Who's got a Luxe Outdoor Mini Peak 2 tent?

I couldn't find a thread dedicated to this tent like the one for the Go Lite Hex/Shangri La 3. If I've missed it, someone please redirect me.

I reckon at £120 this tent is a bargain. It's been up alongside a Golite Hex 3 in my garden for the last three days. We've had a lot of rain and strong winds and the first thing I've noticed is that the Mini Peak moves less in the wind. The Golite pole is very easy to adjust to retension the fabric from inside the tent but the cheap trekking pole I am using in the Mini Peak was impossible to alter with cold, wet hands. Rain blew in under the vents in both the tents but the Mini Peak vents aren't as deep as those on the Hex and could be improved; which set me thinking.

I've ordered a new Mini Peak pole from Bob at Backpacking Light which he tells me is like the Go Lite pole. I'll see how it fits but comparing the two tents the Hex is definitely stronger in the peak where the pole goes, so I'll see about adding strength there in the Mini Peak. At the moment I have a half tennis ball over the cut down handle of the trekking pole.
I'm thinking of adding material to deepen the vent hoods and putting in a soft wire edging. The stiffened velcro strips currently supplied look to be easily lost.
The adjusters for the corner pegs are clumsy, but if the new pole can be used to retension the fabric from inside the tent I may just leave them and turn the strap ends back to stop them slipping out of the buckles.
I intend to use it with a bivi bag rather than the nest so I'll keep the two zipped doors (with a nest in one is unusable) but wonder if it would be worth fitting two way zips. I'd appreciate anybody's views on this.
Lastly, I think the seams could be strengthened by sewing them back flat, and it looks like it would be easy to do with the sewing machine. I'd appreciate hearing any views on that idea, as well.

Cheers

This will be an interesting thread Nobby and I'll give the designer some UK feedback over time.

I agree with you about the vent card supports being a bit 'soft'. My upgrade would be to take two 6 inch lengths of 'loop' and 'hook' velcro. Stick them together and sew 4 inches on each side, leaving an inch at each end which can 'open' like a flower.

Then cut a 4 inch length of fibreglass or old 6mm aluminium tent pole, and force that down the centre.

When the velcro was closed at both ends it would hold the pole section in place so it isn't lost, but when they were both open they would stick to the velcro on the tent and hold the vent fully open more positively.

BTW the pole you are getting is the same design style as the origonal Hex 3 pole, with the sliding 'ring' to lock the pole in place. As opposed to the current, 'sprung nipple clip' style pole.

It'll be interesting if more than you an I join it Bob! :0)

I'd like the vent hoods deeper, I think. Your replacement for the stiffeners would work better than the current ones which are very light. One of mine was blown down the garden when it came adrift.

Good about the pole. I assume that a sprung nipple clip is like on crutches and walking sticks and doesn't allow adjustments between the holes for the nipple?

Nobby

I see we have a couple of things in common, a recumbent trike and a Mini Peak II

I don't actually use mine but was involved in the changes between the first and this version.As you discussed the right pole is very important with this type of shelter.In my view ,one that can be adjusted from inside is a lot better than a fixed one..(I use Black Diamond flick lock with a connecting segment between two of them reversed)  .

As for those vents from memory there was no change from the original version so I must have thought that they were OK...In my opinion top vent don't need to be all that large.Bottom vent should be large enough to promote cold air coming in, however top vents are there to expel hot air so using the chimney effect they should be small enough to keep the pressure up.I do remember fiddling with the spacer that keeps the vents open but forgot what I did.(I just had a look at it, probably just added a stick held in place with a rubber band.. one of the reason I have several thick rubber bands with me in the bush)

BTW , in mine the two ends of the spreader have loops in one and hooks in the other so there is a right and wrong way to attach it.I noticed that BPL lists 145cm  as the correct height . Originally it was a bit less to accommodate the use of many shorter hiking poles but it does sit better at around 145 cm...Very easy to set up if you follow the instructions...

Franco

My Trice hasn't been used in 18 months I'm currently on an upwrong with normal sized wheels and trying modern bikepacking :0)

Maybe I'll try the stiffer vent sticks before altering the hoods - they'll be quicker to sew.

I see that the Hex has bug neting over the vents. What purpose does that serve? Any bug with a modicum of malice is going to come under the bottom of the tent anyway.

The bug netting over the vents is to capture the bugs, a good protein source.Bugs love to congregate at the apex so if you enclose that area you have a better chance of catching them.Franco(it can help with spindrift and wind driven rain)

I'm a vegetarian but helping with rain would be a good idea :0) That's another mod then!

nobby wrote (see)

... The Golite pole is very easy to adjust to retension the fabric from inside the tent but the cheap trekking pole I am using in the Mini Peak was impossible to alter with cold, wet hands.

Do you need to alter  the pole's actual length?  If you pitch with the pole sloping slightly (i.e. not quite vertical) you can adjust its effective length to retension the fabric just by moving the bottom end of the pole to bring it closer to vertical, easily done with cold hands.  

the original Hex 3 pole design with the sliding 'ring' to lock the pole in place

absolutely fine, until someone accidentally knocks the ring/washer - then the thing collapses!

best way of using it (if clumsy like me) is to set its length, then place it in with the adjustment bit up top then it's out of the way. (do it a little long and offset like Frum suggests for adjustability)

You can offset a Hex pole a surprising amount - we had 2 (adult and 12yr old)sleeping one side and one the other...

@frum - that's a clever idea. I should have thought about that before buying the new pole :0). Otoh, a fully open trekking pole isn't the easiest thing to carry on a bike.

@Mole - I'd just assumed that the washer adjusting bit went to the top

nobby wrote (see)

@frum - that's a clever idea. I should have thought about that before buying the new pole :0). Otoh, a fully open trekking pole isn't the easiest thing to carry on a bike. @Mole - I'd just assumed that the washer adjusting bit went to the top

maybe it should! I started with it at the bottom when I first had the tent and sort of carried on. 

I just found it much harder to adjust length in situ (under compression)with it up that way

(I usually used trekking poleswhen carrying it anyhow )

Well, for £75 its a hell of a lot of tent. I think it was Monty in the original thread you raised, who said that he didn't think the inner would be midge proof.

 Not sure whether it will be or not but I'm dreaming up a "mod" already. I've got an old transverse ridge tent (well, two of em!) called a caravan Kaipak. Its got a full length doorway on each side and so has the inner. So I'm thinking of using the original as a template and having a bash at knocking up a copy with my inner. If it works, both doors can be used to get in and out of the tent. 

I've only had it up in the front room (sort of!) but its remarkable value and if its reasonably weatherproof, then its going to be a good light and comfortable shelter.

Hopefully, I'll have my super duper mod to take with me as well, when I get out next weekend    

I had mine up in rain for three days and couldn't see any leakage except where the inner was touching the outer. I think it's ok. Next is to try it in rain with me in it :0)

) Don't think we'll have to wait long!

I'm down for a yacf camp in Warwickshire next weekend. I now how to test to extremes :0)

Hey Mole, er yes the ring goes at the top of the pole, not the bottom.

No wonder it always collapsed on you

how are you getting on with the tent? really fancy one but just waiting to see if some more pop up on ebay for cheap as i really cant afford the price from the UK sadly .

Mini Peak Video can be found here

Mega Horn Video just here

And if you're interested the Lightwave Video just along here

....and this weekend I got to use the mini peak 2 :0)

Nursing a broken tooth and infected cheek I pedalled manfully into Warwickshire and met fellow YACF'ers at Long Itchington.
The site was low level, bounded by a little river, and very damp. It was also cold.

I used the Mini Peak 2 with a polycryo groundsheet, an Alpkit Hunka XL bivi bag, a short Neoair mattress and my Cumulus 350 sleeping bag, and I slept like a top. All these items were either bought here from the classifieds or from recommendations here and at YACF. It has helped me get my cycle camp kit, including food and water, to under 10kg while still sleeping warmly.
At 0230 (my normal night pee time) the site was shrouded in heavy mist. The temperature was 7.1ºC outside the mini peak and 9.5 inside, which I thought was a good differential for something with open edges all around and a sharp breeze whistling through that lifted the edges of the groundsheet.
No condensation inside the mini peak at all, and only a little around the mouth of the bivi bag.
There was loads of space and very little gear to put in it :0)

I'm starting the mods this week because, as I thought would happen, a corner strap slipped out of the adjuster and my wet, cold hands fumbled threading it back. I think the corner adjusters are only necessary at initial pitching. After that you can retension by extending the pole further.

I was very pleased with this short and non taxing test so I intend to use it for the rest of my camping plans and see if it might not render my Akto obsolete. I'll have to try the Hex as well, just to keep Herself happy, but this is only slightly heavier and a lot less bulky. Low bulk is good on the bike and I don't think I will need the extra space of the Hex.

I know, from expensive experience that there is no such thing as a perfect tent, but could a mini peak 2 with an Ookworks nest for the Winter be very, very close?

Hoping for two nights out late next week if the anti biopics work ok :0)

glad to here it went well, just took the plunge and ordered one from bob out of stock at the min but the website says more planned this week so should get to test it the friday after next if all goes to plan.