View Full Version : Hilleberg Atko Opinions...
88BlueGT
12-31-2007, 17:16
I'm looking for a tent to thru hike with next year. Whats everyones opinion on this tent?
http://www.hilleberg.se/default-e.HTM
Thanks guys.
Dan
4eyedbuzzard
12-31-2007, 17:28
The staika model? Overkill for a thru-hike shelter. 8 lbs. Too heavy for a single hiker. Pretty heavy even if shared by two. Think tarptent, or tarp, or bivy, or hammock. 3lbs or so as an absolute limit.
4eyedbuzzard
12-31-2007, 17:39
Sorry, didn't read/see the Atko reference at first. Nice tent. More than suitable for the AT. Never heard many complaints about Hilleberg, mostly applause.
Sorry, didn't read/see the Atko reference at first. Nice tent. More than suitable for the AT. Never heard many complaints about Hilleberg, mostly applause.
I have a used one for sale, if you like. Forest green, used 4 times at most and in perfect condition. (I want to get a 2-man winter tent instead for me and my GF)
Throw me a PM if you're interested, I can take pictures if you like. Defintiely can save a lot of money over buying them used, they're pretty pricey.
The OP mentioned the Akto model. Hilleberg specs it at 1.2 kg, which is 2.64 lbs. That's a good weight. But this is a pricey tent -- 429 Euros, list. Well over $600 at current exchange rates. Yowza.
4eyedbuzzard
12-31-2007, 18:54
The OP mentioned the Akto model. Hilleberg specs it at 1.2 kg, which is 2.64 lbs. That's a good weight. But this is a pricey tent -- 429 Euros, list. Well over $600 at current exchange rates. Yowza.
Yeah, as I posted previously, I missed the Akto reference in the "Title" line. Sorry. The pic link went to the main site with a pic of a Staika. Really nice tents. I'm not in the market. Still trying to wear out my 1991 vintage Moss - which was a pretty pricey tent in its day as well. Good tents are things of beauty though.
88BlueGT
12-31-2007, 18:54
I seen it for $365 on their website.......?
OregonHiker
12-31-2007, 18:57
The OP mentioned the Akto model. Hilleberg specs it at 1.2 kg, which is 2.64 lbs. That's a good weight. But this is a pricey tent -- 429 Euros, list. Well over $600 at current exchange rates. Yowza.
$365 at the hilleberg site
http://estore.websitepros.com/1764795/-strse-64/Akto/Detail.bok
Like most gear, the Akto is more expensive in Europe than in the US. Somehow they loose value during the long journey from Estonia. ( The same unfortunately does not apply to Australia-bound gear)
Of course I meant lose....
BTW , most Akto users are happy with their shelter except for the taller ones , the apex is 91 cm (36") and the ones that come across more than a few inches of wet snow. At 1.5 kg (53 oz) many throuhikers will consider it heavy, but it is one of the best lightweight "all season" shelters.
Have a look at the numerous pictures here
http://www.moontrail.com/tents/hilleberg_akto.php
Could you please elaborate on the "few inches of wet snow" issue?
If you do a search on this tent, you will find (as usual) conflicting reports about it's performance under snow. Some report sagging and or pole collapse with 6" of snow, others will state that they had over a foot with no problems. What happens is that one inch of dry snow can be ( in weight) just 15% of one inch of water, however wet snow can easily be over 50% and icy snow over 80 %. Hence the discrepancy of the reports. One "review" I read yesterday specifically stated that the fabric was touching the face of the occupant and after removing the snow load (for the third time during the night) the tent did not need re-tensioning because it sprang back to a taut set-up. ( this eliminates the "it wasn't guyed out correctly possibility) Note that the pole did not collapse .
Note this from BPL :
The Hilleberg Akto, always touted as a "four season shelter for the solo traveler", with glowing reviews from other media, failed our high mountain testing grounds (see photo). Although it resisted wind as well or better than any high mountain tent we've seen, its structure collapsed several times in storms that brought as little as 6 and as much as 60 inches of snow - conditions in which the MK1 Lite passed with flying colors, and without shoveling.
Nevertheless I am waiting to see the new 08 tents, apart from the ones already announced by Hilleberg,GoLite and Mountain Hardwear, but the Akto is still my possible next "winter" shelter.
88BlueGT
12-31-2007, 19:56
I am just pushing 5'8'' so I dont think that I will have too many problems with the height. Even though I would like to be able to sit up comfortably in my tent...
6" of wet snow is alot to ask of an under three pound tent.
I would have to crawl into one before I would drop $.
Being in a tent when it does sag/collapse, is low on my list.
Thanks for the reply on the snow issue.
Tipi Walter
12-31-2007, 22:37
The staika model? Overkill for a thru-hike shelter. 8 lbs. Too heavy for a single hiker. Pretty heavy even if shared by two. Think tarptent, or tarp, or bivy, or hammock. 3lbs or so as an absolute limit.
The Staika is a great tent and the one I carry on my long solo backpacking trips. I'd like to find somebody that stays out for weeks at a time during the winter in a tarp, a bivy or a hammock. The keyword is "weeks".
As far as the Hillbeberg line goes, they have some foibles which I've noticed thru the years. One is their tendency to be loud and flap in a high wind along with their habit of allowing a lot of that same wind to breeze thru the inner tent canopy. Since the poles are on the outside and the inner hangs on elastic, a strong wind seems to whip the inner about, allowing a good breeze to come into the tent nomatter how sealed up it is. In other words, it ventilates almost too well.
"I am just pushing 5'8'' so I dont think that I will have too many problems with the height. Even though I would like to be able to sit up comfortably in my tent..."
The "model" sitting inside the Akto at Moontrail is 5"11" and his head is just touching the apex. You should be safe.
I've owned an Akto for about three years now. It's great in cold, dry conditions, gets a little damp inside in cold, wet conditions (condensation), and is quite hot inside when the temps are above 70 degrees.
I don't use it in the summer. It's too hot. I would recommend it as a tent to start the trail, however, and I used this tent to do the Georgia section of the AT in March of 2006. The living space is very useable for anyone under 6'. The vestibule is huge, large enough that you can crawl in out of the rain, zip it up behind you, and take off your rainwear before entering the innner tent. I haven't had the tent out in heavy wet snow, but it does fine in 6" or so of light stuff. Most tents are occupied in snowstorms, and if you notice the snow building up on top, you can simply bang on the tent from the inside to knock it off. Not enough to keep me from buying an expensive, extremely well made, wind worthy, tough and light tent.
If I didn't have a hammock for use in the summer, I might use the outer tent with a bug bivy of some sort inside for a roomy windworthy and easy to pitch hooped tarp.
Here's a link to my Webshots site and more pictures of the Akto (see the Tinker and Frosty's AT hike album also).
http://outdoors.webshots.com/photo/1262791629059664855XQxwfC
4eyedbuzzard
01-01-2008, 02:44
The Staika is a great tent and the one I carry on my long solo backpacking trips. I'd like to find somebody that stays out for weeks at a time during the winter in a tarp, a bivy or a hammock. The keyword is "weeks".
For a thru-hike with a March or later start it's honestly just too much tent. Really bad storms can be sat out in shelters. I agree with you on tarps in the winter. I carry a 5.5 lb Moss in the winter.
Nearly Normal
01-01-2008, 11:46
2008 catalog list akto at 3lbs 5 oz packed weight
2008 catalog list akto at 3lbs 5 oz packed weight
5 oz. can easily be eliminated by using the lightest possible Spectra line instead of the supplied line. The stakes are pretty nice, but there are 10 of them . They don't have enough holding power in loose soil, though. You won't need all of them - use trees, rocks, etc. Tent can be set up with as few as 4 stakes.
88BlueGT
01-01-2008, 17:11
Thanks for all the help guys. It seems to me like this is a pretty well made tent from what I have been hearing and basically everywhere that I researched I didnt hear anything negative about them. Just that they might be a little too much in the summertime.
Also, does anyone know what type of stakes are supplied with the tent? Would it be worth it to look into titanium stakes?
Keep
88BlueGT
01-01-2008, 17:11
** Keep the comments comming ** :)
The Akto (priced at 365 $ US) is a great Solo tent. My one complaint is if you are tall (like my self at 6 ft 3) it is a bit small and that can increase condensation. I can just barely sit up in it. If you are a shorter person (say 5 ft 5 or so) this would be less of a problem.
The tent is NON free standing meaning you have to stake it out. Also the tent sets up with fly attached which keeps things drier. It is real good at shedding wind and rain if properly staked and guyed out. It will easily withstand any weather you'd encounter on an AT trip. Additionally, the Akto has a vestiblue large enough to cover boots and a pack.
It is on the pricy stide but you get what you pay for. personally.. I would not pinch pennys when it comes to shelter, footware, and pack.
If you have very hot and humid conditions I would not want to use this tent. While the tent is made of fairly breathable fabric, there is minimal mesh. Not only does that cut down on ventilation but you wont be able to see much out of the tent without opening the door. For really humid conditions..I'd want a tent with lots of mesh or not even use a tent at all.
Yes I DO own an Atko. For my hike I bought a Hilleberg Unna .. free standing..more head room..probably a half pound heavier and a bit more $.
You may want to check out also the Hilleberg Nallo 2. Not Free standing, has vestibule, but meant for 2 people..or one with lots of gear and also has more headroom. Reviews are uniformally excellent. Although this tent is rather pricey at 495 $ US. This may well be more tent than needed for an AT thru hike. One almost always is camping in sheltered woods.
For the warm months of an AT hike.. I used a squaw tarp tent. under 250 I think and very adequate. Probably not so great for a wind driven rain but fine for a humid rainy days with out too much wind. There are times..like in mid atlantic states in height of summer where bugs are a problem (thus you won't want to sleep in a shelter) but it is too warm for any sort of tent that does not have lots of mesh.
DavidNH
Thanks for all the help guys. It seems to me like this is a pretty well made tent from what I have been hearing and basically everywhere that I researched I didnt hear anything negative about them. Just that they might be a little too much in the summertime.
Also, does anyone know what type of stakes are supplied with the tent? Would it be worth it to look into titanium stakes?
Keep
My Akto, bought 3 years ago, came with aluminum v-stakes. They don't have much holding power, as I stated above, in soft soil, which you're likely to find many places along the AT. Titanium stakes are only better if they're better designed. Aluminum, as a metal, is lighter than ti. per volume. Ti is much stronger. If you need strong stakes, get ti. Consider the type of soil you'll be using them in first to determine the surface area your tent will be pulling against. I find MSR Groundhog stakes to be strong enough for just about any rocky soil, and they hold better than wire type stakes. They are heavier, though.
Tipi Walter
01-01-2008, 19:47
Hilleberg is also branching out and trying to appeal to the light crowd. Check out the Allak and the Soulo.
www.hilleberg.com/News2008.htm (http://www.hilleberg.com/News2008.htm)
The Allak is basically a Staika using lighter weight materials, 9mm poles instead of 10, thinner floor and fly. The Soulo is a like the flea brother to the Staika, 3 poles but tiny floor size. Check them out. And I'm no shill for the Hilleberg line, they are not perfect tents and I've said my share of critical words about a few of them. But I do like my Staika, each trip is anticipated knowing it's the tent I'm going to set up for the night.
88BlueGT
01-02-2008, 00:01
Yea, I would consider the new models but they are just too heavy. Even if I do get the Atko I would like to reduce the weight off of that. I'm trying to get my pack weight below 30lbs for my thru next year. Its not that hard but Im using a heavy stove and a decently heavy mess kit (Optimus Nova + and a GSI Extreme mess kit (just the 1L pot & lid))
** Keep the comments comming ** :)
BUY ONE - TODAY!
How's that?:D
As soon as I find the perfect tent I wake up and immediately forget what it looked like. Still searching for mine.
If you like the shape of the Akto,take a look at the Mountain Hardwear Stiletto. A bit smaller, about 8 oz lighter (if you can trust the specs), packs smaller.
(Akto 7"x19" , Stiletto 5"x18"). Not designed to be a 4 season tent ( like the Akto) but from what the others are saying you don't need that.
Franco
Take this observation for what it's worth.
The Akto has two struts at the foot end instead of a hoop. The Eureka Spitfire UL is identical in this regard, and the design fails. Most 1-person tents in this class use a hoop instead.
What I found -- on the Eureka Spitfire UL -- was that, without the hoop, the fabric goes near the foot of the tent can't possibly have enough tension to stay perfectly flat. So, invariably, water collects on the roof of the tent in that area when it rains. (Causing it to sag even more...)
A hoop at the bottom -- which is the more common design, anyway -- prevents that from happening.
Sorry, here's how that 3rd sentence was meant to read:
What I found -- on the Eureka Spitfire UL -- was that, without the hoop, the fabric near the foot of the tent can't possibly have enough tension to stay perfectly flat.
[strike the word "goes" from earlier post]
Yes, that is why I have put an extra pole segment at the middle of the end of my Contrail ( to me it also looks better that way).
I have never seen the same complaint about the Akto though, I think that the double guyline keeps the fly taut enough to prevent that in the rain. Come to think of it, if I had one you would provably see pictures of the Akto with three end poles ...and a mesh door , and ...
"new and improved, Franco's Akto, now 5lb"
Franco
Note ,BTW ,that because the cross pole of the Akto is in the middle, there is less unsupported fabric than in the Spitfire or the Contrail.
88BlueGT
01-03-2008, 00:41
Wow, you guys have me looking at that MH tent now also. Comparing them I think I will have to go with the Atko. The Stiletto is lighter and 2 inches more headroom. BUT the Atko has more floor space, looks to be a bigger vestibule and its still a 4 season tent for the extra 20-30 dollars. What do you guys think? The main thing about the Stiletto for me is the weight. The headroom isnt that big of a deal since Im only 5'8''.