So I spoke with Marc (TrekkerTent) re. Stealth

[redefined_cycles]

Just an update (or bulletin... whichever way one likes to look at it).

Learnt from Colin and then various reviews in roighly agreement that the Trekkertent Stealth is nice but a bit fiddly getting in and out due to The Pole...

Obviously, being stubborn I decided that its the one I wanted and emailed and enquired from Marc about lead times etc a few weeks (or was it months) ago.

I got told theres an exciting new tent in the pipeline (the Stealth with side entry door) so I decided to wait...

Just emailed him again and got a reply which goes lile this:

"Hello Shafiq

The Stealth 1 re-design is getting some small modifications following field testing, it will be the last week of May/1st week of June before it will be ready.

It is only the Stealth 1 we are making side entry, there is better width for access on the Stealth 1.5 and Stealth 2.

Best Regards, Marc"

-----------------------

What a(nother) lovely Scotsman

For those that dont know, the Stealth1 comes in at around 570g with inner and reason why I'm keen (other than it being made in a shed in the Cairgnorms [please dont spoil it for me]) is that the spft inner can be swapped out for a harder inner which should see (those that is soft like me) through a bit of winter...

[Bearbonesnorm]

I make quite a few pole sets for Stealths that set up as an A frame so access is much easier. Although at 5' 6" I don't find it bad with the single pole.

[Rasta]

How about Trekkertent in the title instead of annoying click bait?

[ScotRoutes]

One thing you can be sure of with Trekkertent is that the stuff has been fully tested in "proper" conditions and it's not just a cheaply-made and untested copy of someone else's design.

The current design isn't unbearable (see what I did there?) but the new one should be an improvement. For a couple/few weeks of delay it should be worth it.

[redefined_cycles]

How about Trekkertent in the title instead of annoying click bait?

Sorry Rasta. I never do think that far ahead. Lemme try and ammend for you

[Bearbonesnorm]

How about Trekkertent in the title instead of annoying click bait?

It's starting the title with 'so' that I don't like but I'm going to give myself a cheery panda and remind myself that the sun's out and it's a lovely day ... what tyres for a panda?

[middleagedmadness]

[
what tyres for a panda?


[/quote]

385/55/22.5 I'd say at a guess

[PaulB2]

But is the tread good for gravel and in the mud?

[Dave Barter]

I've got a first gen Trekker tent stealth and have no problem getting in. The secret is to be as thin as the pole

[Jurassic]

I too have a Stealth 1 and I concur that it's a pita to get in and out of when the outer is wet (I'm 6' tall and not especially thin ). Stuart, I'd be very interested in the A frame pole (I already have your alu upright poles which are great other than the access issue). I know walkers use their trekking poles to form an A frame but I think I'd use this tent far more if I had a bikepacking A frame pole for the entrance.

[redefined_cycles]

In the interests of completeness... Another message came through from TT earlier (I enquired on my 45 and 48 and 49 inch pole - yes, Stu made me a 3 in 1):


"
Hello Shafiq

Yes, it will work with the Bearbones pole, 45" is correct for low pitch.

The shorter end will be able to be supported by a bike wheel, its exactly the same as the original Stealth 1. Dave Barter, the cycling author, showed me his setup using this method just before he started the Highland Trail 550, and I have heard of other users doing the same.

We are also doing some shelter design work for a new business starting up which is making a range of ultralight outdoor gear, mainly down quilts, bivys, tarps, but also some bikepacking specific shelters. One has inflatable air beams, using a standard bike valve, so the bike pump can be used to inflate. Saves a lot of weight over alloy poles. I think they are going live in June.

Best Regards, Marc"

____________________

Such a polite chap! and he doesn't call Dave, Sweary but Author Dave.... Wonder which new business startup this is...

Am I right in sayin he implied that I could use different lengths of pole to adjust the height...

[boxelder]

Thinking of getting a Stealth 1 and found this thread. Still nothing on the site about the new version. A few questions if I may:

Are they fairly durable?
Do folk add a under tent groundsheet/tyvek job?
At 6'3", will it be a bit small?
What pole options are you using EDIT - Pole-a-bear shelter specific I guess?

Much obliged in advance for any shared wisdom.

[Jurassic]

Thinking of getting a Stealth 1 and found this thread. Still nothing on the site about the new version. A few questions if I may:

Are they fairly durable?
Do folk add a under tent groundsheet/tyvek job?
At 6'3", will it be a bit small?
What pole options are you using EDIT - Pole-a-bear shelter specific I guess?

Much obliged in advance for any shared wisdom.

My response to your queries (as a Stealth 1 owner) would be as follows;
I'd say that yes they are pretty durable and well made given the limitations of using super light fabrics. The only issue I've had with mine was that the zip on the low end failed almost immediately. This was an optional extra that I actually didn't want or spec when I placed my order but the tent came with it anyway and as I'd waited so long for it I didn't bother sending it back. My solution was to simply sew over the zip at one end so that now it opens as a vent but I can't use it to "spread" the fly and make it wider when using it as a shaped tarp rather than a tent. I'm pretty sure that Marc would have replaced the zip under warranty if I'd sent the tent back but as I said I just wanted to use it as I'd waited so long. I ordered the solid fabric inner (rather than mesh which was standard) so that I could use the tent in colder, windier conditions and have no regrets with that option. I have Tyvek and Polycryo groundsheets that I could use but I haven't bothered, I either use the inner tent or a Borah Gear sidezip bivy bag with the outer.
I'm six feet tall and find the tent pretty roomy in both length and breadth for such a compact design, my only issue is access and getting past the pole without soaking my back on the outer.
I have Stu's alloy pole set which are excellent.

[Dave Barter]

Do folk add a under tent groundsheet/tyvek job?

I bought the inner which comes with one and a midge net

What pole options are you using EDIT - Pole-a-bear shelter specific I guess?

Stu's poles are perfect and give height options

[boxelder]

Great, thanks. Ordered, with mesh inner.
I'll see if Stu still has poles, but I do have some Easton poles from a Wild Country tent I may try to use.

[Borderer]

Everything is a trade-off somehow, but I found the trekker a bit of a challenge to stake out properly as it required a lot of tension to keep the fly taught. There wasn't a lot of stake position wiggle room in the one I had, so you pretty much had to find four perfect staking points in the exact right place for it to work, and in the real world there would invariably be a rock or root or something fouling one peg at least.

Maybe I should have put short bits of guyline on the staking points to give some flexibility. I didn't think of that at the time though...

[Bumpy Jonas]

Spoke to Marc myself. Just ordered one with both inners after 2 months of seriously looking at lightweight tents. Nearly went for the 1.5 but at 5.8 I can sit up in it. I am a tent person but the versatility of this as a tent/tarp, the overall weight, pack size, cost, supporting a much needed cottage Scottish industry and the fact I have some of Stuarts carbon convinced me. Cheers Peter

[ianpv]

I've got a stealth one - I've used it with some alloy poles cut to length but now have some carbon ones from Stu that my wife bought me. I'm 5'10" and it is cosy but big enough - getting in is not ideal but not that hard! Side opening sounds good though...