TGO Rating: 3.5
The Octane 2 is a lightweight tunnel tent at quite a low price. The instructions say to pitch the flysheet first then connect the inner and reverse this when taking it down
TGO Rating: 1
I’m afraid the only good points about this tent are the low cost, the long inner and the fact that it can be pitched quickly. Stability is poor with a big end panel that catches the wind.
TGO Rating: 4
This is the tent if you like plenty of space and good headroom – the most of any tent tested. The inner doors are vertical and the two walls fairly steep and it feels really roomy inside. Two full-length mats can be laid out without touching anywhere.
The Shangri-La 2 is a traditional ridge tent that pitches with trekking poles, saving weight and space in the pack. It’s easy and quick to pitch, with just six pegs needed. However pitched like this the tent does flap a bit in the wind.
Hilleberg’s latest tent is enormous, measuring 505cm in length. That’s because it has a standard porch at one end and a huge extended porch at the other. There are four poles but it can still be pitched quickly with just four pegs.
The t1 Ultra xt is light for the size with a huge extended porch. The inner is quite roomy – suitable for two 190cm adults says Lightwave – with good headroom at the front. It tapers a little in width and height to the rear.
TGO Rating: 3
Marmot’s Grid is unusual for a semi-geodesic as it pitches as a unit, with the poles running through sleeves on the outside of the flysheet.
TGO Rating: 4.5
Mountain Equipment’s new tent isn’t a revolutionary design, nor is it the lightest or roomiest tent tested. But it is the tent that provides the best compromise between weight, size and performance.
The Viperine 2 has a hub pole system that makes pitching the tent quite fast, though the length of the connected pole sections needs care. The tent has five attachment points for guylines.
This is a very roomy crossover pole dome tent with excellent headroom and big porches. Crossover pole domes can be wobbly in strong winds but double guylines on each pole prevent wobbles in the ArxcisDuo.
