hilleberg v Macpac

[shadow1243]

I am new to this blog so please be patient.

We are going to Patagonia and need to upgrade our tent. Any comments on if we should pay the extra 100% for a Hilleberg Nallo 2 or settle for Macpac Minaret.
Very stong winds are predicted and some of the info on the Minaret indicate it just may not stand up to it.
Would appreciate any comments on this.

[Strider]

What other options have you considered?

[stry]

I started a thread not long ago about the new Minaret (sorry *&%$#! software won't let me link it) in which there is some feedback on stormworthiness.

I note that you have used the word "we". I think the Nallo 2 is a bit roomier than the Minaret - it certainly has a bigger footprint. A check of the respective websites will give you an idea of internal dimensions.

[Moondog55]

viewtopic.php?f=15&t=19189

There ya go

[Mickl]

What about the Olympus? Not a lot heavier if shared between two and has the extra entrance/ extra pole/ more internal room? If you get one on a 'sale' that they often have it should be a lot less than a Hilleberg still.

[stry]

What about the Olympus? Not a lot heavier if shared between two and has the extra entrance/ extra pole/ more internal room? If you get one on a 'sale' that they often have it should be a lot less than a Hilleberg still.

Way more room than the Minaret and more room than many other two person tents, particularly vestibule and head room. $540 at the just finished four day sale.

Photos show snow valances on the vestibule, but not the main tent ???? WT....

In a different class perhaps, but the OP Goondie 3 could be a candidate also.

[Moondog55]

I have heard that Patagonia is called the Place of the Winds for a reason and for that reason I would go with a 3 pole tent or a geodome and as we often say here take one person from a tents stated occupancy, if you are reasonably big a Minaret is a solo tent

[Empty]

Speaking purely form the point of quality and bullet proof fabrics ( rather than features) it is very hard to go past a Hilleberg, despite the premium price.

You will be handing it down to your grandkids.

[walkon]

Speaking purely form the point of quality and bullet proof fabrics ( rather than features) it is very hard to go past a Hilleberg, despite the premium price.

You will be handing it down to your grandkids.

I wish I had of just bought a hilleberg years ago. It would have saved me cash in the long run by a mile and freed up months of Internet searches also would have had a better nights sleep on a heap of occasions not worrying whether the tent is going to come apart.

[DarrenM]

The minaret is tight for two in alpine. Cant speak for the Nallo but quality gear for sure.

[DarrenM]

Just to add....Any tent is only as good as its snow wall on snow with real wind, and as Moondog suggests, I'd be looking at something fairly substantial with more than two poles for a trip in Patagonia and the like.

[walkon]

Just to add....Any tent is only as good as its snow wall on snow with real wind, and as Moondog suggests, I'd be looking at something fairly substantial with more than two poles for a trip in Patagonia and the like.

I'd disagree re snow wall, as I others have started and I've seen, wind and rain will disintegrate snow walls.

Plenty of YouTube videos of hillebergs in wind tests and in nature. Saw one the other day of a Nallo broadside taking 100kph wind and another even more end on.

[ninjapuppet]

Ive done a 10 day trek in the bolivian mountains with 5000m passes using an msr hubba hubba for 2.
Not sure how much harsher patagonia would be, but my bet is that you'll survive with either of them tents.

However, considering my tickets to bolivia was over $3k, i think the extra price paid for a hilleberg is insignificant compared to your travel costs.
Well worth the extra $$. Paying your huge costs to get there and scrimping on your shelter money seems like a silly idea.

[andrewbish]

There's wind...and then there's wind... A friend is currently climbing Aconcagua, in Argentina. At the final airport she met some guys who'd had to bail out after encountering tent shredding winds at -40C. The winds are strong and persistent in Patagonia, but I think it unlikely that you will meet tent-destroying conditions. A Minaret (which I own) would be fine, but it's small - a 1.5 person tent, so I wouldn't recommend it. (And the roomier MacPac Olympus is on the heavy side).

I don't own a Hilleberg, but would love to have one from their Red or Black series, for snow and/or gale conditions. The tent fabric is VERY strong - very hard to tear. The poles would probably go before the fabric did.

If you are still concerned about the conditions, a Hilleberg is the tent for you. Next you need to work out which model..and there's some beauties! My good buddy, Walkon is a big fan of the tunnels (Anjan2, Nammatj2, Kaitum2) . Me, I fancy the domes, with their bigger space and side entrances (Rogen, Allak).

[DarrenM]

Just to add....Any tent is only as good as its snow wall on snow with real wind, and as Moondog suggests, I'd be looking at something fairly substantial with more than two poles for a trip in Patagonia and the like.

I'd disagree re snow wall, as I others have started and I've seen, wind and rain will disintegrate snow walls.

Plenty of YouTube videos of hillebergs in wind tests and in nature. Saw one the other day of a Nallo broadside taking 100kph wind and another even more end on.

How many blizzards have you sat out with and without a snow wall?

I can guarantee you that in proper wind.....tents of any make can be destroyed. I've seen it happen a few times including them get blown away with 30 kgs of gear in them.

If they are getting damaged, get up and start shovelling.

[Drew]

It also depends what exactly you're doing in Patagonia. Doing Torres del Paine or Fitz Roy or similar is rather different to an expedition across the Patagonian Ice Field! I've hiked Fitz Roy (twice), Torres del Paine (twice), Villarica Traverse (in snow), Nahuel Huapi Traverse, in 3 different tents, varying from seriously el cheapo to half-decent but not very solid at all. Yes, it can be seriously windy in Patagonia, but on the more popular hikes there are often quite sheltered campsites.

I'm not suggesting you stay away from the Hilleberg. I'm sure it's a fantastic tent that you'll have for years and you'll have great piece of mind. But don't let Patagonia's reputation pressure you into a purchase you don't want/need to make.

As a side note: Yes, climbing Aconcagua is a different kettle of fish indeed - it's the highest mountain outside the Himalayas! And it's not in Patagonia...

[Strider]

What about an Exped Venus II Extreme?

http://www.exped.com/australia/en/produ ... ii-extreme

[walkon]

Bugger had a post go missing, get back to you darren

Venus is about $770 and 2.95kg
Nallo is about $900 and 2.4kg

Money is about the same with half a kilo difference

Msr hubba hubba about $770 & 2kg with ground sheet and collapses in 70kph winds ( wind tested)

[wayno]

its not necessarily a strong sustained wind that you should be worried about with a tent, a strong gusts are what really stress the tents and are more likely to wreck them..
like avalanches that destroy buildings, the snow often doesnt do the damage its the high pressure increase and wind blast in front of the avalanche that often does the damage....

[walkon]

its not necessarily a strong sustained wind you should be worried about with a tent, a strong gusts are what really stress the tents and are more likely to wreck them..
like avalanches that destroy buildings, the snow often doesnt do the damage its the high pressure increase and wind blast in front of the avalanche that often does the damage....

That's what my missing post basically said. Some Norwegian adventurers artic and norway don't dig a snow wall as you get wind turbulence from it. They use hilleberg and can't remember the other make, basically shovel a little bit of snow at the base of the tent and leave it. Both of these aren't crap tents though.

[Strider]

They use hilleberg and can't remember the other make

Helsport?

http://www.helsport.no/?___store=english

[DarrenM]

I think Drew is on the money in regards to what the OP is actually doing. I doubt very much that they'll end up on the ice cap otherwise they wouldn't have asked the question they have.

Walkon, In the context of this thread and in particular the two tents in question, I'll stand by what I've said before based on spending years in terrible snow conditions in all types of tents. In a lightweight two person tent with only two poles, you definitely need a snow wall when the wind comes on properly. You can read all the info you want out of a book on polar travel but there is a fairly massive difference once again about the actual topic and context.

Katabatic conditions require completely different tents and techniques.

[stry]

If you lie on your back all night, using your hands and feet to brace the poles, it definitely reduces the likelihood of collapse.

Not too fresh of spirit the next day though

[wayno]

I couldnt say if theres a dominant school of thought on tent snow walls in NZ... I've seen them used sometimes and other times not but, you'd need to be pretty sure of your tent design not to use on in a storm in an exposed location...

[walkon]

Darren, my missing post basically stated my actual experiences in this and what I have found out through different published sources, 140kph + winds in summer are the same velocity as 140kph+ winds in winter. Seen it lived it, spoke to others who have as well and then after listening to how/why they coped compared to me I acted on it. We all have different experiences, deal with them in different ways and take different things out of it. Yes i still use snow walls but i dont sweat it, depending on your tent the snow wall isn't the be all or end all.

Shadow, in your other post you stated you were a 55 year old experienced couple. If you are active walkers and you think that there is a fair chance that your health, touch wood, is likely to continue to allow lots more walking into the future then you will certainly get the value out of your hilleburg. That said the resale on the hille's is good if you look after it.
The two virtually weigh the same, Nallo has more interior room and is more versatile.
The hilleberg red labels tents have stood up to insane winds absolutely exposed with no protection at all for a long time now.
That said the minaret is a good tent and cheaper. I would recommend taking your sleeping mats into the shop and trying it for size with your other half, you spend a fair bit of time in the tent and want to be comfortable, if you fit then great if not the $400 difference (gumtree or Mountain adventure centre NSW) isn't much, a couple of nights at a decent hotel or a small fraction of this trip. Good luck and I hope your trip is great, I hopefully will be there next/later this year so tell us about it.

[Moondog55]

Perhaps the question could be restated as "IF things got really bad what's the minimum tent i should take?" so perhaps given that the tent purchase is such a small [relatively] percentage of the trips overall cost which tent will give the greatest benefit in the next 10 years?
In this area would a Hilleberg Black Label tent be a better option>?
My only experience with Hilleberg was Sim1oz's at PV last winter and I was seriously impressed with the quality and workmanship even tho I personally prefer geodomes

[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 *&^%$#!.

[walkon]

Darren pm sent, trying to keep thread on topic

[ninjapuppet]

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!

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.

[Scottyk]

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.