one man tent...bulletproof? which one?

[Yellowknife]

I am absolutely not bagging on the BA tents, because I am totally satisfied BA owner. I just think this thread has gotten a little off course from what the OP was looking for, and I don't want to see somebody getting in a bad situation. A pic is worth a thousand words. This is what i came back to after a long day of hunting in the wet snow and moderate winds. 7800 EL. first week of November, My sleeping bag was floating inside on about 3" of water. Most sleeping bags would have been soaked and sunk and I would have been in an even worse situation.

To be fair, most three season one man tents would have been squashed by wet snow like that I suspect. There just isn't a lot of one man tents out there that meet BRWNBR's "bombproof" specification. I'm another Hilleberg fan, and have weathered a number of snow events above treeline in a Nallo, but you have to babysit them in wet snow just like any other. I haven't done snow in an Akto yet (although I own one now), but I'm sure the flat ends would catch snow and sag without someone to kick it off once in a while.

For closer to "bombproof", something that looks tougher (and roomier) than the Akto at about the same weight might be the new Hilleberg Niak 1.5. It's not out yet, but is supposed to be soon. I'm going to assume it's expensive, but BRWNBR is a guide, and might be able to get a pro discount?

http://docs.hilleberg.net/news/Hilleberg2016-NewsFlyer-Niak-StalonXL-Tarp5.pdf

 

[snowcamoman]

Any of the tunnel design tents can suffer possible collapse with heavy, wet snow. If you guy them out drum tight it helps, but the flatter, unsupported roof makes them prone to holding onto snow. A cross pole design like the Bibler I-tent, El Dorado, and other similar geometry have been used by mountaineers for years up in the mountains for years with success. Tents are like boats in Alaska....you need several of them to do different things.

 

[deadwolf]

I wanted to say the same as Yellowknife about the fly creek getting buried under snow...there aren't many tents that would withstand that pounding, likely none. Didn't have time to type it all out last night as I want deep into season two of Game of Thrones! I think a lot of people, in the past myself included, that don't properly guy out their tents and expect a freestanding tent to be bombproof with their hear in it and staked out. Last year trying out a floor less cuben shelter, I was so cautious about guying it out and putting big rocks on the stakes just to make sure it didn't blow away. I'm guessing that if a decent tent gets guyed out properly every time it will do a better job handling wind, rain, and snow much better. I know I'm probably stating the obvious but likely a step that some skip or don't do well

 

[bcimport]

The hille "dome" tents, soulo, allak, staika etc are what you really need if you want insurance of coming back to a standing tent or snow load capability. My akto took wind and rain no problem but I have no confidence that snow wouldn't squish it. Bombproof is going to equal more weight in the form of more poles (that cross) and stronger materials.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I've had both the FC 1 and 2, and for the wt. and it being a traditional tent i.e., bathtub floor and double walled, it's pretty hard to beat IMO. That being said, given the fact that it's made with UL materials and only has a single pole running down the spine to the foot, it's not too bomber. I spent one night in my FC 2 at about 4500' elevation on Kodiak in a storm, had the back of the tent into the wind, and thought the thing was going to blow apart on me. One of the side tie outs had ripped loose from the fly, the center pole had collapsed and the wind had the entire two thirds collapsed flat as a pancake down on top of me. I guess that's why it's not considered a four season tent. LOL. The wind continued to blow about 40 to 60 mph the next day and I took some pictures of the tent being blown down on the ground but I don't have them on my phone or I'd post one.

Here's a couple pictures of what I was describing. The first one was taken before the storm then the second one taken at the tail end of the storm as it was dying down. The tie down on the left side of the rain fly hadn't ripped loose yet when this photo was taken, but it did later on. Like I said the tent was flattened against me the entire night from my feet up to about my waste or so and it rained all night also, but the tent didn't leak a bit.

 

[Nick Muche]

I don't think I would want to spend a week or more in an Atko, but that's just me. Several other of the Hille's have been just fine for my needs. I also own a Fly Creek and a Jack Rabbit from BA, both serve a purpose but neither of them would find their way into my back pack if hunting on Kodiak. Used the Jack Rabbit this year in the Chugach where it rained each day and was quite windy, held up fine. Snow would be an issue with that tent for sure, as would High winds! That said, we had a Hille Nallo all but get flattened on us with 80-100 mph wind gusts, it held up but we didn't sleep much. That one is a bit heavy, but splitting the weight with another is an option.

 

[BRWNBR]

Let me rephrase. By bombproof I mean misty just wind. Snow load is something your not gonna stop with a tent.
My last two one man tents never once folded but I don't think I was ever in wind over 60. Kodiak has a way of testing gear, right now the akto sounds pretty good. Are you guys using footprints with them?

 

[AK Troutbum]

Brwnbr,
Do you have a weight range you'd like to try and keep these solo tents around? Bombproof and ultra light are tricky to juggle. I've had my DuoMid in some crazy winds and it's held up great, but you have to be religious about bomber anchors and deal with slight winds getting under the outer perimeter. Do you set these up, or have your clients set them up? Just trying to get an idea of how you'd like to use them. I used to guide a lot and I set up and broke down all the tents.

a floorless mid can't be beat IMO as far as a weight to bomber shelter ratio is concerned. I've had several mids of various sizes and materials and currently have settled on (for a single person) a cuben fiber MLD Solomid. All said and done with guy lines, 7 mini groundhog stakes, 4-9" carbon fiber stakes, 2 pole extenders, 2 CF stuff sacks and CF innernet/nest it comes in at 25 oz. When this thing is bolted down it is one stout shelter. I dare say that the Big Bad Wolf wouldn't even be able to blow it down. Oh, and it packs down super small too.

 

[AK Troutbum]

I know you said earlier about not wanting to have to use your trekking poles, and though not necessary with this shelter (you can use a single designated pole), it does make for more room inside. You can also get something very similar but a lot bigger for just a minimal wt. gain, use a designated single pole and have the same type of wind resistant shelter but in a much larger size. Anyway, just some food for thought.

I used a silnylon Seek Outside Lil Bug Out on a Kodiak goat hunt one year, and weathered a storm that shredded my buddies Mountain Hardware, can't remember the model, rain fly, but the LBO had zero issues. I'm just very much sold on the floorless mid type shelters, but they're definitely not for everyone.

 

[Ramcam]

How do you think that mid will do above treeline just tied down to rocks?Think it will take 60 plus winds?I am very tempted to try one of those for the weight saving.

 

[adventure907]

Jake, I bought an Atko this past season for the same purpose that you are looking to purchase a one man tent for. I already owned an Unna, and figured I would put the clients in the Unna and I would take the Atko. While I do like the Atko, and it is bombproof, I wish I would have purchased another Unna simply for the fact that it has a little more room. I am not a small guy, and I found the Atko didn't have enough head room for me to sit up comfortably.
I did love having two one man tents on my guided hunts. No more snoring clients!!! But, if I had to do it again, I'd get another Unna.

August sheep weather, gotta love it!!!

 

[snowcamoman]

I've had my Duomid in some nasty winds and it's held solid. I was above treeline last year and used MSR groundhog stakes with rocks on top of them. Everything held tight. I used a polycro sheet to sleep on. I put my pack and gear up by my head area snd it worked well at keeping breezes from blowing on me. I really like the floor less tipi, but I am looking at a true double wall tent for hunts by glaciers.

 

[AK Troutbum]

How do you think that mid will do above treeline just tied down to rocks?Think it will take 60 plus winds?I am very tempted to try one of those for the weight saving.

I'd be willing to bet there would be no issues what-so-ever. As long as the rocks don't move, and you had it guyed out well, the shelter won't move. All of my experience using mids has been above tree line and at least on one occasion, I know I experienced wind gusts in excess of 80mph, and the shelter held up just fine. I didn't have anything to measure the wind speeds, but the gusts that they were getting down in the town of Kodiak were over 80mph with that storm, and we were at around 4000', about 2000' or so above tree line, without any protection. Mids, like tipi's, just do very well with wind . The advantages with mids, again IMO, is that they are generally not as tall as a tipi style tent (which helps them do better in high winds), they require less stakes, and are easier to pitch.

 

[deadwolf]

BRWNBR, Another tent I've been looking at and liking is the Nemo Kunai 2p. It's a true four season tent weighing in at 4lbs. Not ultralight, but looks to be really stout and weather proof. Out of stock right now of course though

 

[Ramcam]

Drove to Seattle yesterday and visited Feathered friends.They carry Hilleberg and they let me set up the Unna by myself in the store they also brought a Soulo that was hanging from the ceiling down and they also had a Jannu on the floor.Between the Unna and soulo i would pick the Soulo.The Soulo has better rain coverage so you can keep the door open without getting wet.The unna has very limited overhang.I found both spacious and definitely liked the Vestibule on the Soulo. A little less view with the soulo than the Unna on a good weather day but not an issue for me.I am 6' the Soulo was long enough as well as the Unna.They are very nice tents the Quality is excellent thick guylines and attachment points are sturdy.I also prefer the clip up setup on the Soulo rather than pole sleeves.
The Jannu is very nice as well but i am not a big fan of front entry tents.
Just waiting to see what the new Niak 1.5 has to offer before commiting.

 

[Yellowknife]

J While I do like the Atko, and it is bombproof, I wish I would have purchased another Unna simply for the fact that it has a little more room. I am not a small guy, and I found the Atko didn't have enough head room for me to sit up comfortably.

Yeah... two things to be aware of with the Akto.... It's long enough for most people, but you can't sit up in the middle if you are a tall guy. At 5' 11", my head brushes the top and that makes cooking and working the the vestibule area a little annoying. 5' 9" and it would be no problem.

Also, while the dry pitch system is still way better than a standard "inner first" tent to set up in bad weather, the single hoop Atko is a little trickier to get staked out square and taught than the two hoop (Nallo, etc) tents.

Yk

 

[Beastmode]

Check out the seek outside BT2. Small lightweight tipi shelter. Floorless but they do make nests for them.

 

[adventure907]

Yeah... two things to be aware of with the Akto.... It's long enough for most people, but you can't sit up in the middle if you are a tall guy. At 5' 11", my head brushes the top and that makes cooking and working the the vestibule area a little annoying. 5' 9" and it would be no problem.

Also, while the dry pitch system is still way better than a standard "inner first" tent to set up in bad weather, the single hoop Atko is a little trickier to get staked out square and taught than the two hoop (Nallo, etc) tents.

Yk

Very valid points on the Atko... I also found that it was sometimes hard to get it set up square. I am def a fan of free standing tents, another reason I would go with another Unna if I had to do it again.

 

[Blockcaver]

A word of caution, always test the tent in the store with the sleeping pad you will use in it. My Thermarest Ultralight pad is thick enough that it ate up foot space in my case and my toes bumped the end of the BA UL1. I checked the tent in the store without a pad and learned my lesson when I started using it!

 

[Nick Muche]

Good advice coues slayer!