 Hi,
I have only done day walks in the Lakeland hills uptil now.I fancy the odd Spring/Summer overnight camping trip.Would something like the Gelert Solo fit the bill.
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I've got a Gelert Solo for lightweight overnighting - I've only given it limited use to date however I've been quite impressed with it so far. It's light (lighter than the quoted 1.5kg according to my scales), packs tiny and is very easy to pitch. It also gives the impression of being decently wind and weatherproof - mine has been out in wet and blustery conditions and hasn't leaked. The downside is that it is very small so there isn't much space inside. The porch area is also pretty small however it did take my 50l rucksack ok. I paid £20 for mine and even if it doesn't last long it's been a nice cheap introduction. Here's a picture of mine pitched at 560m on top of East Cairn Hill in the Pentlands in April: http://i.pbase.com/o6/22/662922/1/76827419.4byaUjPa.ec1.jpg
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I got a solo from ebay- £21. Basic, light and like a coffin.
Normally use a bivi bag but when kids stop walking at 1700 and it's pouring it's a long night lying in a goretex sac.
So i got this very cheap tent. Similar to a MSR zoid, it has about enough room for one medium sized person and has a small porch which has enough room for a 50 ltr sac.
It's seen fairly wild weather in the pentlands and i've been kept cramp but dry - no condensation what so ever.
Great tent for the cash.
Careful how to pitch it.
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Similar to a MSR zoid
From the dimensions etc. it looks to be very similar to the Micro Zoid.
I've been considering buying a Zoid 1 because I like the design of the Solo but wouldn't mind a little more space.
BTW Jock where about in the Pentlands do you normally camp? I've just started camping up there on occasion (after many years of day-walks as I live in Balerno) and would be interested in some location ideas.
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i've been leading DoE expeditions in the Pentlands for the past two summers now, despite being local and a keen walker and mountianeer i don't know really them well particularly the southern end.
I can mail you some locations where i've camped with groups in the past if you wish.
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I can mail you some locations where i've camped with groups in the past if you wish.
Cheers - that would be useful. I'd usually tend to camp on hill-tops myself but my I've just started wild camping with my son and for the moment prefer more sheltered spots with him. Last weekend we camped at Bonaly which was fine but there were other groups there and I'd rather use quieter locations.
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Jock,
Which Bivvi bag do you use.I have never camped and wonder if a bivvi would suit my purpose.I am getting a bit long in the tooth (58)for starting this sort of thing.I was at Bellingham for the Backpackers meet and it really inspired me to have a go.
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I have an Army Goretex one which i feel is a great buy. Basic, very wide, long, super tough and cheap (£20-£40).
You can get fancier ones with poles but your going to pay around £150+ by which piont you can get spacious tent which isn't going to weigh much more.
Biving is great if your prepared to sleep were you drop late in the evening and want to start early, 4 O'clock early the next day.
I've seen some of the most amazing scenes from bivis in the past which i would have missed had i been in a tent.
A tent will be more comforatble and relaxed and you can hang out in one which is difficult in a basic bivi bag, so maybe tent would suit someone 'long in the tooth'.
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 Might be worth checking Ebay everyday for any bargains, I've had a few really good bargains off Ebay in the past!
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I use one of the Gelert Bivi bags which I bought on Ebay for about £15. It packs small and is very light however so far I've only used it as a sleeping bag cover inside a tent (it was a new tent and until I knew for sure it'd be dry I didn't want to risk getting my down bag wet).
I'm planning to try a proper bivvy with it this year however I'll probably use a synthetic bag rather than the down one as I'm not sure how breathable the Gelert bivvy bag will be.
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I've used various bivi bags, mainly a RAB surival zone, but the army goretex one pisses all over it. It wieghs more but. Highly recommended.
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 how do you find the breathability of the army bivi bags ? any problems with a down sleeping bag getting damp with condensation?
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No condesation other than where your breath goes, if that makes sense.
No probs with down bags, thou two nights in a slushy snowhole and everything does get a bit too damp.
thats what i've found anyhow.
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I gave my Gelert Solo a more thorough try out last night by deliberately camping in an exposed spot (right at the summit of Hare Hill in the Pentlands) in reasonably strong (met office was suggesting 20-30mph) winds plus a fair amount of rain. The tent held up fine and I had a cosy and dry (if noisy) night with no problems. The downside of the tent though looks like being durability. When I was putting it up I noticed that one of the fibreglass pole sections had started to split - didn't cause a problem and it's now strengthened with duct tape however still not very impressive for a tent that has only been put up 3 times. Anyway the tent has done it's job and proved to me that I do want a small/light waterproof tent however I'd like one with a little more room inside (enough to sit up), a porch large enough to cook in (the Solo has enough, just) and preferably one which pitches outer first. Here's a couple of pics of the Solo in use last night: http://i.pbase.com/o6/22/662922/1/78297723.k3C0P11D.hh2.jpghttp://i.pbase.com/o6/22/662922/1/78297722.KOOsfhDC.hh1.jpghttp://i.pbase.com/o6/22/662922/1/78297738.E0ga1Djx.hh3.jpg
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| Edited: 06/05/07 14:31 |
Yip, Solo does a grand job, you've got to remember it's a £20 tent. A very good one at that.
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We really tested the Solo over the weekend, at very very wet and windy Kingshouse.
Goundsheet wasn't strong enough to stop water coming trough and the mesh sides really really kept it baltic inside.
However it did stay up to the horizontal rain and I did survive the night, be it a with a wet thermarest.
Can't complain for £20odd.
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I picked up one of the Pro-Action Tiger Claw tents for £20 from Ebay so can compare it to the Solo. The Solo packs smaller and is about 0.3-0.5kg lighter, however the Pro-Action is much bigger inside - I can sit up no problem, cook in the vestible and could even squeeze another person into the tent in an emergency.
I had it pitched in the garden for several days during the wet and windy conditions and it never budged or let any water in. It's also a lot quieter inside than in the Solo in similar conditions.
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Bob, do yourself a favour and go and spend that little bit more and get yourself a decent tent, you know damn well that you could be using it for the next 10 years of your life and have some amazing experiences. You can get a decent tent for 3 season use for just over £50-£70 that will last you a long time and give you so much pleasure. Think about how much you waste your money on elsewhere and then think about what a decent tent would give you back for your money compared to some of the other crap you fork out £50 for!
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Hi Jamie,
Name some names I am quite willing to spend fifty quid.
Bob
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| Edited: 21/05/07 12:09 |
