Mongar 2 Backpack Tent (Polyester)

Adding to the Mongar point, above treeline I'd care more about guyout stability and how fast it pitches in wind than shaving 300g. Had one windy night in Scotland where setup speed mattered way more than spec sheet weight.

Yeah that tracks. If it’s pitching clean and you’re staking it every time, that matters more than shaving a bit of weight. Alps weather can turn fast, so a tent you can get up quick without fiddling is usually the better buy.

Ditch the zenbivvy sheet (it's probably good, but budget) and swap out the Mongar 2 for the Mongar 2 pro. The pro has lots of mesh still on the inner, but it starts higher to avoid drafts. These 2 changes cost nothing (price cancels out) and it'll save you 1kg. All things are trade offs, the regular Mongar is better for a few days a year in the UK, but if you only summer camp then maybe ignore my advice. If you camp in spring / autumn the pro is much better.

Honestly, I slept in the mongo 2 pro literally last night - I really doubt you'll get better for the money. It was raining and I pitched it outer first, which was really easy. It's legitimately a 2 person tent by the way. I think you're doing the right thing, spending good money on your bag and sleeping pad, "buy once" but getting a more budget friendly tent. Remember it comes with a ground sheet included in the price. It's not perfect, I have some gripes, there's quality of life stuff on it that's annoying, but I doubt I'll change until I'm ready to drop 3-4x the cost or if I start winter camping.

Ditch the zenbivvy sheet (it's probably good, but budget) and swap out the Mongar 2 for the Mongar 2 pro. The pro has lots of mesh still on the inner, but it starts higher to avoid drafts. These 2 changes cost nothing (price cancels out) and it'll save you 1kg. All things are trade offs, the regular Mongar is better for a few days a year in the UK, but if you only summer camp then maybe ignore my advice. If you camp in spring / autumn the pro is much better.

Honestly, I slept in the mongo 2 pro literally last night - I really doubt you'll get better for the money. It was raining and I pitched it outer first, which was really easy. It's legitimately a 2 person tent by the way. I think you're doing the right thing, spending good money on your bag and sleeping pad, "buy once" but getting a more budget friendly tent. Remember it comes with a ground sheet included in the price. It's not perfect, I have some gripes, there's quality of life stuff on it that's annoying, but I doubt I'll change until I'm ready to drop 3-4x the cost or if I start winter camping.

Nature hike mongar 2 pro - £169 on Amazon It's roomy, bit longer for taller people. Recommend the pro, it's better for UK weather (good ventilation, but also good draught exclusion with the netting starter higher than the previous model) Whilst it is inner pitch first, it can be fly pitched first and it's not hard. It's just a direct copy of the MSR Hubba Hubba.

They're both 3 season tents, cloud up 2 is 1.8kg and Mongar pro 2 is 1.96kg (both the specs on the website for packed weight). You get more space in the Mongar for very little difference in my opinion. Obviously it's all about what you value more, but I'm mostly 3 season wild camping with my kid so me carrying an extra 160grams makes no difference.

i got a alp mountaineering zephyr 2. I’m also 6’3 and pretty active so I was fine taking on some extra weight to save money. I’m not a thru hiker hiking 30 miles a day, I just like to get out in nature and explore for leisure. I had a naturehike mongar 2 that was solid as well and a little lighter and around $100 on amazon

There are tents in all shapes and sizes and you really have to find something that suits your needs and wants. - festival camping? Decathlon fresh & black 1 second tent - bikepacking? I like my naturehike mongar 2 a lot - comfortable camping with a car and possibly stormy weather? Nothing beats a De Waard Some tips: - when the description says: 2 person tent, it often means two sleeping pads can lay next to eachother. You won't have any room for a bag inside. So do a +1 (sleeping alone? 2p tent is probably most comfortable) - ground sheets are not mandatory, but i would always recommend one. They protect your expensive tent inner from stuff on the floor. Even a cheap plastic sheet is better than no groundsheet at all - vestibules are nice to store stuff that gets dirty (shoes) and to cook in when it's raining - you cannot touch the wall in a single-skin tent, condensation building  up on the wall will make stuff that touches it wet - cotton = heavy but less clammy, polyester = cheap but middle of the road performance wise and nylon/dyneema is lightweight but expensive - naturehike and decathlon have affordable but generally pretty good tents - bath tub floors help keep water outside when you are on soggy ground If you just need a tent to sleep in every once in a while I really like my Mongar 2. Affordable, spacious inside and decent quality. Good luck!

I'm not sure what the exact term is in English either, but I mean a tent that has an inner and outer layer (outer layer is sometimes called the "rain fly") indeed! And cotton is less clammy, the fabric is a little bit breathable when dry, which makes it a bit nicer to be inside, but lightweight/small cotton tents are a little bit old fashioned because they are heavier. Tents that use other materials will generally have more ventilation ports to compensate, make sure to not close all of them when inside. You are basically sleeping in a plastic bag with the latter, so you can imagine how nice that will be if there are no holes in the bag 😉 Polyester is not as lightweight as nylon or dyneema and not as comfortable as cotton, so "middle of the road" in that sense. I think you should buy a polyester tent as your first tent, middle of the road is not bad per se! And a 2 person tent is great for a comfortable nights sleep for one person, a 3p tent will be a palace, but a bit bigger and heavier to carry

I have a Mongar 2 and I like it a lot. I also use it (and love it) for shorter carcamping trips, but when staying for a longer period I take my more comfortable De Waard Albatros Junior, just because I can stand up in that one. The Mongar 2 is a very roomy and comfortable tent though. And it seems a bit higher than the decathlon popup tents (the version that folds back into a circle), which means you can more easily sit upright inside it. Only downside with my older model Mongar 2 is that it can be a bit chilly inside. The inner has so much mesh that you can really feel the wind inside the tent. I acutally have 2 of them, one is a bit of a special model where the solid fabric walls are a bit higher on the inner, which makes this less of an issue in that one (I take the other one bikepacking because it's 500g lighter). I know a lot of people are happy with their decathlon fresh & black tents though, especially on hot summer mornings, where I have to get out of the tent earlier because it gets too warm (and light) inside. They can just sleep for a bit longer.

The Mongar 2 is a popular budget backpacking choice. I have a larger, older Cloud UP3 that is totally viable for backpacking and quite a few people I know use the Mongar. I'd put them pretty close to the quality of my high end tents and they tend to use more generic, slightly heavier poles than the expensive backpacking tents. Their gear really hits the sweet spot for quality and low weight at a good price.

I've never heard of them but products from their parent company, DAC are ubiquitous in high end backpacking gear. I'd give a design like the sololite a try. The vestibule comes separately adding a lot of cost. I see two big problems with this tent; * Shipping stuff overseas to Canada can be a big PITA. I'm not sure where you are purchasing it but but "Bigtent Explore" option may largely avoid shipping being a PITA and that store seems to be the main place to buy them. * If you decide to sell this tent it will be difficult due to the lack of name recognition. Durston's a Canadian company that manufacturers extremely popular tents and if you want a high end option they are worth a look. I'd recommend starting with a freestanding tent like the X-Mid. I primarily use a different tent but I've been extremely impressed by one of their trekking pole tents I own. Another option is more budget oriented tents. NatureHike makes a bunch of fairly light tents (CloudUP, Mongar) and imho they are more durable than the extreme ultralight tents. If you do get serious about backpacking, you can later upgrade from a budget tent. Personally I use less expensive tents when camping close to vehicles as weight isn't a major concern and I'm less worried about damaging them. If you later decide to get a ultralight 1 person tent, the extra space of a two person will be greatly appreciated when weight isn't a concern. Go to MEC or another outdoor store (Not Atmosphere / Sportchek) and start trying on packs and find one that fits well. Keep a few in mind and purchase one that will fit the rest of your great and aim for a 60L or smaller pack. As long as you have a sleeping bag designed for backpacking that uses down and / or synthetic materials and has an appropriate comfort temperature rating its hard to go wrong.