Tent/camping Advice?

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by tkbike

So for those of you that have responded that actually spend 100+ nights a year in the outdoors(preferably 25-50% high altitude and winter) what do use for your sleep system?

I'm a flatlander and I dont like winter

Most of my nights are in a Dutchware hammock & Enlightened Equipment quilts. I never sleep as well as I do after a hard ride and passing out in a hammock in the woods.

[tkbike]

Originally Posted by .RJ

I'm a flatlander and I dont like winter

Most of my nights are in a Dutchware hammock & Enlightened Equipment quilts. I never sleep as well as I do after a hard ride and passing out in a hammock in the woods.

My biggest fear about hammocks are no trees! I have actually had to use one tree and staked the bike down and used the seat tube as a second anchor!

[.RJ]

There's been some sketchy hangs. But, always seem to make it work.

[Likes2ridefar]

Nt

[reuben]

Originally Posted by tkbike

Averaging 100+ nights a year on the trail in a tent, I can assure you that only 1 in 10000 distance hikers carry a hilleberg tent. If you are going to spend that much money on a tent, the zpacks duplex blows away any hilleberg tent in every season!
I would look at nemo tents for lightweight, roominess and durability at a very reasonable price.

Yeah, some friends of mine like their Zpacks, Tarptents, Six Moon Designs, Mountain Laurel Designs, etc. Lots of winter camping, above and below treeline, and not a Hilleberg in the bunch. If you want to climb Denali, then that's another story, but for most people a Hilleberg is heavy and overkill.

Take some Tenacious Tape, or Gorilla Tape or old fashioned duct tape in case you need to make a repair. Cut a short piece of a wooden dowel rod and wrap some tape around it - no need to carry the bulk and weight of a whole roll with you. I do the same with Leukotape in case I need some.

[Clancy]

Originally Posted by tkbike

Averaging 100+ nights a year on the trail in a tent, I can assure you that only 1 in 10000 distance hikers carry a hilleberg tent. If you are going to spend that much money on a tent, the zpacks duplex blows away any hilleberg tent in every season!
I would look at nemo tents for lightweight, roominess and durability at a very reasonable price.

And yes, anyone who thinks the VE24/25 is too much of a tent is obviously someone who has never done any extended winter mountaineering or tropical weather exploring.

So for those of you that have responded that actually spend 100+ nights a year in the outdoors(preferably 25-50% high altitude and winter) what do use for your sleep system?

Just like tents, don’t overthink it (as been done here) a good insulated sleeping pad and a warm down bag, by any of the major manufacturers. It’s not quantum physics.

[christian]

Originally Posted by tkbike

Marketing? I'll bite, what is hilleberg marketed for?
They claim to be lightweight all-season tents!
There are at least 5 makers that make tents that are lighter, more durable and more affordable.

I'm a UL guy and a gear nerd, and I have more than my fair share of MLD and Zpacks stuff (which I use and prefer for temperate climate backpacking) but I think you're selling Hilleberg well short. For winter expeditions, the Hilleberg tunnel tents are far and away the best tents I have found in terms of weight/strength/size compromise. Similarly, where durability is the key criteria (as I would argue it is here), I think the Hilleberg red and black series tents far surpass most other tents. I have 400+ nights in my Nammatj 2 and it's still in perfect shape.

[cnighbor1]

Rain proof critical
Unless a tent has a way to vent air has it takes in fresh air everytjing will get damp including sleeping bag you etc
Charles

[mhespenheide]

Originally Posted by tkbike

So for those of you that have responded that actually spend 100+ nights a year in the outdoors(preferably 25-50% high altitude and winter) what do use for your sleep system?

For the summer, I have a high fill-power down 30 degree mummy bag from Marmot (although plenty of other brands will do) that I pair with a Western Mountaineering down jacket and thick fleece hat. I use a full-length RidgeRest pad paired with a "women's" 3/4 length 1" inflatable pad. All of that together keeps me happy and cozy down into the low twenties, and the jacket and hat help keep me warm when I get up before sunrise and stand around waiting to photograph.

For the spring and fall, I'll substitute in a 20-degree and then 5-degree bag as needed as temperatures drop. Those are both upper-tier REI bags, although -- again -- many brands will do just fine.

I'm rarely very deep into the backcountry in the winter, so in truly cold weather, I nest the 30 degree bag inside the 5 degree bag.

[Likes2ridefar]

Originally Posted by mhespenheide

For the summer, I have a high fill-power down 30 degree mummy bag from Marmot (although plenty of other brands will do) that I pair with a Western Mountaineering down jacket and thick fleece hat. I use a full-length RidgeRest pad paired with a "women's" 3/4 length 1" inflatable pad. All of that together keeps me happy and cozy down into the low twenties, and the jacket and hat help keep me warm when I get up before sunrise and stand around waiting to photograph.

For the spring and fall, I'll substitute in a 20-degree and then 5-degree bag as needed as temperatures drop. Those are both upper-tier REI bags, although -- again -- many brands will do just fine.

I'm rarely very deep into the backcountry in the winter, so in truly cold weather, I nest the 30 degree bag inside the 5 degree bag.

I use a 20deg feathered friends 900fill and a 5f same brand/fill for my 3 season and winter camping. For the extremely rare hot night I have a cheap 40deg rei synthetic bag.

I sleep in vapor barrier clothing head to toe in extremely cold weather and layer as needed based on the temperature. Less extreme typically an r1 hoody, long underwear and have a down vest or jacket and hat nearby as needed.

I use an xtherm 4 season full length pad for all lightweight endeavors as I sleep cold.

[.RJ]

30-40 deg bags for summer seems nuts to me, but I also live in the east coast swamp.

[dustyrider]

Of course I went and clicked around the internet looking at tents... I think there's plenty of choice out there and at a wide range of affordability. Sticking to a budget for a two person 3 season tent, sleeping pad, and sleep system is probably the easiest way to filter all your choices. Don't forget you've got to carry the stuff too so factor that cost in as well.

Everyone's different on temperature comfort and environment pretty much dictates your insulation choice. High humidity use synthetic and low/no humidity use down is usually a safe bet.

There are some things to consider about tent setup that may be more important than the choice of the maker of a tent, and they are also things we would all agree on.

Here's one I know to be true from experience:
Lay on the ground you intend to sleep on before you stake everything out! You'll realize your feet are above your head, or you're rolling to one side, or there's a "you name it" poking you in the side. Sometimes it's mere inches between a good night's sleep and a tossing and cursing to exhaustion type of night.

Here's one the Boy Scouts taught me:
Always make sure you pitch your tent above the water fall line and stake your rainfly lines to direct water away from your tent.

[thew]

One-stop shop:

https://www.rei.com/product/168432/r...packing-bundle

[.RJ]

Originally Posted by p nut

Whether it’s just her or with another person, I highly recommend getting a 4-man tent, if she will be living out of it for 9 months.

I came back to this and thought about it some more. I think you're right on this. If you're really living out of it, the 4p REI tent is a pretty nice spot if its going to be up 2+ months at a time. Maybe a cot, too.

[Likes2ridefar]

Originally Posted by .RJ

I came back to this and thought about it some more. I think you're right on this. If you're really living out of it, the 4p REI tent is a pretty nice spot if its going to be up 2+ months at a time. Maybe a cot, too.

Sizing up makes a lot of sense. When it was just 2 of us, we often took a 3p tent backpacking when we wanted some room and didn’t mind an extra pound.

We car camp with a big Agnes 6p tent for the 3 of us. It also has a vestibule that holds 3 to 4 bikes easy and plenty of other gear. I can stand and not hit my head…all in it’s not heavy. Maybe about ten lbs. it’s significantly more comfortable…