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Forum rulesThis is a place to share fair and systematic reviews of gear. Share the good, bad and ugly as well as including how you tested it and reviewed the gear. This is not the place to carry on about a bit of gear that failed, sometimes good gear has a lemon - this is more about systematic reviews. Although this can be a way to help gear manufactures with feedback, this is not the place to hassle them or ask for money back.
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[tag]Brand, product, RRP in AUD. The tags have two parts the type of gear and type of testing/review. eg
[Sleeping bag | Unboxing] Kmart Summit Hooded $29
[Stove | Field test]Jetboil, flash $150
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Base camp/Car camping tent Again.
Fri 20 Sep, 2019 12:34 pm
So Cecile and I just bought a slightly stronger tent for possible extended stays at place such as Uluru.
We joined forces to buy a Black Wolf Tuff-Dome Twin on clearance.
No major criticisms because we only paid $500-
However this tent suffers from the same problem most tents sold in Australia have.
Firstly he poles are only just strong enough to support the tent under "normal" conditions with no reserve at all.
Secondly there is no provision for a sheltered area at the entrance where you can take off wet gear in winter.
Now I know that most people won't camp in winter but the outer fabric of this tent combined with the adequate tie down points means it could easily be a winter tent.
Thirdly the carry bag is far too small, it is just big enough to take the factory vacuum packed and tightly rolled tent.
Point one may be managed by taking along spare parts and a decent repair kit but no such spare parts are included in the sale package, also if I was to utilise this above the snowline I would invest in real tent pole sections from Easton via TPT.
Point 2 is a known issue at BlackWolf and will not be addressed because they make and sell dome shelters to cover this point
Point 3 is going to be fixed by adding some webbing and SR buckle to make a compression system. Partly because I believe in stuffing tents not rolling them.
And finally this version of the tent has no fabric cover over the mush screens on the end sections, not an issue with a summer tent.
I called BW customer service and talked to a person there and raised some of these issues and a few additional emails have been exchanged
The new version of this tent has addressed the window issue and complaints about weak poles have meant a partial redesign and the use of large steel poles.
Personally I would not use a tent with steel poles simply because of the weight issue. BW do not believe the carry bag is too small but they do say it is sized to take a tightly rolled tent. A difference in philosophy perhaps?
All in all I am happy enough at the price point.
It does need a large flat space in which to pitch effectively, it is over 4 metres long and also is just over 4 metres deep at the alcove entry
All stitching is good, even stitch length and very few over runs and loose threads.
I would not have paid full retail but at the usual sale price of 30% off I though the price was reasonable, at $500- I think it is a good enough buy
We joined forces to buy a Black Wolf Tuff-Dome Twin on clearance.
No major criticisms because we only paid $500-
However this tent suffers from the same problem most tents sold in Australia have.
Firstly he poles are only just strong enough to support the tent under "normal" conditions with no reserve at all.
Secondly there is no provision for a sheltered area at the entrance where you can take off wet gear in winter.
Now I know that most people won't camp in winter but the outer fabric of this tent combined with the adequate tie down points means it could easily be a winter tent.
Thirdly the carry bag is far too small, it is just big enough to take the factory vacuum packed and tightly rolled tent.
Point one may be managed by taking along spare parts and a decent repair kit but no such spare parts are included in the sale package, also if I was to utilise this above the snowline I would invest in real tent pole sections from Easton via TPT.
Point 2 is a known issue at BlackWolf and will not be addressed because they make and sell dome shelters to cover this point
Point 3 is going to be fixed by adding some webbing and SR buckle to make a compression system. Partly because I believe in stuffing tents not rolling them.
And finally this version of the tent has no fabric cover over the mush screens on the end sections, not an issue with a summer tent.
I called BW customer service and talked to a person there and raised some of these issues and a few additional emails have been exchanged
The new version of this tent has addressed the window issue and complaints about weak poles have meant a partial redesign and the use of large steel poles.
Personally I would not use a tent with steel poles simply because of the weight issue. BW do not believe the carry bag is too small but they do say it is sized to take a tightly rolled tent. A difference in philosophy perhaps?
All in all I am happy enough at the price point.
It does need a large flat space in which to pitch effectively, it is over 4 metres long and also is just over 4 metres deep at the alcove entry
All stitching is good, even stitch length and very few over runs and loose threads.
I would not have paid full retail but at the usual sale price of 30% off I though the price was reasonable, at $500- I think it is a good enough buy
- Attachments
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- Big tent
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Re: Base camp/Car camping tent Again.
Fri 20 Sep, 2019 1:37 pm
Yeah, I bought the Canvas version, the Turbo 240 and to be honest, I haven't had it in full stormy weather but have had it in the rain and absolutely love it.
https://www.blackwolf.com.au/products/turbo-240-tent/
it's heavy, has solid poles and a luxury 2 person tent. Wifey isn't the camping type so had to buy top of the range, camp bed, car camping sleeping mat... I thought about the lite version but paid the extra with the "buy once" philosophy and 100% happy. It should outlast me if I look after it.
But having said that, the lite version is still a good tent campared to most and less than a third the price of mine! Pretty awesome tent for $500. Maybe getting a Gazebo/Marque as well will give you options and heaps of under cover space.
Edit: Doh, I just realised its not a Turbo but a dome, still, I think Black Wolf make excellent tents. I'm sure that dome will give you good milage.
https://www.blackwolf.com.au/products/turbo-240-tent/
it's heavy, has solid poles and a luxury 2 person tent. Wifey isn't the camping type so had to buy top of the range, camp bed, car camping sleeping mat... I thought about the lite version but paid the extra with the "buy once" philosophy and 100% happy. It should outlast me if I look after it.
But having said that, the lite version is still a good tent campared to most and less than a third the price of mine! Pretty awesome tent for $500. Maybe getting a Gazebo/Marque as well will give you options and heaps of under cover space.
Edit: Doh, I just realised its not a Turbo but a dome, still, I think Black Wolf make excellent tents. I'm sure that dome will give you good milage.
Re: Base camp/Car camping tent Again.
Fri 20 Sep, 2019 2:56 pm
Do they come with the cement slab?
Re: Base camp/Car camping tent Again.
Fri 20 Sep, 2019 3:49 pm
CBee wrote:Do they come with the cement slab?
Whaa?
Re: Base camp/Car camping tent Again.
Fri 20 Sep, 2019 4:06 pm
CBee wrote:Do they come with the cement slab?
Nah! That is another $5600- Orange hockey stick for power add $460- to cover the cost of digging the trench.
Only clear space in the yard is the slab for the new shed and mancave
Re: Base camp/Car camping tent Again.
Thu 26 Sep, 2019 12:23 pm
We got ten years out of a marmot limestone 6. Killed by UV.
Replaced it with a north face kaiju 6 which got hammered in a huge wind storm in Barrington (to be fair, so did every other tent). 3 of four DAC poles snapped with one making a nice 100cm tear in the fly.
Got some new poles, patched up good as new. Love tenacious tape and seamgrip! Battle scarred.
Replaced it with a north face kaiju 6 which got hammered in a huge wind storm in Barrington (to be fair, so did every other tent). 3 of four DAC poles snapped with one making a nice 100cm tear in the fly.
Got some new poles, patched up good as new. Love tenacious tape and seamgrip! Battle scarred.
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