I haven't found one of these to date, and I'm still looking around.

Welcome to that particular club! It doesn't get any better, unfortunately.


I have the same concept in mind, but I don't know where to find that elusive tent; a separate footprint for any tent goes some way toward meeting the heavy duty aspect but the height business remains elusive.

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Dave

Have you thought about using a combination? as in tent and a tarp?
The latter can be raised high giving you good sheltered living space, covers your tent so that you don't get so much 'drumming' on it when it rains (way quieter) and protects from UV too. It's also handy for making bike repairs under.
Great for making new friends too as many are attracted to my wee fire in a wildwood stove.

The combo I have settled for is the Nammatj 2 GT and a 4.25m X 4.45m tarp.
At only an extra 2 kgs inc extra pegs, lines & poles- IMHO, well worth while. All fits inside the Maplins photographers Pelican look-alike briefcase.
Although you'll still have to bend a bit to get in and out of the tent! but that's still good exercise to keep the onset of arthritis at bay- ouch!

The combo I have settled for is the Nammatj 2 GT and a 4.25m X 4.45m tarp.
At only an extra 2 kgs inc extra pegs, lines & poles- IMHO, well worth while. All fits inside the Maplins photographers Pelican look-alike briefcase.
Although you'll still have to bend a bit to get in and out of the tent! but that's still good exercise to keep the onset of arthritis at bay- ouch![/QUOTE]

i must admit that looks the complete package,especially with the added bonus of uv protection but on a stormy night i would be thinking...things could get interesting with the tarp:confused1: have you used it much?

I have one of those Redverz tents that advertise a bike inside. I didn't get it for the bike parking but for comfort and ability to stand up etc.

I left UK with the thing then realised in Turkey it simply took too long to set up. Someone said 10 mins. I just put it up the other week and I'm sure it was around 30, by the time I got it all together and all guys tied (it was very windy). Putting it down at leisurely pace took around 30 mins. This means over an hour a day wasted on a tent. I sent it back to UK and used cheap hotels instead.

Also to note, the weight of 5kg and its size. Doesn't sound like a lot but this weight meant I felt I was riding a unicycle with an sumo wrestler on my shoulders, slightly top heavy.

I will use it if I'm staying 2-3 days somewhere but for one night, nope too time wasting and pain in the arse. I have a small $17 tent which is fairly crap but takes no more than 5-10 mins, from unpacking to completion. I need a combination of the both, will keep looking or maybe stick with cheap hotels.

Then again, maybe I'm simply too slow at pitching tents

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Steven
Perth to Perth 2012

[QUOTE=Pongo;438436]Had a good look at one of these last year, but discounted it eventually for one major reason, there's no such thing as flat ground- which is what you need for a tent like this to work properly. The Inner tent has a waterproof tub, but (IMHO)it's not very strong underneath and a footprint under groundsheet is essential if you want to protect the bottom from the effect of ground rubbing. As it will be used on a daily basis it's going to get well used. The outside area of the tent has no ground sheet, and however hard you try water will get under the edge and make things damp and uncomfortable.

a lot of people have said the same thing in relation to having flat ground,im sure myself in the scheme of things from previous trips,distances covered,forests to fields and open plains to riverbanks,in my experience i would surely find some sort of adequate ground to suit...decides i have never picked a spot to pitch that was not level or a good standard regardless what type or size the tent was,issues arrise with any tent on sloped or dented terrain,noting worse then rolling out of the bag at 3amthe issue with these sort of tents i find is the flexibility and awkwardness during transportation (and uv protection)i was thinking the fact it had no groundsheet on the outer part was perfect because you could light your stove etc and cook in relative cover from the elements,have you decided what tent would suit you?a tent and tarp wouldnt be a bad idea as bertrand said.

All the time Steven. Only once (due an oversight) I had badly positioned one peg and it flew off so the tarp had a flapping moment which I had to go out and fix. It has been in high winds and torrential rains- I check the weather and if in doubt, I lower the height of the tarp and side-peg-down-

I take the 'hit' of a bit of extra weight but I've sussed the kit that works for me. That front small pole has been consigned to history (in fact it has been converted as a secondary 'side stand' pole ) and replaced with a lighter one! so I use 3 poles all in all- 2 main stays and one if I need to prop up the front as per pic. All my poles fit in the case- It took awhile to find them! and replacing all tent pegs with Ti pins and 'V's.
I have smaller tarps but this one is best IMHO as covers the tent and/or offers a portable 'garage' when needing to carry out bike maintenance.
No problems with guy lines- I use weird tensioners- can't remember where I got these from but also a special knot now (as it weighs nothing :0) )

I have put up this tent in under 3 minutes from bag to 'up'- the tarp take a wee bit longer and practice!

You can also roll up the footprint (if you have one) in the front porch of the tent if you need to cook indoors ( usual H&S caveat- don't set fire to your tent or get asphyxiated!) or go under the tarp- depending on how you have set it up.
I am very happy with this kit- Not the cheapest/smallest/lightest etc but I'm getting to the point where I appreciate my comforts out there! I must be getting (aka got) old-er!

[QUOTE=brian p;438478]40 years of camping in tents with many tents under my belt, I can say that the Nomad tent (Redverz) which I purchased 1.5 years ago in green, is about the best tent I have ever owned. Ya it takes 10 to 15 minutes to assemble and take down but the comfort level far exceeds the few minutes extra everyone is complaining about. As far as torrential rains and flooding..Simple, dig your trench around the outside at the base of the tent and add an egress water trench. Works like a champ. Stays dry inside. Place a single burner in the garage on a 25F night and sit in 50F till sleep time. These tents have a footprint you can buy which clips in and only comes off when you want it to. The "Tub" as described above is just a good as any REI backpacker tent out there. Its a bit bulky on the back of your bike, but stuff it in a Ortlieb water proof backpack and wear it as a backpack and you'll have no problems.
Backpackers pack well over the weight of this tent and trudge for hours on foot. Wearing in on your back while riding is a walk in the park. It breathes very well and quite frankly the garage with a camp chair inside is a much more comfy way to get dressed, cook, work on bike, stay concealed from nosy neighbors, and more. The downfall is the guy ropes are trip hazards and you need a place that's relatively bush free to set it up. Does not need to be flat ground, but the ground must accept aluminum spikes. Placing it on a bedrock area will not work.

Small two man tents ($300-$400 range), I've owned a few. A small backpacking tent is light, free standing, nimble, fast to set up and take down but that's where the good stuff ends. They are prone to flooding as the Nomad is. Their tub is the same 4-5 inches high so no difference there. They are freaking a PITA to get in and out of when the rain top is attached and there is no room for any kind of comfort except lying down or sitting without a back rest. Try getting out of one when your mountain house meal is threatening to blow out your backside at 2AM. By the time you lie down to get dressed, then crawl and struggle with the internal zipper then the external rain fly zipper, you soiled yourself. Now try that for 3 days while you are disabled from a food bacteria or virus. Try to get in/out with a stiff back from a 350 mile day. Try getting all your riding gear on inside because it's foul outside. Try cooking in one..Ultra fire hazard. And when you think you got it all figured out, leave camp for a ride and the wind picks up and you forgot to guy rope the tent to the ground...Off goes your small tent into the bushes 200 yards down the meadow.

The bottom line with me is: if I'm going on a Big bike adventure 990 or 1200GS, say to Alaska, or 5 days around the Sierra Nevada mountains along comes the Nomad. If I'm on the 690R doing desert single track runs and technical off road riding to remote patches of dirt to camp in, in the middle of nowhere, the small tent is used. You won't be sorry you bought a Nomad. They also come in very handy when your doing a Auto vacation with the wife who wants her privacy.

Funny. It's almost like discussing religion or politics.

I camp mainly in places where trenching is forbidden or at minimum morally reprehensible. That's what we did back in the dark ages, but no longer. Of course, in campgrounds or other previously-despoiled areas anything goes.

I backpack, and I would never carry a 14 lb. tent on my back. Nor would anyone else I've ever met in the backcountry. Even large, 4 season mountaineering tents don't weigh that much.

Which is my next point: if what you desire is headroom, floor space and weather-tightness, and you don't mind carrying a bulky, 14 lbs. monstrosity with you, there are lots of options out there. For example, I've got a 6-person Sierra Designs at less than that weight--I lived in it all one summer many years ago, with shelving, a stuffed chair, a full-sized bed, books, and a stereo system. There are freestanding models, and some which are designed as mountain basecamps or mess tents--resoundingly tough, with pricetags to match.

What the Redverz appears to have that other floored tents don't is a place to potentially park your bike. Count me as one of those who does not want to share a tent with my smelly, filthy, blowdown-prone motorbike. However, if that's a priority by all means have at it.

I'm not at all put off by the need for guy lines and stakes. All tents require guys and stakes in questionable weather or they blow down, blow away, or flap loudly all night and get your gear wet when the rain comes sideways. On rock or other impenetrable ground, piles of stones, logs, trees, or locally-available motorbikes serve instead of stakes.

Mark

I to have gone for the same tent, very much the same thinking as Brian. I intend to travel slowly so not planning on putting it up every night, more stay in one place for a few days or more and explore the area.
Have put it up a few times and managed in 10 minutes. I use the bag as a stuff sack which makes it quick to pack up then in a roll bag with the poles and pegs just thrown in with the rest of the camping gear.
Finally get going in a couple of weeks so will see how it performs in anger....

yes i found a lot of people making different points on this tent,as the old saying goes different strokes for different folks but i think you can agree with the usability of this tent,i think its worth the sacrifice for that 10-15mins of pitching.
i must admit its the uv protection that im worried about,i will be on the road for a year or more so it will be interesting how durable the outer skin will react,please let us know how it copes for the first few weeks and best of luck.

[QUOTE=MilesofSmiles;439142][QUOTE=brian p;438478]

yes my thoughts exactly,i have noticed a lot of people saying that they wouldnt be keen on parking their oily smelly bike in the tent,in my view i wasnt really buying the tent on that basis,i think its the multiple choice of having the comfort to stand up when youve been sitting on the bike for 8hours,not crawl around the floor.Having the choice to cook in the shelter of a storm not out in the woods with the misery dripping on your face.Having the choice to bring a 1.5kilo foldable chair which i do and sitting inside and writing your memoirs or reading a book whilst having your fried venison as the rain dances off the roof.Having the choice to change your clothes inside rather then standing outside while the rain pours down or lying on your back trying to get your YMCA leathers off,and finally,yes having the choice to hide your bike while you sleep all under one roof,we all know the importance of not being seen in certain isolated areas,a shiny chromed up yellow bike certainly sticks out a mile away,even at night through the cover of trees,its all about peace of mind,security and comfort,but thats just me

Editors' Choice Awards 2009: Sierra Designs Lightning XT4 Tent - YouTube

After several years of research, kissing a lot of frogs, we finally found a princess of a tent and definately worth the the little money it costs. Nothing comparable can be purchased new at the price of the XT4... I really looked....

It is the Sierra Design ULTRA LIGHT Lighting XT4 person tent.

Weight for the ultra light model is a little over 3 kilos - cost is minimal compared to comparable tents. Poles are ultra light and ultra strong and all fittings and zippers excellent. We camp without the fly whenever possible and really enjoy the night sky. This tent is so light it can be easily backpacked by two or even one person with gear without strain.

We recommend the Sierra Design Lighting XT4 person tent.... backpackers tent.... actually can sleep 6 .... and we have weathered torrential downpours.... extremely high winds, cold and hot. I personally enjoy the fact that the fly is also designed to be rolled up on the sides providing excellent air flow and vistas. Super easy to set up and easier to pack.

Winner of 2009 Backpackers Editors Choice award

Packs very small yet accommodates two large people and all their overland gear inside, or four people with gear outside the two doors
zipped under fly.

Perfect, no complaints after extensive use in Europe, Balkans, Turkey and most South American countries. It looks great too.

"While on expedition in Wales, BACKPACKER Gear Editor Kristin Hostetter explains why the Sierra Designs Lightning XT4 tent won our 2009 Editors' Choice Award. Light, tough, and expansive, it's the first truly backpacking-friendly 4-person tent." see YouTube video

Editors' Choice Awards 2009: Sierra Designs Lightning XT4 Tent - YouTube

xfiltrate

So Mark, what do you do to keep the pools of water out from under your tent? I think everyone here needs to know your secrete, since trenching is the only way to achieve the goal that I know of.

Brian, just phone Redverz directly at 720-213-8287 and ask the developer directly. He would be the one to know because he is out in it all the time.

I start out by using tents with fully waterproof floors. Simple, really. Can be expensive, but I'm in favor of using expensive tents if they work well and last for a long time. Mine do. Water under the tent doesn't mean I get wet.

I also pitch on high spots so that water drains away. Easy with a small tent, harder with large tents.

I try to pitch on well-drained soil, e.g., pure sand or gravel. Seldom available, but nice when you can get it.

I don't use a footprint (groundsheet), since I've never yet had a tent floor wear out. Footprints tend to collect water unless very carefully placed, and I'd much rather let any water drain away than collect a major lake on a waterproof groundsheet right under my tent. Occasional punctures are easily enough repaired with the kit I carry anyway for my thermarests.

None of the above represents any sort of secret knowledge or requires a high degree of skill. However, YMMV.

Mark
(tenting for 5.5 decades)