atrail

Thanks for all the great recommendations, I would have never taken a look at the Big Agnes line. I must say I like the Black Diamond Lighthouse as I'm a big EPIC fiber fan since I bought a Showers Pass jacket. Still, I'm also looking to spend less than $300. I'll let you all know what I go with as soon as I get the wife to greenlight. Blast that joint account..

Losligato

Spent last summer in our MSR Velo and really enjoyed the extra space.



We saw a few Europeans using the Hilleberg tents and they seemed very nice as well. I particularly liked the single-wall construction and the ease of pitching.

Lolly Pop

I was interested to note this on the Big Agnes site:

Sarvis Tent Clearance
We have discontinued the Sarvis Tent series and now we need to blow out the remaining inventory.
Sarvis SL 2 Person Tents now on sale at 40% off retail.
While supplies last.

I wonder what they are replacing them with? Can't beat the headroom on those Sarvis tents!

Lolly Pop

I see the answer to my question: a new line of superlight tents called "Emerald Mountain": https://www.bigagnes.com/str_tent_series.php?id=em

Very cool and with an optional Hillegerg Nallo-type vestibule. Good thinking!

biffstephens

Any Golite users out there?

I was thinking about getting a few of there things. I think I want to try some unsupported touring....

legot73

Are you an REI member? 20% discount on one full price item until 4/1/2007 might put the Lighthouse in reach:

$379 -20% = $303.20, and free delivery to a store if you buy online.

flipped4bikes

+1 on the REI Half Dome. Plenty of room, and way less expensive than the Hubba Hubba. Saving a pound will cost you $130...

CyKKlist

In case you're interested in a slightly larger tent, I'm about to use my REI dividend and 20% off coupon to get the REI Taj 3, $229 list price. This is a legitimate 3-person tent (50 sq ft floor) that looks to be extremely comfortable for 2 riders + gear. However, I'm expecting to have at least one riding companion along for most of my trips, possibly a third. It weighs around 7-8 pounds, but as the dad, I'm expecting to be the pack mule and pace myself as needed. I'm also going to use this tent for backyard camping with the kids and for local state parks.

https://www.rei.com/online/store/Prod...ory_rn=4500457

Good luck with your research -- it's at least 50% of the fun, isn't it....

Ken

oldguy52

I just bought a Golite, Hex 3 and hex 3 nest, from campmor. You can use the shell by itself if bugs aren't a problem. Light, roomy, lots of good reviews.

https://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/st...berId=12500226

Another place you might want to look is Henry Shires tarp tents. Most folks have really good things to say about these, and the company.

https://www.tarptent.com/

BigBlueToe

My main advice is to get something light, rather than roomy. I'm 6'4", so for my first long tour I thought I needed something I could stretch out in. The tent I bought had a 5'x8' floor. It was plenty roomy, but weighed over 8 lbs. and was a big, topheavy bundle on my rack.

I looked longingly at a friend's Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight. Sure it was cozy, but it was really light (like 3 lbs.) and fit into a very small bundle. I found one on Ebay for $70 (with a small, sewed-up rip on the fly, in a spot where it didn't even matter) and bought it. I'm very happy with it. It's very small, but the lightness is worth it. There's enough room for me to sleep comfortably, and I can sit up in it (although, only in one spot.)

If I had plenty of money, I'd like to try a Big Agnes Seedhouse 2, (the lightweight version.) It looks a bit more roomy than what I've got, and about as light. It's mostly mesh, which would be nice on those hot afternoons when there are mosquitos. There are plenty of other good tents out there. I know REI has some. I agree with a previous poster that the ones offered on Adventure Cycling's website look good, and aren't too expensive.

Just consider the weight! You'll be carrying it up hills, and if you put it on top of your rack it will be adding to the sway, and if it's a big package you'll have to find room for it. If it's small and light you'll be happy!

P. S. Make sure the rain fly goes all the way to the ground. You don't want to be stuck in a tent that leaks in a rain storm.

BigBlueToe

I also bought a Taj 3, for the days when I can go touring with my wife. I'll carry the tent, she'll carry the fly and poles (or some such arrangement.) Unfortunately, she can't go this year. But I think it's a great design.

imafencer

[QUOTE=bwgride]I looked over many tents before I bought (as I am sure others have done as well). I was looking for a 2 person tent to give me more room for stowing gear, a fly that offered outside storage area, good air flow, two doors for easy entry and exit, weighs less than 6 pounds, has aluminum poles (fiberglass breaks too easily from normal use), is tall enough for sitting upright for changing cloths, good solid tenting fabric for waterproofness, and all under $150.
[QUOTE]

I was looking for similar, plus freestanding was important to me. I got the Marmot Earlylight (or firstlight--package says one thing, tent says another). Two normal sized grown ups can actually sleep in the thing, so it's bigger than I needed. Two good-sized vestibules, pretty good airflow, and little weather windows so you can see what it's doing outside w/out having to unzip anything. I used this all summer on my TransAm--now I'm looking at a tarptent Rainbow or a BD since I don't need a tent this big just for me.

nun

Golite makes nice stuff, but to me it seems over priced. if you are looking for an ultralight tent look at Tarptent

www.tarptent.com

nun

I like the look of these tents, but at 4lbs they are just too heavy. Tell me would you conside these over a Tarptent Contrail or Rainbow at half the weight?

Bekologist

4 pounds is NOT too heavy, unless you are a weight concious weenie! but I'd try for a little lighter system myself too.

4 pounds or so is actually pretty respectable for a traditional, 'double wall' tent with vestibule. there's a lot lighter systems out there.

I use an 8 ounce tarp sometimes, a 16 ounce tarp a LOT, a 3 1/4 pound tent many trips. I've got one of the Golite Hex's, and its great for packing you and the bike in the same shelter, but has some limitations as a shelter.

a tent with a bike garage like the MSR Velo or the Hillebergs with the big vestis' are very comforting and 'secure' for campground-weighted tourers.

they all have some limitation or other, there is NO ideal tent. and they all wear out eventually. I recommend use them hard, store them well, and don't lament the wear and tear. its a sign you're using the stuff. don't sweat the small stuff. The 'ideal' tent is the one you use. i rec a ground cloth made of Tyvek.

If a tent has any silnylon in the construction of the fly or floor, it will likely pack up quite compactly as well.

reprobate

If you're not a member, it costs $15 for a lifetime.

You can join now to get the 20% discount and break even on the entry fee if you buy anything valued at $75 or more.

Plus you get a dividend/rebate every year - I think it averages out to about 10% of what you've purchased.

IMO REI is kind of pricey but sometimes it makes financial sense to buy there and their customer service has always been good when I deal with them.

(I hope I did the math right.)

nun

maybe I should have used a qualifier and said "4lbs is just too heavy for me". However, its good to consider all the options out there as I think many people simply go for the double skinned tents becasue that's what they see in REI or being used on most campgrounds.

alanfleisig

I use a North Face Tadpole 23.

It's tiny for a 2-person tent, but it weighs nothing, is simple as all get out to pitch and strike, and it withstood a couple of severe thunderstorms in the upper midwest last summer without letting in so much as a drop of water.

nun

4lbs is 4lbs more than nothing.

kaminari

+1 on Henry Shires Tarptent--I have the cloudburst. Probably the best piece of gear I own. Super lightweight and roomy....And its nice to support cottage industries.

lighthorse

You have received a lot of good advice concerning several popular tents. Also remember that the length of the tent poles is a factor for touring. They vary considerably and could become a problem for storage depending on your panniers, etc.

reprobate

I was thinking hard about the REI Half Dome but the Quarter Dome is growing on me.

As is the discounted Sarvis SL2: could someone compare ease of set up between the REIs and the Sarvis? Any other pros and cons? TIA.

aphatrider

my savis sl1 might take 4 minutes,not including stake time

Collie

anyone try stormproofUSA tents?