UKH

Hi ukc,

I'm looking for some advice on purchasing a new tent for some winter hikes through the Cairngorms this coming his February. I've had my eye on the MSR Access 1 however, I know there are a few others to consider. Does anyone have experience with the Access 1 or any other tent similar?

I'm also trying to shave some weight down as I've just purchased a Snugpak Antartica sleeping bag (very warm but a little heavy) so I also looked at the MSR Freelite. Do you think a 3 season tent will hold up to Cairngorms winters and has anyone had any experience with this tent?

Very much appreciate your help before I spend,

 

Belle.

In reply to Belle74:

3 season tents can struggle with the cairngorms in summer!

have you considered Bothying instead?

In reply to Belle74: no idea on the tent, but from similar experience winter nights can be long and cold and skimping on your sleeping bag will = much misery

 

In reply to Belle74:

You may need a tent suitable for the arctic if in medium high winds.

 

 

In reply to Dr.S at work:

Yes, I am heading for a bothy but I'm also carrying a tent. I know bothys can't be guaranteed to be full on arrival not to mention emergency overnight stays. I'll probably purchase a 4 season tent then. 

@wbo, the sleeping bag I've purchased is comfortable at -20 and extreme at -50.

 

Thanks for your input guys. If anyone knows of any a decent 4 season tent they could let me know of. The MSR Access is 4 season so might be my option. 

In reply to Belle74:

I wouldn’t take less than a 4 pole geodesic if the weather was forecast to be poor. Think old Wild Country Quasar.

We camped one September in Sneaxhda I think, and the wind was horrendous. It would flatten the Qiasar into our faces and then it would spring back up. Coupled with some Jura malt, cigars and Radio Iceland playing some bongo music, it was a night to remember. 

In reply to Belle74:

There’s a quasar on fleebs at the mo with one day to go. Snow valances the lot. Not mine.

In reply to Belle74:

Here you go, you might find this link helpful. 

https://www.tgomagazine.co.uk/skills/recommended-kit-for-winter-camping/

Single poly pyramid tents get a mention, among other possibilities for winter in the Caingorms. 

In reply to Belle74:

You're asking a question that's difficult for us random types on the internet to answer.  It's difficult because we don't know you, don't know whether this is a new thing or something you've done before, don't know how happy you are carrying a heavy sack for miles in snow, don't know an awful lot more.

It's also difficult because you're planning to visit an area with some of the most extreme weather conditions in the UK in its most extreme season and, this country's weather being how it is, no-one can say whether you're going to be spending time looking out of the tent door at misty wonderfulness or using what tent pegs you can find to try and anchor yourself to the ground to prevent you from being blown away by winds of 100mph or more.  To add to that, you almost certainly won't know on day one what the weather's going to be doing on day three or beyond, so have to cater for all eventualities.  

Then there are the difficulties of navigating alone in a white-out on a plateau that's notoriously difficult to cross, where the conditions in winter are as near sub-arctic as they get in the UK, and where camping on a night when the wind blows and the snow falls gives you a choice of camping on a windward slope and hoping the tent doesn't blow away or on a leeward slope and hoping you don't wake up to find that 6 feet of snow has been dumped on your tent while you slept.

All of which makes trying to shave a few grammes of weight off your tent a false economy.  For this trip put up with something heavier, take pegs that are a bit longer; fast and light just ain't what it's about come February in the Cairngorms.  A Quasar or Quasar-style tent's a good call, even second-hand; a 3-season tent may well just be so much money blown away by the wind.

Sorry if this doesn't help in the way you wanted, but I hope it helps nevertheless.

T.

In reply to Belle74:

Too light. You do not want to have your tent flattened in a winter storm at, say, 10 pm with another 8 hours before it will be bright enough to escape.

My own winter / polar tent is a Hilleberg Tarra, but at > 4kg that may be a bit overkill for Scotland. What about something like the Vaude Power Sphaerio (despite the silly name)? I bought the older version for my girls, and they are happy with it using it for multi day ski touring in the Alps.

CB

 

More great advice, thank you I'm definitely taking this on board and looking at a few other options. The Quasar seems to be a favourite so far.

To put your minds at rest, I'm not new to this and have spend a few long days in the Cairngorms during winter month as well as a few days treking/wild camping during the summer months. I'm fully aware of the harsh weather and the dangers that comes with it. I'm also familiar with the routes I'll be taking. I will admit, it's been a while since I've done a winter camp where my last time was in Canada a good few years ago. Hence, why I'm buying new winter tents and sleeping bags.

 

P.s. We used pyramid tents in Canada, they worked great. 

In reply to Belle74:

I have never stayed in a bothy that was too full... never mind during the winter! 

Saying that, Trekkertent Saor might fit the bill. I used Force Ten Helium in winter before, but I almost never camp if the forecast is not promising due to obvious reasons! 

In reply to Belle74:

A quasar is quite a large tent for use on your own. It's the classic '2 person' option.

Although cross over poles are deemed 'stronger' than simple hoops, many hooped tents have a very good reputation in winter, including the Hillebergs. I have a MacPac Minaret with snow valances that I use as my single person tent and it has served me well in full on winter conditions. It is simpler to put up on your own and doing this when it's blowing a hooley is the first part of a tent 'working' in winter conditions, so not a feature that should be dismissed.

 

In reply to Belle74:

Friend of mine uses a Hilleberg Soulo as a 1 man winter tent and it stayed up fine in really nasty conditions. We had to dig the tents out in the morning.

In reply to Belle74:

Kinda beware of 'group think'.  I have a Quasar, and it's ace, but there's bound to be tents just as ace which aren't as much of a pain for 1 person to carry, it sounds like you know what you're about. 

In reply to Jim Lancs:

I'm not sure a Quasar would be my favourite tent to put during blowy white out weather when it's cold, I do like mine but they're a little bit 'faffy' and complex. 

In reply to olddirtydoggy:

I'm thinking it being free standing could be a useful feature in a tent in that situation.

In reply to Belle74:

I have had my Crux X1 Assault for two years and it has not let me down during my hikes in Greenland and Scandinavia. It is 2 kg, free standing with three crossing poles and the single skin is made from X-tex. Snug for two and fine for one. It stood strong in winds when it was difficult to for us to stand upright, and it has been sheltering us in heavy rain without any issues of condensation. My only gripes are the pockets which are glued to the canopy with tape which doesn't hold up very well - and the cuben fiber porch can be really noisy in a storm.

In reply to Belle74:

Another option could be the Terra Nova Voyager. Lighter than the Quasar (and smaller).. I've found mine great in storms. Camped in a wild winter storm in the Cairngorms in mine. Its an old style now... but works if not too small for you. I'm not quite convinced by the MSR Access despite its 4 season rating...(but never tried one).

I also have a MSR Hubba Hubba - 3 season... And I certainly wouldn't take this into the gorms in winter. Enjoy your trip.

In reply to Belle74:

Hilleberg Jannu 2 is the one - 3.2kg total pack weight, geodesic and proper strong. 

http://europe.hilleberg.com/EN/tent/red-label-tents/jannu/ 

Not cheap, but you get what you pay for. Personally I would have invested more on a lighter sleeping bag. 

In reply to Belle74:

You're going to need a pretty hefty budget. Unless this is the winter of our discount tent.

I'll get me coat...

In reply to Simonfarfaraway:

I've used the old Wild Country Voyager  (predated the Terra nova rebrand) aa bi in winter both in Wales and Scotland and it stood up remarkably well in shocking conditions, most notably a 70 mph blizzard up by Lochnagar where we kept having to dig the tent out of the drifting snow.

I did have a few gripes mind: it had far too much mesh to keep the draughts out and to create a warm microclimate and it was a touch too small for two in full winter garb. 

Not a bad size for solo stuff though and I really liked it for year round backpacking.

To the op: Simond tents look interesting for UK winter though I've never seen one in the flesh. If I was proper multiday winter camping I'd get a 4 pole geodesic and heat it with a lantern.

Thanks for all the great advice everyone. I will soon be the proud owner of a Hilleberg Soulo. Also, the place I ordered the sleeping bag from emailed me saying it will take up to 8 weeks before I get it. I asked for a refund and have now ordered a Mountain Hardware Lamina Z Bonfire.

 

In reply to Belle74:

Hope you and they have some fun trips together!

T.

In reply to Belle74:

A collapsible aluminium shovel would be cheaper than a tent. Lots of big drifts in the Cairngorms you could dig in to. 

In reply to PaulJepson:

Snow holing is fun but building one is time consuming, only possible in certain locations and sometimes not at all. As a practical shelter for a walking trip it's really a non starter.

In reply to PaulJepson:

While in Canada I went with a group on a winter trek somewhere up north, a group of guys had hand saws to cut blocks out of the snow and they built an igloo. I got to spend one night in it, it was pretry amazing. I did the snow cave and everything but the igloo I'll never forget.