Bushwalk Australia

Hi, I'm looking at buying the we second arrow but there are just a few things i'd like to find out.
1. is there enough room for packs when they are set up?
2. how comfortable are they with two people?
3. last but not least id like to see some photos of it in use please and any opinions on them for tassie walking.
Thanks.

I looked at them, but quickly rejected them in favor of a Hilleberg for the following reasons:

Too heavy

Too small/cramped

Too expensive for what you get

But that was just our take on them. For Tassie conditions I'd go for a Hilleberg Nallo 2 or 3, or the 4-seasons Tarptent, I think the Scarp II from memory. But there's others far more qualified to offer advice here than me.

Its a small 2 man tent, need to be pretty friendly, I dont own one but walk with a bloke who does, bought it for his wife and him, he thinks its too small for both of them, ok for a short walk, but he wouldnt use it a on a long walk for 2 ppl.
I do own a WE 1st arrow and that is nice and roomy for 2 ppl but these days it is classed as a bit heavy. Still a well designed tent though.

Roger

bushbasherbrad wrote:Hi, I'm looking at buying the we second arrow but there are just a few things i'd like to find out.
1. is there enough room for packs when they are set up?
2. how comfortable are they with two people?
3. last but not least id like to see some photos of it in use please and any opinions on them for tassie walking.
Thanks.

We seem to get a lot of questions about the Second Arrow. I own one.

We have stowed two large WE Mountain Expedition rucksacks in the vestibule, but not much room left. Easy entry/exit to the tent is still possible, but if you need to use the space for any other purpose packs will probably need to go outside.

I am about 170cm, 58kg and slightly built. For two of me, no problem at all. It's comfortable. For larger people it will be a squeeze unless you are very friendly. I have shared it with my 6ft+ youngest son. He can just fit but finds it too cosy. The tent design is versatile. For example, if the weather is miserable, you can increase the inner space temporarily by detaching the inner and replacing it when you're finished. This can be done while you're inside the tent.

According WE it's a "5 season" alpine/expedition grade tent, often claimed as "bombproof". I wouldn't disagree with that other than there aren't "5" seasons . We have used it in some wild weather in Tassie and it held up beyond my expectations. My experience is that it's well designed, robust, reliable and versatile. However, it is heavy by current standards at 2.6 kg. As norts said, the First Arrow is roomier but that is heavier still. Both good designs, excellent quality. Do a search on the forums for Second Arrow and you'll find a lot of earlier posts on the same topic.

We did this trip in Tassie with it a few years ago. There is one image looking from inside the tent:
http://bushwalk.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=42&t=1565

In use at Wild Dog Creek in WOJ:


In use at the Wollangambe Crater in NSW Blue Mtns:
http://bushwalk.com/forum/download/file.php?id=10700&mode=view

Thanks heaps for your advice on the tent I will be seriously considering one now

Mates got one and hates it.

Super tough, last forever and will take any weather (as long as you can peg it down).

Hard (impossible?) to pitch well, heavy, cramped, low ceiling, etc. etc.

Get a Hilleberg, all the good stuff without the compromises. That's my opinion, I own neither but regular walking mates have both.

I've used the First Arrow many times as a 3 person tent and love it. I've seen the Second Arrow in use alot too. I think it's very well designed tent and it's well manufactured too. The latest version is slightly larger than the older models. As mentioned already the tent is somewhat heavy, this is mostly due to the fact that the floor fabrics are very tough. It's a very light tent if you leave the inner at home.


There's LOTS of info about them on WE's website

Tent pitching...

Hard (impossible?) to pitch well,

If it looks right in the official pics it may be hard to set up but not impossible.
Often it is just matter of changing the direction of the guylines to get a nice taut pitch.
Helps if you set it up on a nice even ground and practice there.
BTW, no I have not set the Second Arrow up but having done that with other "difficult" tents I find that after an attempt or two they are not so difficult...

Franco

sthughes wrote:...Hard (impossible?) to pitch well...

Sorry, I can't agree with that comment at all. I've pitched mine many times and so far it's the easiest tent I've ever set up. It's integral pitch, so the inner is already attached. Insert both poles. Bang the rear peg in, haul up the tent, bang in the 2 front pegs and it's standing. Peg out the remaining points and guy it depending on weather. Heaps of adjustments available to get a taut pitch. Mostly done in around 5 minutes.

I agree, the ( as said before I have the 1st arrow) the tent is really easy to pitch.
I bang in the rear peg first then put the poles in, then the 2 front. Always have all the zips done up.

Roger

Hi there,
I've had a WE Second arrow for about 10 years which i have heavily used for mountaineering trips in NZ and winter trips in and around the Australian alps and all manner of other excursions and i can't recommend it enough (30 - 60 nights a year). My tent had the yellow titanium dioxide coating on the fly but i understand It uses some sort of silicon nylon now, it doesn't seem as robust as my old fly though. The tent is cosy for two people but has always had just enough room for two brawny 6 ft+ guys with heavily kitted out packs which can be safely stowed in the Vestibule and inside the tent as well if needed. The pack up is super fast to get up and as "norts" says can be put up with just 3 pegs. The second exit down the bottom end is a nice plus. I've also been in the tent in raging storms of 100 km/hr winds with scant protection on top of wind and snow scoured plateuas above 2000m and the tent held up with no concern. When one of the inner mesh sheets came of its stitching after about 6 years WE fixed it at no cost. After about 9 years one of the aluminium stays split but it was easy enough to get a replacement. The tent may be overkill for Tassie walking unless you go winter camping as it's probably meant for tougher conditions but it can last - at least the old model that i bought. I'd probably go for the gold colour again it's very agreeable and easy to spot. As you can unzip the inner skin to reveal a mesh it can be used as a 3season and this will keep away all manner of bugs e.g leeches in Tassie or sandflies in NZ. The tent i have has a superb bathtub groundsheet which actually floated on the occasions when our campground flooded although i think i need to get it treated and the seams redone 10 years after i bought it.

johnw wrote:... other than there aren't "5" seasons.. .

In the Territory there are something like twice that many.