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Main Boards => Gear => Topic started by: whitehorse on 11:57:47, 25/10/20

Title: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: whitehorse on 11:57:47, 25/10/20
Hello
What sort of weights are the tents you use for multi day walking trips? I've got a lovely vango scimitar tent, but it's almost 3kg. Going on the 20% of your body weight guide, that gives me 11kg max to carry and I'm wondering if the tent is going to swallow up too much of the weight.
I'm a bit reluctant to buy another tent as it's another expense, and I do love the space and the porch in the one I have, but if it's going to make walking a misery by having to carry extra weight I might rethink!
I'm not planning any winter trips, but hoping to get out from next spring (probably May) and do a few longer walks.

Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: Bigfoot_Mike on 12:07:34, 25/10/20
The only way to find out is to try it on a walk. You could take an extra 3 litres of water with you and if it is too much, you can always pour the water away to reduce your load. That might save you the cost of a new tent, when you already have one that would do the job.


I have never been one to worry too much about backpack weight. When I was younger I hiked in the Alps with a pack that was 25%+ of my body weight. I was walking up to 20 miles a day and at altitude with quite a lot of height gain. My pack weight didn’t bother me and by the end of 2 weeks it seemed much lighter than at the start. Everyone is different.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: Little Foot on 13:28:42, 25/10/20
I’ve an Osprey 58L Kestrel which is 1.8kg. The tent I used was the same weight. I also had to carry some of my son’s gear, as well as my own. Not sure how much it all weighed but I went on a 3 day trip and was fine. I’m a short woman (at 5ft), but also heavy, if that helps you judge.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: cornwallcoastpathdweller on 13:57:20, 25/10/20
My new Phoxx2 (£62 online at millets) weighs 2.1kg, the Phoxx1 is a tad lighter at 1.6kg, but having tried them both out for size physically a few days back there was no way id be comfy in the smaller one.  The extra 1/2kg is worth it to me for the greater space
Whilst quite a few tents aimed at 'backpackers' are circa 3kg, i think thats a bit heavy personally, i set myself a 2kg limit when trying them out.
Great suggestion to add the extra weight as water and go for a trial hike though  O0
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: windyrigg on 14:24:17, 25/10/20
My old Vango 2 person tent is 2kg, cant remember  which model. If I had a 3kg tent I would have to pack all the kit in the bag and try it. Can you skip any other un-essentials (or every un-essential!)?  For a spring/summer wild camp I might just take the flysheet and leave the inner at home. I share your reluctance to buy a new piece of kit for every variation on a camping trip!
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: ninthace on 16:34:57, 25/10/20
Bigfoot Mike has the right idea.  Suck it and see.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: fernman on 18:30:39, 25/10/20
Short answer to OP: Yes.

A number of current tents including mine weigh half that. My old predecessor was 2.1kg, which was still only two thirds of the weight of yours.

Never mind all the 20% of your body weight stuff, you want to carry the least amount of weight possible so that your walk is more enjoyable, not so much that you dread picking your pack up and getting it on after each stop.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: whitehorse on 21:23:26, 25/10/20
Many thanks for all the replies  :)
It sounds like it is on the heavy side, but great suggestion to have a trial run or two with the equivalent weight of water. It will decide it won't it?
It will also make me stricter on what to take/what not to take when I feel the weight! I always have a tendency to overpack and think of every eventuality so I need a new mindset....
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: richardh1905 on 12:18:38, 26/10/20
I carried a 3.3kg 2 man tent recently, and that was only on a short one night wild camping trip with my son - I certainly noticed the weight difference!


As to whether 3kg is too heavy, that ultimately is for you to decide. A friend of mine once borrowed my old Vango Force 10 MK4, and did a coast to coast walk across the north of Scotland with his two teenage children - it weighed 7kg when dry!


The idea of a test walk is a good one.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: NeilC on 16:11:54, 27/10/20
It's the weight of your overall pack that matters, so it depends on what else you're carrying.
I think many of use are carrying tents at or just under 2KG so you're really only talking a kilo extra . I reckon my winter pack weight is a kilo heavier than my summer one it's OK.
If I'm backpacking somewhere dry I could be carrying a good couple of litres of water more than on say Dartmoor. So a kilo isn't a stopper.

Also depends on your fitness levels. I've been with fitter mates who stride up hills with ease carrying a mishmash of crap kit in an big old rucksack and don't moan like I do! When I think about the kit I used to carry in the 80's......I didn't even bother weighing anything but I'm pretty sure those cotton tents weighted a bit.

Not sure about a formula of 20% of your bodyweight. Doesn't make sense to me. I'm a little overweight right now. I could carry MORE if I lost weight, not less.

I'd give it a go and see personally.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: Stube on 18:38:52, 27/10/20
In the 60's I hiked with a 3kg tent (fly only) - it was the lightest available! You noticed it.If your existing tent is for two then you could split it and share the load, otherwise I'd stay below 2 kg preferably 1.5kg.

The weight of food/ water for a multiday trip will be much more than your tent unless you intend to rely solely on pubs and cafés. You can reduce the amount of water carried by useing a filter to treat water in streams/troughs you pass. A filter is certainly cheaper than a new tent.

A lot depends on how well your rucksack fits you and the weight distrubution therein.For example I always carry my tents externally strapped in front of the top pocket - it reduces the degree you have to lean forward to get your centre of gravity over your hips. My LDP pack is easier to carry than my daypack which generally weighs about as third as much.
When I was getting back into long distance walking after a forty year layoff, I trained useing a rucksack filled with litre bottles of water on various daywalks. If the weight ever got too much I just emptied a bottle or two.

Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: Birdman on 15:20:02, 28/10/20
I have regularly carried 35%+ of my body weight (in those cases more than half of it would be food and water) and still enjoyed it immensely. Actually, these were always the best walks because it meant I was going somewhere remote and adventurous.


3kg for a tent is very heavy by today's standard (unless it is a real mountaineering tent, able to withstand strong winds and snow loading). The two tents that I'm using are 1.2kg and 1.7kg, depending on where I go. They have been in pretty rough weather but wouldn't survive gale-force winds.


If you don't want to spend more money, well, does the ~1.5kg you could possibly save on a tent really make that much difference? I personally don't think so. It is all in your head. In my opinion, there is way to much emphasis on pack weight in outdoor discussions. Of course low weight is nicer, so you should make some effort to keep weight down. But there are other things that are more important for how much you are going to enjoy your adventure.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: Warbler on 16:09:04, 28/10/20
Like a couple of others have suggested, give it a go with your present tent and see how you get on.


My Vango Tempest 2 weighs in at about 2.7kg (I think) and I've done 4 multi-day walks with it, without too much pain. It's spacious, easy to pitch and has kept me dry on some very wet nights. I'd find it difficult to justify spending £200+ on a lightweight tent considering the usage it would get.

Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: Bman1 on 22:30:42, 29/12/20
How about keeping your tent and spending the money updating other gear that may be worn out/heavy i.e. new lighter rucksac, down sleeping bag, stove.....depending on how old these are the saving on these three items could be 2kg...any new middle of the range 2 man tent is going to be 2kg min.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: WILDWALKINGUK on 12:54:45, 04/01/21
I've spent way to much on tents over the years, but I'm now able to pick the best one for the walk I'm intending to do. The time of year etc. I'm just back from a wildcamping trip in the snowy Lake District. I used the Lightwave S10 Sigma which weighs about 1kg and is perfect for winter. Earlier this year I spent 52 nights in my Tarptent Notch Li, perfect for the summer conditions. Just over 500 grams. Unfortunately both tents cost about £600. There are a lot of good tents out there that weigh a lot less than 3kgs and cost a lot less than mine. I've reviewed a few I like here;
https://wildwalkinguk.com/2020/01/06/tent-review-nordisk-telemark-1-and-2-terra-nova-competition-1-photon-and-laser-pulse/
I hope this helps.
Saving a few grams on your kit helps but my main weight saving advice would be, water and food weighs a lot. Plan a walk well so you only carry the minimum needed. My base weight is usually between 6 and 10kg depending on the time of year, which is OK to carry. But then my pack weight can sometimes be double that with the food and water added. (I do some remote walks and sometimes need to carry a weeks food)
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: gunwharfman on 13:40:32, 04/01/21
My rucksack weighs 1.07Kg, is 48L and most importantly for me is comfortable to carry all day. The heaviest bit of equipment is my tent. I carry a water bladder in my rucksack with about 2.5L in it and can feel a heavy at the begging of the day. My food weighs a bit but I don't tend to carry a lot (nuts, chocolate, etc) because I try to rely on getting to a pub or restaurant each day and eating the main meal there. Other than that my carry weight is the accumulated amount of everything else. I always manage nowadays to keep my total weight to about 8-10Kg.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: motorlaunch on 20:36:59, 07/01/21
Agree with NeilC


[size=0px]It's the weight of your overall pack that matters, so it depends on what else you're carrying.  


How many days do you plan to be out. My usual food averages 650g per day and I normally only carry 500ml of water as I expect to come across water most of the time. When walking ridges I might carry more.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: addyeddy on 07:37:01, 08/01/21
I quite happily carry a 3kg tent (either my Banshee XD300 or Erebus 3+) if I'm going away for multiple days, as comfort becomes more important as I get older. I'd rather ditch a few tins of beer, and carry a better, more spacious tent.


I also have a great little Banshee 100 Pro, for shorter trips , that's about 1.5kg, never seems to have been produced commercially, that was an ebay bargain!


I fancy getting something in between the two for 2 to 3 day trips, and am heading towards the Coleman Batur 2,simply because I know how good their blackout bedrooms are!
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: Birdman on 11:04:03, 08/01/21
For me there are a few rules to enjoy my walking/ camping:
1) I want to be able to get a good night sleep
2) I don't want to be cold
3) I don't want to be hungry/ thirsty
4) I want to be safe (i.e. carry the gear I need for the conditions I'm facing)


When I hiked the Pacific Crest Trail, I've met quite a few people who were having a rotten time in what was for me one of the best parts of the trail: the North Cascades in Washington state, with beautiful autumn colours and tons of blueberries. But it was cold and wet. You want to have dry clothes and an adequate sleeping system and a tent that keeps you dry. And enough food! I met a few hikers who were really not enjoying themselves because they were cold and wet all the time, just to save a few kg. Such a shame not to enjoy this!


(https://www.hikingbirdman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PCT_15_Sept_3.jpg)

(https://www.hikingbirdman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PCT_22_Sept_3.jpg)



(https://www.hikingbirdman.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/01/PCT_Marmot3.jpg)


Seriously, you are doing it wrong if you are not enjoying this!
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: weston.front on 13:39:12, 20/01/21
The most cost effective way to cut the weight of your pack is simply to carry less stuff.  Yes it is possible to spend £100's on lightweight gear but simply packing wisely will save you lb's and £'s.
.

When I was in the scouts in the 80's the rule of thumb was to be able to carry up to 33% of your body weight max.  However I guess this assumed someone not already carrying too much before putting on the pack if you see what I mean... For me at 5'11" that amounted to a max of 21 kg
.

So for example, here are some things I've ditched since I was in my teens : spare shoes, clean clothes for every day, emergency bivvy bag, mug and cooking pan (I use one for both).
.
Another idea - with your current tent can you set it up with just the fly and a footprint groundsheet? 
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: cpcnw on 16:42:59, 20/01/21
I had a Saunders Spacepacker [Mk1 I think] for years and used on cycling trips and backpacking. It weighed a tad over 2kg.

I sold it last year and it fetched a good price as it was in superb condition however I always felt it was a tad too cramped and that always came up in conversation with my partner when we used it.

(https://www.cpcnw.co.uk/travelog/2012-08-AMBLESIDE/Pict0042.jpg)

The plus point where;

2 Entrances
2 Porches
2 kg

I think I paid about £80 for it on ebay quite some time back and it sold for close to that many years later.

I remember trying to find a replacement that was a touch bigger [after spending ages unsuccessfully looking for a Mk2] and realised that there are some equations with tents that seem to hold true. You can pick any two of these only.

Lightweight
Features
Reasonable Price

If anyone knows of anything I can replace my Saunders with please chip in :)



 
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: weston.front on 18:06:45, 20/01/21
[quote  If anyone knows of anything I can replace my Saunders with please chip in :)

If you want a good space to weight ratio then tunnel tents are your best design.  Single hoops like your Spacepacker (a design ahead of it's time) offer the lightest footprint : weight ratio but I suspect your partner is looking for a greater area of headroom, thus consider a two pole tunnel.  If you then want good value then look at the range available from Wild Country.  Owned by Terra Nova but they use cheaper slightly heavier fabrics and come in much cheaper.  They have a number in their 2021 range which would be likely to meet your stated requirements all at around £220.
Failing that I've read good things about the tents from the US Tarptent people,  but avoid anything pre-2020 as they seem to have been ironing out some design issues before this point.  Or finally, do as your friend did and buy second hand and trade up to a Terra Nova - Starlight or Voyager.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: Peak on 18:20:18, 20/01/21
Have you considered the offers on Aliexpess ?, tarps and tents at great prices. I have the Aricxi tarp at 340g, more room than most 1 person tents and around £25, ok for 3 season use. Check out the Lanshan range as well.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: gunwharfman on 19:53:56, 20/01/21
Or Naturehike, their version of a Tarptent is so cheap you could buy nearly three of them for the same money.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: cpcnw on 20:43:27, 20/01/21
I knew about Wild Country but haven't looked them up for a while. The Foehn 2 looks the ticket although more than I've ever spent on a tent. Not that I'm adverse to the investment as long as it lasts. I've also hovered over 2nd hand Voyagers on ebay several times. It's the porch space that's the problem. Guess I was spoilt with the Saunders.

I already have a TN tarp to go with my TN Jupiter bivvi and both are great. However this is about practicality for two - its not easy convincing 'her indoors' to be 'her outdoors' lol!
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: weston.front on 21:10:02, 20/01/21
Compare the prices to those you'll see on the Hilleberg website and that should help you feel better  ;) .  Or show her indoors the cost of the different option and she may be happier with something more modestly sized.  Personally I'd go for all the space to mean you are both happy and comfortable.  I always compare the cost of a tent to the current cost of B&B, at the moment that's around £85 for two people so even a £500 pays for itself in less than a week.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: cpcnw on 22:13:04, 20/01/21
There's an Aricxi 2 man that looks very similar to the Lanshan 2 Pro and around £70 amazingly light too. Not sure how good Silnylon is as no experience myself but interesting all the same especially as there are some UK reviewers. Just wonder how much of a battering it would take up in the lakes?


Point taken about B&B costs :)
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: richardh1905 on 09:27:03, 21/01/21
There's an Aricxi 2 man that looks very similar to the Lanshan 2 Pro and around £70 amazingly light too. Not sure how good Silnylon is as no experience myself but interesting all the same especially as there are some UK reviewers. Just wonder how much of a battering it would take up in the lakes?

Hmm, 15D (D=denier) silnylon is pretty thin - might be OK for summer use. I wouldn't mind betting that the fabric will be in your face as well.

Silnylon is amazingly tough, a lot stronger than polyester, but as I said 15D is VERY thin - my tent has a 40D silnylon fly. Not sure what the quality of the fabric used on a £70 tent would be, either.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: cpcnw on 09:29:43, 21/01/21
@richardh1905 - what tent have you got?

If just found another that is 20D which I think fits my criteria better.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001066889248.html (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001066889248.html)

Comments?
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: richardh1905 on 09:32:52, 21/01/21
The older version of the Wild Country Helm 2 is going cheap at the moment, as they have intorduced a newer variant, the "Compact", with shorter pole sections, so retailers are flogging off the old stock.


This tent also caught my eye, but I'm not in the market. Looks like a real toughie! https://crux-outlet.online/product/g1-ionix?shop=1 (https://crux-outlet.online/product/g1-ionix?shop=1)
I bought a Lightwave tent from this outlet summer last year, have been very pleased with it.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: richardh1905 on 09:38:55, 21/01/21
@richardh1905 - what tent have you got?

If just found another that is 20D which I think fits my criteria better.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001066889248.html (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001066889248.html)

Comments?


It is a copy of the MSR Hubba Hubba design, a good spacious design suitable for 3 season use. But I can't comment on the quality. And no way is it a 4 season tent.


I have the Lightwave Trek T10, an older version of the Trail T10. Got it for £129 from the crux outlet site in my earlier post, but no longer available. One man tunnel with DAC poles and 40D silnylon - A real toughie. Was out in some really rough weather last summer, in particular took a real battering at the foot of Bowfell - I hardly got any sleep but the tent was just fine. https://wildaboutwalking.wordpress.com/lake-district/lingcove-beck-wild-camp/ (https://wildaboutwalking.wordpress.com/lake-district/lingcove-beck-wild-camp/)


Edit - the extended porch version is still available at a heavy discount. https://crux-outlet.online/product/t10-trek-xt?shop=1 (https://crux-outlet.online/product/t10-trek-xt?shop=1)


Edit2 - customer service from Lightwave is nothing short of excellent.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: cpcnw on 09:52:42, 21/01/21
The older version of the Wild Country Helm 2 is going cheap at the moment, as they have intorduced a newer variant, the "Compact", with shorter pole sections, so retailers are flogging off the old stock.
Was this you camped at the Grasmere YHA in March 2019?

(https://www.cpcnw.co.uk/travelog/2019-03-GRASMERE/img_0164.jpg)
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: richardh1905 on 09:56:07, 21/01/21
No, 'fraid not - I don't have a Helm. I did consider buying a Helm 1 though.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: cpcnw on 10:11:13, 21/01/21
No, 'fraid not - I don't have a Helm. I did consider buying a Helm 1 though.
Just wondered as you'd mentioned it. Anyway you reminded me to look the Helm up. The porches are a bit small for me. It's a toss up between the Foen and that Hubba Hubba clone currently - but I reckon I have at least a few months to think it over what with Covid restrictions and me missus not going outside in anything less than 12 degrees.

The IoinX looks interesting too - thanks for all the leads.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: richardh1905 on 10:59:05, 21/01/21
Good call to wait - we are going nowhere for a while yet! Do shop around for that Hubba Hubba clone though, - there are quite a few available, I believe.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: weston.front on 12:38:42, 21/01/21
@richardh1905 - what tent have you got?

If just found another that is 20D which I think fits my criteria better.

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001066889248.html (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/4001066889248.html)

Comments?
What will happen to European manufacturing and tent design if we were all to purchase cheap copies from China who have no qualms with stealing intellectual property?
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: gunwharfman on 15:26:13, 21/01/21
A man went to his Psychiatrist complaining that he sometimes thought he was a Bivvy and at other times a Teepee.

The Psychiatrist told him that he was too tense!  :-[

Cheap tents, I have been reading that it's going to be China's century so maybe we shouldn't be surprised that it might put pressure on European manufacturers. The tents in question are not exactly the same as the models its claimed they have 'copied' so are they actually 'stealing intellectual property?' And what criteria are applied to make the judgement that the 'intellectual property' has indeed been stolen? I have to confess that I know nothing about the subject, all I can tell you is that if I thought my purchase was a good price and if I wanted or needed that particular model I'm sure I would buy it. Would I worry about where it came from, as a capitalist no, but if I was an individual who might feel the need to make a good or bad judgement about capitalism, I'm just not sure?  :-\



Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: Birdman on 16:47:37, 21/01/21
My "British" Terra Nova tent is also made in Vietnam. There is no reason to assume that because something is made in China or Vietnam it is lower quality than manufactured in EU/UK/US. I have spent in total about a year in Chinese factories and many factories are very good. If you specify a high quality product, they can manufacture a high quality product. Of course if you specify cheap garbage, they can make that too.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: richardh1905 on 17:09:13, 21/01/21
As gwm says, I doubt that they are exact copies. I personally would be very suspicious of the quality of the materials used in the manufacture of a cheap copy, especially the alloy poles - you do NOT want your tent to let you down when the weather turns nasty, especially if you are in a remote location high on the fells.

I did see a post on one forum that claimed that the quality of the tents made by a well known American premium tent manufacturer went UP after they started having some models made in China.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: gunwharfman on 18:24:16, 23/01/21
Oh dear, I was doing fine Mmmming and Aaahing over tents which included Naturehike and now more makers have now been named, so even more tent confusion in my head!
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: gunwharfman on 10:31:09, 24/01/21
Looking at the Naturehike, Paria, Outdoor Vitals, Aricxi and the Hyke and Byke etc I think I'm drawn to the Aricxi and Hyke and Byke one-man tents mostly, except for the colours! I don't know if my 'colour blindness' works against me but I'd prefer not to own such a brightly coloured tent. Dark red, dark brown or dark green would suit me fine.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: richardh1905 on 08:58:51, 25/01/21
Just wondered as you'd mentioned it. Anyway you reminded me to look the Helm up. The porches are a bit small for me. It's a toss up between the Foen and that Hubba Hubba clone currently - but I reckon I have at least a few months to think it over what with Covid restrictions and me missus not going outside in anything less than 12 degrees.

The IoinX looks interesting too - thanks for all the leads.


Spotted the Foehn in the Terra Nova sale for £165.


https://www.terra-nova.co.uk/all-tents/2-man-tents/foehn-2-tent/
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: Birdman on 16:25:17, 25/01/21

Spotted the Foehn in the Terra Nova sale for £165.


https://www.terra-nova.co.uk/all-tents/2-man-tents/foehn-2-tent/ (https://www.terra-nova.co.uk/all-tents/2-man-tents/foehn-2-tent/)


Terra Nova also gives you 30% off if you trade in an old tent (in any state, can be a piece of garbage!). But I don't know if they do that with tents that are already in the sale. (probably not)


I got my Terra Nova tent in 2015 and traded in a tent that at the time was 21 years old, was leaking because of UV-degradation and there was a massive hole in it because some kids on a campsite in Croatia had thrown a brick at it that went straight through. Anyway, I got a £400 tent for £280.
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: cpcnw on 17:50:58, 25/01/21
The Chinese are experts at cost savings and making things to a price. Carbon Film vs Metal Film resistors come to mind. With electronics a common exercise is to reduce the ratings of components in circuits and see how reliable said circuit is. If its just as reliable why go with the more expensive better spec component?

You can also make the argument that the Foehn 2 @ £165.00 is virtually twice the price of the Aricxi Hubba Hubba Clone @ £85

Would 2 of the Aricxi last as long? But more importantly would they take the same weather beating?

Sometimes you get what you pay for - sometimes, you don't!
Title: Re: Is 3kg going to be too heavy for a backpacking tent?
Post by: gunwharfman on 19:57:18, 25/01/21
With me, I consider another matter as well. At my age (75) I would expect my hiking/camping life to only go on for a short9ish) time, maybe 2-3 years if I'm lucky, so buying a Chinese tent, makes financial sense as I see it. If I compare it against my Marmot tent cost could buy a new tent for two years and still have money left over.