Naked women, tents and 195mph winds?

[Jutt]

Hey all,

I'm in the market for a new tent and I think Im sold on a Hilleberg Nallo2GT, but I just read about Stephenson Tents at warmlite.com. Besides all of the strange, but entertaining 70's nude shots, whats up with this claim of the tents being able to withstand 195mph winds? Are these things for real? The price is very similar to the Nallo, but I'm concerned for the strength of the warmlite due to the lack of guy loops. I'm also very atracted to the Nallo GT because of the large vestibule.

[mneagle]

I've used a Warmlite 3R climbing in Bolivia and backpacking in Patagonia. The key to the wind strength is getting aligned correctly with the prevailing winds. It is a tube style tent with tapering towards the end opposite the door. Thread the poles front and back and then grab the rear stake-out point. Hold the tent up and let the wind align it like a weather vein. Stake out the end and walk around to the other side and then stake that end out second. We used ours on some unprotected plains in Patagonia in gale force winds and had no problem. In Bolivia, the winds tended to come later in the day so we had trouble orienting the tent when we first made camp. When the wind blows from the side it really deforms the tent and gets pretty scary but it held up. It's surprising given that the material seems paper thin.

 

My overall opinion is that the Warmlite is a great backpacking and long approach basecamp tent (the thing is super light) but on high mountains I'd rather bring something a little more durable and free standing.

 

If you go for the Warmlite, I'd recommend the 3R with double walls, large door and side windows. This should work for 2 people + gear. With the double walls and side windows, ventilation/condensation can mostly be controlled even in the NW. Still, keep a rag to wipe it down in the morning.

[matt_warfield]

I'm disappointed.....I thought this was going to be a trip report.

[specialed]

Those old outdoor catalogs, circa 1970's, are great. Naked hippy chicks selling sleeping bags and shit.

[Steddy]

i'm not at home right now, but i believe the latest issue of Climbing reviewed single wall tents, touching on Stephenson designs. if I remember correctly, they had some bones to pick - not free standing, functionality, etc. the review doesn't appear to be on their web at the moment, but the read would be worthwhile.

[Timcb]

What about Light Is Right tents? Anybody use them? They seem comparable to the Warmlites in design and cost, though maybe a bit lighter?

 

I too am in the market for a new tent (for 2 months in Peru and Bolivia), so it's good to see a favorable report from down south.

 

Other tents I'm considering are Nallo 2 and MK1 XL. Weight is really paramount, but not quite as important as sturdiness.

[Ricardo_Montalban]

 

"How to Measure Girth"

[griz]

Hilleberg's are overpriced and complete shit, dude. ever try sleeping in one in high winds...? you are better off in a garbage bag.

 

advice, get a real tent.

[Dru]

I know a guy with a Hilleberg and I have to say it is the best tent I have ever seen.

[griz]

you are also a loser who thinks the nodder thread is cool

[Dru]

Sure is Nodder!

It could be worse, I could be in Colorado, the asshole of America!

[cj001f]

Sure is Nodder!

It could be worse, I could be in Colorado, the asshole of America!

Isn't Hope Canada's Asshole?

[Dru]

No just the Lower Mainland's

And Boston Bar is 40 miles further up!

[Clivus]

I've got a Stephensons 3R and I use it for everything around here. It weighs less than 4 pounds and it is a palace. It sleeps three with packs in the tent, no problem. Some people think that not being free standing is a disadvantage. When was the last time you pitched your tent in the mountians without anchors?

 

The tent does seem somewhat fragile. I've had two problems with it in three years of heavy use. First, a zipper on the door jammed closed, luckily it has two doors (the zippers are tiny) Second, a pole broke when a partner was attempting to take the tent down in 45mph winds by himself. The poles are also very thin walled.

 

I would definitely buy this tent again in spite of the two problems I've had. The above comments about the tendancy of the tent to collapse when cross loaded are accurate. This can be minimized by using a third pole (the tent comes with a sleeve) or pitching it very tight. If I do ever need to buy another tent from them I would have stephenson's add external guy points halfway up the pole sleeves.

 

One other drawback is the flammability of the Sil fabric. I am afraid to cook in the tent with anything more powerful than a jetboil. One flareup and you would be shrinkwrapped. Also the tent has no vestibules. For these reasons I am taking a Bibler Bombshelter to AK this year. For routine Cascade use the Stephensons remains my tent of choice.

[cj001f]

No just the Lower Mainland's

And Boston Bar is 40 miles further up!

I can only imagine what you've had to eat when Elvis rocks the canyon!

[VacPacTunaYum]

I have a Nallo 3 Gt, and it pitches tighter than my moms drumset, and it's lasted longer than any other tent I own. The only issue with it is finding space to pitch it in the mountains, all of the GTs are long and at times hard to position. I would suggest getting the normal nallo and just taking a sill tarp or something for the extra vestibule. That way you don't have has much fabric whippin around if the gish really hits the fan. Don't bother with the warmlite, I've seen them blow up where other tents barely even flinched.

[Jedi]

The zippers do seem to freeze if you are not careful about ventilation.

 

I cooked in the Stephenson I had (with an XKG) and it was a scary period of time. At the moment, I wished the vestibule did not have a floor.

 

 

I talked to Mr Stephenson about his tents. My issue was the fact you had to know which way was going to be blowing from or it made for a tough night of sleeping.

He said Americans didn't know a damn thing about aerodymaics. Snow walls are a ridiculous concept and you should never have snow walls around a Stephenson.

I told him that you might not have snow walls when you pitch your tent, but it snows in the mountains. That requires you to shovel it away from the tent and your end up with snow around your tent.

He said you just move your tent every once in a while.

 

So you move the tent when the wind changes directions and when it snows.

Yeah, when the wind is gusting bad enough the tent is sagging on the sides and it is snowing, I really want to empty my tent and move it.

 

Not practical enough for me.

It seems a lot of his stuff sounds good on paper but is not practical in the mountains.

 

Why isn't everyone wearing his rubber shirts, pants and underwear?????? Sounds like the shit on the chalkboard.

Why doesn't everyone use a VB liner in their sleeping bag?

 

Jedi

[griz]

Wow, what a clueless fuck. Those statements alone about repositioning in a storm are enough not to buy anything from him.

 

As far as the Nalo, I used them for 3 days on Rainier when the wind was gusting in 75-100mph and despite putting huge tension both of those peice of shit tents they still flapped, bucked, twisted and made a huge racket the entire weekend. I was surprised they lasted. They were pretty embarrassing peices of equipment and I was glad I was not the one who had shelled out over $1000 for them. Those tents are still a source of jokes for us 4 years later... I'd at least check them out in a store and have them set it up for you if you are still interested and give them a good shake and push test. Hopefully you'll see what a joke they are for a expedition type tent.

 

edit: i also now remember 2-3 of the cheap plastic parts used to adjust the guy lines broke. these were brand new tents and this was their first outing. mmmm....garbage...

[furnace]

look, the nallo is a good basecamp type tent. it's light, packs tiny, has a good integrated vestibule, perfect for ski touring!

 

expensive? yes. (i got mine slightly used, therefore le$$)

 

loud fabric? yes, compared to toddtex. hilleberg's using some kind of silnylon ripstop, and it's definitely louder than my friend's bibler. but above 50mph, everything's getting loud, so BFD. earplugs weigh like 2 grams.

 

my nallo has endured 75mph gusts, obliquely, no problems. it flattened slightly and flexed a bit, that's all. tunnel tents are designed to flex. and no crossing poles = no *clack + groan* like in most free-standing tents, which is equally nerve-wracking.

 

about guyline tensioners breaking, yeah that's bullshit, but mine came with metal ones, so i haven't had this problem.

 

hillebergs are not perfect. their size is not good for pitching on ledges. they're not freestanding, which annoys a lot of people. they're definitely too warm in the summer.

 

but for basecamp on snow (my primary use for the thing) it's stable and strong.

 

if it DID NOT come unglued at 100mph on rainier (right?) i'd say that's definitely NOT a piece of shit.

[Dru]

the hilleberg tent my friend has is freestanding...they make like 50 models not just the nallo

[Dechristo]

Those old outdoor catalogs, circa 1970's, are great. Naked hippy chicks selling sleeping bags and shit.

 

Early Winters catalogs were good for that.

[JoshK]

Anybody else think it is lame that Todd named the fabric "ToddTex" considering it isn't like he invented it or anything? It sounds dorky. IGs use the exact same fabric and they didn't name it BobTex or JoshTex or SteveTex or something.

 

pointless bitch over.

 

-josh

[Dru]

well w.l. gore had already sewn up "GoreTex" so it was ToddTex or BiblerTex

[Dechristo]

What became of the Early Winters outdoor equipment supply company? I've (and still use) a couple of their stuff sacks from the late '70's.

 

Anybody know?

[graupel]

Anybody else think it is lame that Todd named the fabric "ToddTex" considering it isn't like he invented it or anything? It sounds dorky. IGs use the exact same fabric and they didn't name it BobTex or JoshTex or SteveTex or something.

 

Supposedly the "ToddTex" stuff is the first generation Gore-Tex which became available to manufacture by other fabric companies after the patent ran out. The actual branded Gore-Tex had progressed in development with improvements in breathability and resistance to oil contamination amongst other traits, so for many reasons calling the older configuration Gore-Tex would be innaccurate.

 

A number of companies put their own label on a fabric that a fabric mill offers to them which enables the marketing folks to make up their own tale to tell about it. With all the marketing behind it, most companies elect to call current generation Gore-Tex by that name, but that hasn't always been the case.

 

 

Oh, and Early Winters turned into a mail order company headquartered somewhere in Oregon. Apparently they have now changed their business name to now call themselves Sahalie now with a mailing address listed as Portland http://www.sahalie.com/. They also appear to be part of a family of mail order companies affiliated with the mail order outfit Norm Thompson.