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First impressions of a low cost tent for bike travellers First impressions of a low cost tent for bike travellers
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Camping Equipment and all Clothing Tents, sleeping bags, stoves etc. Riding clothing, boots, helmets, what to wear when not riding, etc.
Photo by Marc Gibaud, Clouds on Tres Cerros and Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia

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Photo by Marc Gibaud,
Clouds on Tres Cerros and
Mount Fitzroy, Argentinian Patagonia




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  #1  
Old 5 Jul 2009
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Thumbs up First impressions of a low cost tent for bike travellers
My dad recently decided to have a go at bike traveller with camping instead of B&Bs.

So he went out and bought a stack of stuff. I advised him as best I could, knowing that the reality of camping might actually put him off. So it was a fine line between buying kit that would make camping more enjoyable (ease of use, comfort), and not breaking the bank in case camping was not his cup of tea after all.

So as tents go, we opted for a Decathlon own brand Quechua T2 Ultralight.

At £80, I think it is a great buy.

Pros:

Light at 3kg
Spacious (for onw person and kit, but not for 2 people)
Relatively quick to erect, once used to it.
Packs really small (40 long and about 16 across)
For a dome tent it is surpisingly sturdy. (I leant on his tent and my own geodesic that was 3 x the cost and they seemed similarly resistant to flex)

Cons:

Small for two people
Small for tall people
Only one entrance
No mesh doors
Limited ability to close off the vents (you can either prop them open with a velcro foam support, or let the flop, but they are still a little open)

So if you do not plan to go to really extreme places in terms of weather, and want to save money and space and weight, then I would give this tent some real consideration!

So far, camping seems to have met with approval!
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  #2  
Old 6 Jul 2009
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I bought a £15 single skin tent from Tesco 3 years ago.. The design is the same as the one in your link.

I have used it for all the HU meetings, wild camps and other trips and it's kept me just as dry and cosey as the people with £300 tents !!

Sure, the pegs are cheap and it doesnt look as cool but it works.. I bought some heavy duty pegs for £3 off Ebay and now I would happy use it RTW.... It's been battered by heavy rain and high winds with no problems.. I probably wouldnt use it for Mountaineering but it is more than adequate..

Their tents cost TWENTY times more than mine... I wonder if it will last 20x as long ! I doubt it......

Just my 2p worth
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Old 6 Jul 2009
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I use expensive tents (Black Diamond, Hilleberg). The question is not, "Will it last 20x longer than a cheap one?" The question is, "What are the likely consequences should my tent fail....in high winds with rain, possibly snow, in a strange country where I don't speak the language and where help is a long, long way off?"

I once had a tent collapse under snowloading with me inside. This can be: a. exceedingly uncomfortable or b. fatal (due to suffocation). After that, I started paying closer attention.

Not everyone needs an expensive tent, and not all expensive tents are in any respect worth what they cost. But when you need quality, only quality will serve.

Mileage varies.

Mark
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  #4  
Old 6 Jul 2009
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Quote:
Originally Posted by markharf View Post
I use expensive tents (Black Diamond, Hilleberg). The question is not, "Will it last 20x longer than a cheap one?" The question is, "What are the likely consequences should my tent fail....in high winds with rain, possibly snow, in a strange country where I don't speak the language and where help is a long, long way off?"

I once had a tent collapse under snowloading with me inside. This can be: a. exceedingly uncomfortable or b. fatal (due to suffocation). After that, I started paying closer attention.

Not everyone needs an expensive tent, and not all expensive tents are in any respect worth what they cost. But when you need quality, only quality will serve.

Mileage varies.

Mark
Agreed.. You wouldnt go crossing Mongolia with a cheap supermarket tent but 9/10 people will never need the strength and design that their super expensive tents can provide...


I had an "all bells & whistles" £250 tent and it was no better made than some a FRACTION of the price. They just put a fancy name on it and some colourful guide ropes and charge you £££££££££££££s more.

I'm not saying that your expensive tents arn't worth their cost, but for most travellers, money is best saved for gas
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  #5  
Old 6 Jul 2009
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I've bought all sorts of things from Decathlon and never had a poblem with any of them whether it's the boots I bought 13 years ago and wear for at least half a year every year, the sundry fleeces, shorts, shirts, trousers, the 2 Seconds pop up tent I bought for festivals/car camping/kipping in people's gardens after bbqs, or the Ultralight Pro I got for bike (and bicycle) camping 6 years ago.

There just seems to be something about Decathlon's own brand products, they're inexpensive, no nonsense things and the only reason I can see for them being cheaper is their lack of "brand" and their buying power. Certainly Decathlon is first port of call for everyone I know in France when they want reasonable sports/camping/cycling/outdoor gear. The service has always been good, the staff generally seem to be young people keen on their chosen department who use the products themselves, and they'll even put up with you testing every sleeping bag and popping-up every pop up tent on their shop floor without complaint.

Well worth it IMHO.
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Old 6 Jul 2009
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After looking around for a cheapish tent recently I opted for the T2 Ultralight from Decathlon also.

I've only used it for 1 wet weekend in the lake district so far, but I liked it, it held up to the wind and rain and was easy to erect.

I've added a groundsheet for extra protection and so I can erect the flysheet first if its raining.


Nick.
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