ADV Inmate Reviews - Tents/Tarps/and Hammocks

[AngryScot]

Inmates make for some of the best reviewers, here is my attempt at gathering some of the best reviews to date. Please PM me or post your review for linking in this first post. I certainly missed a lot and only grab the few that I knew of off the top of my head.
I am trying to pick reviews which excel from the norm with detailed pictures and tips.
Will edit and add more info as the thread grows. Will be adding a tips section for packing and supplies for repair and replacement parts.
I don't think I will be adding vendors as deals change and the debate over where to get or not get gear is not worth it in this thread.

DA Tent List:

Big Agnes
Big Agnes Muddy Slide 3 3 person

Coleman
Coleman Phad X3 Review 3 person MSRP $259.95


Kelty
Kelty Pagosa 2 person MSRP $200



Mountain Hardware
Mountain Hardware Hamerhead 2 tent review 2 person MSRP $255
Wedge 3 3 person (Partial review in thread) MSRP $240


Mountainsmith
Mountainsmith Altura Review 1 person MSRP $70


MSR

[/b]MSR Fling 2 person MSRP $289

REI
Half Dome 2HC 2 person MSRP $169
REI Hoodoo 3 Tent 3 person MSRP $240
REI Quarter Dome T3 3 person MSRP $289
REI Quarter Dome T2 2 person MSRP $269

Vango
Vango Omega 250 Tent Review 2 person (UK £99)



Serria Designs
Sirius 2 tent 2 person MSRP $149
Tengu 2 2 person MSRP $259.00
Tengu 3 3 person MSRP ?

Poles:

http://www.polesforyou.com/
http://www.fibraplex.com/tentpoles.htm
http://www.questoutfitters.com/tent_poles.htm

Stakes:

Tipis and pointy things
Kifaru -
Kifaru 4 man Tipi and stove review Kifaru

Da Tarps and poles list:

REI
Wing 10ft tarp



Tent Tips:

Packing:
1) Pack your poles seperately, this will allow you to pack your tent smaller in a seperate dry bag or compression bag. The seperated poles give you more options for placement in your panniers. Easier packing.

2) Spare dry bag or giant zip lock. Gives you more options if you have to pack away something wet like your rainfly or ground sheet.

3) Quart/gallon ziplocks. Cold,tired and muddy is a time you are least likely to clean off your tent stakes or guylines. Throw them in a seperate ziplock to keep the rest of your gear clean.

SET-UP

1) Adjustable guy lines adapters make adjusting the guylines on tent or tarp much easier then makinn lots of knots:
Nite Ize Figure 9 Rope Tighteners

2) Buy the ground sheet or make your own. Most tents come with an optional ground sheet. It si worth it to safe the bottom of your new home! Reg ular tarps work too and a grommet kit from a hardware store can custumize that sucka ti fit in now time!


Tarp Tips:

1) Tarp poles: many tarp poles are too long to it in the panniers, You can always remove the shock cord and trim the ends an inch or 2 and then retie the shock cords so that you have a custom fit.

[rboett]

not sure if you were looking offsite for info. but try this:

http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Shelters/Tents/

[Guaglione]

See if you can find some reviews of the Bibler line of tents, sold by Black Diamond. The Ahwahnee is a great Moto-camping tent.

Also, look at NEMO tents. They have some great tents that pack real small.
www.nemoequipment.com , I think.

Cheers,

Luca

Ps - A guy walks into the psychiatrists office muttering "I'm a wigwam, I'm a teepee, I'm a wigwam."

the psychiatrist says "relax, man, you're just two tents."

get it?

[AngryScot]

Originally Posted by rboett

not sure if you were looking offsite for info. but try this:
http://www.backpackgeartest.org/reviews/Shelters/Tents/

Not really, after more hands on reviews from folks here who use the tents for bike camping etc. More focused approached. although links like yours are good to have if folks are reading the threads, I just don't plan on moving them into the first thread (yet). thanks!

Originally Posted by Guaglione

See if you can find some reviews of the Bibler line of tents, sold by Black Diamond. The Ahwahnee is a great Moto-camping tent.
Also, look at NEMO tents. They have some great tents that pack real small.
www.nemoequipment.com , I think.
Cheers,
Luca

Hi Luca
I am doing some internal adv searching for reviews that are informative and with good pics. Will be adding more as I find them.
Thanks!

oh and the joke was aweful!

[noahr]

I just picked up this tent...

Outbound outpost long 3.

Its a great inexpensive option. I bought mine a "3 Vets" in Vancouver, If you haggle and pay with cash you can get it for $110 tax in!

It great quality and packs small enough for me...only thing is that it's kinda heavy due to it cheap poles...i guess you could swap them out if it really bothered you, but it not like i'm backpacking with this thing!

http://www.outbound.ca/Explorer-Seri...uct-flyer.html

[AngryScot]

Originally Posted by noahr

I just picked up this tent...

Outbound outpost long 3.

get to a review pronto and take lots of pics! View a previous review above for the bar that is set

Looks good

[scorpion]

MSR mutha hubba



pure deluxe luxury for the larger payload bikes

[Jolly705]

Not on your list but I own this tent and it is rather amazing, super light and small. I use it for backpacking, it weighs something like 4 pounds. It is a 4 season tent that I have done a lot of winter camping with as well as summer. I don't think you can go wrong BUT it is pricey. I am going on 12 years owning mine and looks as good as new.

http://www.bdel.com/gear/i-tent.php

[AngryScot]

good suggestions so far...if you have the tent why not do a full blow review with pics and I can stick it on the first post.
The idea is to get ADV reviews for those folks looking for a tent for bike camping, certain things matter to us more than others and an ADV review tends to show those that we care about.

[MojaveGS]

Working on my Awahnee review.

Short version: Awsome!

[AngryScot]

Originally Posted by MojaveGS

Working on my Awahnee review.

Short version: Awsome!

you healing up I hope! Look forward to the review!

[YZman]

Originally Posted by AngryScot

DA LIST:

Coleman
Coleman Phad X3 Review 3 person

Mountain Hardware
Mountain Hardware Hamerhead 2 tent review 2 person

Wooo hooo...I made the list on my 1st attempt at a gear report...But to be honest the Phad X3 report set the bar for me

[earthroamer]

I bought a Bibler Eldorado, like the i-tent but a little larger, many years ago for snowshoe camping in the Sierras. It's now become my favorite m/c camping tent. As Jolly notes, it's not cheap. Can't really justify buying it just for m/c camping.

I use it in conjuction with a tarp which I consider one of my most important pieces of gear. The tarp is big enough to park my bike under and if it's raining, I set up the tarp first then can take my time setting up camp under the tarp. I have some mosquito netting that I can string up under the tarp to keep the pesky buggers off me while I set up the tent. Regardless of what kind of tent you own, try a tarp. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, the cheap blue ones work fine.


The tarp is an old REI version of the MSR Parawing.

[AngryScot]

Originally Posted by YZman

Wooo hooo...I made the list on my 1st attempt at a gear report...But to be honest the Phad X3 report set the bar for me

You are in good company, the detailed reports really stand out and help folks make informed choices. Linking them allows the folks to check back to see if anything has changed....hate the tent now? Even better than expected, but get this or that sort of thing.

[AngryScot]

Originally Posted by earthroamer

I bought a Bibler Eldorado, like the i-tent but a little larger, many years ago for snowshoe camping in the Sierras. It's now become my favorite m/c camping tent. As Jolly notes, it's not cheap. Can't really justify buying it just for m/c camping.

I use it in conjuction with a tarp which I consider one of my most important pieces of gear. The tarp is big enough to park my bike under and if it's raining, I set up the tarp first then can take my time setting up camp under the tarp. I have some mosquito netting that I can string up under the tarp to keep the pesky buggers off me while I set up the tent. Regardless of what kind of tent you own, try a tarp. It doesn't have to be an expensive one, the cheap blue ones work fine.


The tarp is an old REI version of the MSR Parawing.

review? setup info?
These would be cool to add.
I tried setting up my 12x12 campmor tarp and it was nothing short of a huge pain in the arse. figuring out the poles VS the guy line length so the poles don't fall over when you attach the other side etc! Give me a few damn trees and it would be easier!