Hiking Exped wrote:I’ve used a lot of tents and have too many (says the wife), but I confess my current favourite lightweight one is a cheap four season 2 person by Novapro sports in Melbourne.
It’s called Illumina and I think it’s a nature hike design. It’s about 1.5kg, but comes with an extra useful footprint which adds another 250g if you use it. It’s 2 person, or a very comfy 1 person. Very durable, good airflow and low condensation, very good in high winds, rain, moderate snow and only about $250.
Good height for sitting in and vestibule plenty for one.
Mine has taken a battering in some fowl weather high in the Alps, but never let me down.
Might be worth a look.
I also have too many tents (my wife suggested I offload some, so I offloaded a H’berg Nallo GT2, begrudgingly), but I agree with you about the Novasports Illumina.
Most of my specific tentage requirements have revolved around longer wilderness NZ fly fishing trips, where weight is v important. My Hilleberg Nallo 3GT is perfect for 2 in winter ski touring, but for the lighter trips I’ve spent lots of dish trying to get it right, and the Novasports ticked many boxes. My ZPacks duplex was OK, but a bit breezy, and a bit low, and actually flooded one night; my Hennessy Hammock was cold, and windy, and heavier than a light tent set up; my Terra Nova photon versions were weather resistant, but I wasn’t able to sit-up in them, and they were like sleeping in a coffin; the Novasports illumina was great for 1, and whilst not ultralight, was a reasonable weight.
One of the peg ties down the side pulled out, due to poor stitching, and I would have like a guy rope point in the middle of the side panels, which I will add in due course, so I’m not convinced that it is made to 4 season standard, but it’s a pretty good tent for the $. My mate had a similar Tarptent design to it, with a bit more room - maybe the floor went to the end of the tent, rather than having the small vestibule? Better design, but considerable more $.
It sort of depends what you’re actually after. Sure, you can buy an ultralight tent, but it really needs to suit your specific needs for that type of trip….sometimes an ultralight will do the job, but you may need to use a heavier tent for other trips.
That’s how I justify my collection!
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