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Gelert solo tent. Gelert solo tent.
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  #1  
Old 31 Mar 2013
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Gelert solo tent.
Has anyone had any experiences, good or bad, of these?

Solo Tent | Gelert

I saw one in a camping shop yesterday and thought it wouldn't be a bad little tent. Packs down fairly small and only 1.5kg. Found them online for £33 delivered, which I thought wasn't bad.

They looked to be fairly spacious for a solo tent and had a little bit of a porch to store boots. Loads cheaper than a hooped bivi and enough room not to be too claustraphobic.

Only negative I could see (being picky I suppose) was that there's no way of accessing the porch space on the other side - seemed a bit of a waste.

Quite fancying one and at £33 figured worth a punt.
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  #2  
Old 31 Mar 2013
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I had a one man Gelert tent although not this actual model which I used on cycling trips. I found the lack of storage space unhelpful, I had to leave my stuff outside at night which was worrying and brushing against the flap getting in and out made everything wet. This one might be better but it looks similar and might have the same problems.
I now have a Terra Nova laser competition which is much better but a lot more expensive.
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  #3  
Old 31 Mar 2013
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I had a gelert one man tent once..

Bought it brand new.

It rained.

There was a lake in the bottom of it.

There ended my short relationship with Gelert.


They make cheap crap.
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  #4  
Old 1 Apr 2013
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Think a one man tent is not very user friendly. for one person you need a two person tent. space for you to sleep and space for your gear. If motorised don't worry too much about weight as most bikes have enough power. pack all the heavy stuff low and between t he wheel spindles.
By bike alone I use a two man cheap dome tent that I have had for 9 years. when two of us go by car I take a cheap (£35 from argos) but warmer double skinned four man tent.
My sleeping bag is bulky but warm even below freezing. ( Coleman Hudson 450).
The tent is to keep me dry and in an insect free zone. The bag is to keep me warm and my fold up steel bed keeps me off the floor. This means I can set up camp even on tarmac etc. as the dome tent does not need pegs.
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  #5  
Old 6 Apr 2013
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Same here as above really.
Used one for one trip and gave it away afterwards.
Just the lack of space really.
Getting changed was a pain and you couldn't even sit up in it.
Storage of gear was rubbish once you were inside so you either left it outside, slept on it or had it on your sleeping bag!
Solo camping=2 man tent.
2 sharing=3 man tent.
For me anyway!
Dave.
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  #6  
Old 6 Apr 2013
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The standard rule for motorcycle travelling really.

Always go up one size for the people who are going to sleep in in..

eg.

1 person = two man tent,
2 person = 3 man tent, etc etc etc

You ALWAYS need space for your helmet, bike clothes, valuables etc.

For me, it now HAS to be a dome/geodesic.

I've tied and failed with smaller, flatter tents.
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  #7  
Old 11 Apr 2013
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Like others have posted I used to follow the "Go one up rule" and use a two person tent. When it came to replacement thigh I looked at the comparative pack size/weight of a few models and decided the extra 3/4 inch in diameter and 11 ounces of the packed tent was really not that much, so bought myself a 3 person tent.

Oh the luxury, the space to roam around in, the extra height. l know some obsess over weight, cutting the end off their toothbrush, but l can lose a pound of body fat with a few brisk walks round the park, and by rolling tighter and splitting up the components l can pack the tent into a far smaller bag.

So if you're not weight obsessed or could cope with one less t-shirt I'd consider going even larger, this could be your home for months, why skimp on space?
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Old 11 Apr 2013
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Hi Alex,

You still using your Coleman Phad 3..?

I've just bought one but I've not had a chance to use it yet. Having a big porch space was a must for me as it means you can bring all your gear 'inside' but you can keep your sleeping area clean and dry. I've still got a small, 1 person Vango tent of a similar design to the Gelert but these days I wouldn't trade the minimal benefits in weight and pack size for the extra comfort and convienence of the bigger tent.
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Old 12 Apr 2013
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I am yes, I'm trying to find a way to buy a footprint for it, Coleman do one but only in the States it seems and the only place I've found to order it from needs a US billing and shipping address.

If I can get one (or make one) then I'll ditch the zip in porch groundsheet and just use the footprint.
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  #10  
Old 12 Apr 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by Alexlebrit View Post
I am yes, I'm trying to find a way to buy a footprint for it, Coleman do one but only in the States it seems and the only place I've found to order it from needs a US billing and shipping address.
Would you mind sharing which shop it is that sells these footprints?
Thanks.
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  #11  
Old 13 Apr 2013
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Quote:
Originally Posted by duibhceK View Post
Would you mind sharing which shop it is that sells these footprints?
Thanks.
I've only ever found one reference to it and that's on the US Coleman website, where you can order it if you happen to live and bank in the US, and that is...

[url=http://www.coleman.com/product/phadtrade-x-footprint/2000000586?contextCategory=6000#.UWkx-6O3PMJ]Coleman - Phad
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  #12  
Old 16 Apr 2013
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Thanks guys, I think I was getting a bit too fixated on keeping packed size down and forgetting about the functionality. I've already got a two man tent that will probably do for the time being, just need to work on where/how to pack it all on.
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  #13  
Old 17 Apr 2013
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I have bought and used a very sim ilar tent to the GELERT you were looking at, and while indeed light and small in packed bulk....it is an absolute nightmare to use for any length of time.

In the morning itis like waking up in a coffin due to its erected size, and there is very little in the way of storage space for your immediate, wearable bike gear, let alone anything more.

I now make in a 2-man tent for any trip I do, and if for an extended period will even bulk out for a 3 man tent, the new 3 man tents are really not that large to pack down at all to be honest.

Karrimor Elite Ridge 2 Tent 2012 - Karrimor

This tent has worked very well for me, and I would happily purchase one again.

If you really are struggling with equipment space, have a look at this little gem...I saw them being used by the military in Iraq, and bought the civilian version because I was so impressed.

Inertia X-Lite Orange :Short

Its a roll mat that packs down to the size of a mini-coke can..including the pump!
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