Freestanding / semi freestanding tents on a budget

[Dexter]

Hey all!

I'm considering grabbing an AliEx tent like one of the MSR clones. I have a Tarptent Stratospire Li which is awesome but would love a freestanding option and not keen on splashing out too much on one right now. I might in the future if it works well for me.

I'd like to keep it to <1.5kg for a larger 1p, or 2p tent. I like my space!

Does anyone have any suggestions outside of the Naturehike tents? And any experience with these long term?

Cheers!



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[Scrambler]

Not quite in your weight class, but I've been so happy with the Aldi 2 person hiker that I bought a second. About 5 years on the original and just bought a second for the future day mine dies. Under 2kg on the trail, freestanding, you don’t even have to use pegs but 3 gives you a little vestibule space. Hard to get! Last Aldi listing was 2-3 months ago. Still, if you can track one down they are the cheapest useful tent you will ever find. $90 new. A lot of compromises for 2, but only a little weight compromise for 1.

Same basic design as a Blackwolf Stealth Mesh, but light.

[Dexter]

I had no idea Aldi did a tent. Sounds like its worth picking up as a spare tent anyway. Though 2kg is getting up there. After getting used to carrying an 800g tent it's difficult to sacrifice that much weight for freestanding.

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[Hiking Exped]

I’ve had so many tents from budget ones to those ‘in the sale honest’ conversations with the wife ones

However, really happy with a cheaper Illumina X I picked up a couple of years back. It’s about 1.5kg plus 200g for an extra footprint that came with it. I’ve used it in storms, some pretty high winds and snow and it’s performed exceptionally well.

Nice sturdy pole system, decent quality, easy to set up, small to pack, decent vestibule, good ventilation. It’s sold as a two person 4 season and although two of us have used it several times, it’s more comfortable as a nice large one person.

I would not consider it a full 4 season. If I’m in the Alps in winter, in forecast bad weather and plan to be above the tree line I take an alternative. Although it’s performed well above the tree line in snow and pretty high up and exposed in fairly high winds.

Mine was about $250 I think, with the extra footprint included.

Hope that helps as an option to look at.

[Dexter]

I've seen those mentioned a bit. They seem great for the price! I still may end up giving one a go.

I ended up just grabbing a Mont Moondance 1 FN. I wasn't originally intending to spend that much money but I just kept coming back to it. It just seemed like a great balance of weight and durability / functionality. Being that it's a full nylon inner, it gives a very different option to my Tarptent that's all mesh inner. I grabbed the footprint as well which means I could potentially set it up with the fly only, and in a pinch you can set up the tent fly first with some fiddling.

Depending where I'm going I may not take the footprint but it's nice to have the option. If using platforms I don't think I'd bother.

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[tgdavies]

The Illumina X is currently on sale at $229 https://novaprosports.com.au/products/i ... rest-green