Recommend an ultralight tent (please!)

[Findo Gask]

Son is looking for a lightweight / ultralight tent. Realistically he's looking for a 3 season one (4 season adding expense an' all), and it'll get most of its use in north Scotland so we're thinking a tarp isn't going to cut it

He's 19 and it'll be his first so budget is limited (£150 - £200-ish). A good condition second-hand wouldn't be out of the way if it meant he'd get a fundamentally better / stronger / lighter / more weatherproof tent. He's 6'2" and takes up a fair amount of space these days so a 1-and-a-half or 2 person version would be useful to have a little space at those times where sitting it out in a tent is preferable to a major soaking.

Recommendations from those in the know would be gratefully received. He's looked at things like the VauDe Hogan, some of the Tarptent solo range and a bunch of others. Google-induced lust (a familiar problem ) leads him towards a Hilleberg but reality says "half the price or less".

Comments, too, welcomed on single-skin tents........ being an old f4rt who used to do a load of three season camping and walking in Sutherland / Ross & Cromarty and the Isles, the idea of a single skin tent fills me with horror; visions of appalling condensation, leaky bits where you touch it, wind howling in. He tells me that single skin tents are fine, it's a brave new world, things are different now, Dad you're waaaay out of touch (a point I freely concede). Do they work? Or are they best avoided?

Thoughts welcomed. Thank you.

[the laird]

I think 'Tom Brown' has a tarp tent in classifieds,
Vaude Hogan isnt far off ideal tho to be honest, but I'm sure others will offer more ideas.

edit its top of the list now in ' kit and gear'

[spaniel man]

This seems like a good deal:
http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/forum/forummessages/mps/dt/4/UTN/48925/V/8/SP/

It's what I use mostly in Scotland, I had a Tarptent, but only ever used it once up there.

+1 on the Vaude Hogan

Et voila:

http://www.outdoorsmagic.com/forum/f.../48892/V/8/SP/

[glen.manning]

Tell him to check out Terra Nova's Laser , it's a great lightweight tent you can get for around your budget. I use mine a lot , it weighs 1kg and can sleep 2 but it's a bit of a squeeze so better for 1 plus kit.

It's based on a Hilleberg Akto although it's half the price and having owned both the Terra Nova is as good in my book. It's a U.K. company so you can always get poles etc plus they repair bad damage.

Glen

[reuben]

These jobs get a good press - haven't used one myself, though.

http://www.bushcraftuk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=80728

Cheers

[Findo Gask]

Thanks, peeps. He's done a deal with Tom-Brown on the Tarptent Contrail for sale in "Kit and Gear" and he's well chuffed. Grateful for your inputs.

Thanks, Tom.

[BladeScout]

Im 6.4 and still use a Vaude Bivi....


Tarp works every where



That said, I do use a slightly bigger Jack Wolfskin, when I want a little more room for changing clothes (if rain) and room for the rucksack.

[metalbudgie]

Mmm, Tarps, for me, in Scotland never cut the mustard. All that rain and midgies! The periods of nice weather are few and far between so for me the Go Lite tent that is in classifieds is an absolute bargain of a solution to your request. I'm not connected to the seller but the ultralightweight walking pole type tents are the perfect compromises-for that what tents are.
the Golite is light and provides the essential coverage from the bugs and rain.

[bushmeister]

I'd go Terra nova Laser every time. Scottish midges/ticks are a nightmare, and having done the TGO twice in the laser - I thought it was bullet proof. You can pick em up cheap in sales/second hand and sometimes as seconds on the Terra nova website.