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Main Boards => Gear => Topic started by: Farnorth on 19:25:28, 13/05/20

Title: Which lightweight tent?
Post by: Farnorth on 19:25:28, 13/05/20
I've narrowed it down to the Marmot 2020 Tungsten UL 2P or Exped Mira II HL. Anybody any experience of these? I'm particularly interested in how good the coverage of the flysheet is at ground level ( I wild camp in Scotland rather than Nevada!)


Thanks
Title: Re: Which lightweight tent?
Post by: April on 19:32:18, 13/05/20
Marmot....Tungsten

 :o  :o  :o   :D ;)

Sorry Farnoth I have no knowledge of either tent.
Title: Re: Which lightweight tent?
Post by: gunwharfman on 20:06:51, 13/05/20
I have owned a Marmot Pulsar One person tent since 2015. I've looked up the one you are looking at, my poles layout is a bit different but in many ways, it looks the same. What I like about my tent is that I can sit upright in it and move backward and forwards by about 12", some tents will only let you sit up at one point only. So very useful, especially if raining outside and you need to pack your rucksack inside your tent or you need to find different leg and body positions when sorting out your gear in the tent. I also like the fact that the pole design forces the side walls to be nearly upright. By doing this my tent interior is 'massive' (my word) for a one-person tent. The porch is large as well and my tent anyway as been well tested in harsh, wet, and windy weather.

The clips to erect my tent are incredibly easy to use, but the one thing I've never really liked about it is the bright orange colour, I would have preferred a more somber colour but I can't have everything!

I have the Marmot footprint which works fine, its not necessary of course but I find it useful. If it's raining when I want to pitch my tent it is possible to pitch the outer first, then fit the inner in the dry. Its a bit of a wiggle but it can be done fairly easily. This is the main reason why the footprint is useful to me, but the same thing can be achieved with four measured lengths of cord with little loops at each end, a better and much cheaper way of achieving the same result.
Title: Re: Which lightweight tent?
Post by: gunwharfman on 20:14:19, 13/05/20
Sorry, I forgot to mention the footprint size. Mine only covers the floor pan area of the tent and it always feels thin, it's definitely very lightweight, and because of my doubt as to how hardy it is I've just never tested how easy it would be to punture? I always take a bigger groundsheet with me to cover the grassy area between the inner tent and the outer tent. If I was to go back in time I wouldn't bother buying the footprint.
Title: Re: Which lightweight tent?
Post by: richardh1905 on 07:41:22, 14/05/20
Not familiar with either tent, but from the images online there appears to be a big gap under the edge of the fly on both. For that reason alone I wouldn't consider either of them.
Title: Re: Which lightweight tent?
Post by: Bhod on 09:08:55, 14/05/20
Not familiar with either tent, but from the images online there appears to be a big gap under the edge of the fly on both. For that reason alone I wouldn't consider either of them.
I agree, both tents look nice but the big gap between the bottom of the fly and the ground would put me off.
Title: Re: Which lightweight tent?
Post by: gunwharfman on 09:35:26, 14/05/20
Ah yes, 'the gap.' My tent has a gap between the ground and the outer tent bottom gap. The 'gap' has never caused me a problem, I've never thought that this is a problem anyway, through the experience of use I believe its actually an asset to me. From the years of experience of my tent and the numerous nights, I have slept in it, including a continuous 36-night use on the GR10 across the Pyrenees in 2015 it has really served me well. I know, again from experience that the main benefit of my 'gap' is that it really helps to keep internal condensation at bay and I believe it helps me because I like to sleep in fresh circulating air, I find it comforting. My Marmot is essentially a warmish weather tent, not a winter tent, I use my Wild Country Zephyros for that but in the last few years I have not used it much at all, I just find it very difficult to cope with long hours of winter darkness.

Even though my tent has served me well I would like to buy a new tent and I've looked and looked but just can't seem to find one that measures up to my existing Marmott, i.e. for one person, good head height, loads of internal space and so on. I also restrict myself financially, I'm not really prepared to spend more than about £250, so I know that limits my purchasing choice. My Marmot is not the lightest tent, a mid-weight I think, but it's definitely not what I would judge to be heavy.

I've had another look at the Tungston tent, I'm sure that my tent and that tent are very comparable, the main differences seem to be the size of the tents and the poles configuration.


Title: Re: Which lightweight tent?
Post by: richardh1905 on 11:58:35, 14/05/20
I would be concerned about the gap given that Farnorth intends to wild camp in Scotland, presumably in the far north?  ;)
Title: Re: Which lightweight tent?
Post by: watershed on 14:22:45, 14/05/20
You haven't considered the Big Agnus Copper Spur 1
I see it is on special offer at ultralitegear

Now £279.99(FREE UK & EU Delivery)

RRP £359.99| Save: £80.00 (22%)


Although I must be honest if I was going for a nylon tent I would find it difficult to ignore the Tarptent Stratospire 1.
Although you would have to import it from the states. its retailing at $ 310 you can adjust its gap to suit by lowering the poles. Its supposed to be very good with wind and has a better hydrostatic head than the others.
Title: Re: Which lightweight tent?
Post by: gunwharfman on 15:02:23, 14/05/20
If you want a tent design like the Tarptent Stratosphere or like mine at a really low price lookup 'Naturehike.' I have been tempted a few times but I keep dithering about it! 
Title: Re: Which lightweight tent?
Post by: watershed on 07:19:54, 15/05/20
If you want a tent design like the Tarptent Stratosphere or like mine at a really low price lookup 'Naturehike.' I have been tempted a few times but I keep dithering about it!

Thanks GWM.
I don't see anything like the Tarptent Sarosphere on the site, but the prices are certainly great.
I have not seen any independent reviews on them so it would be interesting if anyone on the forum has used them in anger.
As usual there is a weight penalty when you go cheaper, but at these prices some might think it worth it.

As an update I see that the 3 Copper Spur tents that were on special offer yesterday have now sold out.
Hardly surprising at that price. A cracking little tent!
I met a young lady (Lucy Brown) https://lucywoodwalks.com/
at a camping Bode in Fetlar in 2017, and she had just completed the LEJOG using one.
Title: Re: Which lightweight tent?
Post by: watershed on 08:14:00, 15/05/20
I've narrowed it down to the Marmot 2020 Tungsten UL 2P or Exped Mira II HL. Anybody any experience of these? I'm particularly interested in how good the coverage of the flysheet is at ground level ( I wild camp in Scotland rather than Nevada!)


Thanks

Hi Farnorth,
Going back to your original question,
as I wandered of subject there, dreaming about Tarptents :)  ( I will have to get out more!)
I have read the reviews on both your tents and suggest that you phone Ultralight on their Order & Advice Line: 01740 644 024
and ask them, as I see they stock both tents.
I have found them very helpful with advice in the past.