Anyone had experience with either of these cheap 1 man tents

[hunsta]

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Just wondering if anyone has had any good or bad experiences with either of these two cheapish 1 man ultralight tents. Will mostly be used for warmer Qld weather. I do like the look of the Darche Hybrid as a very easy entry style tent.
EPE Spartan 1 Person Ultralight Hiking Tent

Darche Hybrid 1 person Ultralight Tent Shelter

[Strider]

How cheapish exactly?

There is a thread on the Spartan here somewhere. Try a search. I recall a discussion on its design similarity to the Lightheart Gear Solo and SMD Skyscape.

[hunsta]

Wild Earth has the Spatan @ $119.00 and the Darche Hybrid @ $79.00

[Strider]

Wild Earth has the Spatan @ $119.00 and the Darche Hybrid @ $79.00

Dirt cheap!

Could be a good option for someone wanting to get into bushwalking but not wanting to commit several hundred dollars to something better. Or for someone who regularly uses huts buts wants to carry an emergency shelter.

[hunsta]

Wild Earth has the Spatan @ $119.00 and the Darche Hybrid @ $79.00

Dirt cheap!

Could be a good option for someone wanting to get into bushwalking but not wanting to commit several hundred dollars to something better. Or for someone who regularly uses huts buts wants to carry an emergency shelter.

The Darche at least has a bit of a vestibule for gear or cooking. And you can use your walking poles as tent poles instead of the supplied ones. making it only 1kg without and 1.5kg with the poles. Only thing is that its single layer. No fly.

[Strider]

Only thing is that its single layer. No fly.

Not necessarily a negative..

[Moondog55]

Several fellers over on the BushcraftOz forum [from which I am banned due to politics] have mentioned that the Darche is a good alternative to the swag and tarp combo but a little small for people over 6foot tall

[neilmny]

Another option might be a Darche Hornet 2. Fairly low cost plenty of space for one but no vestibule. Weighs about 2.7kg packed in it's bag.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DARCHE-HORNE ... 0896791884
I have one, I'm about 180cm (6ft) tall and I'm really happy with it. Sleeps 2 but with 2 there's no room for packs.
As a solo it's great, I can easily fit everything in with me and it's double walled.
There are plenty on offer around the place, i think i got mine for about $121.00.

My son in laws mate has the hybrid. He's a big bloke about 190cm (6'4") and around 140kg.
He can just sleep in it but it's a squeeze.

Darche Hornet 2

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Inner - excuse the lousy pitching job

Inner.jpg (223.28 KiB) Viewed 20628 times

Inside looking out

Inside looking out.jpg (121.22 KiB) Viewed 20628 times

[Clusterpod]

Looks a lot like the Mountain Designs Neutrino

[hunsta]

Another option might be a Darche Hornet 2. Fairly low cost plenty of space for one but no vestibule. Weighs about 2.7kg packed in it's bag.
http://www.ebay.com.au/itm/DARCHE-HORNE ... 0896791884
I have one, I'm about 180cm (6ft) tall and I'm really happy with it. Sleeps 2 but with 2 there's no room for packs.
As a solo it's great, I can easily fit everything in with me and it's double walled.
There are plenty on offer around the place, i think i got mine for about $121.00.

Yeah I have an Outer Limits Backpacker thats 2 person and 2.3kg that Ive been using while on motorcycle trips for 6 years. Plenty of room for one and gear, but looking to lighten up for the occasional overnighter.

Attachments

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[michael_p]

A friend of mine has just bought a Darche Hybrid from Amazon Outdoors for $69.00. We had arranged to meet this weekend and do a trial erection but this didn't eventuate so I can't comment on the Darche without having had a fiddle with it. Sorry, this isn't much help to the OP.

I like the idea of using a trekking pole for the tent pole. Good way to trim even more weight. I'll suggest this to my friend as she is a petite lady who is keen to shave the weight.

Regards,
Michael.

[Strider]

Look forward to your comments once you've found time to fiddle with your mates erection, Michael

[Onestepmore]

We have a Darche Hybrid as the first 1 man tent we purchased. It's really only good in fine weather. Any rain and it leaks. The seams aren't well finished.
We do still use it for my son, but will sit a cuben tarp on top (sort of defeats the purpose, lol!)
It guys out good and tight, has a good mesh ventilation panel all along the back and the vestible is an OK size.
The dimensions are fine, good head height, box wall elevates the end away from your sleeping bag foot.
The aluminium poles are pretty clunky, but you could easily use walking ploes instead.
If you're planning on using it more, then I'd suggest
a) seam sealing it with silicone
b) replacing the chunky guy ropes with a 1.4 mm or 2 mm spectra cord etc from Hyperlite Mt Designs or Zpacks or MLD or wherever, and some light line locks
3) upgrading the pegs to something lighter
4) cutting a tyveck footprint

Our first 2 man tent was an Alps Mountaineering was bought off Amazon for less than $100, then we got a separate footprint. Ripper little 2 man tent with dual entry and vestibules, longitudally aligned entrances, good ventilation. It weighs 2.2 kg. It's a great bargain buy. Finish is very good, no problems with leaks or excessive condensation. Consider it for a larger 1 man? - the footprint size is pretty good.
We still use it, esp with the 2 man Hubba if we have 4 of us going, but will now tend to use our lighter cuben 2 man Echo, after a couple of successful weekend test trips.

Last edited by Onestepmore on Sun 07 Apr, 2013 7:38 pm, edited 1 time in total.

[Onestepmore]

We had arranged to meet this weekend and do a trial erection but this didn't eventuate so I can't comment on the Darche without having had a fiddle with it..

mademelol

[Onestepmore]

Here is the link to the thread about the spartan.
viewtopic.php?f=15&t=10790&p=143319&hilit=spartan#p143319

[rich]

Another cheap and light 1-2man is another outerlimits 'starlight'. Works better in drier weather ha ha and can droop a bit towards the end with the foot box on the sleeping bag gets a bit damp with 2 in there. The exposed slanted opening is also a bit of a pain when its raining, and there's only enough room in the front vestibule to put a water bottle and your boots. For some reason it weighs more like 1.3-1.4 on my scales depending on how I've tied it up, def not 1.9 as they advertise.


http://www.tentworld.com.au/products/te ... -Tent.aspx

[neilmny]

Wild Earth has the Spatan @ $119.00 and the Darche Hybrid @ $79.00

Wildearth have the Spartan for $99.50 until the end of May!
http://www.wildearth.com.au/buy/epe-spa ... ent/spa1mt

[roysta]

There's an old saying "you get what you pay for".
What can I possibly add?

[hunsta]

There's an old saying "you get what you pay for".
What can I possibly add?

That saying is as antiquated as the overpriced products of companies only to willing to raise the price of their merchandise to suck in the demand of the demographic they aim at. And is usually made by those more interested in what brands they carry than their actual durability.
65% of hiking/camping products including many leading brand names, are made in China. The price difference is only governed by what brand it has on it. But lets face it. I did state they were "cheap" tents.

[hunsta]

Look forward to your comments once you've found time to fiddle with your mates erection, Michael

LMFAO

[roysta]

There's an old saying "you get what you pay for".
What can I possibly add?

That saying is as antiquated as the overpriced products of companies only to willing to raise the price of their merchandise to suck in the demand of the demographic they aim at. And is usually made by those more interested in what brands they carry than their actual durability.

Rubbish, you're living in a dilusional land, but that's fine, if you're happy there.

[anotherwalker]

I've owned a Darche Hybrid.

You have to make sure you guy everything out perfectly otherwise it will sag in majorly if you get heavy dew on it.

It'll weigh about 1.3 Kgs if you use a hiking pole instead.

The claimed 1kg is if you weren't to use it with any stakes. And this is a tent that definitely needs all its stakes.

Have you tried looking at the Luxe X-Rocket which will roughly be in the same price range ?

It weighs 1.1 using your hiking pole but including their stakes.

Its comfortable enough for me 5ft 9, its 2 layers meaning less dew on the inside and the Fly can also double as a decent sized poncho to cover you and your backpack. And its fine to use in the wet. I've slept a couple of wet rainy nights in the XRocket without any major dramas and the vestibule was still big enough to keep all my gear for a week long hike dry.

[puredingo]

I own the Sparton and it does me fine. Although I must say that it don't do any extreme stuff weather wise for my needs it's good as gold....but then i have the added fortune (or is it severe disadvantage) of the old addage "ignorance is bliss". I know nothing better, not having ever owned a $2000 dollar tent or $800 pack I just have to grin and bear it, houso style.

[neilmny]

...but then i have the added fortune (or is it severe disadvantage) of the old addage "ignorance is bliss". I know nothing better, not having ever owned a $2000 dollar tent or $800 pack I just have to grin and bear it, houso style.

Well said I'm a bit the same together with being too much of a tight a@$e to spend those big bucks.

[hunsta]

...but then i have the added fortune (or is it severe disadvantage) of the old addage "ignorance is bliss". I know nothing better, not having ever owned a $2000 dollar tent or $800 pack I just have to grin and bear it, houso style.

Well said I'm a bit the same together with being too much of a tight a@$e to spend those big bucks.

Thanks to all who left valuable and relevant feedback. It was just an ask and see question. As I said It would be used in fairish weather and I knew they were cheap, but for a guy like me who already owns 10 tents, I guess I was looking for something to sneak past the wife without to much kaffufal.
Cheers

[Strider]

...but then i have the added fortune (or is it severe disadvantage) of the old addage "ignorance is bliss". I know nothing better, not having ever owned a $2000 dollar tent or $800 pack I just have to grin and bear it, houso style.

Well said I'm a bit the same together with being too much of a tight a@$e to spend those big bucks.

Thanks to all who left valuable and relevant feedback. It was just an ask and see question. As I said It would be used in fairish weather and I knew they were cheap, but for a guy like me who already owns 10 tents, I guess I was looking for something to sneak past the wife without to much kaffufal.
Cheers

If you're sneaking it, why would there be any "kaffufal"?

[hunsta]

She who must be obeyed is also She who peruses the bank statements.

[Strider]

She who must be obeyed is also She who peruses the bank statements.

See where you went wrong there...

[hunsta]

She who must be obeyed is also She who peruses the bank statements.

See where you went wrong there...

Uh huh.