Miles2go

In another tent thread I was asked to take photos of our Hilleberg Staika being setup. It happened that I was camping with 10 other bicycle tourers that weekend so this was no problem at all.

This tent is by far the best one I've found for our needs. I bought it two summers ago, following two years of considering products worldwide; every tent I could find. At this point my wife and I have used it extensively on bicycle tours and other trips.

Here are the attributes I’ve come to greatly appreciate, and have only found together in the Hilleberg Staika:

1) Very strong geodesic hexagonal design. Utilizing 3 10mm diameter poles of equal length. Let that wind blow.
2) Completely freestanding; though it can be staked out for added strength in bad weather.
3) The entire tent goes up in one piece. This keeps the inner tent dry even if the Staika is being erected in a downpour. An unexpected plus to this design: I've had to pack it away soaked in a waterproof pannier for five hours of riding. Only to set it up in a new camp finding the inner tent body *completely* dry!! Not a fluke as I've now packed it away wet numberous times with the same result.
4) Long, two-person inner tent body with two doors. 91" / 230cm long inner tent.
5) Fully adjustable venting through the tent body. Using no-seeum mesh/cloth panels that run from low on the tent body to overhead.
6) Plenty of storage area. Two big vestibules of equal size that can be accessed easily while laying down in the tent.
7) Venting right through the top of the tent body and rainfly, even in the rain! This is a huge plus that I’ve only on some Hillebergs.
8) Directionally opposed doors allow for cross-flow circulation through the tent, regardless of if the wind is coming from the north, south, east or west.
9) Incredible attention to detail and handmade by one person in Europe. The person’s name comes on a small tag attached to the tent body.
10) At 7.4 pounds, the Staika is light given its size, heavy-duty construction and capabilities.
11) Great worldwide customer support by the Hilleberg family themselves.

Here's the setup sequence:


Tent taken out of pannier and dropped on groundcloth. Three 10mm equal length poles.


Insert pole into partial pole sleeves.


Clip the pole in across the rest of the tent.


After inserting the second pole you're working on a freestanding structure.


Basically done. All that's left is attaching the vent cover which allows the tent to vent through the top even in a downpour. First let's take a closer look.


I've opened a door and clipped it back.


A look at the top of the tent showing the closed vents and weather protection for the door zippers.


Opened vent. The tent body can be opened here too but as is, it allows direct upward flow through no-seeum mesh.


Another angle of the door and vestibule. The door on the other side faces in the opposite direction, away from us. The door orientation is what allows for cross flow air circulation regardless of wind direction. Vent cover going on in this shot. Simple to install and what allows for the vents to stay open in the rain.


In use in Alaska along side another bike touring couple's Hilleberg Nammatj 3 GT

If I start solo touring I'll likely buy the Hilleberg Unna which is a 1+ person tent designed in a similar way as the Staika. I'm really sold on the venting through the top of the tent.

Here's Hilleberg's website for those interested. https://www.hilleberg.com/


Tailwinds,

Gotte

Thanks for that. I'm in the process of looking at tents, and this came along at a perfect time.

kipibenkipod

Thanks a lot my friend.
It was important to me to see how you build your tent.
One question though,
I don't understand the difference between the other tents in regard of the building.
You said in back post that .
Can you explain how it is done? Do you keep the pols attached to the tent and just fold them? For me it looks the same as other tents. Please explain the diff.
Thanks for your trouble, putting up the photo shut.

onbike 1939

^^^^
If it is the same as the Akto then the inner and outer are attached and stay that way. When the poles are in the tent rises as a whole so the inner and outer go up together. I also had my groundsheet attached so in packing the tent one just grabbed handfuls and stuffed the tent in the bag. Great system.

antokelly

miles2go,
brilliant pics ,but would it not be much better
to make a video, and put it on utube,

sisddwg

I took my Unna cross country this spring and it performed beautifully. The Unna has many of the same features as the Staika but in a smaller two poll design. The Unna weighs about four pounds. Quite expensive but worth it.

Nice job on the photos, Miles2go!

Old Hammer Boy

Thanks for that. Very interesting, and a great looking, high-quality product . I would, however, miss seeing the stars as I can from inside my tent when the fly isn't installed. (REI Half Dome).

Miles2go

Thanks for the feedback all.

Sorry antokelly, but I'm a photo guy and don't carry vid gear on tour. Still work suits my needs perfectly.

I guess I'll add that the inner tent can be pitched without the fly but I'm not really into that. The tent vents well enough that I've never wanted to and I'm usually only in tents to sleep, write or hide from bad weather. That said, no doubt there are better tents for star gazing than the Staika, but she does completely open where those triangle vents are, if so desired.

Here's one last shot from last year in my favorite campground from our tour of Switzerland. Just so happened that the only other tent there was another Hilleberg. An Akto belonging to a hiker that was using his tent as base camp for day hikes all over the Alps.




Tailwinds,