Hi
Thank you for your order. Unfortunately we have encountered a significant delay in obtaining stock of the Lightwave g2 trek (2009) and they are now unavailable for several weeks. Unless you wish to exchange for another tent, I will refund you upon your instruction. Please accept my apologies for any inconvenience. Drat! What to do what to do? My brain is thinking F2 instead... but would that be in stock either? Plus £100 more and materials not as robust! Dragonfly 2XT.. same price but not as solid for wind rain and 4 season use. Then my mind is thinking Hilleberg Nammatj 2GT. £200 more expensive but good bug protection. May not be able to us this high up either though! What to do?!# John
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I've never encountered someone who regretted buying a hilly. The Dragonfly and the Nammatj do both have decent bad weather cooking space with their big porches. The lightwave models you selected do not have such a luxury.
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 What's the job? The main reservation I have with the Nammatj is it's over the top for a lot of uses: bear in mind it's the sort of tent that can be (and is) used off-the-shelf for an unsupported polar expedition, and most of us don't actually need that sort of backbone. I went for a Kaitum instead which gives you more space and a second porch/entrance (though it does lack the bug netting on the porch vents and door). Not as robust, but that doesn't mean the same as weak as it still uses first-class materials. I'd sooner be in a Nammatj in a storm-force wind on an exposed pitch, but a Kaitum will still take a lot of flak and can be trusted "up high" in most situations. Like Zuma, I'm a fan of Hillebergen. They do cost a lot but IMHO you do still get value for money. Not the lightest or the quietest tents you can get but then all tents are compromises, and to my mind Bo Hilleberg puts the balance point in a very good spot that works very well for what I'm after when camping (ease of pitch, ease of living in use, flexible use of space, well built, everything included is there for a good reason). Pete.
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 Go for a Hilleberg - you definitely won't regret it. But if you want the same sort of weight as the T2 Trek, then go for the Nallo GT rather than the Nammatj, or, slightly heavier and a semi-geo rather than a tunnel, the Jannu - you should have no trouble taking that as high as you like.
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Hi John, Sorry to hear about the order being delayed. I might have something that will do the job. Drop me a pm and we can go from there if you're interested. Cheers, tmm
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Do you reckon the Hilleberg Nammatj 2 gt could handle bad weather higher up? It's used as a benchmark expedition tent for unsupported polar treks where tent failure just isn't on the menu. Seriously tough and super-reliable, altitude shouldn't pose any great problems (you can get all the wind you want (and more!) at low altitude on coasts and plateaus, after all). Nallos and Kaitums will take a lot of flak too. Not as much as Nammatjs and Kerons, but still lots, and they're easier to carry. I know it can take a snow loading but wasn't so sure on it's aerodynamic qualities? Like a lot of tents it's better end into a blow, but those lots of tents included include the others you're looking at, and since wind has a habit of changing as depressions move over you need something that can take it at any angle, not just the optimum one(s). Hilleberg design their tunnels to move around in a blow, so they wobble but they don't fall down. They can also be rather noisy inside in a real blow as the fabric ripples around, but take some ear plugs and you might get some sleep as well as keeping warm and dry... Pete.
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But let me remind you that the big trick of hillie is the tunneldesign. Saw your movie on the campfield in snowdonia. I noticed two tunnels and a I believe an terra Nova (may a TN subbrand) dome tent surviving that gale. I believe the dome was properly staked and the tunels survived by their inherent design and proper staking. The thing is you must not be lazy when pitching your tent in the open. Use all stakepoints other wise the wind can far more easy get a grip behind the outershell of the tent and that's when things go bad. Stake all guylines they are there to lessen the risc of extreme bending of the poles which leads to poles bend into toothpicks.
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 Hey, Red Tent's second link is mine. Nice to see it's getting looked at. I've had a few tents over the last few years, the sturdiest being a Terra Nova Terra Firma, which at 8.5kg was just way too heavy, if theoretically bombproof. I then went to a Nallo 4GT (huge improvement in every way) before getting the Nallo 2. All I can say is that I can't imagine ever using anything else now. I looked at the Kaitum which is a great tent, but felt that the Nallo suited the mostly one or two night trips we do, as it keeps the weight to a minimum whilst maximising quality. The other thing about Hillebergs is that they always have a high resale value on Ebay. I bought my 4GT new for £460 including groundsheet and sold it for £360, and could probably have got more if it wasn't Buy Now. Buy cheap, buy twice, etc.
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| Edited: 19/08/09 15:10 |
Thanks! This gives me a lot more to think about now! I do like the Nammatj 2 gt but I think it is quite long in length 4.05m, and also quite heavy at 3.5kg? Will have to take a look at Nallo 2 and Nammatj 2. John
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 Yeah just thought I would add to the Hilleberg praise . My nallo 2 has been high up on the cairngorm Plateau in strong winds on a few occasions and its been noisy but solid . It makes you feel confident in your tent and allows you to enjoy your trip without worrying too much if your tent will survive the night.
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Hi John, I'll try again. Would you be interested in a brand new (genuinely 'brand new'), never used 2009 Hilleberg Nallo 2GT? If so drop me a line. If not good luck in picking something else from the Hilleberg range. Great tents and worth the money if you use them.
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 John, if you're looking at the Nallo, why not the lightwave t2 (or t1) tunnels. I've a t2 cylq (standard & xt fly). I've not seen it take a battering yet but it gives every impression of being well made and well thought out. Compared to what you'd ordered, the t2 trek is fractionaly wider, a fair bit lighter and a straight swap in terms of price. Of course, you go from semi geo to tunnel with the additional considerations.
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Also a tip to strengthen your tent: "Double poling". If you ar quit sure circumstances going to be severe it is a fine feat. you're able to "double pole" your tent. It means two poles in one sleeve... This is mostly done with Hillies in the Artic area. If you have a light Nallo or Kaitum it's not that bad to have to carry an extra set of poles for double poling. If you carry for instead a Keron or a Nammatj, carrying an extra set of poles is not so nice anymore. Just some thoughts about the choice between the lighter Nallo's and Kaitums and the Nammatj and keron's
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| Edited: 20/08/09 09:08 |
Zuma, I asked Carol McDermott about double poling a lightwave and he didn't seem to know if it would be possible - put the other way, it certainly isn't a standard lightwave feature. If you want to sure to be able to double pole then it's going to have to be a Hille. However that really is an extreme measure for extreme conditions... which you have to anticipate by carrying the extra poles! If you do opt for a tunnel (whatever make) there's some very handy hints about pitching in non ideal conditions here and here at lightwave...
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Yup double poling is a Hillie feat. and yes you must expect the worst conditions to decide to carry the extra set of poles. I like the lightwave tents as well, they have some smart and sturdy looking designs and are indeed lightweight. But I got infected by the Hillie microbe, I'm lost forever (alltough I own four different brands of tents) 
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For Hilleberg shopping right now, F&T have some significant deals in their camping sale right now, so you can buy one and have it merely hurt your wallet with Kaitum GTs, Nallo, Nallo GT, Allak and Jannu models up to £100 off. With LW vs. HB, my impression when we compared a Nallo GT to a t2 xt was there were comparably high standards of materials and construction, the LW would be the nicer place to sleep once it was pitched but the HB was significantly less painful to put up (and that was in a shop with 3 of us, not in a wind driven rain storm on your own, I imagine there'd be a bigger difference in inclemennt conditions). Another downer for the LW for me is I have to have the inner up any time the tent is to be pitched. Being able to take out the inner for party space/bike repiar garage etc. is something I really like. Another thing about LWs for me is they're allsingle ended, and my personal preference is for twin-ended designs. Pete.
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Yep Hillie are always easy to pitch in each circumstancs. But still I think that LW are smart designs but not that smart as hillie.  What is F&T?
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