Q. My requirements are a duck to tent ratio of 3:1 (mallard) however other species will be considered.
Someone has already recommended the Gelert Fossa, however I doubt that two people could fit and bang in there (trust me).
Someone has already recommended the Gelert Fossa, however I doubt that two people could fit and bang in there (trust me).
Answer
I use a tiny Coleman Raid which is half the weight of the Fossa and only about half as high. It weighs 980 grams, goes up in two minutes, and is very easy to hide because it's so low.
I slept in a town park in it one wet horrible mucky night to save a long wet walk to Sefton Park on the outskirts of town at 1am off the National Express coach from London, and nobody knew I was there ....pitched quickly between the bushes and wall of St' John's gardens in Liverpool.....totally invisible and well sorted out of the rain and into a sleeping bag in a few minutes.
It's a lying down only tent but it has a decent floor space and shape and although classed as a one person tent I've had many bang type bangs in it in relative comfort with a two legged bird species rather larger than mallard.
In Liverpool they are called Liver Birds after the originals of the same name adorning the top of the Royal Liver Building on the waterfont and very pleasant they are too.
Originals.......on the top
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hostelworld/4776364833/ . . .
http://www.aidan.co.uk/photo9388.htm
The long legged short neck variety with folded wings where fitted, are also called Liver Birds and are also often on top, and are part of the wildlife...errr...wild life of the city clubs and impromptu street parties, riverside walks and extensive parks.
The new version of the Raid is the Rigil which is a bit wider and better for two people but is a bit more expensive though still cheap compared to many of it's rivals.
For shooting style banging bangs with guns it has an advantage of a side opening door that extnds the whole length of the tent and can be left open a bit at both ends due to the double zip and so two guns can shoot out of the two ends separated by around five feet or more allowing for elbow room.
It can also be open left at the top only either for an observation window or for better ventilation inside. Small tents normally have condensation problems.
I use my Raid quite often as a hide for wildlife photography and leave it set up with the photo equiment in while I sleep in my other Coleman, a Viper which has stood up to fierce weather on mountains in Europe and on the Andes or in my Vango mountain tent which is a true toughie for the money I paid as the Viper is. The Viper's only downside is it's blue colour...no other colours are available. It's virtue is it's shape and it's central sitting height which makes changing clothes easier than in most small tents and positional adjustments to be made where a variety of positions is desired for recreational activities.
Having pointed ends it is very stable in a high wind and survived a howling blizzard in the Andes while crossing into Bolivia at 12 000 feet as well as numerous local downpours on our cold wet hills without ever getting wet inside unlike some of it's temporary occupants.
Ventilation is fine and condensation is only a small and occasional problem with it.
http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/reviews/tents/bivvy--one-person/coleman-viper/2715.html . . . . .
The Raid is light enough even to take as a second tent with no worries.
Here is the Raid in Double Dutch but with a good piccie and one on the top left of it pitched in a field so you can see how compact and low it is.
It comes in green, green, or green but only the green ones are sold.
Purrfick for hiding in and very easy to cover with an extra flysheet like a lightweight 8 z 12 groundsheet from a garden or DIY store which come with eyelets already fitted but more can be added easily. Plastic or brass eyelets in packs of 4 or 6 are found in camping shops and take a minute each to fix.
http://www.hiking-site.nl/indekijker_colemanraid.php . . .
Here is the Rigil, just the same as the Raid but a few inches wider
http://www.winwood-outdoor.co.uk/acatalog/Coleman_Rigel_X2_ultra_lightweight_two_person_tent.html . . . . . ..
I use a tiny Coleman Raid which is half the weight of the Fossa and only about half as high. It weighs 980 grams, goes up in two minutes, and is very easy to hide because it's so low.
I slept in a town park in it one wet horrible mucky night to save a long wet walk to Sefton Park on the outskirts of town at 1am off the National Express coach from London, and nobody knew I was there ....pitched quickly between the bushes and wall of St' John's gardens in Liverpool.....totally invisible and well sorted out of the rain and into a sleeping bag in a few minutes.
It's a lying down only tent but it has a decent floor space and shape and although classed as a one person tent I've had many bang type bangs in it in relative comfort with a two legged bird species rather larger than mallard.
In Liverpool they are called Liver Birds after the originals of the same name adorning the top of the Royal Liver Building on the waterfont and very pleasant they are too.
Originals.......on the top
http://www.flickr.com/photos/hostelworld/4776364833/ . . .
http://www.aidan.co.uk/photo9388.htm
The long legged short neck variety with folded wings where fitted, are also called Liver Birds and are also often on top, and are part of the wildlife...errr...wild life of the city clubs and impromptu street parties, riverside walks and extensive parks.
The new version of the Raid is the Rigil which is a bit wider and better for two people but is a bit more expensive though still cheap compared to many of it's rivals.
For shooting style banging bangs with guns it has an advantage of a side opening door that extnds the whole length of the tent and can be left open a bit at both ends due to the double zip and so two guns can shoot out of the two ends separated by around five feet or more allowing for elbow room.
It can also be open left at the top only either for an observation window or for better ventilation inside. Small tents normally have condensation problems.
I use my Raid quite often as a hide for wildlife photography and leave it set up with the photo equiment in while I sleep in my other Coleman, a Viper which has stood up to fierce weather on mountains in Europe and on the Andes or in my Vango mountain tent which is a true toughie for the money I paid as the Viper is. The Viper's only downside is it's blue colour...no other colours are available. It's virtue is it's shape and it's central sitting height which makes changing clothes easier than in most small tents and positional adjustments to be made where a variety of positions is desired for recreational activities.
Having pointed ends it is very stable in a high wind and survived a howling blizzard in the Andes while crossing into Bolivia at 12 000 feet as well as numerous local downpours on our cold wet hills without ever getting wet inside unlike some of it's temporary occupants.
Ventilation is fine and condensation is only a small and occasional problem with it.
http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/reviews/tents/bivvy--one-person/coleman-viper/2715.html . . . . .
The Raid is light enough even to take as a second tent with no worries.
Here is the Raid in Double Dutch but with a good piccie and one on the top left of it pitched in a field so you can see how compact and low it is.
It comes in green, green, or green but only the green ones are sold.
Purrfick for hiding in and very easy to cover with an extra flysheet like a lightweight 8 z 12 groundsheet from a garden or DIY store which come with eyelets already fitted but more can be added easily. Plastic or brass eyelets in packs of 4 or 6 are found in camping shops and take a minute each to fix.
http://www.hiking-site.nl/indekijker_colemanraid.php . . .
Here is the Rigil, just the same as the Raid but a few inches wider
http://www.winwood-outdoor.co.uk/acatalog/Coleman_Rigel_X2_ultra_lightweight_two_person_tent.html . . . . . ..
best brand of camping tent(tadpole)?
Q.
Answer
The best is what suits your style and your bank account. You can get a Coleman Raid for $50 or the new version called the Rigil for nearly twice the price or a tent the same (tiny) size for another $300 more.
My Raid has been great for me but it might not be the one for you.
I have two other Colemans and wouldn't say a bad word of either them, or the Raid.
The top stuff?....Well, what about a Vango Force Ten, used every day on Everest....dozens of them.
Bigger, heavier, but class kit....the real stuff. K2 in a hurricane? Get into a Force Ten and read a book.
MSR and Nomad, Mountain Equipment, Vaude, all do top gear at top prices....including tiny lightweight very strong stable tents.$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
The Colemans have done the job well in very foul weather and I didn't spend a fortune on them.
See mine here for links.
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091027170003AA2gO41 . . . . . .
The best is what suits your style and your bank account. You can get a Coleman Raid for $50 or the new version called the Rigil for nearly twice the price or a tent the same (tiny) size for another $300 more.
My Raid has been great for me but it might not be the one for you.
I have two other Colemans and wouldn't say a bad word of either them, or the Raid.
The top stuff?....Well, what about a Vango Force Ten, used every day on Everest....dozens of them.
Bigger, heavier, but class kit....the real stuff. K2 in a hurricane? Get into a Force Ten and read a book.
MSR and Nomad, Mountain Equipment, Vaude, all do top gear at top prices....including tiny lightweight very strong stable tents.$$$$$$$$$$$$$$$
The Colemans have done the job well in very foul weather and I didn't spend a fortune on them.
See mine here for links.
http://uk.answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20091027170003AA2gO41 . . . . . .
Powered by Yahoo! Answers
No comments:
Post a Comment