leight tent for trekking with small kid

[ratna]

Hi! We would like to buy a new tent so that our 2 year old daughter could join us when we go trekking. Since she wont be able to carry anything and we would most likely need to carry her also if she gets tired, we would need to minimise our luggage considerably. Would you be able to recommend a tent? We are thinking about HB Nallo 3GT. Any views or experiences? Is it worth it to wait for the Kaitum3? Any tips on what to be ready for when going trekking with a small kid?
Thanks in advance!
Ratna.
PS: answer in German is also ok (I am just terrible at writing in it, but can read it no problem)

[Fernwanderer]

Before I answere:
Where and when are you trekking?
For example, if you prefer mediterranian zones in the summer, the Nallo would be a bad choice, because of the restrictet possibilities to ventilate.

Fernwanderer

[Tomscout]

Hey there,

check out the Wechsel Intrepid 3... might be worthfull think about same i.o. a Nallo GT 3. But Fernwanderer is right - it depends on what you want to do resp. where & when you want to go....
http://www.wechsel-tents.de/www/index.php?go=PRODUCTS&catalog=6010&product=6024&lan=de

Edit: ups...might be a bit to heavy, sorry....

[Hoschi]

The Nallo would be a good choice right now. The new Kaitum will be slightly heavier, much more expensive i believe but will offer more space and a better ventilation. On the other hand, the Nallo GT has a very big apside and it is available!!!
What about the Vaude Mark II light? Might be worth a look.

[rumtreiberin]

For the weight it might be sensible to look at anything called light or ultralight. The trouble with tunnels which are known for their excellent weight/space ratio might be ventilation, the next thing is the question how a little kid handles things like entering a tent with low headroom if she goes inside on her own or how easy it might be for you to help her get in or carry her inside. I think in this context it might be worth thinking about a tent with a small apsis and taking a tarp in addition to sit outside with some protection from wind, sun or rain while eating or cooking. Maybe you look at this one by vaude and add a tarp like this. So you will come to a weight of 2,7kg for the tent plus 1kg vor the tarp including pegs if you use trekking poles or trees for the tarp. And if you want to have less weight in stable summer weather you might even leave the tarp at home.

If you haven't been out like this with your daughter before keep in mind that on the one hand it might be an adventure for her, on the other hand is two years extremely young. How does she like a daytrip hiking without a chance to sit in a buggy when she is tired but being carried around instead? Keep in mind that the smaller a child is the more boring longer periods of stereotype activity will be for her, especially if there's no way to say ok, we take a rest or go for an ice cream or play at a lake or in the sand because you need to arrrive at a certain place before sunset. Do also consider that children at that age might need to sleep during daytime and that they will need good protection from sun.

Maybe a large (for ease to move inside for you and the child) and not so lightweight tent plus car and a campsite from which you can explore the surrounding areas in daytrips is more useful. At least this offers more flexibility in activities and you are sure to have water, a shower etc available when you need it. Certainly a campsite will already be totally different from a bed at home for your daughter - it might be sensible to start in little steps.

[derMac]

The trouble with tunnels which are known for their excellent weight/space ratio might be ventilation

Argh. Tunnel tents do not inherently have a problem with ventilation. Some have, others not. It solely depends on the particular tent.

Mac

[rumtreiberin]

Argh. Tunnel tents do not inherently have a problem with ventilation. Some have, others not. It solely depends on the particular tent.

Mac

If I was convinced that tunnels have a ventilation problem I would certainly have put it that way - the word "might" implies the possibility but not the certainty.

Besides, I have a Wechsel intrepid 2 which is a tunnel, and it certainly is not a tunnel with a ventilation problem, even when cooking in the apsis due to heavy rain and wind. If I hadn't considered the 4kg of the Intrepid 3 ZG too heavy I would have proposed that - especially the 2006 model from outdoorfair would be excellent value for money if one accepts the weight. With a child as young as that it might be useful to also try in advance how it works with entering the tent carrying the child through the apsis and further inside - crawling for more than a metre with a maximum headroom of a bit more than a metre like that might be uncomfortable - a fact that should be weighed against the advantage in terms of stowing room and the possibility to have a midges-free cooking and eating place the really huge apsis with mosquito net in the entrances offers

[derMac]

If I was convinced that tunnels have a ventilation problem I would certainly have put it that way - the word "might" implies the possibility but not the certainty.

If it is no special problem of tunnels, why mention it this way? The way you write it is sounds like a problem of tunnels, no matter whether you use subjunctive. And now - as this is solved - back on topic.

Mac

[ratna]

Thank you for your tips and comments

Fernwanderer,
We usually do Germany or Switzerland, although our next plan is to go to Sweden.

rumtreiberin,
thanks for the advise. We do plan to take it one step at a time. For investing in a tent though we have to think longer term because for the next few years she wont be able to help us carry anything and I hope at least in a couple of years she would be accustomed enough to do a trekking trip with us. We plan to get a child carrier (kinderträger, any recommendation for this one too? ) for the trips, which means we would be reducing our lugagge capacity considerably. That is why we have to make sure we get the right tent. Unfortunately cannot afford to buy one every couple of years or so

Oh ya, thanks for the hint about carrying the kid into the tent. We havent considered that. WOuld have to try that out with our existing tent in the garden. See if that works. I am hoping that her favourite soft toy Lisa would entice her enough to walk in herself Cross your finga for me

Ratna.

[derMac]

If you can live with the very high price and weight is your highest priority the Kaitum 3 should be a very good choice. If the weight can be (a littel ) above 3 kg you get a much wider selection on good 3-person-tents.

Mac

[Fernwanderer]

May be this or the Helsport Fjellheimen Double would be a choice.


Welcome to the forum
Fernwanderer

PS: A Mosquitonet at the entrance didn't really stop the beasts, it only reduces the problem.