Moskoselkatan

[Wayne]

Hi

I am planning to buy an Arran 5 lite.

Anyone here got any experience with these?

What are the advantages/Disavantages over my current tent a Quazer?

 

[Roving Rich]

Dunno which the Arran 5 is but on the whole i find em a pain in the butt.
Compared to your quasar the only possible advantage i can see is that you can have a (controlled) fire in it, solong as you have some ventilation to avoid carbon monoxide poisoning (Iam serious).
Other than that i really can't see what the fuss is. You get more usable room i a dome tent as the sides don't slope in so much.
They are a pain to put up, take hundreds of pegs, then triple that if its breezy cos you'll need all the guy lines (there are 2 sets). open the door when it is raining and water pores into the tent as it has no porch.
Mu dome tent on the other hand takes 2 minutes to put up, is warm and light inside. Three pegs to put it up, maximum of 7 for a force 10! i can open the door and get a brew on without getting wet or out of my sleeping bag for that matter.
I honestly think you would be better off buying a quality (mountain) large dome tent.
Is this just another case of RM uses them so everyone else should ? Or maybe they a far better in deep snow as it doesn't mount up on the roof.
Anyway just my 2ps worth i'm sure everyone else heartily recommends them.
Rich :twisted:

 

[george]

Hi Wayne

They're different kinds of tents for different kinds of stuff. Everything Rich says is true - but I own a quasar as well as a moskoselkatan (an Arran 7)and there are times I will pick one over the other.

If I'm out in the canoe its the Moskoselkatan every time! If I'm up in the mountains then I usually take the quasar. There's nothing like being able to hang up wet canoe kit to dry in the Moskoselkatan and put dry stuff on in the morning. But it is so heavy (especially with the stove) that I only take it if I'm in the boat.

The quasar on the other hand is great in bad weather, I've been out in some pretty scary stuff over the years and I know that the quasar can take it. It's heavy too for backpacking so I have several other tents for other purposes.

If I'm backbacking in the mountains in summer then I'll take the Macpac, if I'm solo in winter then its the TNF Westwind, if I'm in the woods then its the hammock and bivvy. No one tent will do for everything - you need to look at what your going to do most of and make your decision from there. (Or like me end up with a collection of about ten different tents :-D )

George

 

[Gary]

Wayne if you have a servicable tent why waste your money?

If you want something lighter for weekends or some such get a basha or a hootchie.

The only time I'd say it was worth spending big bucks on a Tip tent is if your into camping in snow where you can dig down to give yourself room and have the stove on for warmth - otherwise save your money.

Hope that helped.

 

[Wayne]

I feel like a gear junky now.

Thanks for the replies. Always good to get other opinions.