio and the Nerolite 2 and if I had to compare them I could almost say they are identical (in my eyes at least). Iāve used the Helio in pretty hectic conditions and it stood tall while other tents were bending inwards due to strong winds. I think the kway tents have a lot of unwarranted bad publicity for some reason Iāve only had good experiences with them.
Only place where I prefer my Helio over the Nerolite is how the guy lines work and how the vestibule opens. The Helio feels like a more modern Nerolite.
After much back and forth, I have finally decided to get something a little cheaper and settled on the Naturehike P-Series 2 Person Tent.
I unpacked a First Ascent Starlite 2 today, and the P-Series dimensions are similar. I think the extra 10cm headroom over the Mongar and Cloud-Up might make a difference⦠we will see!
Good for what I need now. Once I get more into hiking I will look at whether or not I need something better speccād.
I will report back once I have tried it out
First Ascent Lunar:
Brought one on my way up the West coast and discovered up there one of the corners did not have the clip on it. I made a plan as I was motorcycle camping up the west Coast on through Namaqualand onto Sprinkbok and down
I only returned the flysheet a week later where I was given a new one (Checked all 4 clips present) Thanks Outdoor Warehouse Rondebosch.
Awesome little tent - a bit heavy for a one man tent (its a two man one), but ideal for motorbike camping. I have used it as a hiking tent too, and back up shelter when in Kgalagadi. Wifey and I slept comfortably in it - awesome January ventilation. and love the dual sided access.
Vestiblues are voluminous too, Easily housing two 37L panniers in one side, and still space to cook meals on top of it.
I was really impressed with how it stood up to a really strong coastal winds on the beach - Yes I burried the guy lines because the pegs are tiny, but this tent held up where shelters were blown over.
Wont work for 2 people inside with their packs.
Negatives - owing to the shape, theres not much width in the headroom, so for more space (and less loving) sleep head to toe.