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Frog
10-10-2009, 08:24
Why should i not buy this tent. Is it too cramped. Is the ceiling to low. Is it hard to get dressed in. Is the vestibule too small. My brother has the nallo gt tent and i love it. But it is a bit much for one person and we dont always go in winter together. I think the atko would be great in winter but i am afraid it would be too cramped. I am sure I will buy a hilleberg tent just not sure if it will be the atko or the nallo.

Tipi Walter
10-10-2009, 08:33
The Akto would be too small for me, but then again I carry the 8lb Staika which is a near perfect tent for my needs. It's all partly about square footage, and the Staika has 36 sq feet, perfect for long term camping, while the Akto must have something like 17 . . . And there's a lot of Akto reviews out there, just check out the web and the lightweight forums as it's a popular tent and used by many backpackers. I'd even like to try it for several trips just to see what all the talk is about.

The Nallo is much more roomier and still fairly light. I used the Nammatj 3 for many winter trips and found it to be a great tent. Loved the door and the vestibule: huge. Now the Nallo is long and so any picking of a campsite will require you to think out tent placement and the length required for the Nallo.

Have you considered the Allak or the Unna? But I know, there's something about the Akto package which is neat. And so light compared to my behemoth Staika dome.

Frog
10-10-2009, 08:40
Thanks my sites are set on either a nallo or atko. I have had to find a campsite for the nallo gt with my brother and yes it sometimes takes a little looking to find the right spot. Both of these are in the weight range that i like.

DGG
10-10-2009, 15:03
For the most part I really like my Akto. But I wouldn't want to spend a whole day sitting in it; there's little room to move. Also, I have to sit in the middle of the tent or my head will brush the ceiling. (I'm 5'10".) The trade-off, of course, is a superlight shelter relative to its strength. I hike rather than camp, so that's worth it to me. YMMV.

I haven't used the Nallo, but that's not a lot heavier than the Akto for quite a bit more space.

Tipi Walter is an expert on Hillebergs. I would really listen to his advice. Another guy on this list who knows Hillebergs is Kutenay. You might want to PM him, if he doesn't jump in here.

Happy shopping.

Best wishes,
Dennis

Franco
10-10-2009, 19:13
I fit in it really nicely (on top of a thick mat) and the vestibule is big enough for me. But I am 5'7"...
(I don't have one but have played with one just to see what is like)
Three things that some forget to check :
1) the size of the mat (yes that extra inch or two can make a difference)*
2) the torso size. There is an Akto owner that is 6'3" and he claims that he can sit under it on top of an Exped 7 . He either slouches really badly or he has a very short torso and really long legs...**
3) your face to inner comfort zone. Some can have the fabric on their face and call it "ideal" others need a foot on top of their nose...
Franco

* On one manufacturer web site (not Hilleberg) there is a shot of a 6' something guy laying inside a shelter for size.
The problem (to me...) is that he is almost touching both ends of a single wall tent , he is on the ground and without a sleeping bag. Somehow nobody else finds this odd. (IE, I have seen comments about how a 6" something person fits inside because that picture proves the point...)

88BlueGT
10-12-2009, 16:54
The Atko is an awesome tent. It's kind of heavy IMO buuuuuuuuuuuuut for what it is (a serious 4 season tent) its actually damn light. I could just see it being a little unnecessary while hiking on the AT unless your doing some serious winter treks.

Tinker
10-24-2009, 15:26
There are two things that bother me about the Akto.
1) Condensation: Since the fly goes all the way to the ground all around it's unavoidable unless you leave the vestibule door part (or all) the way open (easily done unless the wind is blowing snow or rain in - and you have gear in front of the door).
2) The fabric wicks up a fair amount of water when it rains, moreso than my silnylon Equinox tarp, making the tent much heavier after a rainstorm than before.
3) Ok! I know I said two, but Hilleberg apparantly hasn't figured out that not everyone wants to reach WAAAAY into the corner of the tent to get the door open! I probably should suggest that they redesign the tent with a door zip that starts near the apex of the inner and runs down TO the end (really not necessary to be that long). This would creat a door that is easier to open, and that hangs rather than dragging in the dirt or snow.
Ok, now where's my HAMMOCK? :D ;)

Here's a welcome addition to the Hilleberg line:
Mesh tent inners!
http://www.moontrail.com/hilleberg-akto-mesh-inner.php
If I didn't hammock I'd be all set with the Akto and the two interchangeable inners (you still have to keep the door open and maybe prop up the back of the fly for cross ventilation).
I love the edit feature :)

Tinker
11-20-2009, 12:48
There are two things that bother me about the Akto.
1) Condensation: Since the fly goes all the way to the ground all around it's unavoidable unless you leave the vestibule door part (or all) the way open (easily done unless the wind is blowing snow or rain in - and you have gear in front of the door).
2) The fabric wicks up a fair amount of water when it rains, moreso than my silnylon Equinox tarp, making the tent much heavier after a rainstorm than before.
3) Ok! I know I said two, but Hilleberg apparantly hasn't figured out that not everyone wants to reach WAAAAY into the corner of the tent to get the door open! I probably should suggest that they redesign the tent with a door zip that starts near the apex of the inner and runs down TO the end (really not necessary to be that long). This would creat a door that is easier to open, and that hangs rather than dragging in the dirt or snow.
Ok, now where's my HAMMOCK? :D ;)

Here's a welcome addition to the Hilleberg line:
Mesh tent inners!
http://www.moontrail.com/hilleberg-akto-mesh-inner.php
If I didn't hammock I'd be all set with the Akto and the two interchangeable inners (you still have to keep the door open and maybe prop up the back of the fly for cross ventilation).
I love the edit feature :)

Update: I've been corresponding with Petra from Hilleberg about the door design. For those of you with Akto tents who are disappointed in the current door design (how, when open, it's nearly impossible not to drag it out into the vestibule with you), could you please email Petra at Hilleberg and insist that a door opening from the peak, with the zipper descending vertically and ending up in the corner from which the door now opens would prevent the current design's tendency to end up in the dirt inside the vestibule?
Other than the condensation (always a problem with a stormproof tent) issue, and maybe the outer tent's ability to soak up rain water, (oh, and the price) this is a near-perfect solo design (adding the mosquito mesh inner liner recently available at various retailers (www.moontrail.com (http://www.moontrail.com)) might make it perfect) for those looking for an all-season, all-weather tent.
Thanks, Tinker

Berserker
11-20-2009, 14:38
I have an Akto, and don't have much to complain about with it. It's a very hardy tent for inclement weather, and the whole package weighs in at about 3 lb 5 oz.

First off I want to note that I am 6'-5", and do not mind a cramped shelter. I can't sit up straight inside of it and doing things like changing clothes is a little challenging, but I also don't do anything but sleep in it. Normally I have a tarp along for sitting under if it is raining (i.e. I don't just sit in my tent in the rain).

So with said here are the main downsides of the tent. As mentioned above it is a little cramped if you are looking for something you can sit around in all day. As others have mentioned condensation is also a problem with this tent. I find that it usually is not too big of a deal because I don't normally get much condensation on the inner tent. Another minor issue is that in heavy wet snow the snow can pile up on the ends due to the shape of the tent. Not a big deal, but it requires that you periodically push it off (you can do this from inside).

On the positive side it is basically a bomb proof tent at a relatively low weight. I have had it out in all kinds of weather and always been warm and comfy inside. The vestibule is one of the features I love with this tent. It has a very large vestibule where I store most of my gear. In my opinion, I don’t think there are many other options for a double walled tent at the weight of the Akto that can stand up to the elements that Akto can handle.

Tipi Walter
11-20-2009, 15:52
I emailed Hilleberg about a few points on the Staika which were truly bad engineering, but never got a reply. I went into my ditty tent repair box and fixed it myself with 6 pole clips to replace the other doodads, etc. No $700 tent should require home repairs using discarded tent parts.

The biggest weakest of the Hilleberg line of tents, and the Akto has to be included in this, is the sheer, thin denier on the inner yellow tent canopies. I mean, in a strong wind the air blows right thru the tent, more so than in other tents with a beefier canopy. Check out a normal tent and compare it to a Hilleberg and you'll see the difference.

There are some advantages with this denier ripstop fabric, one of which is better ventilation and quicker drying times due to condensation. But it's too thin for me and I like to keep my candle lit and my stuff from blowing around inside the tent during a storm. I'm keeping my Staika, mind you, but it could be improved, definitely.

Franco
11-20-2009, 22:27
Tipi Walter
Hilleberg now have mesh inners ( Nallo,Unna,Akto) for the ones that wanted something more breathable (less condensation) , you are at the other end. So ideally they could produce inners with a more windproof (likely heavier and less breathable) fabric. Of course you need more than a few would be buyers for that...
Franco

FamilyGuy
11-21-2009, 01:01
In the Akto, I only had condensation once in the inner tent and that was when I mistakenly forgot to open the end vents. Otherwise, I never got it in the inner.

The comment about the Kerlon wicking water, a shake gets rid of most of it. It definitely does not absorb water but you could take some condensation along with you between the inner and outer. Of course, detaching the inner from the outer and then doing a quick wipe down of the inside of the outer tent will take car of this.

Man and His Dog
03-15-2010, 17:01
Everything said so far is true. I also love how the ground cloth covers the vestibule area too. I wasn't sure if it would the worth weight, buy it's really nice to put all your junk in there and never have it get wet or muddy. I love the atko and can't justify saving a pound by getting a tarp when it means I would have to give up bombproof comfort.

Franco
03-15-2010, 17:20
Apart from keeping the gear off the mud, a groundcloth that covers the vestibule helps minimising condensation from ground evaporation.
(one of the reasons about conflicting reports on condensation)
Franco

Man and His Dog
09-13-2010, 15:04
I know this is an old thread, but I just bought the Nallo GT as my girlfriend and I are going to be spending a year in Argentina with two dogs, and the Akto obviously is too small. I have only slept about 5 nights in it so far, but one of those was the biggest storm I had weathered in years. The vestibule area filled with water because I didn't dig a trench around the tent and it basically just sat in a bunch of water, but the inner tent kept me bone dry. I was impressed, just as I always have been with the Akto. And this is easily the biggest tent I have ever had, easily handling 2 people, 2 dogs and full-gear. We can play cards with 4 people in the vestibule and still have room for gear. It's amazing that they can make something this big and strong and not have it weigh 12+ lbs. Well woth the high price.

DapperD
09-13-2010, 19:19
Why should i not buy this tent. Is it too cramped. Is the ceiling to low. Is it hard to get dressed in. Is the vestibule too small. My brother has the nallo gt tent and i love it. But it is a bit much for one person and we dont always go in winter together. I think the atko would be great in winter but i am afraid it would be too cramped. I am sure I will buy a hilleberg tent just not sure if it will be the atko or the nallo.I think if chosen for the right conditions, say cold, wet, windy weather the Akto is a good choice for a solo-hiker/backpacker. From the reviews I have read, it is excellent when the weather turns bad, but can become too hot/humid in the summer, warmer months. It is not free-standing, so this needs to also be considered. It does have a vestibule which is large enough I believe to store a pack and gear. As far as it's weight, I don't think it weighs in as that bad, but may become somewhat heavier once wet:-?