Naturehike STAR RIVER™ UL 2-PERSON ULTRALIGHT BACKPACKING TENT
I got mine on AliExpress a year ago for $130 usd. It offers a lot of value. I've taken it on 2 trips so far, no rain yet, just dew. I am totally pleased with it. Easy to setup, breakdown and pack, as its components go in 3 nylon sacks. I put the poles in my frame bag, and the rest in a pannier. The 2 person is the correct size for 1 and all your stuff. I wouldn't recommend for anyone over 6 ft.
Good luck.
You can look up the specs online for precise numbers, but I found it to be one of the best bang for your buck tents out there. Quite light weight. I'm totally happy with it, I have read some comments that say the tent Stakes are of a poor quality, but so far I haven't really noticed.
I just returned from a bicycle tour using this tent: Naturehike star river 2 UL (bought for roughly 140.- pounds on AliExpress. It packs really small, especially when using an additional pouch to minimize the volume of the external and internal tents... (see pouch in my reddit post here: [https://www.reddit.com/r/bicycletouring/comments/1nhiloz/how\_i\_got\_my\_ultralight\_tent\_naturehike\_star/](https://www.reddit.com/r/bicycletouring/comments/1nhiloz/how_i_got_my_ultralight_tent_naturehike_star/) )
Tent weighs roughly 1.8kg with the metal poles, i think. I am very impressed by it, although I agree with the general criticism regarding the openings - it is difficult to get in/out of the tent without catching some of the dew or rain water on the outer tent. Otherwise very comfortable, easy to set up and take down, and very rainproof.
(it is bigger than it looks in this photo. the perspective is a bit confusing)
https://preview.redd.it/eikbzodhuppf1.jpeg?width=3072&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=122decd993b103c80e7f5a987f8a27e45ade3bed
I love my regular star river 2….. only negative is the zipper doesn’t go along the bottom of the tent so it is a pain to put boots on in buggy conditions. Other than that it’s amazing.
The UL version does fix this but you do loose some of the bomb proof design as a trade off
I love my regular star river 2….. only negative is the zipper doesn’t go along the bottom of the tent so it is a pain to put boots on in buggy conditions. Other than that it’s amazing.
The UL version does fix this but you do loose some of the bomb proof design as a trade off
Have a look at the Naturehike Star River 2UL. It's long enough for you to lie down without going diagonal and you'll be able to sit up on it without hitting the roof of the tent. It also doesn't taper and has two large vestibule areas for storing your kit.
It's a cheaper Chinese copy but no issues with durability.
Also, I'm new to Bikepacking and can now have it up in 5 minutes after just a handful of attempts. Here is a video I made for my channel after my recent Bikepacking trip to Sardinia.
https://youtube.com/shorts/EKD09HtssCc?si=PpLCJEcSRMFSRJhR
Naturehike makes the best affordable UL freestanding tents in the market, imho.
Their Cloud Up models are their lightest, but also a bit tight/small. However, if you really want the lowest weight, a Cloud Up 2 UL is the way.
Otherwise they have e.g. the Star River UL model, which is more spacious.
Also, just order them from AliExpress. It's always going to be more expensive to buy them from a reseller in Europe, I've been there, done that, and it's just not worth it. Ordering from Aliexpress is cheaper and actually works pretty well.
Oof yeah. If you already have the Star River, you can't really get a lighter tent without sacrificing something.
Either you get a very expensive X-Dome for more space and a lower weight, or you sacrifice some space for a lighter tent.
There's also the Star River UL, which is very slightly smaller than the standard Star River and like 500 grams lighter, but that's about the smallest I'm willing to go to get a light freestanding tent.
Or if you know someone visiting Canada or the US, ask them to bring you an X-Dome ;)
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