Saunders tents

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Baggy

Settler
Oct 22, 2009
573
0
Essex, UK
www.markbaigent.co.uk
Hi Rob

Thanks Mark, i'm looking at the jetpacker/spacepacker, what did you have ?.
I had a tiny mountain marathon one man tent, can't remember the name. I also had a spacepacker and loved the double doors, good tent used all year round in mountains actually I wish that I had kept it, but I "upgraded" to a Nallo 2
 
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Muddypaws

Full Member
Jan 23, 2009
1,096
317
Southampton
I have a Satellite plus, and I love it. Nice light weight, easy to pitch and the quality is fine. Also it is made in England (a big plus point for me), but I've had it a few years and don't know if they still are.
 

basha

Forager
Aug 9, 2006
242
1
64
kent
hi Woof,

I've got a Saunders 'Jetpacker'. I haven't used it for a while but I wouldn't want to let it go. It is very well made and clearly some thought has gone in to its manufacture.
As I recall it can either be put up inner or outer first. I have the optional 'A' frame front which gives alittle more room to get in and out. Mine is the 'Jetpacker' and not the 'Jetpacker Plus' which is a bit bigger (2 man tent?).
My one is pretty small inside but you have the option to pull back the inner tent to give a little more room. As it is a simple sloping ridge tent there are not really any parts that couldn't be easily repaired or replaced if you have to. All of the poles, fittings and hooks are aluminium/alloy. I don't know when Robert Saunders brought this one out but it was just about the lightest quality tent I could buy about 10 years ago. A real backpacking tent ! Weighs about 3 pounds (1.5 kilos). Packed tight about 15" long by about 4" diameter.
Hope this is of help.
 
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Paul_B

Bushcrafter through and through
Jul 14, 2008
6,186
1,557
Cumbria
Saunders are well regarded and generally people keep if not use for a long time. By that I mean it gets a lot of use then people tend to buy something newer and "better" but are reluctant to sell it on.

A mate swears by his that is still going strong for solo use after getting close to 20 years I reckon now. I do think with advances there are other tents that are better depending on your needs. I am not saying these tents are not good and worth getting but if lightweight is important there are lighter, if bombproof is important there are more bombproof whilst still lighter, if cheap and light is important there is better, etc., etc., etc.

From what I remember of using a Suanders (and I think it was a 2 man saunders I used for D of E many, many, many years ago now) they were quite compact and difficult for a lanky git to get into. Low height and tapers to the foot end. I am thinking of the one that is a ridge tent and has a front A-frame IIRC. It had saggy sides but the clearance was ok and condensation wasn't too bad.
 

Hugo

Bushcrafter (boy, I've got a lot to say!)
Nov 29, 2009
2,588
1
Lost in the woods
I have the Saunders Spacepacker 2, a great 2 person tent only used mine once on a trip to Dartmoor, SHMBO was not too keen as it was freezing at night time.
 

woof

Full Member
Apr 12, 2008
3,647
5
lincolnshire
Thanks for taking the trouble to reply. Hugo, is it the mk2 or the plus 2, you have ?, i want a tent for backpacking, so am looking at weight,pack size, and made in England would be the icing on the cake.

Regards, Rob
 

Muddy7

New Member
Mar 22, 2021
4
0
74
Belgium
I have the Saunders Spacepacker 2, a great 2 person tent only used mine once on a trip to Dartmoor, SHMBO was not too keen as it was freezing at night time.
Interesting. I remember my Spacepacker Plus being surprisingly warm in the cold. Maybe that was because I chose a cotton rather than nylon inner tent? (I found the air quality rather uncomfortable, rather "close", with the nylon inner, and RS was really patient with me when I asked to exchange from nylon to cotton. I seem to remember I was rather a difficult customer inasmuch as I had more than one thing I wanted changing. Amazing man!) I'm thinking of getting that tent out of the mothballs after many, many years of not braving the great outdoors so maybe I will be able to test this out in the not too distant future .
 

Broch

Life Member
Jan 18, 2009
8,064
7,856
Mid Wales
www.mont-hmg.co.uk
Welcome to the forum Muddy7 :)
A very old thread you've decided to resurrect there! some of these guys haven't been seen in years.

I still use my Spacepacker Plus on a regular basis if I'm not using a tarp or, sometimes, with the tarp :).

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