Solo 4-season free-standing tent

[nickthetasmaniac]

Hi everyone, I'd like some advice/experience on a solo tent for walking in the Tassie highlands (both summer and winter above the snowline) and also for extended overseas backpacking in 2012 (Europe, Nepal and India).

It needs to be four-season, free-standing (personal preference), compact and lightweight and reasonable roomy with a vestibule (I'll be living in it for about 5 months...)

These are the models I've been looking at:

- One Planet Goondie 1-30D (1.77kg)
- Wilderness Equipment Ace UL (winter inner - 2.2kg)
- Hilleberg Soulo (2.2kg)

Thoughts?

[Gusto]

Maybe the WE Dart is worth contemplating over too.

[oyster_07]

MSR Hubba variants are great. I believe (from memory) they are rated as 3+ season, but I can attest to their 4 season strength. It's only the mesh inner that makes them a 3+. Depending on the actual conditions, I'd feel fine with a Hubba. From firsthand experience they are fine in the Swiss Alps in winter.

[nickthetasmaniac]

Maybe the WE Dart is worth contemplating over too.

I considered the Dart but it's heavier with less headroom than the other three, and its only 3 season...

Also had a look at the Hubba HP, but other than the weight the design just doesn't do it for me...

[JohnM]

Love my soulo.

Bombproof, easy to put up, good size vestibule (most solo tents have pathetic vestibules.. In the soul you can easily fit z 70 litre back and your boots) nicely vented (for a genuine 4 season tent) and a well thought out design.

Bit on the heavy side, but more than makes up for it in strength and durability.

Love the colour too.

[Gusto]

Pretty sure there are two versions of the Dart, there's a Mesh inner and a Winter inner version. I haven't used it, but looking at them in shops they look pretty tough in design.


I have never used a tent that has hubs on the poles such as the Hubba or Ace etc. I do wonder how difficult it is to slide a pole repair sleeve on a broken pole over a hub. Has anyone had to do this before?

[nickthetasmaniac]

Pretty sure there are two versions of the Dart, there's a Mesh inner and a Winter inner version. I haven't used it, but looking at them in shops they look pretty tough in design.


I have never used a tent that has hubs on the poles such as the Hubba or Ace etc. I do wonder how difficult it is to slide a pole repair sleeve on a broken pole over a hub. Has anyone had to do this before?

Yep I was looking at the winter version - this will be my only tent so I'm not interested in a mesh inner...

WE say that the hub system is pretty easy to repair, but I'm not sure how this actually works...

[Wingnut]

Have you looked at the Exped range of tents?


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk...

[nickthetasmaniac]

Have you looked at the Exped range of tents?

I had a look and didn't see anything that stood out... Did you have a model in mind?

As well as the models listed above, I've also looked as MSR, Mountain Hardware, Macpac, Mont, Big Agnes, Sierra Design and BD.

[Gusto]

If you can get over the freestanding part then I've noticed that Aarn Pacer 1 and Pacer 2 tents have just dropped $100 in price in Melbourne. This seems to have happened about 3 weeks after I purchased mine. Ahh well, that's just how the cookie crumbles sometimes. So far I'm impressed with mine

[tele-whippet]

I've recently got a Mont Bell Stellar Ridge 2 for ski touring, haven't used it properly yet but easy to erect and seems good from the "backyard test".
Free standing and lightish for a 4 season unit.
http://www.iclimb.co.nz/austents.htm

[Mountain Rocket]

Maybe a Tarptent Scarp 1 with the solid inner and crossing poles? I have only used mine on two trips so far without testing conditions, but I am really pleased with it. Some much so I can see myself buying another one if it kill this one.

Failing that the new Gondie seems to be a good option. If price and weight are not too big on the agenda, I also never see peoplele speak badly of the Hilleburg range.

[JohnM]

Traveling thru Asia, freestanding is a must IMO. the ability to use it as a bug-room (sans fly) can come in very handy in places. Even indoors sometimes.

[roysta]

I already own a Hilleberg Nallo 2 but now I have the ultimate ONE person tent and this one is 5 season, not 4.
Sure it's heavy, but if you really want to understand the term bombproof, meaning it'll handle anything then the Hilleberg Soulo is the go.
Being freestanding is what sold me.

[ninjapuppet]

I've recently got a Mont Bell Stellar Ridge 2 for ski touring, haven't used it properly yet but easy to erect and seems good from the "backyard test".
Free standing and lightish for a 4 season unit.
http://www.iclimb.co.nz/austents.htm

That Stellar Ridge is a pretty impressive tent! same weight as an iTent but its double layer. however its saying its currently sold out.

There is a huge amount of valuable information on that link, and most of it is very good. However, some of the points made are debatable such as rab's bivi tents are made of eVent and are breathable. They totally discount non-freestanding tents and that is understandable as one must make the distinction between a base camp mountaineering tent, an alpine assualt tent, or something in between (which is more suited to most bushwalking needs in tassie)

For the OP's requirements, the soulo gets my vote.

[nickthetasmaniac]

Thanks for everyones responses! I considered the ultra-light options like the Akto, Pacer and Scarp, but I don't think they're quite suitable for what I'm doing...

From what people have said here, and other reviews I've read, I think the Soulo sounds almost perfect. It's a tad heavy, but in every other way it's just right

[denevans]

In 2012 there are no Hubba HP's available anywhere on earth but Europe. So I just ordered a Hubba HP (2012) from Brigham Ellis in the UK. It has headroom, elbow room for 6 footers and is winterised.