Shelters

[Grumpy Grandpa]

(15 May 2013, 21:13)Tarrel Wrote: Vaude Taurus Ultralight. 1.8 kg and packs down to the size of a can of beans plus the poles. Goes up in 2 mins. Good headroom. Could get two in at a pinch.

Just watched a video of a German guy setting one out. It looked as though (I'm probably wrong here...) it needed a separate groundsheet. I also wouldn't like to try erecting that in anything over a Force 2 - his looked as though it would have disappeared!.

The best lightweight I ever owned was a Peapod by Mountain Equipment. I expect they've long since done away with them but the inner had a fitted groundsheet, was detachable from the fly (if you wanted to, I always left it attached except for drying/airing once home,) and as a unit, could be put up in about two minutes. Fix two rear pegs on shockcord loops (then it's going nowhere, no matter what the wind's doing), stick in two hoops (small at the rear, larger at the front), then two more pegs on shockcord at the front. Job done. It could be further secured with pegs around the base and on two guys but I seldom bothered, other than the four corners.

Used that thing in a Force 10 and while it was an uncomfortable night (the hoops would bend right down on top of you!), it wouldn't go anywhere, as long as the arse-end was into the wind, while many others (Vango Force 10's!) were lost in the distance. Can't remember for the life of me what the packed weight was but I'm sure it was less than 1.5kg, (rucksack weight was something of a competition in those days! ) and was about 18" long by 6 or 7" diameter at the most. (Hope that's not just rose-tinted memories! )

If I saw one now in good nick, I'd buy it in a flash - not that I can use one anymore - but for my son or granddaughters. I've honestly never come across better and I've been around a few.

(Hell's teeth! That was a whole lot more rabbiting than I intended... )