Trekkertent Stealth 1

A while back I had a couple of tents I was not happy with. In one case there were a few issues with design and so forth. Casting about for something simple and predominantly for use in the warmer months, I came upon Trekker Tents (trekkertent.com). What sparked my interest was the fact it was a small business and based in Scotland.

After further investigation I decided to go for the Stealth 1. It is a sloping ridge tent, high at the front and sloping to the rear. Basic size is 24" at rear or 60cm, consider using a 66cm pole at rear. Height at front is 41 inches and 59 inches wide. Basically there is enough room to sit up in, just.
The original aim of this tent was for cyclists who wanted something light and simple. Initially it comes in grey with a mesh inner with bathtub floor and the basic weight is twenty ounces. There are a few alternative options on offer, a fabric inner and also a choice of colour, I opted for a slightly heavier green 40D silnylon.
To be honest, it was the cost that really clinched it for me. At the basic price of £165, plus a little more cost added for the green fabric. Marc, who makes the tents is very helpful and can be asked to modify or add specific items.

Over the last few months the tent has been used in a variety of weather conditions. How have I found it? Pitching is straightforward. A niggle I had was having a single front pole. This was rectified by using my trekking poles in an A pole configuration, I use an A pole apex, a simple twist loop with front guy line around the ferrules of the trekking poles can suffice. This suits the tent very well and adds stability. The rear pole I use is a 66cm two section pole from 'Bear Bones Bivvy Gear'. Setting up is a matter of pegging out the two rear pegging points, slip  the pole in the grommet at the rear apex and peg out the guy line. Peg out the front two corner pegs, set up either single pole or your two trekking poles and peg out front guy line. A further peg, (I prefer two pegs) for the front porch and basically the outer tent is pitched. The inner is hooked with toggles on two loops on the fly and pegged out on the four corner guys. Some folk have an issue with issue with hooking up the rear of the inner due to the low height. However, why not hook it up when setting up the rear of the tent? For extra stability there are two pegs points mid way on the fly. They do keep the fly taut in windy conditions. There are also two extra guying points midway on each side of the fly. Something I have never put to use.

How does the tent perform? The porch area is surprisingly roomy. There is centre two way zip, thus both panels can be opened out and fastened by a simple loop and toggle system. There is room in the vestibule area to stow a rucksack. The inner tent does not offer a lot of space. There is enough though, I can fit all my bits and pieces in quite well. A tall person may struggle with head height. Obviously all the height is at the front end of the tent. Slightly restrictive but I have managed to dress and pack everything including the inner tent, with the tent battened down due to foul weather. As with all small tents, condensation can occur. Something I carry is a  very small fibre towel. Thus the inside of the fly can be dried off quickly.

 The tent comes seam sealed,  I did have to add a little more on the apex. Probably due to the fact I was using an A pole configuration. It is not supplied with poles or tent pegs. The tent can be pitched with just seven pegs, although I would recommend a minimum of nine. Normally I carry twelve which include a couple of very thin titanium wire type pegs. These are used on the trekking pole wrist straps to prevent the poles shifting.
This tent is what it is, small, compact, light and easy to pitch with a very small footprint. Over the last few months it has stood up well to a mixture of weather, including heavy rain and strong winds. If you want a static tent for campsite use this is probably not the tent for you. It is an ideal tent for the backpacker or cyclist who wants a reliable shelter at the end of a day's walking or cycling. For the ultralight folk, it can be used without the inner, offering an excellent tarp set up.
For the colder, winter months I will be using a slightly larger tent that offers that wee bit more space. The stealth has two stable mates. The Stealth 1.5 and the Stealth 2.
It is worth having a look at what Trekkertent have to offer. A word of caution though. Actual delivery times are slow. Marc has recently had a long bout of illness and is playing catchup with orders plus, I suspect, a lot of popularity for his tents.
A criticism I have heard is that the Stealth tents are copies of Saunders tents. However, ridge tents, in one form or another have been around for an awful long time. In fact they go back centuries if one wishes to be pedantic!
One final note, these are just my personal views on the tent. The tent was purchased by me and I have no association with Trekkertent.
If anyone wants a tent I still have a Nordisk Telemark one going at a very cheap price.