Tent Decision/ Need Opinion

[Nanci]

Ok, so I think I have narrowed my tent choices down to the Big Agnes Seedhouse Superlight, either one person or two person.

http://www.bigagnes.com/str_tents.php?id=sh2sl

1 Person: 2# 11.5oz with footprint
22 square feet
43x90 inches (narrower toward door)
Packed size 5.5x16"

2 Person: 3# 4.5oz with footprint (9oz heavier)
28 square feet
52x84 inches (narrower toward door)
Packed size 6.5x16"
Costs $70 more

I think the 2-person would be more useful for not much bigger weight or packed size. I could even put my bike in there with me if it was raining.

If I wanted to go really superlight, there are a lot better choices than the Seedhouse. I want a _little_ room. Could use this for other applications, although I do have a huge two room tent for car camping.

I think it's mostly the cost that's holding me back. But I will have an extra day of OT and four nights of call on my next check! :-)

What would you do?

Nanci

[Veronica]

We used a space blanket to cover our bikes when we did a self supported tour. For us tent choice was more about packed size, than weight.

V.

[DeniseGoldberg]

For me, both packed size and weight are important.

But then again if I'm camping I also carry a "tarp" to cover my bike. Actually, my tarp is a bike cover that I bought from Adventure Cycling. And by the way, I have traveled with a 2-man backpacking tent in the past, and I can tell you from experience - just because there is supposed to be room for 2 people doesn't mean that 1 person and a bike will comfortably fit inside the tent!

--- Denise

[DebW]

Nanci, is this tent meant for bike touring only or bike touring and backpacking? What is the max trip length you plan to take? Most people find that the longer the trip, the more critical weight becomes. And my experience says that for trips of a week or less you'll appreciate the room of the 2-person tent, whereas longer trips you can become accustomed to the small tent. That may seem counter-intuitive, but I've backpacked with a 1-person Kelty non-freestanding tent. I'd spend the first week feeling like I was sleeping in a coffin, and the second week feeling like I had a palatial tent. A couple weeks in the woods is a mind-altering experience...

[Nanci]

It would be for one or two nights, most likely one person, just doing little organized rides with an overnight in between. And then maybe next year for a week-long tour. Plus double-duty if I want to take a small tent for an overnight car camping thing, not the Taj Majal.

Nanci

[Brandi]

We have a three person back packing tent ( I can not imagine three people in it). What I like about ours is it has two doors on either side so we aren't crawling over eachother. But if it is just you it looks like a great tent. But you might consider there could be a 2nd person joining you maybe? In that case I would go for the two person to be on the safe side . It is only 9 oz more. And if you are not back packing with it 9 oz more won't be any big deal. You will have a little more room to store stuff in there if it is only you anyway.

[MomOnBike]

The general rule in our house (and we used to do a lot of high-country back-packing) is the +1 rule. That is, one person out, a 2 person tent, 2 people need a 3 person tent, etc. Even if your bike isn't in the tent with you, your Stuff will be. You'll be glad for the room, in my experience. Leave the kitchen sink at home, and you'll make up the weight.

[Nanci]

Yesterday I weighed out the two tent weights in Barium to see if I could tell the difference. 9oz was barely noticeable. More noticeable, however, was the size difference. Today I rolled up two different sets of blankets stuffed with towels to 16x5.5" and 16x6.5" and the difference seems huge...

Mom on bike: I really love taking the kitchen sink, or at least the _option_, rack/trunkwise, of taking it if I want to.

Nanci

[tjodit]

Let me throw in my 2 cents...I am also a backpacker and my husband says I own more tents and sleeping bags than shoes. I would recommend the REI Quarter Dome tent, 2 person. It weighs 4 lbs 4 oz. - and that includes poles, stakes, and rainfly. I also recommend the ground cloth they make to go with it. I've had this tent in rain and hail and stayed bone dry. This tent has room to sit up in it and the 2 person will give you room to store some gear inside with you in case it rains. It is really more like a 1.5 person tent. Perfect for solo trips. It isn't the lightest tent I own but it always seems to be the one I take with me on backpacking trips. A VERY good tent at a good price. If anyone wants to buy a tent or two let me know...I have a few extra but not my REI! Feel free to ask me any questions about it. And no, I am not affiliated with REI in any way.

[Dianyla]

Seconding the discussion about the 2-door tent. Once you've shared a 2-person tent with a door on each side, you'll NEVER go back to having to crawl over eachother in and out of the same door.

I have an MSR Zoid 2 which is quite lightweight (total packed weight 4 pounds 10 oz) and has the double-door option. I've been on a number of backpacking trips with a variety of weather conditions and this tent has worked well. Split into two bundles and carried by two people the weight is very nice. For solo backpacking I would probably get a solo tent. Some people perceive a downside in that this tent must be staked down, it's not freestanding. However, you should always stake your tent down anyway, regardless of weather! So, I consider that a moot point.

Regarding bicycle storage - most tents taper down towards the foot and the head, so I can't imagine it being tall enough to fit a bicycle in. Also, I can't imagine wanting to bring a wet/muddy bike inside with me.

[Nanci]

I went with the 2 person tent. And then I signed up for an overnight 200 mile ride, up in Quincy, FL, the middle of April, see post in Southeast. Can't wait!

Nanci