Page 16 - The Tent Handbook 2017

Choosing the right Hilleberg tent with...
..THERE REALLY IS no “best” Hilleberg tent for you, but there is a “right” one. We created our Label system specifically to make choosing that “right” tent as easy as possible.
Find which Label best meets your needs
First, make a realistic assessment of how you most often will use your tent. This is less about whether you backpack, climb, ski tour, and so on, and more about when, where and how you do it, as well as how often and how hard. In general, the more demanding your usage, the more you need overall strength, ease of use and reliability. Similarly, the more diverse your usage – being out in all seasons and conditions versus only traveling in the warmer months – the more adaptability you need. And while a lighter tent weight is nearly always an important criteria, if your usage will be quite demanding and/or quite diverse, choosing the lightest weight option can be a poor decision (see “The lightest weight trap,” below).
In each of our Label categories, we have tried to find the best balance of strength and light weight for their intended performance range. Black laBel tents have the greatest strength, ease of use, reliability and adapt- ability. These models will perform well in any condition, anywhere, any time of the year. If you don’t need that level of performance, but still will encounter challenging conditions in all seasons, consider the Red laBel models. If you know that your usage level will be light, and in warmer, less extreme conditions, choose a Yellow laBel tent. Our Blue laBel models are the specialists, for when a specific task is the main priority.
Consider your own inclinations, as well: if strength, ease of use, and comfort are more important to you, go Black Label. If those things are slightly less important to you than lighter weight, think Red Label. And if you simply want the lightest weight possible, regardless of the sacrifice in strength and comfort, look at Yellow Label models. Keep in mind, however, that any tent whose outer tent (also called a fly) does not go all the way to the ground could be susceptible to letting in wind-driven rain and splash- ing water. If you spend a good deal of time, even in so-called 3 season conditions, in driving rain, or high winds and rain, then one of our Black or Red Label all-season tents – all of whose outer tents go completely to the ground – would be a better choice. If you have any doubts, we strongly urge you to go “up” a Label.
Choosing the right tent for how you go into the backcountry will enhance all your adven- tures. Photo: Eric Philips (ericphilips.com).
Choose size, construction, and specific features
Some people prefer a room of their own; some want to share their tent with one or more partners. And while all our tents are built to accommodate their stated number of occupants plus gear, going up a size offers significantly more comfort with very little extra weight. Your physique is a factor, as well: bigger and/or taller users may find some models more suitable than others (see “Sizing up your tent,” below).
If you do more “mobile journeys,” where you take down and pitch the tent every day, our tunnel tent models offer the best space to weight ratios, and so are ideal for those who carry everything all the time. If you tend to establish a base camp and do shorter trips from there, then a dome tent’s static strength and ability to handle snow loading when left unattended may be the best choice. Within our dome models, we distinguish between “self supporting” tents, where the vestibules need to be pegged out, and “free standing models,” which have integrated vestibules and require no pegging for pitching. The latter are often better choices where there are limited pitching possibilities, such as rock slabs and gravelly soil. Again, factor in your own personal likes. Some people simply prefer tunnel tents over dome tents, or vice versa.
Access is another consideration: single entrance models are generally lighter, while dual door/dual vestibule tents offer greater convenience, more storage, and, in some cases, more venting options. Taller people also often find them more comfortable, since a two door inner tent has more usable space. Extended vestibule models are another option. These can be ideal for gear-intensive use, for trips with dogs or families, or for more backcountry lounging opportunities. The downside: a larger pitching footprint, and some extra weight.
In the end, only you can decide which tent is right tent for you, but since it will literally be your home in the backcountry, we urge you to choose wisely! Read more on or our website, www.hilleberg.com.
The “lightest weight” trap
Selecting a tent or shelter simply because it has the lightest weight is rarely a good idea. Our Tarps offer a super light solution, and many people use them quite successfully, but there is a decided sacrifice in strength, durability, and comfort. Riding out truly bad weather with such minimalist protection can be miserable, if not downright dangerous.
You have to determine the lowest level of strength you are willing to accept. A good approach is to think about what “light weight” is for what you will be doing: that metric is different for someone who spends a majority of the time in big mountains, above tree line, in all seasons and all weather conditions, than it is for someone who stays in forested, rolling terrain in the summer. In general, the lighter the tent, the less features it will have and so, consequently, the less comfort it will offer – and possibly the less security it will give you in adverse conditions. Extra strength and security “costs” weight, and if you need it, then you need it.
170 lbs
77 kg
Sizing up your tent
“Chris” is seated (or standing, if appro- priate) in all the floor plan drawings on the model pages. His measurements can serve to offer you a good idea how you might fit into each model.
16
35 in
89 cm
6 ft
180 cm