Author Topic: Alpkit Jaran 2.  (Read 5779 times)

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Alpkit Jaran 2.
« on: 30 April, 2018, 07:04:30 pm »
As mentioned in the "Agonising Tent Decision" thread, I bought one of these. I spent two nights in it over the weekend. It's a very meshy inner, pitches inner first, and it was an extremely cold weekend. I was very glad I borrowed a substantial indoor duvet for the two nights.

I kept on getting the outer caught in the inner's zip when I doing the tent up after getting out. That was quite annoying. The fact that it has a door either side, and decent-sized porches, is very useful at bladder o'clock. A gentleman* can micturate from a kneeling position without having to get right out of the tent.

There is plenty of head room and almost enough floor space or two people. Plenty of room for just one.

It hasn't been rained on yet. The wind comes through in a way that it just doesn't in a Nallo 3GT.

*FAGVO
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #1 on: 30 April, 2018, 09:30:40 pm »
The wind comes through in a way that it just doesn't in a Nallo 3GT.
That's American style vs Euro style tents for you.

American - lots of mesh, sizeable gap under the outer edge, wind blows straight through, little condensation (usually)
Euro - solid inner, down to ground outer, warms up inside nicely, condensation (often)

Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #2 on: 30 April, 2018, 09:42:06 pm »
Must admit its not wildly different to my Elixer 2 (except about a  1 Kg lighter   ::-) ).  My first trip was last week.  I was supprosed how much heat the inner did retain.   Opened up at 01:50 as you do, expecting no change in temp as I opened the inner.  I was shocked how much colder it was outside.   I guess the very fine mesh stops more airflow than you think.

Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #3 on: 30 April, 2018, 10:18:51 pm »
Did you use the quilt WB? (albeit with domestic quilt as well).
Get a bicycle. You will never regret it, if you live- Mark Twain

Wowbagger

  • Former Sylph
    • Stuff mostly about weather
Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #4 on: 02 May, 2018, 12:21:49 am »
Yes. I initially had the quilt with a polyester blanket and I was warm enough, but around 2am I woke up and I was just a little too cold. That's when I went to get the indoor duvet out of the car.
Quote from: Dez
It doesn’t matter where you start. Just start.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #5 on: 02 May, 2018, 12:34:19 am »
The wind comes through in a way that it just doesn't in a Nallo 3GT.
That's American style vs Euro style tents for you.

American - lots of mesh, sizeable gap under the outer edge, wind blows straight through, little condensation (usually)
Euro - solid inner, down to ground outer, warms up inside nicely, condensation (often)

Euro for me every time, at least in typically northern European conditions.  A wet tent is an expected inconvenience.  A freezing bloody cold one is a miserable night's sleep.  Rain blowing in sideways under the fly is a work of Stan, too.

For bonus points combine the features of both in irritating ways: The Vango Banshee, for example, does a good job at collecting condensation on the down-to-ground outer, which then drips through some of the inner's generous mesh to make the foot of your sleeping bag soggy.

Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #6 on: 02 May, 2018, 12:45:07 am »
The Vango Banshee, for example, does a good job at collecting condensation on the down-to-ground outer, which then drips through some of the inner's generous mesh to make the foot of your sleeping bag soggy.
That's the problem with mesh inners - they don't stop drips, and even the airiest and best ventilated of tents will get enough condensation to drip sometimes (any time there's dew on the grass outside, basically)

Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #7 on: 15 May, 2018, 05:59:41 am »
Euro-style tents for me too, at least if not camping anywhere south of France. Bought a Nallo 2 GT 9 years ago on a friend's recommendation, thought it was a bit expensive (though quite a bit cheaper than now), but looked well-made. Have been using it regularly ever since in all sorts of conditions and never regretted buying it. It gets a bit of condensation, though I don't find it a problem. It's never leaked or had poles bent, despite being out in several storms. It's warm and I like the yellow inner tent, makes it feel cheery to wake up in even on a grey day.

The only reason I can think of as to why I might buy another tent at some point would be to get a smaller, lighter one, for when travelling solo. It would probably still be a Hilleberg, or maybe Helsport.
Old enough to know better, but young enough to do it anyway

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #8 on: 15 May, 2018, 01:03:37 pm »
There's something special about the Hilleberg outer material that makes it particularly slow to dry.  I reckon the IR goes straight through it, rather than warming it up and drying the moisture the way cheaper tent materials tend to.

I've found that the quickest way to dry my Akto is, counter-intuitively, to close all the zips so that the air inside it can heat up.  Ventilation slows this down, unless it's windy.

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #9 on: 15 May, 2018, 01:11:44 pm »
The puzzle here would seem to be why a UK company has made a US-style tent.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

Kim

  • Timelord
    • Fediverse
Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #10 on: 15 May, 2018, 01:18:45 pm »
The puzzle here would seem to be why a UK company has made a US-style tent.

Perhaps because there's still going to be some demand for them (likely on the basis of being lightweight, spacious and freestanding), and the market is already crowded with European style designs?  If you don't mind a colder tent, there's a lot to be said for it.

Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #11 on: 15 May, 2018, 01:29:48 pm »
The puzzle here would seem to be why a UK company has made a US-style tent.
I don't know if it's applicable to this model, but Alpkit took over some of the designs and production from the US company Golite when they went bust a couple of years ago.

Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #12 on: 15 May, 2018, 01:35:05 pm »
The puzzle here would seem to be why a UK company has made a US-style tent.

Perhaps because there's still going to be some demand for them (likely on the basis of being lightweight, spacious and freestanding), and the market is already crowded with European style designs?  If you don't mind a colder tent, there's a lot to be said for it.
Indeed -  I'm in the market for a fast and light overnighter tent and one of the Alpkit models is on the shortlist, it has several compromises but has a comparable weight to a bivvy bag so that's what I'd compare it to rather than the excellent TN tent I have which is over a kg heavier. 

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #13 on: 15 May, 2018, 03:27:39 pm »
The puzzle here would seem to be why a UK company has made a US-style tent.

I doubt the tent is designed by alpkit, but is more likely an off the peg design by a chinese company that they have simple rebranded, with maybe a few minor modification.

Personally, in Northern Europe, any tent that doesn't pitch either outer first, or inner/outer together, is just a Bloody Stupid Design™. I've had tents that got soaked in the couple of minutes between getting the inner up, and covering the outer. Inner first might be fine for fair weather camping, but for anything where you're likely to see rain, it's just crazy. IMHO.

Personally I am a big fan of the Vaude tents with the exo skeleton style frame (Mark 3P, Original Hogan et al). In the past I've had my Vaude Hogan from bag of parts to pegged out tent faster than the friend with the popup tent (including guys and pegs)...

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/

Cudzoziemiec

  • Ride adventurously and stop for a brew.
Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #14 on: 15 May, 2018, 03:29:52 pm »
I've always had the impression Alpkit design their own stuff, unlike say Decathlon, but maybe I've just fallen for their marketing.
Riding a concrete path through the nebulous and chaotic future.

quixoticgeek

  • Mostly Harmless
Re: Alpkit Jaran 2.
« Reply #15 on: 15 May, 2018, 03:38:32 pm »
I've always had the impression Alpkit design their own stuff, unlike say Decathlon, but maybe I've just fallen for their marketing.

Yes and no. A lot of their cookware is basically firemaple rebranded. I was involved in testing of a prototype of one of their stoves, and they did take the improvement recommendations and refine the design. They may well be doing more of their own design now, but it may be largely a case of refining preexisting designs, rather than blank page starts... I'm happy to be proven wrong on this one.

The stuff they make in the UK is definitely their own design tho.

J
--
Beer, bikes, and backpacking
http://b.42q.eu/