3 man cycle touring tent?

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Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,154
1,546
Cumbria
What's your best recommendations for a 3 man cycle touring tent? One sleeper is almost 2 metres tall so reckon inner 225cm or greater is needed.
 

Quixoticgeek

Full Member
Aug 4, 2013
2,483
23
Europe
I would look at the Vaude Mark XT 4P. It's got plenty of room for 3 people and a rather cavernous porch so you can do bike maintenance out of the rain if you need to.

I'm a big fan of the Vaude tents with their exo skeleton approach. I've got a Vaude Hogen (old design) that uses the same concept, it's survived storms that flattened all the other tents on the campsite.

J
 

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,154
1,546
Cumbria
We'd like Hilleberg budgets but we're a bit too cheap for that. I'd like to spend as little as possible but believe we'll end up spending whatever it takes to buy right. I'm guessing £350 should get something.

I've seen TN Hoolie in 3, 3etc and 4 versions for within this price. They're about 3.5kg to 3.8kg IIRC. I'm guessing that's ok for cycle touring tent weights.
 

Squidders

Full Member
Aug 3, 2004
3,853
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Harrow, Middlesex
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Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,154
1,546
Cumbria
Two parents with a toddler. Needs to be one tent. As much as I'd like to be able to sleep in my own tent, a little way from the other i doubt I'd get away with it.
 

Squidders

Full Member
Aug 3, 2004
3,853
15
48
Harrow, Middlesex
Definitely look at the Papa Hubba then... My partner, our son and I have spent time in our one and it's compact but as long as your admin is in order, there is room for everything. We added a small tarp for outside when going light... and a decent size gazebo when car camping which keeps any cooking smells out of the tent.
 
Jul 30, 2012
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224
westmidlands

Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,154
1,546
Cumbria
Can the hoolie 6 be used without the 2 man bit? If so that's a good design.

Personally I'm not impressed with those tents. The Hoolie series I like but they have a weird way of changing the inner tent length. The bigger ones are shorter than the smaller versions. IIRC the 6 it's 220cm, 4 is 230cm and 3 is 240cm. The 3etc is 230cm too. I'm 6'5" tall and know from sleeping in a variety of tents over the years that anything less than 230cm means I'm kicking the foot of the tent in the night. Not good for inner and outer separation. This is of course down to the slope of the tent at the ends. Unless the end is a near vertical slope of course.

IMHO I'd like to see 230cm as a standardized minimum length of inner tents. I've seen some as high as 250 or 260cm.
 

Mike_B

Tenderfoot
Dec 21, 2009
68
1
Perth, Scotland
I used to be a massive fan of Vaude, and had superb service from my original one, a MkII bought in the late 1990's which had the most excellent bungee and external pole system. Its replacement in 2008, another MkII, was dreadful, and having managed to get Vaude and the retailer to replace it, ended up with a Power Atreus which has not been without its problems. I noted last year that despite only being a few years old, with light use, the g/sheet will probably have to be replaced this year as it's become porous.

I see that the latest incarnation of that particular tent now retails at well over £1,000 and unless they've significantly improved the quality, I'd not spend that on one given that Hilleberg prices are near enough equivalent.

If you want to spend a few minutes over a coffee, here's my thoughts on both the tents mentioned.

http://www.ukseakayakguidebook.co.uk/almanac_reviews_images/art_review_mkII.htm and http://www.ukseakayakguidebook.co.uk/almanac_reviews_images/art_review_poweratreus.htm
 

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