NoShiftSherlock

Howdy all!

Love the support on this forum so posting some questions here. Planning a multi-day tour sticking to campgrounds and backyards. This tent will be used for bicycle touring and potentially weekend backpacking.

Original post was on the Nemo Galaxi 2P which was ruled out.

UPDATE! Alright! So, I think I may have actually considered not using this tent since the big pull for me was the included footprint. The packaged weight of 5lbs 6oz is WITHOUT this footprint (9oz) so I think it's back to the drawing board. Pushing my budget a touch I have the following options:

Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/De...eedhouseSL2016
Big Agnes Rattlesnake SL2 w/ MTNGLO https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/De...snakesl2mtnglo

Thoughts on these, y'all?

I want to thank you all so much for helping here! Other questions may come up as the thread gets posted to.

J.Higgins 

This is the one that really gets me hot - NEMO Gogo Elite Lightweight Inflatable One Person Bivy Tent | NEMO

antokelly

are u having a laugh
i wouldn't let my dog sleep in that thing and the price give me a break.

antokelly

try this for size .
Coleman Caucasus 2 Man Tent 4000mm HH

J.Higgins 

NoShiftSherlock

Thanks y'all! I just want to be clear that I'm NOT looking really for suggestions outside of the chosen tent above. Quite frankly, I've looked at nearly 50 different tents and burned out. Simply trying to gauge if 5 lbs 6 oz is "too heavy/cumbersome" and the experiences of carrying a "heavy" tent, how you would pack it on a rack, and if there are options to stow it on drop handlebars. This tent is a particularly great deal and I'm a huge fan of Nemo in general. If it comes out through here that the weight is terrible or whatever, I may go back to other options.

I really appreciate all of the help so far, though!

J.Higgins 

Okay okay okay, here you go:

https://www.amazon.com/Lightweight-P...WCZASZ3RV7FZQ4

antokelly

very good

antokelly

what about the Tarp tent scarp 2 lot of lads on here love it.

Squeezebox

What else is on top of your rear rack? A front rack for $30 or so? The tent weighs twice as much as it should. It's gonna be a real squeeze for 2 people. Poles packed separate from tent might be better. I'ld keep looking.

cajunpedaler

I host a lot of cyclists. I've seen the Nemo tent and the guy who had it, loved it. I see a lot of the small REI tents, a lot of the Big Agnes small tents and the MSR small tents are also popular. The European brand, Hilldebrand (I'm not sure correct spelling) is the bomb, but very pricey.
My thinking is that sleep takes up 30% (more or less) of your daily activities...And good sleep is directly related to your daily performance (for me anyway)
I would buy the best tent you can afford...It IS your home away from home. Your expectations of size, convenience, entrance/exit, HEIGHT (can you sit up in that tent?)...and lastly price. Look at reviews from other users.
Perry

andrewclaus

That's about the weight to expect for a two person, double wall tent in that price range. If you bought a footprint, consider leaving it at home for some weight reduction. I haven't used one in over a decade, and I find it's one less wet thing to pack up.

When I toured with a tent like that, the tent pretty much filled up one front pannier. You're playing around with options on front and that's fine. I never found a good solution, maybe you will. Bike packers typically make it work with a sub-one-pound tarp or tarptent. Maybe split the body and rain fly.

NoShiftSherlock

Good question! Currently, I'm only carrying two Ortlieb Backrollers and two water bottles on the bike so nothing on the top of the rear rack at all. This is actually quite a large tent. Both myself and partner are 5'7" and the floor is 90" x 54" or roughly two and a half ft. LONGER than we are. The consensus is a two person tent is GENERALLY cramped anyway. It's actually BIGGER than a premier tent like the Copper Spur UL2 that comes in at half the weight but would roughly be triple the cost I'm paying for this.

NoShiftSherlock

Hm. Interesting. I may be underestimating the size of the tent when packed. It does come with a footprint and have considered leaving it but only because the fabric on the floor here is really darn durable.

fietsbob

you may have to put up your tent to get a break from high winds all day
so consider if you will need to wrestle with a separate rain fly ,
and have it blown out of your hands..

how it happens to go up..

10 Wheels

shipwreck

As always Sqeuezebox should be mostly ignored. That is a pretty big tent, big enough that your biggest problem with it might be setting it up in a tight spot if you ever stealth camp or take it backpacking. At least I think a 54" by 90" tent is big. Thats 4.5x7.5 feet. It is heavy, but thats fairly relative to being the size you want, the price, all that.
For what its worth, I am doing a hilly Christmas S24O tonight and have decided to take my Marmot tent thats about the same size, a 5 pound behemoth that is billed as a three man. I just feel like lots of room while I wait out the long night. I have many other options, all lighter and more compact. Usually I am a hammock camper, but decided to justify owning all these tents.

Usually keep my tent inside a pannier, for a neat and tidy look. But the top of the rear rack is a very common home for tents, particularly as they can be wet and messy. When I do do it, I either fold the poles up inside with a burrito tuck so they dont slip out of the tent(unless I am putting it in its bag, which I seldom do). Or the poles can go into a pannier and the tent on the rack to dry, though when my tent has aluminum poles I like to make sure they are well padded.

And if anyone takes umbrage at my opinions, I will not be able to respond, as I will be out courting hypothermia and death by actually taking a trip, however short.

fietsbob

I'd guess 10 wheels has a picture of the results of a fiberglass pole set on that tent.

NoShiftSherlock

UPDATE! w/ Changed Topic Body

Alright! So, I think I may have actually considered not using this tent since the big pull for me was the included footprint. The packaged weight of 5lbs 6oz is WITHOUT this footprint (9oz) so I think it's back to the drawing board. Pushing my budget a touch I have the following options

Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/De...eedhouseSL2016
Big Agnes Rattlesnake SL2 w/ MTNGLO https://www.bigagnes.com/Products/De...snakesl2mtnglo

Thoughts on these, y'all?

zakksalsa

It may not be the lightest but for the price and the fact it includes a foot print, I really like the marmot catalyst 2p tent.

Will Wheeler

That "YODO" tent, hmmm... Is it the; You Only Do Once tent? It must be!!

J.Higgins 

I doubt that you can go wrong with ANY Big Agnes tent. This is my opinion based on reading a lot of reviews and doing a lot of comparisons of my own. I have an MSR Hubba Hubba for me and the wife, and I'm looking for a solo tent or a very light bivvy setup.

Squeezebox

Ship wreck-- He did say it was for 2 people. I still say 54" is a tight fit for 2 people, and any gear.
To me the extra interior room of the copper spur is a big deal, compared to the seedhouse. But I do seem to be a bit claustrophobic.

Ty0604

+1 - I don't bother with the footprint either. Take a few moments to clear the ground of any debris and you're good. The footprint for my tent cost almost as much as the tent.

reppans

I have a Flycreek UL2 which has been shelved. I wouldn't recommend the Seedhouse for two - the single narrow doorway/vestibule at the END of the tent creates a bottle neck when storing gear in the vestibule and near the doorway, and the back corners are hard to reach without taking your shoes off. Get at least a side entry where you have half a vestibule while using the doorway. Dual side doors with dual vestibules are even better, but at a cost of weight and bulk. FWIW, my FC is ~5oz heavier than BA specs (out of the box weight).