Yellowstone Alpine 2

[delsol]

Cheap and reasonably light and compact.

Anybody know anything about them?

https://www.wilko.com/camping/yellowstone-two-man-lightweight-backpacking-tent-alpine-2-person/invt/0342858

[delsol]

Bought one and just tried it out on a 2 night trip.

5 minute setup from opening the bag, on packing up it folds up simply and fitted back into the bag at first attempt.

Only 1 pole to sleeve through and 2 guy lines to tension; no readjusting pegs after initial setup, neat design.

Enough room for me and all biker gear including pannier bags inside, I left my boots in the porch area, but that was only because I did not want any dirt inside the tent.

Hardly any porch area to speak of, so cooking up out of the wind or rain could be difficult in the wind or rain depending on direction.

The big bonus is that it is light, 1.9 kg and packs up small.

For thirty quid or less, recommended.

Durability ? remains to be seen, but it appears to be well enough put together.

[chickenstrip]

As modern backpacking tents go, that's not particularly light weight, but at 30 quid, certainly looks worth a punt.

But I've personally now come to the conclusion that if you're going by bike, you don't need the lightest thing ever made, and might as well sacrifice some of that for a more roomy design. The compromise for me now is pitched size vs packed size. My latest addition is 3kgs-ish but still packs down to a conveniently small size. The porch area is as big as the sleeping area.

Wild camping is a different matter of course, where you want to be able to pitch in a fairly small space - is that your intent? (oh dear, crappy pun ).

[delsol]

[chickenstrip]

Got four at the moment

Latest is this one:

https://www.blacks.co.uk/equipment/112872-blacks-octane-3-man-tent-yellow.html?source=aw&awc=1520_1406840233_df67bb18008feff04dd952b82d7ee9d3&cm_mmc=Awin-_-78888-_-Deep_Link-_-NA

Yeah, I know, kinda offensive to the eye, isn't it It's mainly for commercial campsite use though, so not too bothered.

If I was doing wild camping, I'd take this one:

https://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b550/nicknicklxs/DSCF1604_zps08f4bf0d.jpg

It's a Vaude Power Lizard UL, but silly money really. A "proper" backpacking tent, weighs in at about a kilo including poles and pegs.
But that's why I thought yours worth a punt at that price - 2kg isn't silly even for backpacking. But I needed something I could trust for 2 months or longer in use every day in the Lake District, so thought I'd better make sure I got the best I could afford. It's had a lot of use since too, so I think I've had value from it eventually.

My other one that I used to backpack with is a Vango 2 man - bit bigger than the Vaude, about 2.5kgs I think. Not bad, but got too heavy for the backpacking thing; I ain't getting any younger

Actually, it would have become my main bike tour tent, but it has bugger-all porch space - not really even enough to get a brew on in, and I prefer to have somewhere to keep wet bike gear away from sleeping bag etc.

Shitty pic, I know, but this is the 2 man job, in a copse by Chesil Beach :

https://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b550/nicknicklxs/DSCF1118_zpsa7928538.jpg

And then there's the glamping tent! Vango 3 man jobbie I used to use for longer bike tours for commercial site use - bloody luxury, but OTT even for me Probably, yeah, about 6kgs, room in the porch to sit in a chair, brew up, swing a tiger by the tail etc. Never gets used now. That's the beast, on the right of pic:

https://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b550/nicknicklxs/DSCF0017_zps8769c04e.jpg

I think you're right though - no such thing as the perfect tent, hence why I now have so bloody many - searching for that all elusive perfection.

If you're doing wild camping, it will definitely help to keep to a pretty small size, as it gives you more choice of where you can actually pitch the thing. You can always stuff wet bike gear separately in waterproof bags/bin liners overnight.

[delsol]

Lucky Chickenstrip

I drooled over the Octane 3 when I was window shopping, and the Power Lizzard is a rolls-royce compared to my Yellowstone daewoo matiz.

Cracking tents,

[chickenstrip]

[EazyDuz]

I saw that Yellowstone one and I'm tempted. Any pics of it packed and set up?
I have a £15 asda tent which takes up half a saddlebag in space which isn't ideal. Similar pack size to a standard double sleeping bag
____________________
To shreds you say? Tss tss tss

[delsol]

[delsol]

If i post more than 1 pic, how do I get them to show as images on the page and not download links, as in my post above.

And how do I post pics without them being in a box with a white background, I just want to show the pics standing alone, if that makes sense.

[delsol]

Got back from a West Highlands trip last week, on one night the weather turned bad, 60mph wind and constant driven rain from late evening until 9.30 am.

Alpine 2 stayed firm and dry, really pleased with how this £30 tent held off the weather.

The flysheet door has only one small velcro tab about midways down, it is not strong enough to hold flysheet door (half closed-and without being zipped) on it's own, wind blows the door off the velcro tab and rain can get into the inner tent.

Needs a bigger or extra velcro tab sewn or glued on.