Camping in a Severe Cyclonic Storm | Will the Hilleberg Tent Survive?
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- Опубликовано: 2 окт 2024
- Join me on this adventure where I go camping on the Big Sur Coast in a very sever storm, dubbed an atmospheric river cyclone... I take out my new Hilleberg Allak 2 for the very first time to put it to the test. Unfortunately, even this 4 season tent had a tough time in these weather conditions. Although horizontal rain can be a challenge for most tents, I am still surprised of the severity of the issues I had with it…
Main Gear used:
Tent: Hilleberg Allak 2
Air Pad: Thermarest Xlite (Regular Wide)
Quilt: Katabatic Gear Flex 30
Stove: Trangia 25 with gas burner option
Rain Clothes: RAB Meridian GTX Jacket, REI rain pants, Vasque St Elias GTX boots
Cameras and Lenses used:
Sony a7sIII, Sony 24mm GM f1.4, Sony 20mm G f1.8, Sony 85mm GM f1.4, Tamron 28-75 f2.8. Sony 100-400 GM.
Dji Pocket 2
Seam seal your outer and silicone spray your outer, including the vent flaps, and that won't happen again. This is one of the best tents made.
My white duck bell canvas tent has handled 85 mile an hour straight line winds in Oklahoma..incredible tent
Good to know!
Cheers bud
Let’s be honest, a lot of other tents would have leaked (either by blowing in under the fly or condensation dripping down) or even collapsed in these conditions. While it might leak in horizontal rain, the ventilation options in 95% of conditions is awesome.
True statement. If a bomber tent is needed there is the Kuiu Storm Star (popular with hunters up in Canada and Alaska). There’s also the Tarptent Stratospire Li, which is in ultralight trekking pole tent, also extremely storm worthy.
Cheers
Great video! Thanks.
Hi Alex, You got a new subscriber.
I love my Alak2 tent. I bought it last year and went on a trip towards the North Cape Norway. It was a nice 3 weeks summer vacation (late August, beginning September) with a lot of wind, rain and cold weather. I drove every day further with my car and after putting my tent every day up and down, it's still the best tent I owned. It's really does the job.
Indeed it’s a fantastic tent with lots of great features.
Sounds like you had a fantastic trip camping last Summer. Norway is beautiful and I hope to return one day.
Thanks for the sub!
Cheers 👍
Hi Alex. Just to add to the leaking under the vent cover debate. I was out a few days ago and also experienced the same issue. I’ve owned the Allak 2 for a couple of years now and it’s generally a great tent but water ingress under the vent covers seems to be an issue with top vented Hilleberg models. I have also experienced this on my jannu and I know soulo owners who have reported it too. Wind driven rain will hit the tent sidewall and be blown up the fly and eventually penetrate through the vent material. It’s not a zipper specific issue, the entire vent cover material is by it’s design breathable and so it leaked through this. There is an element of user error in this also. On the Allak the vent cover is cut to sit much lower on the foot end of the tent. The vents are of course located on the vestibule sides. If you pitch it foot end into wind I’m told this should prevent this happening as there is more top vent coverage and no actual vent at this end. I’ve yet to test this out so can’t vouch that it’s corrrect. I wonder had you pitched foot end into wind as that may answer for me ?! Incidentally Hilleberg told me to pitch the Jannu vestibule into wind to prevent wind driven rain leaking i through the vent. I’ve kind of resigned myself that this top venting problem is a trade off for a 4 season Hilleberg tent where you get the strength and fly sheet to the ground so can’t vent low down. That said it’s still very irritating and I also have been looking at the kaitum 2. Did you pick one up yet? Keep up the great content your chilled delivery and cheery demeanour is super viewing. ATB. Gary
Hi Gary, thanks for that input. I will definitely try that next time if I find myself in the same situation with the Allak. I have since, purchased a Scarp 1 and even more recently the Niak. Hopefully we get a good storm here in the Fall so I can put the Niak to the test and see how it handles things. I suspect that it might do OK in wind driven rain since it doesn’t have the At the top. With all that being said, the inner of the Allak is pretty water resistant and did a good job at keeping most of the moisture at bay (it did get damp after a few hours).
A lot of people have recommended the Storm Star from Kuiu but I have a thing for Hilleberg tents. Maybe one day I will give the Kuiu a shot…
Cheers 🍻
Horizontal rain is a real challenge to most tents in one way or another.
A feature of Hillebergs is that they have a fly sheet that reaches to the ground (to avoid snow coming in underneath), so they go big on the higher level ventilation, usually with both a mesh (flies) and a 'solid mesh' zippable barriers. However when the wind drives the rain into those meshes, it is designed for the wind (i.e. ventilation) to penetrate, which unfortunately can carry the water with it. The top vents are then more susceptible to the driven rain as they end up above you, while in the tunnel tents the vent meshes tend to be far more into the vestibule, so the few drips aren't really a problem. We even suffer from them in our Keron 3 tunnel, in the driven Scottish rain storms (a good storm makes for a refreshing sleep!).
Definitely among the best tents there are.
It’s definitely tough to find the perfect tent. I think this one (Allak) is designed more for snow. Most tents with the “hat” on top don’t do as well with wind driven rain. The Keron looks like a cracking shelter.
I’m envious of your storms there in Scotland! We haven’t had much rain here in California since February.
All the best 👍
Good vid pal, enjoyed it. Looked like a standard weekends weather in the Highlands where we are 😂 Shame the Allak leaked a bit, it was definitely unfortunate mix of conditions to cause it. Still a cracking tent and even in those conditions again you might find it didn’t leak, it’s so angle specific with wind driven rain. Take care and hi from the Scottish Highlands
I agree, it’s an absolutely outstanding tent and like you said, perhaps if the tent was angled in another direction it might have fared better. Glad you enjoyed the video👍
Not just because of the cap on the Allak.
I had the same problem on my first outing in a nammattj 2 GT stuck for two days in a storm on Vatersay outer Hebrides Scotland.
Luckily the large porch was facing into tbe wiind and the driving rain coming up from the Sea front was driving straight through the front vent.
I went out and pulled the guys practically straight down to the ground and folded the wired cap into the tent. It helped but not 100% solved and clearly slightly compromised the guying into a strong wind.
Luckily this was the GT version and the large porch was into the wind otherwise I would have had a wet tent.
Hilleberg said yes 'another' rare occurrence.
Iike i said no rain cap on the Nammatj. They clearly should keep this vent but maybe another small waterproof triangle or something shud be added for extreme events like these.
After all thats why we buy hilleberg tents to try guarantee we stay warm and dry no matter what the weather throws at it.
You seem in such good humour after a pretty much sleepless night in a very expensive leaky tent. Congrats.
I was just glad to be out there 😃👍
Cheers!
I love watching these crazy storm camping in tents with torrential rain and winds! Only thing better is snow storms! Uber lite i ve seen them they seem pretty cool ! Now retired will be doing some of this tent testing myself !lol
Glad you enjoyed the video Chris! Funny you should mention, I have my eye on the weather around the Sierras waiting for a good snow storm to come. Hopefully one will materialize soon!
Cheers 👍
Awsome video. I watched a video earlier a hillerberg tent in strong wind and heavy rain and it leaked. A thousand dollar tent should not leak. The REI HUBBA BUBBA Tent would be dry and it's only a third of the cost of a hillerberg. The nature hike tent is better too. Heck a Coleman tent will do better 😂😂😂
So casual and calm, especially when your about to visit the land of Oz. 😆 lol
My car wasn’t too far away so that was good in case my tent got shredded, lol
Love 💕
Great video,thinking of buying the allack 👍👍🇬🇧🇬🇧
I love mine, I just don’t take it out when I know there will be a lot of wind driven rain. Other than that it is an absolute beast in the wind and from the videos I’ve seen in the snow as well. Cheers!
G'day Alex. Can't beat waking up to that view. It looks like the tent isn't designed for horizontal rain. The tent stood up to the wind ( in that it didn't fly away ). I've got a Hilleberg Akto that definitely would have handled that. My duplex would have gone ok as well. Understand you well in that you wanted to test a new tent in a storm. ( done it myself) Tasmania is opening up to the world from December. You should try some hikes down here sometime in the future. Always good to see your videos.
Many thanks Magpie, I appreciate it 👍.
You’re right that relentless horizontal rain is what did my Allak in that night. I’m hoping it was a once off…
Tasmania is definitely on my list! Would love to hike and camp out there one day.
Cheers!
amazing tent . i love my Allak, too. its not perfect but pretty close and better than most alternatives. the pretty damn good ventilation is an issue in those conditions but an advantage in most of the conditions i use it...i am not this stormy guy :-)
I agree! For myself, so far the perfect tent seems to be a collection of tents to choose from for the right situation:) Id that makes any sense!
Cheers and all the best…
You need to adjust the “top hat” pull it down further to prevent the slanting rain getting in. Also don’t pitch your door into the driving rain. I suppose these are just things we learn on our journey. All the best from Scotland Alex. 👍🏼
Hi Doug!
Yup I sure did all those things. That hat was pulled as far as it would go towards the back and the tent was pitched with the back to the wind (label to the wind) . Both vents leaked but I haven’t encountered those conditions since so probably fluke conditions 🤞
Cheers bud 🍻
@@alexonthemountain8343 Cheers indeed Alex. Aye, that’s unfortunate but what can you do? It was likely the way the rain was blown under the “hat”. What an epic view in the morning though, Big Sur looks incredible.
Really enjoyed your video Alex. I am also an Allak 2 owner and fan. It took me awhile to become friends with the model, but now I really enjoy it. It isn't a fast pitch, it's not the easiest to pitch in dark or windy conditions, but it's more wind stable than you give it credit for. Combine it with 10mm poles and it can be rock solid through intense storms. The problem you experienced with moisture is almost certainly as the vents are only water resistant, and water beading off, that has been blown under the hood by strong sideways winds, could run down the zipper and drip through at the ends. You could seam seal it yourself, I do take on board that Hilleberg really *should* do this themselves in factory or swap both vent material and zipper for a more waterproof solution, or extend the length of the hood (or both). The tent itself is not a leaky tent, the materials are premium as is the craftmanship, but I consider it a bit lazy of Hilleberg not to address this flaw in design / materials choice. That being said, the hood can be cinched down and you can tackle it yourself to a large degree. Ventilation options and wind stability is where the Allak really shines. Hope you get out in it lots more! Tc
Many thanks, I’m glad you enjoyed it.
Yep, I’ve already seam sealed the zippers and stitching around the vents. I’ve been chatting with Hillenberg and they said the only option for the vents is to add a third layer of fabric which would then make it less breathable and in turn will give you more condensation. I think you’re right about somehow making the cap larger. Another Allak tent owner said that he uses the guy out point on it to close the opening a bit by guying it to the ground. That being said, the storm I was in was really something else in terms of moisture. It was the first time I experienced anything like it so hopefully it was a one off event. I can’t wait to try it out in a good snow storm! The 10 mm poles definitely sound like a good idea.
Cheers 🍻
@@alexonthemountain8343 I've had the pleasure of being on tour with Hilleberg and their staff and they make great products. I am not always in agreement with the logic but they are a very busy company! Allak is a superb tent, the 10mm poles adds very little weight for a big strength boost, at some cost. Having slept in many Hillebergs, none of them are perfect, but Allak comes very close. You found one of the few very known weaknesses.
@@greenpanda7121 Lol it was raining 🌧 inside the tent ! It failed miserably.
Way to ride it out.. I considered ‘Hillies’ but recently went w a Kuiu Storm Star 2P, full on 4 season, double wall tent. During that same atmospheric storm system, I was out camping on the Oregon coast about 600 feet from the ocean. Due to a different design, dry and toasty w the golden retriever! Subbed.
Much appreciated David! Yup I’ve seen those Kuiu Storm’s… they looks like bomber shelters. The cap design on the Hillies doesn’t hold up well against forced rain unfortunately…
I bet you had a blast in that storm up in Oregon! I think it was even stronger up there from what the Doppler showed.
Cheers bud 👍
@@alexonthemountain8343 glad to know there are others who ‘ride out the storm..’ in a tent!!
Good to hear! I am a big fan of the storm star
I have the same tent. Do you have the vent open? And is in raining through the vent?
Hi alex. Loved this video! Its like being with a buddy who smioes through everything! And the feeling of being out in the elements. Great viewing😊
Well I had to make the best of it! Glad you liked Mikey!
Many thanks!
HELLO.
Cool video brother 👍
Glad you liked it👍🍻
Good vid,cheers from Devon England.
Happy you enjoyed it Dom.
All the best!
Raccoon? Ok how about dogman? Or you'lls mistery black cat? Raccoons taste good and they have the fur too...
I may had have some sativa earlier....
Nice video man. 😎
Quality video, deserves million's of veiws
Many thanks! Glad you enjoyed 👍
Alex, I noticed in the latter part of your vid that the top cover was heavily tilted to the right. When you compare it to other Hillebergs, the Hilleberg logo is flat across the doorway, whereas yours seemed to slant heavily to the right. Maybe the cover was pulled too far over, leaving the vent more exposed, hence the leak? Or is it the angle of the shot?
Hey buddy!
That was the first thing I made sure of was to pull the straps of the cap all the way to the back. I wish there was a way to pull them even further but unfortunately not… A viewer recommended I use the guyout loop to attach a line at the rear of the cap so that it “hugs the tent” a bit more. I’ll give that a shot should the same situation arise. Otherwise fantastic tent.
Thanks for watching, cheers 👍
Delta pegs u want brilliant put wet gear in other side of tent
I would get myself a Keron 3 or 4 GT...
Spray a little fabsil over the vent material.
Man that's some crazy weather
Sure was!
Thanks for watching👍
Thank you for this video!
Whoops. I bought it, and I received it today... The Hilleberg Allak 2... Almost regretting it already, I must test it in rain this weekend before our 10 days hike in August.... 🤞😪🌦
@@Johns1 glad you found it helpful.
As long as you don’t get wind driven rain that causes rain to saturate the vents under the “hat”, you’ll be fine. The Allak performs well in most conditions.
All the best👍
@alexonthemountain8343 I am moving over from my Nammatj 2 GT. For sure, I will re-seal all seams and use some wax on the sippers before my main hike. Thanks again 🏕👍
Wind driven rain is normal here 🤣 🌦
#Norway
Recently got 2 hilleberg tents the anjan 2 and akto. With the anjan , an elastic toggle in the porch leaked, with the akto , the upper vent stiching at one corner leaks.
Good to know about the Anjan since I was eying it. The leak you describe with the Akto is classic from chatting with other campers. Surprising that Hilleberg doesn’t modify seam sealing/waterproofing, zippers and such to prevent leaks…
All the the best.
No tent, not even a Hilliberg, is 100%. I seam seal and silicone all my tents, including the rain fly.
Right, that’s what Hilleberg also confirmed. Even their black label tents would have had the same issue. There are a handful of tents that supposedly have handled the wind driven rain. one is the Kuiu Storm Star, another is the Tarptent Stratospire 2p Li. I’ve never tried either of those, just heard from some people on the backpackinglight forum…
All the best Chad 👍
Dude I'm right there with you,I love that type of weather but if we talked in the street I would say yeah no I could not see this dude in a torrential downpour with gail force winds camping. I could easily see you in like a Seattle Starbucks roastery. Bruh got me all twisted up in the game.
🤣🤣👍
I’m crawling the walls for the next big one to hit…
For how much these tents cost is terrible that there are silly design faults to them. Shame on you hilleberg
I know, it’s a bit unfortunate. Hopefully this type of condition is rare…
Cheers
great video love the tent looks very expensive a bit like a ROLEX EXCEPT A ROLEX INCREASES IN VALUE WITH TIME. thanks for sharing
Much appreciated and agreed on the Rolexs, especially if you’re able to get your hands on one of the stainless steel sports models 😎
@@alexonthemountain8343 that's the one that I wanted
Plus there four season
Alex, I found another vlog had same problem. And he has a fix ( which I think you already did) " Black mountain adventures, published 11/7/2021 titled hilleberg soulo leaking vent.
Hi Martin, yes I’ve seen the video. That cap/hat design isn’t the best as we are finding out. Hopefully the seam seal will help a lot.
Cheers!
Good video of conditions in a storm. I have 4 Hilleberg tents (3 BL, 1 RL) and I have heard of this condition a lot, but have never experienced it. I have gone out when it's dry and windy or snowing and no wind. I have to say that one of the ways that I avoid issues is to go out in tents that are slightly larger than I need to help reduce condensation and also move away from driving rain drips if that happens. These are my favorite tents (Tarra, specifically) - I have DCF fabric tents, but can't get away from Hilleberg despite the weight and trade-offs.
If rain is being blown horizontally and up into the vents I'd say it's a pretty freak event. As I see it the only option would be to have a solid fully waterproof fabric that you can zip closed over the vents to stop water ingress (kinda like some black label tunnels) but then you'll have crazy condensation anyway. Even with Hillebergs, you won't win in some conditions.
I’m hoping that’s the case and won’t encounter this situation too often…
Thanks for watching 👍
All the best.
TY for vlog. I've watched 100's of hilleberg soulo vlogs mostly from guys hiking in Scotland. I don't think I ever saw a leak problem. For that money you should be 100% happy. Hope you brought ear plugs. They use them in Scotland and they also put rocks on their pegs.. Stay safe
@@eyeswideopen627 Cheers Martin, I’m hoping it won’t happen again. I’m also going to seam seal the zippers just to have as insurance. If it indeed does happen again then I’ll reassess at that time is the plan for now. Glad you liked the video 👍 All the best…
I used to get alot of condesnation in an akto when selaed up, but not an issue as just have to wipe the inner before sitting up.
Hi Alex, great video. Funnily enough I just watched a video in wales where chap had same problem in his soulo. I had a Nammatj gt2 that leaked in similar conditions but from the pole clip area. Hilleberg just told me to add Silnet to the stitching. I think in sideways rain the cap just isn't quite low enough to stop fine moisture being forced thru. I think Hilly should look at tweaking the cap overlap and maybe use aquaguard zips. One other thing, why do they still use metal zip pullers, the noise from them is crazy too, I'll stick to my Rab Summit for a quiet night's sleep :-) thanks for sharing and you gotta sub from Scotland. A
Thanks for the sub Andrew! I appreciate it…
I think that could be a really good idea, making the cap a little bit larger or at least it should be adjustable to where you can pull it further to the back of the tent to prevent rain from being blown underneath it. Meanwhile I too am using silnet on all the zippers, seams and hopefully it will help should I find myself in the same weather conditions…
Cheers!
Damn fine Storm camping video.. Ohio
Many thanks Shane! Glad you enjoyed 👍
Hey Alex, nice to see the tent in bad weather. Did you end up getting to the bottom of why the rain was coming into the tent ? and in honesty, if you had to by a new tent again, would you get the same one or go for something els, Thank you
Hi Gary, as per Hilleberg this is a common issue with tents that have the so-called “hat” on top. The vent zippers and vent fabric aren’t fully waterproof so in these instances it could leak. The good thing is that the inner of the tent is fairly water resistant and does a good job at sheeting the water leaks should that ever happen. Hilleberg claims that these are pretty very rare occurrences, so unless you live in a part of the world that has a lot of wind driven rain (Scotland, Iceland,…), you should be fine in most situations. In my personal instance, I am still very happy with the tent, but will mainly be using it for winter camping as the snow shouldn’t cause any issues.
If you want to be sure and need a tent that is approximately the same size, I recommend having a look at the Kuiu Storm Star. I’ve talked to quite a few people that use those up in Canada and Alaska and have never had any issues with wind driven rain.
Hope that helps! Let me know if you have any other questions about it.
Cheers!
Would be interesting to see how a Hilleberg Soulo Black Label would have coped in these conditions.
So I wrote back to Hilleberg asking wether a Staika Black label would have held up better, and they said it wouldn’t have made a difference in the weather I was in. It has to do with the two layer vent fabric being more breathable than water resistant. Also the zippers under the cap aren’t covered by the rubber deflector, which can cause them to leak.
But interestingly enough, when I made the post on the Hilleberg FB page, no one with a Soulo had any issues. It seems like Allaks and Akto’s do encounter some issues every now and then… Cheers 👍
New subscriber here! Great video! I love how you handled that stormy weather. I love videos with torrential rain and wind.
Thanks for the sub Toria! Glad you liked it! There’s something about camping in nutty storms that Keeps me coming back for more, lol.
Happy thanksgiving, cheers 👍
@@alexonthemountain8343 Happy Thanksgiving to you as well. I'm looking forward to more videos.
those tents with the silly little caps instead of a fly sheet always leak because the rain gets blown under the cap and in through the netting. I would not buy a tent that doesnt have a full fly sheet
Understandable! It’s definitely not a tent I would take out if I know I will encounter those kinds of conditions. I think for winter camping, in the snow it’ll probably be great, but with wind driven rain, not so much so. Cheers!
@@alexonthemountain8343 i watch a lot of camping videos and this is a common problem keep up the good work mate
That tent is a piece of crap...One day you might have to rely on that tent in really bad weather and then it needs to be DRY.
I see your point and it’s definitely not a tent that I will take out if I know there will be strong wind and rain. I’ve seam sealed all the zippers under the cap so hopefully that would help should the situation come by surprise. Hopefully it was a one off event. Cheers
@@alexonthemountain8343 It should also be possible to just take the top of a larger tent so it goes further down on the sides to prevent the wind from blowing the rain up and in to the vents if the rest of the tent is to your liking.
Right before this, I watched a video of a guy with an REI tent on Carson Pass, CA in a massive windstorm. I believe winds were up to 100 MPH. Now, granted, there was no rain or snow, but I think I would take his tent over this one. He kept saying, “this is a good tent”, while you kept saying “I don’t know.”. Now I just want to see the REI tent in the same circumstances as this one, to see how it would do in wind AND rain.
I actually saw that video a few days ago! Chris does some sweet adventures up near Tahoe. He was using the REI Arete ASL 2, a great four season tent indeed. The only issue is that the outer fly doesn’t extend all the way to the ground so hard to tell how it would have performed against horizontal rain. Other than that, its a fantastic tent, especially for the price.
Cheers Michelle, thanks for watching!
@@alexonthemountain8343 Yes, it certainly withstood the high winds, but the true test would have been wind and sideways rain or snow. But I was so impressed how much wind it withstood without ripping and tearing to pieces. Thank you for model of his tent. I had forgotten.
New subscriber here, love crazy storm camping videos and this one was very fun to watch.
Thanks Sebastian, much appreciated… Definitely more storm vids coming your way 😃👍
Cheers
Great work!
Thank you Jonathan!
I have this tent too, i have bought seam sealant for those zipper areas. Its the design flaw of this tent, the wind pushes rain upwards and it just collects on the zippers, if you solve that it should be perfect
Good idea Ryan. I’ve seam sealed the fabric around the zippers but not the zippers themselves. I’ll have to look into how to do that. Cheers
Amazing even high end brand names leak in rain. Alot of people on RUclips taken this out in snow. But I hadn't seen this tested in the rain. Maybe its just me but I need a tarp over the tent in heavy rain. And I love people who go out in storms and test gear. They are awesome! So if I'm out camping and I have notice of heavy rain I'm going to cut a good size pole from a tree for a ridge line, and hang a tarp over that has bungee cord tie outs added to the tie outs. I mean why not tarps are super lightweight these days and well worth their weight in gold. Thanks for vid! Cheers
Many thanks Joanne, I appreciate the kind words.
I’ve seen a good number of people (Tony from AB Outdoors being one of them) put a tarp over their tents in the rain. It also gives you a bit more living space outside the tent in a downpour.
Cheers 😃👍
I believe, most tents only have problems with leaking because they have not been properly seam sealed when first purchased. Even cheap tents hold up well when this is done. Most of the coated fabrics are very water resistant. Sometimes on my cheaper tents I didn’t bother to do this and I regretted it. A tube of 100% silicone caulk is cheap and with some charcoal lighter fluid to thin it, you can make a high quality seal that will go on easy, dry quickly, penetrate the stitching and be quite durable. I have 35 year old tents that are still rugged because I did this when I first received them. And I have others that fell apart because I didn’t take that step.
Now on the matter of tarps, my Canadian friends taught me years ago that no tent is complete without a tarp. Even the very best tents will wet out in a relentless week long rain, so Joanne is right, a light weight tarp does wonders for live ability.
That's a real challenge. You're a brave man. By now I would have dug a burrow and hidden in it. Also would have put a rock in glass and poured a whisky over it and drank whisky on the rocks. Oh boy, give this man a Bells, he deserves it. Enjoy!
Lol! Glad you liked the adventure Denise!
Cheers
Hi alex i loved this video❤️❤️❤️
Many thanks! Glad you enjoyed👍
Cheers
if you'd have hiked all day IN THE RAIN you'd never have had the energy to deal with a super complex leaky tent.. you'd have been S.O.O.L.
Could very well be, but the inner worked pretty well (once the doors were closed) at keeping water from entering the inside.
Hilleberg and Fjallraven are the best tents and have been through the worst conditions... :)
They really are designed for these conditions, but sometimes the weather is just freaky and all tents can have issues... I seam seal the zippers in my Hille and have never had issues.. :)
Fantastic tents indeed. The only tent that I’ve heard has little to no issues in extreme weather is the Kuiu Storm Star. But it’s a bit heavy and I’m not crazy about the colors offered (superficialI know..).
I’ve seam sealed the zip and will take it out in the next storm to see how it does.
In all honesty... I'd not be impressed by the 'answer' or reply given by manufacturer. While it exhibits good customer service to get back to you... fact is 'other' selections of 4-season, storm-worthy proven tents would not have had these issues. Issues = highly likely multiple things. Good thing is ya got out, had fun, made some discoveries, noting structural integrity was sound, and had a realistic tent test night in real world conditions. True enough however all this could have been simulated at home tests prior to outing (and should have been) if/when heading into more demanding conditions. The little cap design and top vent with extra seam work plus zips (also type of zips) is simply not a good design unless tested and seam-sealed inside and outside. I'd wager in your scenario that it is water ingress via seam work. Food for thought: this Halloween storm delivered a max of 27" of rain and on summits >20' of snow.
Right, I agree, it’s definitely disappointing especially since these tents are markets as being mountaineering ones… I definitely did notice water coming through stitches around the zipper areas and zipper fabric. The Rogen is the only Hilleberg with waterproof zippers. Hopefully they can update all their other models one day. My plan is to seam seal where it leaked, but hopefully I won’t encounter that horizontal rain much in the future…
Cheers
Hi there. What a night and I always wondered if that cap on top of this tent would do the job . Obviously not . . I've just holed my thermarest so would love a replacement so any of the thermarest you mentioned would be excellent but the xlite would be preferred. Well done.
Hi Steve, Sorry to hear about the fate of your air pad. You’re in for the Xlite👍
Cheers
here in scotland all we have is terrential sideyways rain tbh... everyone uses the soulo here and csnt say i hasve ever heard a problem with them. cheerz for vid still a nice tent
Right, that’s what I recall when I went trekking on Skye a few years ago…
Hopefully seam seal along the zippers will help.
Cheers Kenny 👍
Why doesn’t that tent have a proper rain fly?
Well, unfortunately that cap can be an achilles heel for this tent with wind driven rain…
You need to put the cover on the tent, what we saw you just had the inner with the support poles but you did it put the rain fly on top, hens the word rain fly…
I really enjoyed your video. I love the rain and wind. Sorry your tent leaked. I am very surprised--the Hilleberg 4 season tents are usually very sturdy. It might have been the force of the wind blowing the rain sideways. Anyway, great video.
Thanks Carol, glad you liked it. Right, it’s wind forced rain that seems to be an issue for Hilleberg tents that have the cap with the vents on top. The zippers and vents are water resistant to a point but end up leaking when the right conditions take place. Hopefully this was a one time event or at least won’t happen too often.
Cheers!
Definately seemed like the rain was being blown up through the cap and gaining ingress that way. I wonder if some means of battening down the wind-facing sides could be incorporated (velcro, zipper, toggles or whatnot) to be deployed when nececessary, leaving the lee side open.
Nice vid nonetheless, you conveyed the romance of being in a tent in a storm nicely. Indomitable spirit is alive and well.
You list some good options for Hilleberg to look into. They’ve been getting a lot of complaints lately as it relates to leaky tents unfortunately. I think a larger cap with tie outs could be another option as well.
The weather sure seems to be getting wackier with more intense storms. I think tent makers will have to make changes to some of their models to adapt to harsher conditions.
Glad you enjoyed the video!
Cheers 👍
Not a fan of cap vents. For this precise reason. Bitch to pitch and you’re not really in a fully weatherproof tent. I would be furious if I spent that much money and had issues a good $200 tent would have handled no problem. Great video nonetheless. I hope you can fix the problem.
I agree! There are definitely tents out there that are less expensive and that would have performed flawlessly in this situation. Cheers🍻
New viewer, subscribed Absolutley love this content!! My ultimate fav 😍 🌧️ ⛈️ ⚡️ ⛺️ ❤️ x
Glad you enjoyed the video and thanks for the follow! Funny enough, I just came back from another adventure in our last storm here in California. The video should be out in the next week or so… Cheers 😃👍
Taking it all in stride, if it’s pitched correctly it shouldn’t rain in, I’ve been using Allak for years and never had an issue with water infiltration, yet !
ps - didn’t see the whole vid so you might’ve figured out the issue
It was a pretty rare situation I was in as it relates to the wind driven rain. Hilleberg tents with the “cap” can unfortunately leak but again its very rare as per Petra Hilleberg (and so far it’s only happened once to me).
Still a fantastic tent 👍
All the best
I'll give it a like but ,need more lighting so we can really see
Crazy but wonderful!!
Greetings from Alaska. $1000 for a tent that leaks like a sieve. Could put one in a very dangerous situation.
Agreed. For Alaska, I’d look at either a TT Stratospire 2p if you want to go lightweight, or a Kuiu Strom Star.
All the best.
Despite the rain and wind, the tent did survive. At least a raccoon didn't attack you. Looks like a great tent and thank you for showing how it perform in an intense rain storm. Now following!
Hey buddy! I saw your name and was like, I know that guy. I just watched your Gregory Katmai review a couple of weeks ago👍
I appreciate the follow my man and followed back! Cheers
@@alexonthemountain8343 anytime my friend! You had a stellar camp spot view in morning! That was definitely nice pay off!
Cincinnati chili is quite different from any other. meat only, no beans, over spaghetti & they add cinnamon & allspice.
Good to know! It was a first for me.
Cheers 👍
anyone camping in the cold should use wool not synth clothing. Specially when getting wet, having good wool socks etc is a life saver, it will even dry when having it on during the night.
I agree 👍
I'm unsure of the Hilleberg "cap" design. All I see on RUclips is examples of it failing. To me it's seems like it just adds a potential extra point of failure.
Good one. Thanks a Lot
Glad you enjoyed! Cheers 👍
Hi Alex, two Words : Holiday Inn. The great outdoors suck !
🤣🤣 I can totally understand after watching this debacle…
Cheers
It’s not rare. I’ve had 8 different models of hilleberg tents and they all leaked at the zippers.
That’s really something if you think about it…
Out of curiosity, which ones where your best and worst performing in wet conditions?
Thanks for this video, I love that you had a good time despite the circumstances. Look forward to seeing more of your videos.
I thrive in these conditions, lol!
Glad you enjoyed Tina.
Cheers
Just watched your Video again - I think it is a good idea when pithing any Hilleberg tent in strong wind is to get the guy cords in as soon as they become available in the clipping process. The 'top hat' when cinched down concentrates/reinforces/clamps the apex applying pressure and keeping all the poles together. Very roomy in summer with the inner removed and a 'Footprint' fitted, lots of room for a camp bed that can be moved to a desired position (flat) like all Hilly tents in the morning condensation on the inside fly must be sponged down - especially when packing away - easier when inner is removed/not fitted.
What's your other channel?
They were very tough conditions. What a fantastic coastline.
It’s definitely a beautiful part of the world. Thanks for watching 👍
Cheers
Hey miss your content Alex, any new videos coming out soon?? I watch your storm videos every night to wind down and relax from a stressful day.
Very happy to hear you enjoy the videos Sebastian.
Unfortunately I’ve been slammed with work lately but plan on doing a few videos soon (new tent and camera to try out 😃). And when the storms start rolling out again, I’ll there! 🍻👍
@@alexonthemountain8343 Great to hear, can't wait!!!
Would not even consider the tent.
New sub here! Love the vid
Many thanks Fiona!
After reading the comments, it seems like people don't realize that you had the inner tent door open. Had that been closed, you probably wouldn't have noticed much .I have a Soulo and love it. I think you are the first person in America to do a video of this style in crazy conditions. For people that aren't familiar with Hilleberg tents ,the Allak is a Red label tent,which means it is a four season tent ,just like the black label line of Hilleberg tents. In my opinion , Hilleberg makes outstanding tents, yes, they are EXPENSIVE , but if you spend a lot of time camping in areas that can have some extreme conditions, then these are great tents to have.
I agree, I really like this tent and am planning on getting a couple more at least (the Unna and Nallo 3). I did mention in the video that if the inner was closed it wouldn’t have been much of a problem, but maybe some skipped through that section. And yes, you are correct that if the inner is closed then water just drips over it. Also, to be fair, the storm brought in 6 inches of rain that night which is pretty insane by any measure. I’m waiting for a good snowstorm to take this puppy in. Hopefully one will come through soon 😃👍
All the best!
I saw another video where the guy used large stones to hold down areas around the tent and large sand filled buckets to reinforce the cords to prevent the tent from blowing away.
These Hilleberg dome tents can handle insane wind and snow loads. The horizontal rain on the other hand... tends to get up under that cap. For this type of weather I'd prefer a tunnel style tent in the Hilleberg lineup, or something like an Exped Orion.
Completely agree. Funny enough, I’ve been looking at the Hilleberg Kaitium. It seems like it should be stable in the wind with it’s three hoops. Meanwhile I just picked up a Tarptent Scarp 1 to test out. Interior space is really nice for a 1 person tent.
Cheers 👍
I’ve got the Keron 3 and it’s rock solid. It’s never let me down.
@@deltanovember1672 The Keron 2 is one that I’ve been looking at. I just picked up a TT Scarp 1 so my next tent purchase will have to wait a bit. …unfortunately!
Cheers
ask for your money back?
You have no rain fly on???
Why not use 2 sets of pole's. That's why I bought a saitaris
The Saitaris is a really nice tent! I don’t think the poles would have helped with the leaking. I do double pole my Niak when out in crazy wind.
Kapan saya bisa camping di luar negeri,sangat indah sekali cuacanya aku suka
Well I would probably take my footprint off or rain jacket an put it at the top of the tent just to make sure the water doesn't come in..
There's actually a sexy technical term for the inability to ACT when action is pretty much required.. it's called LEARNED HELPLESSNESS.
Please do something when you have an issue. That's the reason you are in the nature in the first place. To get RID of the work pressure and family issues..
That’s a good idea Markus, I wouldn’t have thought of it.
Cheers 😃👍
You had a big hurricane/tropical storm hit your area for the 1st time in years and no video??? Lol
Believe it or not, it’s skirted right past us (unfortunately for me, lol)! The hurricane pretty much went straight to the desert areas. Hopefully we get some good storms soon . I have a new tent to test out and a seam sealing job on the little Hilleberg Niak.
@@alexonthemountain8343 No worries buddy 👍👍 will definitely catch your new video when you get the chance
Great video. Had my concerns at first.
Problem with leaks are that you are in a 2+ season tent. Rain fly is way too small for the winds you experienced. A full cover would have protected you far better in those conditions.👍
What a great time enjoying the weather and the tent. 16:21 Totally agree! Keep these great videos coming!
Yup, having a great time in horrendous weather 😃
Glad you enjoyed the video! Cheers!
Hey Akex, l read your message but l can't reply (RUclips doesn't allow me). You managed to comment on my video before it was published! 😄 I'll get back to you next week, I'm filming in Scotland.
@@alwaysforwardyt Sounds good! Cheers👍👍
Base Camp Chris had a similar vid (new tent, windstorm) but he didn't intentionally set out to test his new tent in extreme conditions (just missed the extended forecast). That you did is pretty rockin'. Late to the party but I'll vie for an X-lite. Keep up the great content! Stay safe.
I just saw Chris’ video about a week or ago in his new REI tent. He does some really cool adventures out by Lake Tahoe👍
Glad you enjoyed Amy!
You’re in for the Xlite. I’ll do the drawing on Sunday…
Cheers!
Amy! You’ve won the air pad! Please email me your mailing address along with which size pad you would like. Congratulations!
@@alexonthemountain8343 Wow, omg, thank you! Will do asap! Thank you!
@@amypondhikes No worries Amanda! It shows arriving on Wednesday. Thanks for being a viewer! Cheers
@@alexonthemountain8343 it arrived! Thank you so much! Looking forward to my next adventure and yours!
Im looking for my perfect tent to last me my lifetime (Im 60) I think I want a Hilleberg but not sure what “black label” 2 man tent to get, thoughts?
p.s. Im 6’2” tall, thank you
Hello there!
If you can avoid camping in horizontal rain then this one (the Allak) can be a good choice. It’s a bit heavy for backpacking though. Another option is to look at the Tarptent Scarp 1. It’s categorized as a 1 person tent but can fit two. Hope this helps!
Cheers
Cool candle lantern...whered you get it??
I believe it was Amazon. cheers 👍
Hi, I'm in UK, I have a Stika that I have not used much and was looking to find a video of one in a storm, as the Allak looks similar to a Red Label version of the Stika I watched your video with interest, thanks. I have seen a few videos of Hilleburg tents leaking from the top vent and what I would have tried is to push one or two UK Dustbin bags (aprox 100 litre polyethene sacks, I carry a few as a rucksack liner and for stowing wet gear) underneath the 'hood' to block out some or all of the rain. Interesting Video, thanks.
Hi Mike, good idea, I hadn’t thought of that… The good part is that the inner kept me dry after I closed it’s doors as it is pretty water resistant. No tent is perfect in the end but I think Hilleberg’s come very close to it.
Cheers from California.
Alex
It seems pretty clear that if those two areas are not waterproof, and that's okay, that the rainfly should be a bit larger, coming down a bit more. In any construction you have to allow that rain can and on the occasion, with the right kind of wind, will blow the rain upwards. The bigger the differential in the edge of that fly and the vertical level of the vulnerable area the less likely and much less possible for this to occur. It appears that that differential is only about 6 inches or so. If it were 10-12" leakage would become virtually impossible.
Good vid!
Hi Alex,
I’ve just had my Allak 2 delivered this week after a nine week order wait !
Only had chance to pitch it in the garage to check it over, but it looks the business 😬
I would try some liquid Nixwax over the zippers on the outside of the tent, a good thick layer of it in the zipper will help to keep a lot of the water out, probably not all of it though.
Pretty bad conditions you were in really, swings and roundabouts as we say, if it had been a one piece flysheet you would have crazy condensation problems 🤷🏻♂️?
Uber cool tents though, especially in the green, 😬👍
Oh, .. I think seeing as you were pitched at the edge of the cliff you will have had a terrific updraft to contend with as well, this would have driven the rain up inside the cap, I think if you’d pitched 50 yards further back it wouldn’t have been such a problem perhaps?
That’s a great recommendation on the Nixwax. I’ll give that a shot… Congratulations on your new tent! I agree the green with the yellow poles looks killer imo.
Thanks for watching!
All the best 👍
@@1956colinb You’re right, I think being pitched on the edge of the cliff didn’t help and probably helped blow the rain horizontally 😬
@@pgoutdoors Many Thanks Mike. You’re in for the XLite. Cheers