Hi,

I'm looking for a cheap, lightweight, roomy, double wall, two person tent. The Golite Shangri-la 2 seems to fit the bill. I had a couple of questions for those who have this tent.

Firstly, I wonder how inconvenient the placement of the trekking pole in the middle of the entrance is. Is it common to bump into it on the way in and out of the tent? Also, I heard that it can be difficult to get a taut pitch with this tent. A friend has the Shangri-la 1 and found that the bug net sagged quite a bit. Are there some tricks/tips to get a taut setup for both the inner and outer tents? I seem to remember that he needed to add guylines at each pole, but I think that there are tie-outs along the body of the tent. Are these important to use?

thanks

rhz

Edited by rhz10 on 08/15/2012 14:57:50 MDT.

I have just the rainfly w/o inner.

Trekking pole location is mildly inconvenient. I don't have much trouble getting in/out but I only use it solo. I prefer to sleep down the center of the ridgline (most headroom) so sometimes I offset one or both of the poles (have tried offsetting perpendicular to ridgeline and parrallel). When offsetting poles I would recommend using oppsing guylines at the poles to keep a tight pitch. Or sleep slightly diagonal to ridgeline.

I find the tarp pitches very tight/very easily w/ just 6 stakes (4 corners and 2 middle) and trekking poles not offset. In high wind I think the mid-panel tieouts would help, but I've never needed them.

I would say this checks most your boxes except for "roomy". It is a palace for 1 and 2 would certainly fit but it wouldnt be roomy.

James,
Have you tried hanging from the peaks and not using trekking poles? You could even to a ridgeline between two trees and go pole-less.

M

Edited by bigfoot2 on 08/15/2012 15:48:28 MDT.

Or if there are two of you, you could use inverted poles.

I wouldn't call it roomy for 2 at all. I had one for me and my dog and thought it was too small. I personally wouldn't want to use it for 2 adults. I only use the fly so I switched to an SL3 with a negligible weight difference since I don't use the heavy pole that comes with it. The difference is considerably more if you take the inner but not as bad as it seems on first glance on the Golite site. If you use trekking poles you can get an extender for one pole (mines 1.5 oz) or make a joiner for two trekking poles (I think the one I made is about an ounce) and eliminate the 12.87 oz pole. That brings the SL3 to 58 oz and closer to the SL2 at 50 oz. For 8 oz (and $100 more) you'll get a comfortable tent for 2 and you can each carry part. And if you leave the inner at home, it's very light. Mine weighs 27 oz for just the fly, stakes, extender, and stuff sack. Love it.

Rafi, the floor space of the SL2 is pretty roomy, but the walls slope steeply which makes it seem a bit smaller with two people. This is probably worse the taller you are.

I don't find navigating around the pole a problem, but I use mids most of the time.

It does pitch quite taught. Not as tight as something like an MLD shelter, but good.

"It does pitch quite taught. Not as tight as something like an MLD shelter, but good."

huh, I would expect the sl2 to pitch tighter than say a duomid. Mostly bc of the 45deg stitching across the long sides and the slight hex shape. Then again I think the duimid uses slightly heavier silnylon than the golite. I believe youve had both so I guess you can do more than guess.

FWIW I have never found a 2p bping tent to be roomy.

Matthew good idea on suspending from outside...I'll have to try it sometime. I do agree with Dave for 1p I don't find the pole to be much of a problem.

here is a video of an sl2 pitched broadside into 25-35mph wind w/o midpanel guylines. Pretty good deflection but it still impresses me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ji0JNewsN4c

Edited by jnklein21 on 08/15/2012 19:57:46 MDT.

I have used both an SL2 and a DuoMid and the SL2 pitches absolutely rock solid and in my opinion, tighter.