So a few tricks with the ionisphere tent. pitch it so that the corner with the opening is near a small tree. When using it in wet or snow, you can use the tree as a handle to help you stand up in the corner as you get out, so you don't have to step onto the outside ground and get wet. 😉 When you open the zippers fully, you are able to stand up in the corner of the tent, and use the tree as a handle to help get into it as well.
Oh my god. So freaking helpful. Thank you!!! I'm 6'6" 275 and have a dog. This is perfect. Been wanting a bug net style tent that's light and doesn't rely on trekking poles. Outstanding. Seriously, thank you.
@@pancrack I used it this winter for a few weeks. The problem I found is the condensation from your breath forms a layer of frost on the netting above your head, which can melt and drip down into your sleeping bag. Other than that, it worked great 👍 I just used a reflective mylar ground sheet and a heavy -40 sleeping bag, slept like a baby.
Thanks so much for this excellent review. I wish I'd seen it before I bought my 2 man tent. I'm 6'3" and would love to have a compact low profile tent/bivvy, but most of them are either too short or too close to the face. Definitely getting one of these babies.
Ive ordered one of these for my brother (hes only 5"11) and im seriously contemplating one for myself. I mostly use snugpak stuff as the standard seems to be 220cm and seeing as im 6"2 it normally fits me better than most other options
I just ordered one. I need something small like this bivvy. I also like that its olive green I may need the camo so that I can camp in a not so camping spot. Thanks for making this video.
Nice review Combined with a smallish tarp, for cooking etc, just about perfect I think! I got a small, cheap tarp from LOMO recently, c. 4 quid! Use it as a ground-sheet protector ... Ideal for using with a good section protruding by an entrance/exit, so you've got a dry section for your feet etc.
Thanks for the review mate. Im 6'7 also and finding it difficult to get a long length bivy style bag/tent. This was extremely helpful. It is good to see reviews to help tall guys our size get something that was comfortable. Does it pack pack down small enough to go bikepacking? 👍Thanks again!
Cheers Simon - there are other bivvytents that look they have copied this design but none to my knowledge extend to a 240cm inner so this is the only one for people our height and its a good choice because it is well designed and made. As for the packable size n weight it is good for bike packing on pushbike or motor. I dont think you will regret it or find anything better.
Great review pancrack. Some of the comments are cracking us up. You must be a patient bloke!... We're no stranger to sleeping low and stealthy (we have the stratosphere's) but 2 lovely Ionospheres will be arriving next month and we're really looking forward to trying them out. Your review was useful and covered the tent well. Just wanted to say thanks. We know it's 2 years old now but credit where credits due! All the best, Gareth&Zoe Wildcamps
I always take my sweet border collie to camping, she is a pleasant partner and always sleeps in my arms, but I have a SALEWA "1956" 3-man tent from 1979, it has small pack sizes of 48x23cm and a weight of 2.6Kg ... Such a sleeping bag made of nylon would be too tight, it is like a death bag! Thanks for your nice video;)
I have one of these, I intend to use the inner with a 12*10 superlite tarp as a cover to creat space.. probably add up to just over one an half kilos.. more than the wieght of the tent on its own but well worth the extra cover and feeling of space it wil create.. I tried using a 9*9 but its a tad to short to cover both front and back end of the inner... basically the inner tent will become a bug net for the tarp and wind difuser....
I really am tempted by the Ionosphere but it would have been so simple to make it perfect with a couple of improvements. Make a vestibule by adding 1-2’ of material to the fly, this would add bugger all weight or bulk. Also a simple length of paracord sewn into the underside of the roof of the inner, so you could hang up a torch or wet clothes etc.
There is a plastic ring for connecting a torch i think, but there wouldn't be much space for hanging wet clothes from the underside of a low and sloping roof. Vestibule i'm not sure of but isn't the aim to keep emphasis on less weight for the luxury of a lighter pack?
When we did c2c last year we found that stealth/wild camping pitches were hard to find, and most nights we had to camp at sites which cost only slightly less than a Travelodge!
@@pancrack Having done the PW thee times now and C2C once I'm afraid I disagree with Wainwright and prefer it to the C2C. We found some idyllic wild pitches which will remain in the memory for ever.
@ around 5:00 - regarding the fly screen being too near to face - you can't always tell in viewing video, things aren't always quite as they appear - - but it looks like there's a loop stitched on to the outside of the net section - is there anything on the outer sheet which you could attach that to? - Which would get it away from you? If there's nothing you could tie that on to, perhaps running it down to a spare peg would help a little bit.. I've watched this review once or twice, but only just noticed this.
Cheers, I long since discovered the loop on the top side of the door and althought it helped it wasn't enough. So what I did was chop off the toggle and just use a small clothes peg to keep the door open. Not ideal but not as annoying!
LMAO! Have you gotten sick yet from the comments by all the people missing out the fact that you are a taller person?!!! Great vid. I'm 6ft2 with a sprocker so can get away with the Jack Wolfskin gossamer 1. Great vid and congrats on raising the money.
As long as it suits mate that's what counts , your money and snug pack are a sensibly priced makers . I use snug pack sleeping bags and both the summer and winter ones work well even though they are not down filled. A good review with useful info for taller users as you lots of the current lighter weight tents are for Hobbits. I'm 6 ' 1" so don't have so much of a length problem as yourself but I still find some too tight. That said I'm knocking on a bit and like my comfort so still use a ten year old Golite Hex 3 Tipi which is 7'10" on the short side 8' 6" on the long and 5 ' high ( not bad for a 876gram tent including the trekking pole extension) However that is in summer single skin configuration the winter set up adds another 680grams. So a lot heavy than your bivvy tent. But I walk slow anyway👍
I’ve a Jack wolfskin Gossomer exactly the same design. I spent a night in the Black mountains in Wales 🏴 where it rained for 12 hrs solid I did eventually get wet!
Gossamer is not 240cm. Crucial difference. My Iono has survived massive long downpours in the Lakes and a stormy gale in the Highlands to date. Bone dry.
Thanks for the vid. I get this concept but for that 1.5kg weight, I would want more. I have a (notionally) 2P naturehike that weighs the same and costs less and you can sit up in it and do stuff. It's shorter but you could sleep on a diagonal. This thing would cope better in wind I reckon but there are other more stable designs with similar weight, 2 side doors and room to actually cook etc on either side. I'd want one of these down around 750g in 20D etc to be worth sacrificing the room. I do like the minimalism and weather ability.
If I wasn't as tall - more and lighter options would be available to me. I can lay in this with my full pack - 70L OspreyAether - above me and without the need to go diagonal - i hate sleeping diagonal, makes me then walk with a lean! So this for £150 or less is more favourable than something lighter but not as long and twice or more expensive !
The Gossamer is not bigger. Same height but Ionosphere is slightly wider at 90cm v 80cm at upper body. But crucially for tall people, which is what this review is about, - it is 15cm longer than Gossamer. And lighter than Gossamer at 1.52kg v 1.75kg
Firstly congratulations on competing your hike and raising such a fantastic amount of money for your chosen charity. They must be incredibly proud. I too purchased the same tent, for the same reason last year, but due to an unexpected hip injury, I haven’t as yet taken this on, but planning on doing this mid next year. Do you have any advice on doing this with a dog? Were there any restrictions on the route? Did you have any plans on the journey or daily mileage before you set off, or did you just plan to wild camp as when you found a suitable place? Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated!!!
Cheers Mark ! It all worked out great all for me. I had a minor sprain and limped for a day or two but that was it. Not one blister. I walk a lot with dog and put some over night training in to test kit/weight of pack etc. Doing the CTC with a dog...if your dog is fit enough and sensible enough...go for it. Gotta watch out when crossing some fields of cattle. I had a couple of mental herds because of the dog and i had to make a run for it. I passed a few grouse shoots which freaked dog out a bit. Another hazard was an epic 24 hour downpour in the Lakes which turned a stream into a river. It was tricky getting across for me, dog launched into it and got swept downstream about 30 ft but managed it. It was high drama! I know a couple of people who had to abandon it because their dogs were knackered / pads were worn out. I would avoid the doggie backpack as they flop about and chaffed my dog's armpits bad. As for dog restrictions - there are various signs but my dog never leaves my side so i wasn't worried. As for mileage...the standard stops are pretty much bang on. 12-14mile a day with a pack was enough for me. The first few days thru the lakes are brutal but once you conquer them you have the toughest part over and you are fitter. I camped wherever was practical. Some wild camps, some campsites, 1 pub garden, 1 barn with flysheet on strawbales. Food and dogfood are easy to find along the route. I carried 2 days of food only to keep weight down. Pack weighed about 17kg. Be ruthlessly minimal ! Defo recommend a NeoAir Xlite inflatable mat. Best bit of kit ever. I ate in pubs on evenings quite a lot and grabbed sarnies when i could during the days. I drank stream water right thru the lakes with no purification needed. I also went in September so it wouldn't be too hot. The craic is great with people from around the world. You can hike with them and you can lose them easy too if you dig the solitude. They all mainly stay in BnBs anyway. Bottom line... I was disappointed when I reached the North Sea...and I would do it again !
Excellent presentation, Thank you! What about condensation? With as much overhang as the fly has, it would appear that condensation would drip off the sides and not drip on the sleeper. It might have been better to add vents to the head and foot ends to create a cross breeze.
There is one major problem that would prevent me buying one of these: It cannot be erected in the rain without the inside getting soaked. I consider that of paramount importance, having arrived on too many occasions at a camp site during a downpour when all I want is to get the tent up, brew a mug of tea and rest.. These days I use a Vango Tempest 200 which has the inner and flysheet fixed together so they go up in one and the inner stays dry. Yes, I know it is a different concept and it is almost twice the weight but I have yet to find a bivvy-tent that is satisfactory. Manufacturers just don't have the whit to design the damned things properly.
The Tempest would prevent me fitting in it because it is too short. This is a TALL review remember. I don't fancy being my bag/feet extending into the porch and not being able to zip up the inner. And weighing 2.8kg compared to 1.5kg is another dealbreaker for me than having to erect the inner first. You just learn to erect it fast !
A lot of tents are like that nowadays, basically so you can use fly without inner and inner without fly. Not a big deal if you have practiced putting it up first.
Tie Back the outside toggle point to the toggle point for the door roll up area with some minor bungee style cord and it will keep the toggle off your nose. Watch you're own video and suddenly this will be obvious solution for you.
Cheers Gordon ...I did mean to elaborate on why I thought it wasn't a winter tent but forgot - we were shooting a stealth vid on private land! - The fly doesnt extend to the floor as you can see so it is a bit drafty if the wind is really blowing but I will say it is solid being so low profile. I was in the Scottish Highlands last month and camped on Rannoch Moor in a 14 hour storm blowing a hoolie and she held together brilliant! And kept the rain out totally. It would be be nippy in winter as the inner is just mesh. But these are the compromises you make to keep the weight down. I do love it. A great bit of kit and really well made too which I also forgot to mention!
Hi James - i explained in the video - i lay my 65L big pack sideways like a pillow above my head. i put my fleece n spare clothes in a fleece stuffsack and lay that on the pack - that is my pillow. And at 7'10" the inner is long enough for the pack and me. Beyond the dog and beside my legs down to my feet there is space for pack contents: drybags for food and any other bits. Along Outside under the fly i stash pots n boots. But if it is tanking down, everything can fit inside.
@@pancrack Many thanks. On the back of your review, I've bought an ionosphere and used it several times. I love it. I do wonder, though, whether the Rab Ridge Raider might be better for cooler nights. At 6'3", though, I'd want to be sure I could fit comfortably in it. Thanks for your help.
I really dont know why they didn't make the overlay sheet just slightly bigger so it stops the draft around the edges, other than that its a great tent
I hear what you are saying and I too have thought that but i think it is to minimise condensation which bivvies/bivvy tents can suffer from. There are no vents otherwise. As i said in the vid, i questioned it being suitable for winter because of the airyness. I have never tried in snow yet but been meaning too. Maybe this winter. 6 years on since i bought this, i do think there are ways that it could be improved on, maybe cutting down the number of stakes it requires - longer cord at the corners on the inner so that both the inner and outer corners and held by single stakes? Maybe it would have to have a longer stake but still surely a weight saving? Maybe also clips or shorter sleeves on the inner to connect to the poles instead of the sleeves as they are. And maybe a zip that extends further along one side to improve access in and out. I recently got an Durston Xmid 2P Solid which is huge and weighs about the same, as i dont use trekking poles, but in the UK for low profile, dark green stealth, performance in wind and the smaller footprint I still choose this for solo (plus dog) trips.
did you play basket ball ?:) ha ha you would have not fit into my vintage 1971 chevelle and it easily fit 6" 2" people :) good review mate:) love your dog ! cheers from Alaska :)
Did you notice 2 toggles outside your mesh?,,, there is 1 at your head as you look up and 1 at your feet,,, these toggles hold the mesh up a little more 👍,they are ruffly where the 2 straps where 👍
As the outer stops short of the ground by about 6" it can be drafty in strong winds but it is low profile and survived a couple of storms intact and kept me totally dry.
I just don’t get inner pitch first, tents and bivi’s, there’s been many situations I have been in with the UK weather where that would have been a paddling pool by the time I’d slung the flysheet over it, how do you get on pitching it when it’s lashing it down with rain ? and why would you go with this over say, the Vango UL1 which is the same price, weighs less, has a stack more room, a place to cook in wet weather and store your gear, perhaps it’s the challenge of sliding in to it without getting your ass covered in sludge 😆
For sure, it would be better if it pitched outer first in wet weather...but it doesn't take long to pitch. I was caught once in a storm and my ass was not covered in sludge! You can pitch it fast with practice and rain for inspiration. As for the Vango UL1...it's new for 2019 and wasn't available when i bought this / did the vid. UL1 is 300g lighter but is 28cm shorter so not as good for very tall people. And the cost is generally a little more expensive than Ionosphere. Looks a good tent for non tall people though.
Ive had the same experience pancrack describes. You can get the tent up quickly with the fly and then run around and button everything down before it becomes a swimming pool.
These were Karrimor Corrie size UK 14s. Long gone. Now into Merrell MOAB2 which also come in v large sizes in both shoe and boot and are the best I have ever had.
why?!! A super rain proof shelter that is super lightweight and at 7'10" inner length can accomodate very tall people. I know of no other tent that matches that.
Okay let me stop you right there you said nothing can compare to that that is a rip-off directly of a camping tent that I had and it was made in the 80s it called the camper ways Sportster tent look it up I made a video of it under another RUclips account but it is a4 season tent sorry you can do snow camping in it look up campwaya tents
Okay, let me clarify to you why i said nothing can compare - in terms of suitability for tall people. Is the Sportster still available and is it 7'10" long inside?
it's not a tent.. more like bivvy tent. Too small too low not comfortable at all. The entrance is horrible narrow. Big man should find much bigger tent. At this weight 1.5 kg, you could find 2 person tent, for half price at chinese websites.
To be fair i say it is a bivvy tent and it is sold as a bivvy tent. For big men - width ways how big? Its not narrow and at 7'10 certainly not short. I have a 2 man tent at only 100g lighter but prefer this for solo camps as it is so great for stealth and fitting in small spaces.
Of course it`s a tent, it is a bivvy style tent! Bivvies don`t have both inners and outers, and very rarely do they have a pole at each end (If the have a hooped pole at all), and although Pan Crack didn`t mention or show it, the door actually opens wider than you think, as the zip extends to over half way across the width of the end of "the tent," so the door is sort of L-shaped. Admittedly it`s low, but that makes it brilliant in strong winds, it`s an excellent little tent, that`s even better when used in conjunction with a small tarp to give it a bit of a porch area for cooking Etc. I`m 6.1, and I was very comfortable sleeping in it with a whole lot of gear, and it could put up with much more severe weather than some cr@ppy taller tent from China.
Just got back from a 4 day hiking trip in the Welsh Mountains. Took a brand new Ionosphere. The first time I put it up, one of the inner zips broke! The first ever use, totally let down by it in the middle of the mountains. DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT! The zips are rubbish.
Yes mate - to 'review from a tall persons point of view' - my idea to uniquely sponsor my C2C hike for charity. 95,000 views now and judging by the comments on here it has led to a fair few sales.
So a few tricks with the ionisphere tent.
pitch it so that the corner with the opening is near a small tree. When using it in wet or snow, you can use the tree as a handle to help you stand up in the corner as you get out, so you don't have to step onto the outside ground and get wet. 😉
When you open the zippers fully, you are able to stand up in the corner of the tent, and use the tree as a handle to help get into it as well.
Oh my god. So freaking helpful. Thank you!!! I'm 6'6" 275 and have a dog. This is perfect. Been wanting a bug net style tent that's light and doesn't rely on trekking poles. Outstanding. Seriously, thank you.
cheers Chris ! i knew there would be others out there who would appreciate it! :-)
It absolutely is a winter tent !! I’ve been using mine for 10 years !!!!!
not a bit drafty in winter?
@@pancrack It's a great winter tent!
@@pancrack I used it this winter for a few weeks. The problem I found is the condensation from your breath forms a layer of frost on the netting above your head, which can melt and drip down into your sleeping bag.
Other than that, it worked great 👍
I just used a reflective mylar ground sheet and a heavy -40 sleeping bag, slept like a baby.
Get a Snugpak sleeping bag too with it when it’s open out and your in it it fills the tent so you don’t get drafted out.
@@ashleybishton578 I have the Snugpak Softie Merlin & Kestrel in Extra Long. Superb bags, used them for years
Love the review. It's beyond helpful to have a fellow tall man's perspective. Cheers from 6'6 in Texas...
Indeed it is! Glad to be of help. Enjoy
Thanks so much for this excellent review. I wish I'd seen it before I bought my 2 man tent. I'm 6'3" and would love to have a compact low profile tent/bivvy, but most of them are either too short or too close to the face. Definitely getting one of these babies.
I don't know of any other tent of this weight that is this long. Suits me sir!
I love my ionosphere. Brilliant bivvy/tent. What a great adventure! And a great cause, well done👍👍👍👍
Thanks 👍
@@pancrack Where can I get one these days?
@@kizurir8816 seems the Snugpak website is down. Try messaging their FB page facebook.com/snugpak/
Ive ordered one of these for my brother (hes only 5"11) and im seriously contemplating one for myself.
I mostly use snugpak stuff as the standard seems to be 220cm and seeing as im 6"2 it normally fits me better than most other options
I just ordered one. I need something small like this bivvy. I also like that its olive green I may need the camo so that I can camp in a not so camping spot. Thanks for making this video.
Nice one, cheers!
Thanks for this review! I am only 188cm, but this this seems more than enough room for me :) Ordered it more confidently after seeing your review
Nice one!
Thank you. been looking for a long person tent for ages Cheers!
So good to see an honest review and i will certainly be checking it out being a 19 stone 6ft 4 large person!
cheers...you'll fit easy...i'm 18st and 6'7" and i got a dog
Nice tent and nice dog.
Nice review
Combined with a smallish tarp, for cooking etc, just about perfect I think!
I got a small, cheap tarp from LOMO recently, c. 4 quid! Use it as a ground-sheet
protector ... Ideal for using with a good section protruding by an entrance/exit, so
you've got a dry section for your feet etc.
Nice. But IMHO it would be defeating the object adding more weight...every gram counts!
Many thanks for this review from 6'4" guy :D
Thanks for the review mate. Im 6'7 also and finding it difficult to get a long length bivy style bag/tent. This was extremely helpful. It is good to see reviews to help tall guys our size get something that was comfortable. Does it pack pack down small enough to go bikepacking? 👍Thanks again!
Cheers Simon - there are other bivvytents that look they have copied this design but none to my knowledge extend to a 240cm inner so this is the only one for people our height and its a good choice because it is well designed and made. As for the packable size n weight it is good for bike packing on pushbike or motor. I dont think you will regret it or find anything better.
Good review. Being tall myself I really empathise !
Thanks for the info on a problem I have been struggling with
Great review pancrack. Some of the comments are cracking us up. You must be a patient bloke!... We're no stranger to sleeping low and stealthy (we have the stratosphere's) but 2 lovely Ionospheres will be arriving next month and we're really looking forward to trying them out. Your review was useful and covered the tent well. Just wanted to say thanks. We know it's 2 years old now but credit where credits due! All the best, Gareth&Zoe Wildcamps
Thanks Gareth n Zoe. Some people forget about the tall factor which is the entire point of this vid.
Thanks for the great review. I just ordered one of these. Also, I love your dog!
Great , cheers!
I love how utterly disinterested your dog is :D
I just bought one of these and feel a lot more comfortable with the decision
Ha! the most chilled out border Collie that ever lived! Happy camping
good review!.......your dog looks like a great companion
Cheers Matt. Yep she is awesome!
Great review!
I always take my sweet border collie to camping, she is a pleasant
partner and always sleeps in my arms, but I have a SALEWA "1956" 3-man tent from 1979, it has small pack sizes of 48x23cm and a weight of 2.6Kg ...
Such a sleeping bag made of nylon would be too tight, it is like a death bag!
Thanks for your nice video;)
I have one of these, I intend to use the inner with a 12*10 superlite tarp as a cover to creat space.. probably add up to just over one an half kilos.. more than the wieght of the tent on its own but well worth the extra cover and feeling of space it wil create..
I tried using a 9*9 but its a tad to short to cover both front and back end of the inner...
basically the inner tent will become a bug net for the tarp and wind difuser....
I love mine wish I had gotten the green one for stealth camping though.
I really am tempted by the Ionosphere but it would have been so simple to make it perfect with a couple of improvements. Make a vestibule by adding 1-2’ of material to the fly, this would add bugger all weight or bulk. Also a simple length of paracord sewn into the underside of the roof of the inner, so you could hang up a torch or wet clothes etc.
There is a plastic ring for connecting a torch i think, but there wouldn't be much space for hanging wet clothes from the underside of a low and sloping roof. Vestibule i'm not sure of but isn't the aim to keep emphasis on less weight for the luxury of a lighter pack?
Great review man. I was confused with the tent I should get but now I’m sure to get this one
cheers! nice one, its a great piece of kit for the price
im only 5ft 7 so would be a great 1 man tent for me,congrats on charity work
cheers!
lovely taste in music
thanks!
Nice one fella 🙂👍, cheers for that
When we did c2c last year we found that stealth/wild camping pitches were hard to find, and most nights we had to camp at sites which cost only slightly less than a Travelodge!
Really? This tent is so good for stealth and I had no trouble. And as for camp sites...it was usually 8/9/10 quid
@@pancrack Having done the PW thee times now and C2C once I'm afraid I disagree with Wainwright and prefer it to the C2C. We found some idyllic wild pitches which will remain in the memory for ever.
The exped vela 1 & 2, have an 8 foot inner tent.
It can be pitched as just inner or just outer. With or without extra footprint.
Sounds good - will check it out !
@ around 5:00 - regarding the fly screen being too near to face - you can't always tell in viewing video, things aren't always quite as they appear - - but it looks like there's a loop stitched on to the outside of the net section - is there anything on the outer sheet which you could attach that to? - Which would get it away from you?
If there's nothing you could tie that on to, perhaps running it down to a spare peg would help a little bit..
I've watched this review once or twice, but only just noticed this.
With the subtitles on, the loop I'm talking about is above 'S' in the word 'just'
Cheers, I long since discovered the loop on the top side of the door and althought it helped it wasn't enough. So what I did was chop off the toggle and just use a small clothes peg to keep the door open. Not ideal but not as annoying!
Jack wolf skin gossamer it’s basically the same thing but it pitches with the fly sheet attached
It is but with a key difference very important for a tall person = the inner is just 225cm compared to the 240 of the Iono.
plus its 250g heavier than the Iono.
I love this tent. Thanks for the video. Anthony.
Me too. cheers Anthony
LMAO! Have you gotten sick yet from the comments by all the people missing out the fact that you are a taller person?!!! Great vid. I'm 6ft2 with a sprocker so can get away with the Jack Wolfskin gossamer 1. Great vid and congrats on raising the money.
Cheers! As someone who's height has caused a lifetime of comments, the fact that people are missing it makes a change!
Good simple review, thank you !
i have one of these they ae superb
and i love your dog
As long as it suits mate that's what counts , your money and snug pack are a sensibly priced makers .
I use snug pack sleeping bags and both the summer and winter ones work well even though they are not down filled.
A good review with useful info for taller users as you lots of the current lighter weight tents are for Hobbits.
I'm 6 ' 1" so don't have so much of a length problem as yourself but I still find some too tight.
That said I'm knocking on a bit and like my comfort so still use a ten year old Golite Hex 3 Tipi which is 7'10" on the short side 8' 6" on the long and 5 ' high ( not bad for a 876gram tent including the trekking pole extension)
However that is in summer single skin configuration the winter set up adds another 680grams.
So a lot heavy than your bivvy tent.
But I walk slow anyway👍
cheers Lee. The sleeping bags are great. I got Merlin for the Summer and Kestrel for Spring & Autumn.
Great review you sold me on it
Nice one. Enjoy!
I’ve a Jack wolfskin Gossomer exactly the same design. I spent a night in the Black mountains in Wales 🏴 where it rained for 12 hrs solid I did eventually get wet!
Gossamer is not 240cm. Crucial difference. My Iono has survived massive long downpours in the Lakes and a stormy gale in the Highlands to date. Bone dry.
Thanks for the vid. I get this concept but for that 1.5kg weight, I would want more. I have a (notionally) 2P naturehike that weighs the same and costs less and you can sit up in it and do stuff. It's shorter but you could sleep on a diagonal. This thing would cope better in wind I reckon but there are other more stable designs with similar weight, 2 side doors and room to actually cook etc on either side. I'd want one of these down around 750g in 20D etc to be worth sacrificing the room. I do like the minimalism and weather ability.
If I wasn't as tall - more and lighter options would be available to me. I can lay in this with my full pack - 70L OspreyAether - above me and without the need to go diagonal - i hate sleeping diagonal, makes me then walk with a lean! So this for £150 or less is more favourable than something lighter but not as long and twice or more expensive !
Your dogs gorgeous!!
I am only 5' 10" but having the extra length is great to fit all your gear inside with you.
Definitely. You will have plenty of space
seems the entrance at the head of the tent is a bit of a fuss compared to a side entrance. great vid!!
its not if you think of it as a bivvy...
This is the tent I'm after.
Got, it kept me dry in winter UK.
The original Jack Wolfskin Gossamer compares, but is bigger, and has a fabulous bucket ground sheet
The Gossamer is not bigger. Same height but Ionosphere is slightly wider at 90cm v 80cm at upper body. But crucially for tall people, which is what this review is about, - it is 15cm longer than Gossamer. And lighter than Gossamer at 1.52kg v 1.75kg
Firstly congratulations on competing your hike and raising such a fantastic amount of money for your chosen charity. They must be incredibly proud.
I too purchased the same tent, for the same reason last year, but due to an unexpected hip injury, I haven’t as yet taken this on, but planning on doing this mid next year.
Do you have any advice on doing this with a dog? Were there any restrictions on the route?
Did you have any plans on the journey or daily mileage before you set off, or did you just plan to wild camp as when you found a suitable place?
Any advice you could offer would be greatly appreciated!!!
Cheers Mark ! It all worked out great all for me. I had a minor sprain and limped for a day or two but that was it. Not one blister. I walk a lot with dog and put some over night training in to test kit/weight of pack etc. Doing the CTC with a dog...if your dog is fit enough and sensible enough...go for it. Gotta watch out when crossing some fields of cattle. I had a couple of mental herds because of the dog and i had to make a run for it. I passed a few grouse shoots which freaked dog out a bit. Another hazard was an epic 24 hour downpour in the Lakes which turned a stream into a river. It was tricky getting across for me, dog launched into it and got swept downstream about 30 ft but managed it. It was high drama! I know a couple of people who had to abandon it because their dogs were knackered / pads were worn out. I would avoid the doggie backpack as they flop about and chaffed my dog's armpits bad. As for dog restrictions - there are various signs but my dog never leaves my side so i wasn't worried. As for mileage...the standard stops are pretty much bang on. 12-14mile a day with a pack was enough for me. The first few days thru the lakes are brutal but once you conquer them you have the toughest part over and you are fitter. I camped wherever was practical. Some wild camps, some campsites, 1 pub garden, 1 barn with flysheet on strawbales. Food and dogfood are easy to find along the route. I carried 2 days of food only to keep weight down. Pack weighed about 17kg. Be ruthlessly minimal ! Defo recommend a NeoAir Xlite inflatable mat. Best bit of kit ever. I ate in pubs on evenings quite a lot and grabbed sarnies when i could during the days. I drank stream water right thru the lakes with no purification needed. I also went in September so it wouldn't be too hot. The craic is great with people from around the world. You can hike with them and you can lose them easy too if you dig the solitude. They all mainly stay in BnBs anyway. Bottom line... I was disappointed when I reached the North Sea...and I would do it again !
Also did The West Highland Way this year with dog, a doddle by comparison but still grand.
Also important! You can do laundry at YHAs / Keld Camping Barn & also there is a launderette in Kirby Stephen.
Does the collie dog come with the tent?
not for a million quids worth of tents!
Excellent presentation, Thank you! What about condensation? With as much overhang as the fly has, it would appear that condensation would drip off the sides and not drip on the sleeper. It might have been better to add vents to the head and foot ends to create a cross breeze.
It is very airy so condensation not a problem at all
At 4:46 , it has a loop, where you can grab the mosquito net with a cord, and keep it stretched over your head.
cheers but i thought the loop was just for when you were sleeping with the inner only and no fly?
Thumbs up just for the 16 horsepower tune!
Class innit...i sang it on the trail !
Great review, thanks!
Nice one kidda , I’ll have a look at that tent
There is one major problem that would prevent me buying one of these: It cannot be erected in the rain without the inside getting soaked. I consider that of paramount importance, having arrived on too many occasions at a camp site during a downpour when all I want is to get the tent up, brew a mug of tea and rest.. These days I use a Vango Tempest 200 which has the inner and flysheet fixed together so they go up in one and the inner stays dry. Yes, I know it is a different concept and it is almost twice the weight but I have yet to find a bivvy-tent that is satisfactory. Manufacturers just don't have the whit to design the damned things properly.
The Tempest would prevent me fitting in it because it is too short. This is a TALL review remember. I don't fancy being my bag/feet extending into the porch and not being able to zip up the inner. And weighing 2.8kg compared to 1.5kg is another dealbreaker for me than having to erect the inner first. You just learn to erect it fast !
A lot of tents are like that nowadays, basically so you can use fly without inner and inner without fly. Not a big deal if you have practiced putting it up first.
Thanks fella, food for thought
When tie the toggle from the rain fly to the toggle on the mosquito net then the mosquito net won't hit your face
i thought that loop was for when using the inner without the fly. I'm gunna check it out, cheers!
Tried it and still touches my face. Defo needs a redesign for tallies
Tie Back the outside toggle point to the toggle point for the door roll up area with some minor bungee style cord and it will keep the toggle off your nose. Watch you're own video and suddenly this will be obvious solution for you.
Whoa! i clearly couldn't see past the end of my nose.....i will give it a try ! cheeeers Oldman
Nice review. I wondered if this would fit a tall guy.
a 7' plus guy would fit in it !
@@pancrack Then this is the tent for me.
Areet marra, can this be put up outer first or outer and inner already fitted? Just thinking about putting it up in the rain.
Afraid not - inner first only. I have been caught once pitching in the rain - it doesn't take long so not so bad.
Great review If it's windy; Is it drafty? Thanks 👍
Cheers Gordon ...I did mean to elaborate on why I thought it wasn't a winter tent but forgot - we were shooting a stealth vid on private land! - The fly doesnt extend to the floor as you can see so it is a bit drafty if the wind is really blowing but I will say it is solid being so low profile. I was in the Scottish Highlands last month and camped on Rannoch Moor in a 14 hour storm blowing a hoolie and she held together brilliant! And kept the rain out totally. It would be be nippy in winter as the inner is just mesh. But these are the compromises you make to keep the weight down. I do love it. A great bit of kit and really well made too which I also forgot to mention!
Cool content! Could you recommend it for autumn/spring with temperatures around 0 C?
I can't really, I haven't tried it @ zero.
Just dress warm and bring a good sleeping bag
Love your review, love 16 Horsepower - :-)
cheers! and yeah me too! And Wovenhand are good too
Hi, may I ask how do you store your backpack when using bivy tent? I don't think it is enough space to put the backpack inside the bivy, right?
Hi James - i explained in the video - i lay my 65L big pack sideways like a pillow above my head. i put my fleece n spare clothes in a fleece stuffsack and lay that on the pack - that is my pillow. And at 7'10" the inner is long enough for the pack and me. Beyond the dog and beside my legs down to my feet there is space for pack contents: drybags for food and any other bits. Along Outside under the fly i stash pots n boots. But if it is tanking down, everything can fit inside.
Does anyone know how it compares with the Rab Ridge Raider - especially for those of us who are long of leg?
it was something i was looking at originally but its not as long as this
@@pancrack Many thanks. On the back of your review, I've bought an ionosphere and used it several times. I love it. I do wonder, though, whether the Rab Ridge Raider might be better for cooler nights. At 6'3", though, I'd want to be sure I could fit comfortably in it. Thanks for your help.
@@timgay3485 no probs. There are quite a few vids of people using it in winter...
I really dont know why they didn't make the overlay sheet just slightly bigger so it stops the draft around the edges, other than that its a great tent
I hear what you are saying and I too have thought that but i think it is to minimise condensation which bivvies/bivvy tents can suffer from. There are no vents otherwise. As i said in the vid, i questioned it being suitable for winter because of the airyness. I have never tried in snow yet but been meaning too. Maybe this winter. 6 years on since i bought this, i do think there are ways that it could be improved on, maybe cutting down the number of stakes it requires - longer cord at the corners on the inner so that both the inner and outer corners and held by single stakes? Maybe it would have to have a longer stake but still surely a weight saving? Maybe also clips or shorter sleeves on the inner to connect to the poles instead of the sleeves as they are. And maybe a zip that extends further along one side to improve access in and out. I recently got an Durston Xmid 2P Solid which is huge and weighs about the same, as i dont use trekking poles, but in the UK for low profile, dark green stealth, performance in wind and the smaller footprint I still choose this for solo (plus dog) trips.
@@pancrack would be great to see a winter camp using this tent mate if that's on your mind! It would be a first video of someone trying that out!
@@goob5568 it's not but it's not a bad idea!
@goob5568,
for breath-ability, if it didn`t have that air-flow, it would be dripping wet with condensation inside it.
did you play basket ball ?:) ha ha you would have not fit into my vintage 1971 chevelle and it easily fit 6" 2" people :) good review mate:) love your dog ! cheers from Alaska :)
cheers back atcha...ain't been 6'2" since i was 14 !
ha ha thanks for responding :)
I'm subscribing because of your dog!
Did you notice 2 toggles outside your mesh?,,, there is 1 at your head as you look up and 1 at your feet,,, these toggles hold the mesh up a little more 👍,they are ruffly where the 2 straps where 👍
i have since i posted this vid! cheers
Tried it out and not high enough by any stretch ! It defo needs moving
great advert this.
how is the humidity factor wit this kind of tente ?
It is VERY well ventilated. The inner is mesh and the fly stops about 10cm from the floor all the way round.
Do you use it on storm or strong wind ? I am considering buying this tent for storm condition and rainy weather.
As the outer stops short of the ground by about 6" it can be drafty in strong winds but it is low profile and survived a couple of storms intact and kept me totally dry.
nice
I thought I had a problem looking for a tent at 6'5 "
Perfect for you
I just don’t get inner pitch first, tents and bivi’s, there’s been many situations I have been in with the UK weather where that would have been a paddling pool by the time I’d slung the flysheet over it, how do you get on pitching it when it’s lashing it down with rain ? and why would you go with this over say, the Vango UL1 which is the same price, weighs less, has a stack more room, a place to cook in wet weather and store your gear, perhaps it’s the challenge of sliding in to it without getting your ass covered in sludge 😆
For sure, it would be better if it pitched outer first in wet weather...but it doesn't take long to pitch. I was caught once in a storm and my ass was not covered in sludge! You can pitch it fast with practice and rain for inspiration. As for the Vango UL1...it's new for 2019 and wasn't available when i bought this / did the vid. UL1 is 300g lighter but is 28cm shorter so not as good for very tall people. And the cost is generally a little more expensive than Ionosphere. Looks a good tent for non tall people though.
Ive had the same experience pancrack describes. You can get the tent up quickly with the fly and then run around and button everything down before it becomes a swimming pool.
Also pitching only the inner tent can be a very nice option aswell.
What kind of shoes do you have?
These were Karrimor Corrie size UK 14s. Long gone. Now into Merrell MOAB2 which also come in v large sizes in both shoe and boot and are the best I have ever had.
About the same size as my British S.F. Double hooped Bivvy.
But is it as long and the same weight?
Cheers!
Here is a wee vid of our trip by BBC TEES on FB...
facebook.com/watch/?v=10154838934681714
would you fit two people around the size of 5"9?
It would be snug but doable, it is quite wide. Your packs would have to go outside of course
@@pancrack Jack Wolfskin Gossamer 2 is a 2 man version of this tent.
how would it hold up in rain?
I explained in the video
Just the inner would be nice
It is on a hot dry night !
You sound close to me. I’m from Redcar, Teesside
Saltburn ;-)
pancrack awesome 👍🏼 thanks for the tent review
@@chrisu.k9307 a Redcar film i did... www.pancrack.tv/redcarww1.html
and another... www.pancrack.tv/coatham.html
What kind of dog is that
Border Collie
@@pancrack very cute!
This is supposedly a 4 season tent
Doesn't say that on the Snugpak site.
Inner up first tent is useless in the UK weather !
It is hard to convince, that it is of any use.
why?!! A super rain proof shelter that is super lightweight and at 7'10" inner length can accomodate very tall people. I know of no other tent that matches that.
It's a great quality , lightweight stealth tent.
It checks all the boxes for me
cant sit up in it . will get soaked trying to get in it if raining . there are lots of better lighter tents out there this is just a hooped bivy
Yes as the name suggests = "Bivvy Tent"
Which tents do you mean? I want to get one, I would really appriciate your opinion, it will help a lot. Thanks in advance
It's as big as a dogs nose
Okay let me stop you right there you said nothing can compare to that that is a rip-off directly of a camping tent that I had and it was made in the 80s it called the camper ways Sportster tent look it up I made a video of it under another RUclips account but it is a4 season tent sorry you can do snow camping in it look up campwaya tents
Okay, let me clarify to you why i said nothing can compare - in terms of suitability for tall people. Is the Sportster still available and is it 7'10" long inside?
@@pancrack no dont think so
it's not a tent.. more like bivvy tent. Too small too low not comfortable at all. The entrance is horrible narrow. Big man should find much bigger tent. At this weight 1.5 kg, you could find 2 person tent, for half price at chinese websites.
To be fair i say it is a bivvy tent and it is sold as a bivvy tent. For big men - width ways how big? Its not narrow and at 7'10 certainly not short. I have a 2 man tent at only 100g lighter but prefer this for solo camps as it is so great for stealth and fitting in small spaces.
Of course it`s a tent, it is a bivvy style tent! Bivvies don`t have both inners and outers, and very rarely do they have a pole at each end (If the have a hooped pole at all), and although Pan Crack didn`t mention or show it, the door actually opens wider than you think, as the zip extends to over half way across the width of the end of "the tent," so the door is sort of L-shaped. Admittedly it`s low, but that makes it brilliant in strong winds, it`s an excellent little tent, that`s even better when used in conjunction with a small tarp to give it a bit of a porch area for cooking Etc. I`m 6.1, and I was very comfortable sleeping in it with a whole lot of gear, and it could put up with much more severe weather than some cr@ppy taller tent from China.
Just got back from a 4 day hiking trip in the Welsh Mountains. Took a brand new Ionosphere. The first time I put it up, one of the inner zips broke!
The first ever use, totally let down by it in the middle of the mountains.
DO NOT BUY THIS PRODUCT!
The zips are rubbish.
I would contact Snugpak. I gotta say I have never had a problem yet.
Didn't have that problem either
Hi - sorry to ask but at the start of the video you say Snugpack sent you this - was that send free for you to review?
Yes mate - to 'review from a tall persons point of view' - my idea to uniquely sponsor my C2C hike for charity. 95,000 views now and judging by the comments on here it has led to a fair few sales.
You can get a Wild Country Zephyros 1 for similar or less money and it weighs 1435g.
But its only 220cm inner length wheras the Iono is 240cm. Crucial difference if you are very tall !
and it sucks.