Thread: Lightweight tents Luxe tents

Originally Posted by phillipgr

I'm after a lightweight tent to take with me on my hunting trips. I am planning on doing some tops hunting over summer so I want something that can stand a bit of wind, is as light as possible, probably most of all can handle a good dose of rain. A recent Kaimanawas trip where the rain was so heavy it puddled on the ground and threatened to flood my fly ground sheet is part of the reason I want to get a full tent, instead of just a fly. Debating between 1 or 2 man options.

Has anyone had any experience with Luxe tents? Do they sink or swim? I don't have much funds so if I end out getting an Exped or MSR it'll most likely be second hand, but the Luxe tents are considerable cheaper and some of them look like they have pretty good designs. Light too.

Thoughts?

Tents

Cheers

Hi Philiphgr. Just saying.

From long experience, 1 man x 1 woman tent is best. Lots of heat can be generated on even the coldest nights.

I have always liked the fly myself, I like my fire at one end of it. Always figuring that any weather that is uncomfortable for a hunter under a fly is probably too uncomfortable for deer. In this case deer are probably at a lower level and hunter should be to. Though there are exceptions when sudden storms blow through and catch deer and hunter alike.

What temperature is comfortable for you is comfortable deer and when your hands are cold you will seldom see a deer around except in the thick basins. We seldom turned a blade except when the temperature was above twelve degrees. This seems to be the magic figure in the central North Island anyway for deer to come out and start feeding.

But there are always exceptions. I was once battling my way across a tussock plateau cause I had to get back to base in horizontal sleet and snow when a hind and I nearly walked into each other. I thought "you crazy old bitch what are you doing out in this'. She probably thought "crazy human bastard what are you doing out in this.

Originally Posted by phillipgr

Does anyone use a Freedom UL mono?

Freedom Mono Ultra Light

This is a pretty sweet special, might drop by to H and F and give one a spin

I like the design of the first one. It is better to have something where you pitch the fly and clip the inner inside it than pitch the inner then put on a fly once everything is wet. That's why I went for a second hand Exped Vela for a good price.

I shave a couple of Macpac tents, one for summer and one for hard core, that one I have pitched on snow and still stayed warm and dry, recently though I decided to shed some weight from the pack and bought a hammock and tarp, damn thing is brilliant, no need to find flat ground, just a couple of trees, quick to set up and take down and comfy as anything.
Won't go back to tents unless I am going two person or in a desert...

Originally Posted by Shelley

I shave a couple of Macpac tents, one for summer and one for hard core, that one I have pitched on snow and still stayed warm and dry, recently though I decided to shed some weight from the pack and bought a hammock and tarp, damn thing is brilliant, no need to find flat ground, just a couple of trees, quick to set up and take down and comfy as anything.
Won't go back to tents unless I am going two person or in a desert...

Or on the tops ;-)

Originally Posted by Scribe

Hi Philiphgr. Just saying.

From long experience, 1 man x 1 woman tent is best. Lots of heat can be generated on even the coldest nights.

I have always liked the fly myself, I like my fire at one end of it. Always figuring that any weather that is uncomfortable for a hunter under a fly is probably too uncomfortable for deer. In this case deer are probably at a lower level and hunter should be to. Though there are exceptions when sudden storms blow through and catch deer and hunter alike.

What temperature is comfortable for you is comfortable deer and when your hands are cold you will seldom see a deer around except in the thick basins. We seldom turned a blade except when the temperature was above twelve degrees. This seems to be the magic figure in the central North Island anyway for deer to come out and start feeding.

But there are always exceptions. I was once battling my way across a tussock plateau cause I had to get back to base in horizontal sleet and snow when a hind and I nearly walked into each other. I thought "you crazy old bitch what are you doing out in this'. She probably thought "crazy human bastard what are you doing out in this.

I agree, those tents that come with a woman in them are a bit warmer they cost a bit though and usually don't want to come out into the hills

Joking aside I think I will go for the 1 man that has a large enough vestibule area to put my stuff and maybe a dog. My other biv is a 2 man so I can use that if I have someone tagging along. I wouldn't take that one onto the tops though, it's a bit of a cheap a nasty one.

That particular hunt I mentioned was during this last roar, we hiked in in the rain so we were in position when the weather cleared - actually hunting in that downpour would've been more like spearfishing! Always want to be prepared for the worst though aye.

I wonder if that hind was passing over from the exposed side to the sheltered.

Originally Posted by phillipgr

I agree, those tents that come with a woman in them are a bit warmer they cost a bit though and usually don't want to come out into the hills

Joking aside I think I will go for the 1 man that has a large enough vestibule area to put my stuff and maybe a dog. My other biv is a 2 man so I can use that if I have someone tagging along. I wouldn't take that one onto the tops though, it's a bit of a cheap a nasty one.

That particular hunt I mentioned was during this last roar, we hiked in in the rain so we were in position when the weather cleared - actually hunting in that downpour would've been more like spearfishing! Always want to be prepared for the worst though aye.

I wonder if that hind was passing over from the exposed side to the sheltered.

Well Philipgr, That hind is one of those little mystery's you think about for years for she was right in the middle of the Mangoahane Plateau bloody miles from any cover.

What the previous poster 'Shelley' said was true, there is nothing better than a light fly sheet and a hammock. You are well up off the ground with plenty of room under your hammock for your gear. The hammock allows you to put a steep runoff on your roof so you are never wet.

Most tops are only a few minutes from any bush edge so a couple of trees are no problem.

Beware though 1 man x 1 woman hammocks are very risky. People have been badly hurt trying that sort of thing.

There's some good deals on MSRs at present,,, got one a couple of hundred below RRP

NX2 MSR its very good so far