Helen Deborah Vecht wrote:
> I've had a Saunders Jet-Packer Plus for the past 15 years, which has served me very well, but I
> hope to have company this year and I feel I need more headroom as I find squatting rather
> difficult.
Sticking with Saunders, the obvious one is one of the Spacepacker line. The smallest (Mk1) still
manages a large porch with 2 doors a side for each occupant and sitting room for each one too, and
that at an advertised weight of 1.9 Kg (mine actually tips the scales at 1.8). Downsides are that as
you sleep across the tent and the inner is only as big as it needs to be it isn't the greatest tent
for tall people, who get a face full of nylon if they sleep on their back. So, how tall is your
company, and will they likely be sharing it often? If the answers are more than 5'10" and frequently
perhaps look at the "Plus" model, same thing but a little bigger (and heavier). Note that taller
people can fit in (I've shared one with a friend who was 6'8"), but doing so in maximum comfort in
frequent use and once for a night or two are rather different things!
There are Mk2 models of both the standard and Plus, the difference being that the Mk2 has bigger
porches (though the Mk1 had class leading porches before the Mk2 came along anyway, with more than
twice as much useful storage as a Quasar less than half the weight) and a PU coated polyester fly
rather than a high tenacity ripstop coated in silicone elastomer. What does that mean then... the
polyester is more UV stable and doesn't stretch after a good soaking, but it's heavier and has lower
tear strength. You choose, you lose, but I personally see the Mk1 as the better buy.
The Plus models have more headroom (size diagrams at www.robertsaunders.co.uk). Though the standard
isn't a huge amount higher than your Jetpacker Plus, the important point is it's high along the
whole ridge of the inner, not just at a single point. In terms of lightness and usable space you'll
be hard pushed to beat a Spacepacker IMHO.
Costing rather more money, being a bit heavier (but still only just over 2 Kg) and less flexible
entry/exit and storage/cooking setup (one porch and door only) the only other two man lightweight
I'd really consider myself is the Hilleberg Nallo 2 (see www.hilleberg.se). Hilleberg are probably
current leaders in terms of quality materials and construction, but you do pay for it.
HTH, Pete.
--
Peter Clinch University of Dundee Tel 44 1382 660111 ext. 33637 Medical Physics, Ninewells Hospital
Fax 44 1382 640177 Dundee DD1 9SY Scotland UK net
[email protected]
http://www.dundee.ac.uk/~pjclinch/