Long-time followers of this blog will remember a period last summer when I seemed a little obsessed by tents. Clearly I needed to get out more at the time and the topic stopped when I decided that I would use hostels instead. It proved to be a wise decision as I had an enjoyable hostel hopping trip along the Pennine Cycleway. So apologies in advance; as the video above might imply (and as the title of this post more openly states), I am back on a mission to find a suitable light weight tent. The Terra Nova Laser Competition is pitched against (get it?) the Force 10 Helium 200 for my money. Expect lots of debating over number of skins, ease of pitching and most celebrity endorsements (the last factor there will no doubt be the one I am most influenced by). And then, after hectares of blog space is used up I’ll decide to use hostels instead….
Categories: Cycling
New on the market this year, (first link) by vaude, in response to terra nova. Looks roomy.
Or
If you are as tight as I am, I get by with the second option below. !-). I got it for £20 and O.K I have swapped the poles for some alloy as they broke but it does me and has lasted 3 years so far. small enough to fit inside a pannier, and can just get 2 panniers under the fly. Hard to get in and out of but I am 6’4″
http://www.cheaptents.com/acatalog/Product_Catalogue_Ultralight_Tents_28.html#vaudepowerlizard
http://www.outdoormegastore.co.uk/acatalog/Gelert_Solo_Backpacking_Tent.html
hooray for tents! Even if you plan on staying in hostels along the whole way, there is no way to know that your wheel won’t throw 3 spokes at 5pm, 40 km from a town in either direction… In my case it was the trailer yoke breaking, and by the time I had some cable rigged up, it was getting on bed time. Camping in a field was a great nature-break.
I went ahead and got a “2-person” tent, which means I can fit my stuff inside, or a close friend.