hilleberg v Macpac

[DarrenM]

Darren, my missing post basically stated my actual experiences

Restate them. I want to know what your actual experience is with building snow walls in storms because once again people give out info but when you dig a little deeper, they have very little experience. Hearsay around here is usually *&^%$#!.

Aren't we lucky to have you to be the inforcer of you has experience and who doesn't.

I don't really care any more what people think in terms of delivery. When people continually try and discredit others I want to know about first hand experience as that is what gives credibility and genuine help to the OP.
What is so difficult about that for people to understand. You might not like it mate but the least experienced people seem to give out the most advice around here.

Walkon, you have some experience with snow walls so post it. If you are going disagree thats fine but we want to know why. What's so *&%$#! hard about it? I'm genuinely interested to know why?

Credibility helps people make important decisions.

[wayno]

i've used snow walls. if you're in a place where the wind direction varies, I felt they were the way to go to protect a non geodesic tent from the wind.. and in gusty wind i felt they were the better option for protecting the tent... alpine tents should have a rating for wind speed, but it's usually for constant wind speed not gusts. the olympus has been rated for 160k winds end on and 100k cross wind. i've used mine without a snow wall in wind gusting 100k, it was getting knocked around in swirling wind, but didnt break.. there was no snow where i was at the time anyway in that circumstance...

[DarrenM]

Dont care what people say about snow walls, but when winds pick up, I use them!
At base camp on Denali, everyone was using them!

denali.jpg

Doesnt matter how strong your tent is, Winds strong enough WILL flatten it. I had a hilleberg Dome tent flatten on me in strong winds (theres my report on here somewhere) and theres not many tents around stronger than a hilleberg Jannu for 3 kg.
OP has to basically weigh up costs, weight and expected conditions. The cost of a hilleberg is usually not justified for most people, but when compared to the cost of big trip to Patagonia, I think its very justified.

This is what I was getting at and a good example of why snow walls work when things get out of control. We get big winds with most low pressure on the Main Range and while I don't use them very often, my tents of all makes would have failed badly at one time or another. Even in our BD Bombshelter I've felt concerned even after building walls.

[Moondog55]

Guys could you please get a new thread open to answer the snow wall question and get back to helping the OP make a decision, hasn't the thread got a little off-track?

[stu_m]

Wayno, where did yo get the 100/160 km/h figure for the Olympus?

[Moondog55]

I dunno where Wayno got those figures from but they accord with the figures I was given for my Plateau when guyed as directed but I know that FairyDown Plateaus have survived greater winds when guyed to boulders and other heavy objects in Antarctica

[stu_m]

Macpac have never given me any figures... or are you referring to people (eg. a guiding company) who had experience with the limits of the tent?

BTW, what were their instructions for guying?

[Moondog55]

@stu_m?
FairyDown instructions said to run the guys at each end of the tent at a slight angle to the centre line and use the full length of supplied cord, ditto for the side guys. BUT they also said in the blurb that extra guys could be added at need everywhere poles crossed, remembering that the FairyDown Plateau is an externally framed hybrid dome/tunnel tent
Wind rating was verbal from the fellers at Bush & Mountain Sports way way back in the late 80's

[stu_m]

Thanks Moondog

Cheers
Stuart

[Nuts]

Both two pole tunnel tents and both well made. I'd expect the performance to be similar.
Haven't owned a minaret but tunnels are great for their weight saving V strength. I would choose an Olympus (or Hille 3 pole tunnel) over either for peace of mind in the strongest winds.

I too suspect pole strength, pegs and attachment points rather than material is the key, seen Olympus almost flat to the ground with the occupants pinned down inside. It was an impressive display of wind resistance (or 'yielding') with their relief shapes clearly moulded in nylon , between gusts the three poles twisted and bucked but just sprung back up. A real test for load points and distributed force on seams, sleeves, clips etc.

Snow expected? Iv'e not been to Patagonia, mountain walking or coastal, how strong? (winds).

[Pika]

I can't really add a great deal to this topic other than to say we have been happy with our Hillebergs.

They have served us well on all manner of conditions.

[Chezza]

Shadow, I assume you are planning to hike the TDP. Haven't been there, but it's on the to-do list in a couple of years.

The Minaret will be fine, but it doesn't look like the most comfortable tent in terms of width. A lot of the sites are sheltered and it seems a lot of people use cheap locally made tents.

This topic has been bashed to death on BPL, so read up there. Remember you're near refugios all the time, so it's not a question of life or death. Go for something light and comfortable to sleep in.

http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin ... d_id=36848

https://www.google.com.au/search?q=tent ... glight.com

FWIW, we'll be using a Hilleberg Anjan 3 because it is what we have, and it is more an up to the wind.

[andrewa]

I'm lucky enough to have a Hilleberg Nallo GT 2 and a 3. The 3 stood up to 90 kph winds on the summit of Bogong the winter before last, but certainly moved around a fair bit, despite being pegged out tightly ( wind ended up coming obliquely at tent). The 3 is comfy for 2, the 2 is acceptable for 2. The extended vestibule on both makes life luxurious. i wish I'd bought a Nammatj (?) rather than the 2, as I gather it is more bombproof, however, such is life!

A

[markg]

I have not experienced winds to the extent mentioned here, thank god, but, after experiencing tent destruction during howling winds on "monaro" during a fishing trip. We were looking for a new tent to use for a range of things. I did a bit of searching , lots of info from this site , and ended up with a Hilleberg Saivo. Though I am not experienced at high altitude trekking, I believe the Saivo to be just about as strong as any dome tent could be, and I have owned a few good ones. It would be my choice if I was heading to some brutal place where very strong winds are the norm. It's a pig as far as weight goes though. I feel I would have more confidence in a tent with such high quality materials, and would sleep happier. I believe that's what they are designed to withstand so it got the nod. A Kerron 3 GT is next on our list, quiet simply for the extra room you get from it's high walls and big vestibules. These things seem to be used in some very harsh environments pretty successfully.

[Ellobuddha]

All I can add is I have never felt concerned about weather sleeping in my Jannu.