Tent Suggestions for Brooks Range

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Hey Guys,

I spent 13 days in the Eastern Brooks Range on a buddies float sheep hunt last year and may have a chance to get back up there in ‘19.

I used the provided BA Fly creek 2 last year. Nice really light tent but I didn’t care for the end entrance or how it performed in the two nights where the wind whipped up pretty good. It held up but the ridge pole would occasionally collapse even with the all the guy lines out.

I am considering something like the Hilleberg Niak as it is pretty light, 3# 12 oz and is said to have good length which is important as I am 6’4”.

I have a few tents already
Go lite sl5-too big a footprint to find a level spot where we’d be

Rei Arete asl 2- end entrance and over 6 pounds, probably would get sold to help fund new tent.

Mountainsmith mountain shelter lt- lack of inner tent would have been awful with all the bugs we saw last year and not sure on how wind capable, might be fine.

Obviously that is an 800$ tent, (there is a used one in the classifieds right now at 650 which is really tempting!)

Is there something else in that kind of class I should look at in comparison? I know that is asking a lot out of a tent

Looks to be a great balance of strength, weight, size and even looks like a fast set up.

I would be able to use the fly creek again for nothing so that makes it harder to pull the trigger on something so pricey.
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Jimss

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I've been on a number of sheep and mtn goat hunts in Alaska. I've been using a Hilleberg Nallo 3. It's nice having gobs of room in the vestibule for gear plus cooking. It sounds like it's heavier than the Niak, but I've never had any issues with wind, snow, etc. It sure is nice having more room on extended trips. The only thing I don't like is that there sometimes is condensation if it rains for days. There's only 1 vent flap rather than one on each side. Another tent I've also taken to Alaska is a Exped Aires Mesh. It is pretty much identical to the Nallo but chunk less $. It actually has a vent on each end. My buddy and I usually split up tent, fly, poles, etc. so the overall weight/bulk is split between 2 of us. The tent material, poles, etc are likely a little sturdier on the Nallo so that's likely why it weighs more. I'm pretty sure the Nallo has a 3 to 4 season rating which is likely a little more than the Niak?

With that said, it's worth it to me to have a super sturdy tent....not worth the risk when conditions can turn to for the worse in ALaska! I don't think you could go wrong with any of the Hillebergs….they are bomberproof!
 

sneaky

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Hard to beat a Hille, but don't forget the Scarp series from Tarptent. Or, Big Sky Chinook, or the Stone Glacier. Heck, Tarptent just released a dyneema solo tent that is a pound! all in and fits people up to 7ft tall. Still cheaper than a Hille lol, but, i'm a firm believer in everything hilleberg so I'm biased.

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I also have a dall hunt next year in the brooks. Been thinking I’ll grab a MLD cuben duomid or locus hapi and inner or just use a bivy if I get a new shelter. Might just roll with what the guides provide too, I think they use BA copper spur or kuiu mountainstar type tents typically so a guy could shave a couple lbs with a cuben mid.
 

bates

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I was in an msr Hubba hubba on my first trip up there. No issues but we got good weather


When I go back in 2021 I’m taking my Niak
 
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LitenFast

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Ellison Bay, WI
I was in an msr Hubba hubba on my first trip up there. No issues but we got good weather


When I go back in 2021 I’m taking my Niak

Do you have much use with your Niak?
Anything you don’t like about it?


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bates

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Do you have much use with your Niak?
Anything you don’t like about it?


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No I don’t have a ton of time on it.

I just like how quick and easy it goes up.

Nothing wrong with it. Like all things too bad it’s not a pound lighter lol
 

Mtnboy

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You should buy that one in the Classifieds so that guy can help fund his own AK trip....

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LitenFast

WKR
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Thanks for the feedback guys!

Still thinking hard on going the Niak route, any suggestions for something that is along the same line?

Just seems hard to beat the combo of strength, weight and ease of setup.

Moving camp quite a bit it’s awesome when it throws up nice and simple.

Tarptent shelters or similar look nice but just look like they could be a pain to set up comparatively and not as strong.


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sneaky

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Thanks for the feedback guys!

Still thinking hard on going the Niak route, any suggestions for something that is along the same line?

Just seems hard to beat the combo of strength, weight and ease of setup.

Moving camp quite a bit it’s awesome when it throws up nice and simple.

Tarptent shelters or similar look nice but just look like they could be a pain to set up comparatively and not as strong.


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I'd still be looking at the Big Sky Chinook series. Exo frame setup so goes up just like the Hille, but a couple hundred bucks cheaper.

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Hey Guys,

I spent 13 days in the Eastern Brooks Range on a buddies float sheep hunt last year and may have a chance to get back up there in ‘19.

I used the provided BA Fly creek 2 last year. Nice really light tent but I didn’t care for the end entrance or how it performed in the two nights where the wind whipped up pretty good. It held up but the ridge pole would occasionally collapse even with the all the guy lines out.
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Oh, you mean something like this?
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4cfa7766718b78b5bf5f9894786f0a9b.jpg




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EastMT

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My mountain hardware ghost ul3 did the same thing. There’s nothing holding it in place under the rain cover, so any downforce or side and it twists sideways. I down to buying a Hilleberg, just can’t find anything else as sturdy.


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Joined
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My buddies Brooks Range Foray did considerably better in the same storm that flattened my Fly Creek.
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If you’re set on a light wt. traditional free standing tent, that Foray might just be the ticket. I think it’s pretty much the same square footage as the Fly Creek, give or take, and only weighs a few ounces more but is considerably stronger. It’s also reasonably priced.

If it were me though, I’d go with a UL floorless mid and UL bivy. You could get something with tons of room, in an ultralight package, that will handle wind as good or better than just about anything out there.




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EastMT

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I’m starting to wonder about Brooks Range, whenever they are staying in business. 90% off a lot of stuff, no shelters listed anymore, everything’s marked out of stock


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sneaky

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I’m starting to wonder about Brooks Range, whenever they are staying in business. 90% off a lot of stuff, no shelters listed anymore, everything’s marked out of stock


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Campsaver usually has some of their stuff

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