Choosing 2 man tent for Victoria

[Evrocket]

Hi, I'm struggling to choose a good new tent for my wants/needs.

When I Hike – All year round, including (but not as often) Winter.
Where I Hike - I usually hike all throughout Victoria, including the Victorian Alps. Also hike in Tasmania every so often (though haven’t hikes Tassie in Winter before).
Ideal weight – under 2kg. It’d be nice if it was close to 1.5kg!
Size & Shape – Freestanding 2 person. Must fit 2 25inch wide pads (127cm wide minimum, can’t be narrow at one end like StS Telos). Would prefer to have two doors and vestibules for two hiking packs.

One of the tents that looks appealing weight-wise is the MSR Hubba Hubba. However, I’ve heard mixed reviews about durability with that one. The Nemo Dagger Osmo is another possibility, though heavier.

I also have heard mixed recommendations both in person and online on how trustworthy tents under 1.8kg are in Victorian and Tasmanian conditions. I have been suggested by some to look only for waterproof floors of at least 5000mm. Others don’t agree.

What are your thoughts, is this level of waterproofing necessary in Victoria and/or Tasmania?

All this points me to the Mont Moondance 2, but it seems a little on the heavier side compared to the two tents I mentioned above. I would like to know if there is a lighter tent out there that still ticks all the boxes above including waterproofness.

[north-north-west]

What's your budget?

[Evrocket]

I am willing to spend more on a higher-priced tent if it means it'll last.

[Jack Doolan]

I am Victoria based and have several tents including the Moondance 2 all of which have mesh inners. I recently bought the S2S Telos 2 PLUS which has a solid inner and still comes in at only 1700 grams. Fantastic tent and keeps out the wind chill for those colder, windy nights. Oodles of room and a clever design. No dramas in high wind and a 4000mm HH rated floor. You could go even lighter and get the S2S Alto 2 PLUS. Not cheap tents - the Telos retails for over a $1000 but I picked it up on special for $675 delivered. Hard to go past at that price and deals are still going. You can't go wrong with Mont or S2S but I recommend a full nylon inner if you are hiking in the colder months up high.

[Moondog55]

I'd go further tho and suggest that anybody who ventures onto the High plains in winter should consider buying two tents.
If you are travelling in white season you really do need a larger tent and a full fabric inner and the ability to use a lot of guying, I personally prefer tunnel tents but that's because they are more wind-worthy when pitched end into the wind. Also for winter the bigger the vestibule the better, many times it is simply impossible to cook outside and you have to have the stove inside the vestibule.

[Evrocket]

Thanks for the tips thus far!

The Telos does look nice, except that it can't fit two wide sleeping pads

Would anyone suggest a minimum waterproof head rating expectation for Victoria and Tasmania in all seasons other than Winter? I know from experience that it can rain pretty hard in both these states!

E.g. do we need tents with floors that have 4000mm + waterhead rating? That'd rule out options like the Nemo Dagger which sits at 2000mm.

[north-north-west]

If you add a good groundsheet, the floor rating matters less. Then you just need to be careful aboout site selection.
If I were you I'd be looking at a Durston X-Mid or one of the TarpTent models (Li Blem if you can manage). It will be hard to find something that can cope with true winter conditions in Tassie and Vic (and I'm thinking more about wind in alpine and sub-alpine areas) that fits your weight limit. With two people, splitting a 2kg tent between you means only 1kg per person; it's not much to carry for the extra security. Even a 3kg tent (we're moving up to the Hilleberg Red Label models here) is only 1.5kg each.
WE makes some good tents but, much as I love my Second Arrow, it's barely wide enough for two standard mats much less two wide ones.

[Dexter]

I use a Tarptent Stratospire Li which is excellent and should fit two people with large vestibules - though not free standing.
I recently bought (but haven't yet used) a Moondance 1FN as a free standing and warmer option, and added on the Mesh inner as well for a summer free standing tent. I went back and forward over the Nemo tents, the Wilderness Equipment, and Mont tents for ages before landing on the Moondance. In the end, right or wrong, I felt like the Nemo was a bit flimsy in comparison when I checked them out in person. The Mont had a much better floor, and the folks at Bogong believed the ventilation was better on the Mont tents over the WE (they sold both). The 2P Moondance might be worth a look if it's large enough for the two of you. It does weigh about the 2kg mark though. I feel like that's going to be about the sweet spot for a tent that size, with well made materials and floor unless you start looking at DCF or that new(er) fancy stuff Tarptent is now using.

One Planet was the other consideration. I have a 3p Wurley which is an absolute bomb shelter but far too heavy to hike with and used for a base camp / car camping tent. The Goondie 1 was smaller than the Moondance 1 and also not available so I dismissed it, but for you it may be worth looking at the Goondie 2. They do a 7D fly which brings the weight down to about 1700g packed. I have had such great dealings with OP sales and after sales support in the past that I always give their gear a look-in.

[Son of a Beach]

One Planet was the other consideration. I have a 3p Wurley which is an absolute bomb shelter but far too heavy to hike with and used for a base camp / car camping tent. The Goondie 1 was smaller than the Moondance 1 and also not available so I dismissed it, but for you it may be worth looking at the Goondie 2. They do a 7D fly which brings the weight down to about 1700g packed. I have had such great dealings with OP sales and after sales support in the past that I always give their gear a look-in.

I'd second the One Planet Goondie recommendation. You can read my comprehensive review here. This was written when they were a new model, and this was for the 15D version (which doesn't exist now - just the 30D and 7D, I think).

[Moondog55]

I was just in ALDI, their cheap 2-person tent was on clearance at $55-
While not a real mountain tent by any means they are really quite well made with alloy poles and reasonable light, most of the weight seemed to be in the cheap steel pegs included in the package. A crossed wand tent, the type designed bu Bill Moss and much copied.