Hilleberg Allak, Jannu or Nallo 2 GT vs MSR Hubba Hubba HP

[hemdale]

Hi guys,

I hope you had a nice weekend ?
I'm about to pull the trigger regarding my choice of tent and since my GF is about to come to the next Broadstone Warren meet , I promised her that there would be no leaking tarp (just kidding), no windy/swinging hammock, but nothing but a four stars hotel...errr...well...just a very cool tent.

Before we get into the discussion, I'm happy to say that I will be backpacking / camping on a regular basis (probably on my own or with a small group of people). I'd love to go to Dartmoor / Scotland very soon.
I like the fact that Hilleberg can erect the tent AND the fly at the same time.
As far as I'm concerned, I'd rather buy ONE very good tent in the first place that will suit any kind of weather condition, and something I can keep for a long time...more like an investment.


I've narrowed my search to FOUR tents :

My selection is not by order of the most wanted to the least wanted


Hilleberg Nallo 2 GT

http://www.cotswoldoutdoor.com/inde.../code/72110090/id_colour/98/group/321/level/3

Seems REALLY easy to pitch, 4 pegs to start and you're good to go.

This one is VERY pricey, but I can have 15% off so it makes the bill a bit easier.
I like the very roomy vestibule and the fact that you can erect the tent without having to put the fly after on top of the tent...very good Hilleberg feature in my opinion.



The next is the Hillberg Jannu

http://www.craigdonmountainsports.com/hilleberg-jannu-tent

Hilleberg Allak
Hilleberg Allak Green

I LOVE the huge porch and the TWO vestibules.



And last, the MSR Hubba Hubba HP

 

[forestwalker]

Hilleberg is top rate, the everything-at-once pitch is one great design feature that apparently is missing in any other tents (I mean, first you pitch the inner tent in a torrential downpour, and *then* put the fly on top?). The Nallo GT gives you a spacious -- as such things go -- 2 man tent, and then space for all your kit, cooking , etc, all in moderate shelter. The Allak and Jannu are (I think) both free-standing, which means that if you are camping on solid rock (e.g. sea-kayaking) they will still work.

I have an Akto since 99% of my outings are solo, but for a two-man tent I would pick a Nammatj, Keron or Nallo (I think the Nammatj and Keron are more bomb-proof, at the cost of some weight). There is also the Tarra, but that might be overkill.

Any of the full strenght Hilleberg tents should be very snug shelters under virtually any conditions. Living here I would keep any eye on their outlet (e.g. my Akto was brand new but had a small repair to the pole sleeve, over UKP50 cheaper), but that is only available to us locals.

 

[para106]

I've a Hilleberg Nammatj 3GT & can put the whole thing, including footprint, up in about 5 minutes on my own in a oner. It's the best tent I've ever owned for the size & I've had more than a few. As forestwalker says, for versatility, weight & peace of mind in any weather I'd go Hilleberg every time. I got mine new off the bay at a very reasonable price - for a Hilleberg. I think it was £475 from the States & it slipped through customs without any duty. Worth keeping an eye out.

 

[hemdale]

Blimey, seems like Hilleberg is a real and true winner !


Just wondering what difference makes between:

- Dome (Freestanding)
- Dome (self supporting)

I know what the tunnel structure is and all structures will be ok for most of my outdoor activities.

 

[zarkwon]

They all look lovely mate. Chris Cox on Youtube does some good reviews of them. I just can't afford one or at least justify the expense to myself. I have a Vango Banshee 300 which is a bit heavier but only cost £80 . It pitches all in one or fly first etc, keeps me dry and has good ventilation. Those Hillebergs are shiny though and I'm a sucker for an expensive bit of kit!

 

[para106]

I've a couple of Vangos too. Don't get me wrong there's nothing wrong with them for the price. Only now they're made in the Far East I think the build quality has gone down the tubes. I had a Vango Equinox 450 for 8 years & it was the dogs for car camping. Great waterproofing & easy to put up. Made in the UK. When it died I bought another & the difference was plain to see. The new fabrics were cheap, the new design did nothing to improve it, wasn't anywhere near as waterproof & it seemed to be 6 inches short of material on the flysheet - more expensive too. It's still in the garage & I'll probably give it away. Maybe someone who hasn't had one before won't know how crap it is compared to it's predecessor - but I do. So when I got the chance of the 'berg at a good price, I got it to see if they were as good as the reviews & I'm glad to say that they are.

 

[PDA1]

As you say you will be backpacking in hilly areas, you should consider weight as an important part of the equation. As such, I would have htought the Nallo series would be favoured. The tunnel design is very wind/waterproof, but lightweight at the same time. The Jannu has better snow loading capabilitry, but is that important to you? It is about 1 1/2 lb heavier than the Nallo. My only question would be "Is the GT vestibule really needed?" I would be inclined to go for the Nallo3 instead to give that extra internal room. Wish I could think of affording an Hilleberg

p.s. Hilleberg have recently added pitching videos of all of their models on Youtube. Very well made and instructive. Allows visual comparisons to be made

 

[salad]

As you say you will be backpacking in hilly areas, you should consider weight as an important part of the equation. As such, I would have htought the Nallo series would be favoured. The tunnel design is very wind/waterproof, but lightweight at the same time. The Jannu has better snow loading capabilitry, but is that important to you? It is about 1 1/2 lb heavier than the Nallo. My only question would be "Is the GT vestibule really needed?" I would be inclined to go for the Nallo3 instead to give that extra internal room. Wish I could think of affording an Hilleberg

p.s. Hilleberg have recently added pitching videos of all of their models on Youtube. Very well made and instructive. Allows visual comparisons to be made

Thats good advise, I use a nallo 2 as my one man tent, I do use it with the missus sometimes but the nallo 3 would be more cosy and nice for 2 . I don't think the extra vestibule on the nallo 2 GT version is as useful as the extra internal space of a nallo 3 .

 

[Imagedude]

If I were in your position I'd buy 2 tents; a good 1 man tent for your solo trips and a Vango MK3 for trips with the missus. That way you'll get the best of both worlds rather than a tent that has to serve in roles it was not made for.

 

[mercurykev]

I've got a few Hillebergs (Akto, Nallo 2GT and Keron 3GT) and they are all excellent tents. The Nallo 2GT is the only 2 person tent that I've used that can actually comfortable accommodate 2 adults and gear for any period of time, however, for 200g extra you can have the Nallo 3GT (2.8kg).

They are really easy to erect, even the 17' long Keron 3GT can be set up solo with 4 pegs and everything goes up at the same time: outer, inner and footprint.

I'll add that I also had an MSR Mutha Hubba, the 3 person version of the hubba hubba, and while it was a decent tent, it paled into insignificance in face of the Hillebergs.

 

[Angus Og]

Taunton Leisure are giving a free foot print when you buy a Hilleberg from them.

 

[Lasse]

I choose the Nallo 3 myself a couple of years ago, very happy with it. Enough space for 3 men and backpacks in the porch and only a bit heavier than the 2 person version. Reason for choosing was mainly the weight. An advantage of the non GT version is the smaller area you need for pitching, especially in dense forests it's often difficult enough to find a spot with the small one. I also think ventilation works better in the non GT.

Downside of the Nallo is that it's not freestanding obviously, which can make it difficult to pitch on frozen ground or rocky terrain. In snowy conditions the dome design of the freestanding models certainly is an advantage. But the extra weight is annoying on lightweight summer trips... I suggest you buy 2 tents . Of the freestanding models I'd prefer the Allak since the Jannu is only semi-freestanding... The double porch combined with the extra stability cost only 200g.

In case you value strength a lot, look at the Kerlon 1800 models as well. The Nammatj isn't very heavy. We also have the Nammatj 3 GT laying around, everything about it is stronger (not only the fabric, also the poles, lines, tent pegs, ...).

 

[Baggy]

Can't help with the model choice but I had the Hilleburg Akto for years and loved it for backpacking, light, easy to put up and bombproof. I used it during a trek around all the Welsh 3000ft + hills. I also used it winter camping in the Beacons and the Carneddau range.

 

[hemdale]

As you say you will be backpacking in hilly areas, you should consider weight as an important part of the equation. As such, I would have htought the Nallo series would be favoured. The tunnel design is very wind/waterproof, but lightweight at the same time. The Jannu has better snow loading capabilitry, but is that important to you? It is about 1 1/2 lb heavier than the Nallo. My only question would be "Is the GT vestibule really needed?" I would be inclined to go for the Nallo3 instead to give that extra internal room. Wish I could think of affording an Hilleberg

p.s. Hilleberg have recently added pitching videos of all of their models on Youtube. Very well made and instructive. Allows visual comparisons to be made

Hi PDA,That's exactly what I thought. I'm gonna go for the Nallo 3 !

 

[gbjim03m]

Just playing devils advocate, but i have a terra nova super quasar, If you want a tent that will do everything ie harsh weather them maybe a fully geodesic construction? Although its inner pitch first you can leave the outer attached and hey presto a dry inner. They are bomb proof and although i admit they weigh a little, you can sleep up to three. Or more room for you and your mrs. And for me now my little one on the way i would have no worries about us all being in one piece warm and dry the following day.

 

[Lasse]

That Terra Nova Super Quasar is quite heavy and it's only semi free standing, right? You have to peg out the vestibules?
As a bombproof free standing tent, I'd prefer the Hilleberg Staika. From the looks of it, the Hilleberg also has better ventilation and it's 700g lighter.

 

[gbjim03m]

That Terra Nova Super Quasar is quite heavy and it's only semi free standing, right? You have to peg out the vestibules?
As a bombproof free standing tent, I'd prefer the Hilleberg Staika. From the looks of it, the Hilleberg also has better ventilation and it's 700g lighter.

Agree with you, but wouldnt fancy the Staika in storm force winds. The ventilation i believe in my quasar is very good, the doors can be opened in numerous ways and with openings/vestibules front a rear doors allows for air to push right through whilst its still raining. vestibules do need pegging out but worse case can be put between the groundsheet and protector whilst the vents are still open to the air. The weight i have never noticed but if your counting calories then it is heavier i agree.

I have experienced very high winds in my quasar and it certainly didnt look like this

http://i.ytimg.com/vi/yz88CquLbFM/0.jpg

Lasse thanks for those points it gives everyone more to think about, its not as easy as we think!

 

[Jaan]

Couple of more options:

Fjällräven Abisko Lightweight 2: http://www.fjallraven.com/outdoor-equipment/tents/abisko-lightweight-2
Not so durable supposedly as Hilleberg, but (a bit) cheaper. Also super small pack size.

Hilleberg Nammatj 2: http://www.hilleberg.com/home/products/nammatj/nammatj2.php
MUCH better ventilation than the Nallo, but heavier due to stronger fabrics used.
Also GT version: http://www.hilleberg.com/home/products/nammatj/nammatj2gt.php

 

[Lasse]

I'm sure the Terra Nova is a great tent too. Always difficult choosing and always making a compromise when choosing... Life can be hard

 

[gbjim03m]

Couple of more options:

Fjällräven Abisko Lightweight 2: http://www.fjallraven.com/outdoor-equipment/tents/abisko-lightweight-2
Not so durable supposedly as Hilleberg, but (a bit) cheaper. Also super small pack size.

Hilleberg Nammatj 2: http://www.hilleberg.com/home/products/nammatj/nammatj2.php
MUCH better ventilation than the Nallo, but heavier due to stronger fabrics used.
Also GT version: http://www.hilleberg.com/home/products/nammatj/nammatj2gt.php

Ooohh the GT version looks strong and roomy !!