This Tent on eBay OK?

[Joe]

eBay item

any comments on the quality of this item? I have a caribee pack at the moment which seems to be really good...

or even this has an awesome novelty value:

eBay item

[tasadam]

eBay item

any comments on the quality of this item? I have a caribee pack at the moment which seems to be really good...

or even this has an awesome novelty value:

eBay item

Hi Joe.
We need to have a chat.
Have a read of this
http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=28&start=12
I can't comment on the quality of the items you have listed, but can safely say that, simply, it depends on what you want it for.
If you are camping somewhere that is flat, sheltered, not high in altitude, and are 100% sure of the weather, then you could use these tents with confidence.
But add some Tassie wind or rain, or worse, and you will be at risk.

Further to my post (linked), subsequent to the Moonlight Ridge trip, I bought my own tent, one that can cope with anything I decide to do with it. It is a Hallmark Snowcave. It's no longer made, I think Fairydown bought the company Hallmark in NZ many years ago. A real shame, many aspects of this tent are great and if I was looking for another, I would get one of these.
My tent is now over 15 years old and it makes me nervous (a bit), so I have been looking.
I hear on the grape vine that Mont are making tents and are due for release possibly as early as next month. I am really, really hoping they make one similar to mine. We wait and see.
I prefer a tunnel tent to a dome tent but others like domes.
I have looked at the Macpac Celeste and I prefer the look of it over the Olympus because of its two vestubles. But it's not a tunnel so I will keep looking. 2 Vestubles are great because when you are in, one end is your entrance, boot storage, cooking area and stove, water, billies kept overnight. The other end is where the packs go, with japaras and plastic pants on them and at the ready for any midnight need for a trip to the trees...
There's a lot into buying a tent. Actually, no there isn't.
There's a lot into choosing a tent.

When we meet, we will discuss. For now, I will urge you to consider what you want it for and whether you are prepared to risk $100 on a tent like that. In short, I wouldn't - not for Tassie walking.

I do not want to quash your enthusiasm either - I think it is great that you are into the stage of getting gear, getting kitted up to be able to head bush. Come around some time and we'll go thru my gear, we'll chat.
Cheers!

[kantonysen]

Joe
I agree with Tasadam, a good tent is essential if you are planning on going into areas where poor weather could be a factor.
Once when camping at Lake Cygnus in the Western Arthurs a party used a cheap tent which literally blew to shreds offering no protection for a good part of the night. One mistake the party had made was to not carefully chose their camp site, we were there prior to the tent platforms being constructed.
Check your tent for watertightness before you use it also; a few years ago we planned to go into Precipitous Bluff via Pinders Peak. We had rain at Oze Lake and my mates had a brand new leaky tent, I can't remember whether it was a brand tent or not. We aborted our trip.
If going up into the mountains you need gear that will withstand blizzard conditions, which as far as tents is concerned means a tent designated 4 season from a well known manufacturer.
Keith

[Son of a Beach]

I prefer a tunnel tent to a dome tent but others like domes.
I have looked at the Macpac Celeste and I prefer the look of it over the Olympus because of its two vestubles. But it's not a tunnel so I will keep looking.

MacPac keep changing their mind on the Olympus - it's internal design has had 3 or 4 major changes over the last 15 years or so. My father has a very old Olympus with 2 vestibules, and I've got a 4-year-old Olympus with 2 vestibules. However, I've slept in some mid-age (10-year-old?) Olumpus which only had one vestibule (or was it 2 half-diagonal vestibules?). So if you've not had a look at the Olympus recenty, it's worth checking again.

I prefer tunnels to domes too. Not sure why really.

My old tent was one of the exceptionally rare no-names that ended up being really good. 'Practical Camper' I think was the brand. Bought it for $90 from Allgoods about 20 years ago and it only weighed 1.9 kg.

It was a SMALL 2 man tunnel, but had fibre-glass poles (eventually replaced them with alloy after they broke). The floor was not very water-proof, but I sprayed it with silicon occasionally, which helped (a bit). Eventually, it died during a wind storm on Shelf Camp (Mt Anne). I had one foot in the door as it took off in the wind, so I was able to at least prevent it from flying several kms, but the wind whipped it up so that the poor 16-year-old tore in a couple of places.

I've never come across a floor fabric as good as in the MacPac (Olympus, at least). It's kind of rubbery, and beautifully waterproof, but still thin and light.

[tasadam]

MacPac keep changing their mind on the Olympus

Last time I looked was a month or so ago. There are actually 2 Olumpys tents - a 3 season and a 4 season, the main difference being that the 4 season has the extra pockets on it that you fill up with snow to stop it blowing away. I'm sure there are other differences (including colour and price) but can't remember what they all are as I wasn't really interested due to 1 vestuble.

I prefer tunnels to domes too. Not sure why really.

The main reason is that it is always possible to get in and out in any weather without the risk of rain pouring in the main door - those dome looking ones don't look to me like they have room in the vestuble to get in and weather-seal the inner entrance before going out the main door.
That's another feature of my current tent - it has a good overhang on the roof bit over the inner door.

Cheers!

[Joe]

Just looked at the price of the Olympus...
For what I will use it for I cant even go close to justifying a 3rd of that price at this stage!

Back to hunting for bargains!

[Son of a Beach]

Just looked at the price of the Olympus...
For what I will use it for I cant even go close to justifying a 3rd of that price at this stage!

Back to hunting for bargains!

They were my exact thoughts a few years ago. But then I became very fortunate, and I didn't have to pay for mine and got it for a wedding present. Sure beats vase or a toaster!

[Joe]

Just had the wedding...honeymoon in NZ was combined present! We set up gift registry at Travel Agent. *&%$#! great...but in hindsight the tent (whilst probably not making me super popular with the missus) would have been good too

[Son of a Beach]

Just? How long ago? Congratulations, in any case!

[Joe]

hrm....evidently $(^!*# is killed out by forums swear filter....oops!

We had wedding (at St Columba Falls) on Jan 20th then 2 weeks on south island NZ straight after. Cheers for congrats.

[tasadam]

Depends on where you went, I bet you saw bigger waterfalls in NZ... Friends just back from Milford, awesome walk that one...

[Joe]

Didnt do any ddcent walks really, spent a day walking int he Caitlans on the south east coast of south island....few beautiful waterfalls in there...but really the highlight of trip was Doubtful Sound. Waterfall MECCA! makes milford look like a puddle too!

I wanted to move there really, its like tassie in attitude and look/feel, except their foothills dwarf Mt Ossa and they have no snakes!