Printable View
Hi, all,
A good friend asked me to recommend a tent for his son & partner to hike in Scotland. All my experience is with single wall UL tents in the USA, and I don't know that they would be the best choice. (Though something like the SMD Lunar Duo might work.)
He just updated me that they will also use this tent in the mid Atlantic for hiking and backpacking, so I'd like to avoid the really big heavy tents.
Suggestions?
Thanks!
I've never been to Scotland, but the Tarptent Scarp seems to be popular with the overseas folks. It is single wall, but it has optional cross poles for wind stability and snow loading.
I can tell you the typical conditions you can expect to find. High wind, no protection, cold, damp, rain, sideways rain, and midges (biting insects), very few trees. We chose to find accommodations along the West Highland Way but many people tented but wild and in paid campgrounds. Many tents seemed to fall into 4 season category and were low profile.
The Swedish made Hilleburg tents .
https://sectionhiker.com/?s=Scotland
Pretty good info.
Thanks, everyone.
The Scarp is very much full double wall with mesh or solid fabric interior options.Quote:
Originally Posted by MtDoraDave
-H
I've used my Eureka Solitaire on previous trips, but last time borrowed a Vango Soul from a friend, great tent. Next spring I plan on buying one while there.
One of the reasons why they like the Scarps in the UK is that they have an integral pitch, the fly and inner go up together (if you don't for some reason separate them on purpose...) . That can be handy when it rains or simply to get a faster set up.
Oops. Sorry about that.Quote:
Originally Posted by hshires
I agree with the SectionHiker referral above. He has hiked in Scotland, knows gear, and will generally answer most any question you have.
My winter tent is an Exped Venus II Extreme that has an "integral pitch" where inner and rainfly come up together.
Very quick setup, less than half the time needed than for my MSR. Very convenient to setup in rain and high wind.
But then, taking down the rain-soaked (or frosted-over) tent in the morning means the soaked rainfly gets in close contact with the supposedly dry inner, all together ending up in one soaked-through mess.
This means next time you setup the tent is wet all over, inside and outside. It means quite some work to wipe the inner dry.
But still, for hikes under conditions likely to be present in Scotland, I'd use the Exped tent.
(In winter, I'd carry an extra pair of "workwear" insulated rubber gloves to deal with the frosted or soaked tent more comfortabely).
With the Traptent Scarp you can take the inner off the fly from the inside as the tent is standing. So pack the inner , wipe the fly inner down (if needed) and then go out and pack the fly up.
Takes me less than 2 min to do it . ( the idea is to hold to the ring with one hand and twist the mitten hook out of it with the other)
I will be there in May.
But its generally wet and windy. Temps tend to be like Maine.