Has anybody had the chance to compare the Naturehike Mongar to the Outdoor Elements Sunny 2 tent?
The design seems to be exactly the same only the Outdoor Elements has a 40d inner and floor vs the 20d on the Mongar and thus is a bit heavier (2.8kg vs 2kg). The Outdoor Elements tent is also 200mm wider (1550mm vs 1350mm)
I have a suspicion they might come from the same generic factory and is just branded and slightly customized for each brand. Very difficult to decide, Mongar is R3400 at the moment and Outdoor Elements is usually R3100 but currently on sale for R2500 on Takealot. I donāt know if that extra R900 is worth the 900g weight saving!
Ultimately I guess the ticker floor will be worth it in the long run?
Hi Arno, do you perhaps know of any store that sells the Nature Hike tents that I can go and see them? (I am in Stellenbosch can go view a Sunny 2 at a local shop)
Only thing holding me back on the Sunny 2 is that super orange it makes sense for safety visibility but sitting in a super orange tinted light can be disorienting after a while I love that soft grey on the Mongar will blend well with the local rocks.
Do you think the difference between the 20D and 40D floor will be a big improvement?
Unfortunately, the only place you can view their tents is at their office in Pretoria, but if youāre ever in the Tokai are (near Muizenberg), youāre welcome to swing by and see what mine looks like.
The heavier denier count will definitely add some abrasion resistance, but the Mongar does come with a ground sheet, so the Iāve not considered the thin floor to be a problem.
Thank You Arno! Even with the big saving at the moment I will wait and probably go for the Mongar, weight saving and the color being the two big considerations. I own a ānormalā orange 3 man tent and that orange light cast inside is something that has bothered me before. Also I donāt like jumping to buy just because something is on sale
I definitely havenāt had any issues with the 20d floor on my Naturehike tent. Feels like I would rather have the option of adding on the ground sheet when I need it than always having to carry the weight, plus have found having a loose lightweight groundsheet to be pretty useful. Mat for people to sit on for lunch or shade if you rig it up.
Always hard to make a call around weight to cost saving. In this case it looks like shaving off a third of the tent again, which feels significant. Thatās the weight of a sleeping bag you suddenly arenāt hauling.
Arno great point and just for the record, this alone is a great reason for buying local products over the imported counterparts.
Personally Ive had excellent service from one when my Lunar had a āmotorcycling mishapā I asked to buy a replacement and they ended up getting the retailer to replace it -
It was 100% my fault and completely beyond the expectations of any material (even my Aluminium pannier was damaged!).
Iām starting to plan my gear for overnight hikes.
Deciding on a tent is a problem as I overthink everything. I have narrowed my search down to the Naturehike cloud up 2 and First Ascent Helio. In terms of weight and pack size they are pretty much on par with the helio being a 4 season tent is a bonus. Problem with the helio is that I am just under 2m tall and there have been posts with it being very crammed.
So in terms of space the cloud up seems to win there but has anybody used it in the mountains and lived to tell the tale? I wont be in harsh weather all the time but I would like options.
The Cloud Up 2 will also be a problem - Iām 1.86m and I was touching at my head and my feet.
The First Ascent Lunar is a proper 2-person tent, with enough functional space, length and height, and it can withstand a serious amount of weather. It is heavier though.
Would agree with Arno on the Cloud Up 2, I think of mine as a 1.5 man tent at about 1.85m myself. More of a lay diagonal sort of situation. You could do but I wouldnāt want to be in there with another person unless it was an emergency.
Honestly havenāt had mine out in much bad weather due to good luck. It is generally solid feeling, but I would not be happy with the none upgraded version. If you end up with the wind shifting on you, the sides are pretty vertical wind sails, canāt imagine them without the guylines.
Anyone have experience with the Vango Banshee Pro 200?
Especially in inclement weather?
For the most part Vango looks well made and their āWind 'n Rain Tent Testā video is pretty encouragingā¦300mm rain every hour in winds of 90km/hā¦
Hi Arno. Unfortunately my Cloudup 2 never been tested in really windy weather. No problem with the waterproofing. But given that the flysheet is tautly held by the frame Iād think it would hold out pretty well in high winds, at least as well as the majority of tents out there. Iām 1.78m and find the upgraded oneās with the change in the frame to make the one end more vertical leaves me with more than enough space lenghtwise.
The Sunny 2 is great because it has thicker aluminium poles and the flysheet has a very solid feel, and I have sat out gale force winds in one of them. But there is the cost in weight.
I love that soft grey on the Mongar will blend well with the local rocks.