Northern Ireland Outdoors Forum - Hiking, camping and more
General => Gear Questions, Information, Reviews and Competitions => Topic started by: Glenn B on January 12, 2016
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Guys i think its time i invested in a wee one man tent instead of lugging my large two man about when i'm on my own.
Has anyone any experience with these tents your views and thoughts would be a great help. At the moment i am swayed towards the starlight its a tad heavier by about 3/4 of a kilo but its the bath tub design groundsheet that's doing it for me as we all know our wee country isn't the driest place on the planet ;D ;D it also seams to have a bit more ventilation which will be good as condensation can be a problem with the smaller tents.
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I have no experience with the Robens, but have a Zephyros and have nothing but good things to say about it. Probably the best testament I can give it was a wet and windy night by the Miner's Hole River. Snug as a bug, never moved, and had a great night's kip. Others in what could be considered better tents didn't have quite the same good nights kip. I've never had any issues with venting nor a damp bottom in the morning, but I'm a fairly sedate kinda camper!
I don't think you will disappointed either way but I would shove a thumbs up to the WC model
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I've been using the Zephyros 1 for a while now, as you know, and I can't fault it. It's a bomb-proof little tent and has kept me safe and dry in all sorts of weather and packs down beautifully. The next time we're out for a camp we can swap tents over for the night so you can try it out and see if it suits you. I would suggest if you're going for a one man tent then go for the lighter option, that extra 750g on the Starlight is half the weight again of the Zephyros, and you know you could use that extra weight for other things. I always bring a cheap, tough tarp from poundland and stick it under the tent and have had no problems with water getting in or indeed any condensation.
Another option for you could be the Zephyros 2, gives you a bit more room and is only 1.79 kg, still lighter than the Starlight and packs down smaller: http://goo.gl/QpbMCX
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I've never even heard of the Robens brand. Are they new to the UK?
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I've never even heard of the Robens brand. Are they new to the UK?
I'm not sure mate its the first I've seen them but apparently they've been around from 1973 :)
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Thanks for the offer specimanYak, I'm trying to find out how much smaller the inner is compared to the outer I can only find the overall length of the outer 220cm how much smaller would you reckon it would be? It looks to be a good bit shorter in any photos I can see.
Thanks Glenn
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I'm not too sure about the inner length size Glenn, i'm 5'9 and have enough room at the head of the tent to store stuff, and enough height to sit up in. I'll measure it when we're out on Friday and get back to you.
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I'm not too sure about the inner length size Glenn, i'm 5'9 and have enough room at the head of the tent to store stuff, and enough height to sit up in. I'll measure it when we're out on Friday and get back to you.
Dead on mate cheers at 6'1 I might have to shrink a bit ;D
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This Vaude Hogan UL Argon (http://www.trekkinn.com/outdoor-mountain/vaude-hogan-ul-argon-1-2p/23454/p) seems to be a generous internal space, 80cm up to 105cm wide compared to the Zephyros which is 64cm. At 220cm length it seems to comparable to many of the one man tents. It's a good weight at 1600g.
It's a bit dearer than a Zephyros though.
There is also a 2 person Vaude Hogan Ultralight (http://www.uttings.co.uk/p100409-vaude-hogan-ultralight-tent-green-15758-4000/?adwords=true&gclid=COC9j5TNp8oCFRFmGwodm48D1g#.VpawO_mLTIU) which is 1800g and a good bit cheaper. It's got a bit of a bathtub floor on it too.
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I have the Vaude Hogan Ultralight and it's a fantastic tent. Truthfully, the way it pitches looks a bit suspect but I've used t in some poor conditions (as did SuspectMonkey before he sold it to me) and it's always been 100% reliable. Squeeze for 2 but a bit of rolling around room for one. No porch but that's to be expected with an ultralight tent. I did used to have a Zephyros and didn't like it so I got rid of it but truthfully, I didn't give it much of a chance.
This Vaude Hogan UL Argon (http://www.trekkinn.com/outdoor-mountain/vaude-hogan-ul-argon-1-2p/23454/p) seems to be a generous internal space, 80cm up to 105cm wide compared to the Zephyros which is 64cm. At 220cm length it seems to comparable to many of the one man tents. It's a good weight at 1600g.
It's a bit dearer than a Zephyros though.
There is also a 2 person Vaude Hogan Ultralight (http://www.uttings.co.uk/p100409-vaude-hogan-ultralight-tent-green-15758-4000/?adwords=true&gclid=COC9j5TNp8oCFRFmGwodm48D1g#.VpawO_mLTIU) which is 1800g and a good bit cheaper. It's got a bit of a bathtub floor on it too.
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Aarrrggggghhhhhhhhh too many tents to choose from this is worse than buying a car :o
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If in doubt, buy them all ;) works for me ::)
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A nice new starlight 1 is winging it's way to me, the bath tub ground sheet was the deal clincher for me and at just under my £100 budget made it the winner. It's a wee touch heavier so I guess I'll just have to bring one less beer
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I'll be interested to see it in action. Never know when you might need a new tent ';)
A nice new starlight 1 is winging it's way to me, the bath tub ground sheet was the deal clincher for me and at just under my £100 budget made it the winner. It's a wee touch heavier so I guess I'll just have to bring one less beer
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MAX 174km/h AVG 162km/h
Robens Wind Test: The determination of the performance of a Robens tent in wind is based on the knowledge and technique available to Robens at the time of testing. During the test we register the maximum (MAX) speed impact a tent was subjected and the average (AVG) wind speed at which structural instability occurred. This may appear as a broken/deformed pole, or the collapse of the tent and subsequent return to shape when the wind drops. At no point was any form of catastrophic failure experienced up to the maximum wind speed.
Saw that on the Robens site. There's no stopping you now Glenn, maybe that is what swung it for you ;)
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Aye it will stick to a hill like a limpet although noise might be a proplem with wind at those speeds :o. Insert pun here lol.
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I've never even heard of the Robens brand. Are they new to the UK?
I'm not sure mate its the first I've seen them but apparently they've been around from 1973 :)
Robens are owned by Oase Outdoors, a Danish brand who also own Outwell and Easycamp.