Hilleberg Niak 1.5 Review (2016) - Vandrefalk
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 22 ก.ค. 2016
- This lightweight, highly durable tent with both great ventilation, protection and flexibility finally gets its review. Though it can be a bit pricey, this 3-season tent and it's footprint is so well made I can't do anything else but recommend the tent to any adventurer seeking a place to store their gear, sleep and spend some time in bad weather.
Tent specifications:
Minimum Weight - 1.5 kg
Packed Weight - 1.7 kg
Outer tent fabric - Kerlon 1000
Inner tent - 20D Ripstop Nylon
Inner tent size - 220 x 120 x 100cm (Length Width Hight)
Floor water resistance - 5000mm
Outer tent water resistance 2000mm
Poles (9 mm) - 2 x 370 cm
Pegs - 10 V-Peg
Footprint:
Material - 70D Nylon
Water resistance - 10.000mm
Pitching instructions video by Hilleberg: • Hilleberg Niak pitchin...
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Greetings from Scotland Vandrefalk! Your video just helped me seal the deal... just purchased the Niak, and now I’m super excited about delivery day (next week). I’ve swung between Rogan, Enan, Akto, Allak, Niak, back to Rogan, and then finally.... Niak! I’m going to love it’s light weight / space for one person. Thanks Vandrefalk, I loved your enthusiastic review :-)
Hello! Sorry for the late reply, I haven't been receiving any notifications for some reason, so I'm manually going through them now. Happy to help! Assuming you've had it for a little while now, how has it been so far? Have you gotten to try it out? :) Cheers!
Yes, used it about 6 times, delighted with it, especially its’ light weight. Using it again tonight! Cheers Vandrefalk
Awesome! That's great to hear, happy future trails and hikes, Paul! ^^
Great review.
I have just purchased a Niak,with footprint,and found your review helpful in showing how to erect the tent and use its features.
My previous tent was an Akto,which was superb but I need a little more space and headroom,and the Niak delivers this at a similar weight
Thank you! :) And thank you for commenting. I can completely understand going from an Akto to a Niak. You hit the nail on the head; more space and more headroom. Sure makes things easier and more pleasant. :) Cheers
Been thinking of getting this one, or the Hilleberg Unna for my three year old son and myself this Summer. I'm now leaning more towards the Niak. Thanks, so much, for this helpful overview.
Both great tents, but don't under estimate the Unna! :) I've had that one too, and found it to be very enjoyable, and despite not having a "proper" vestibule, felt very large and great to use. There are several ways to get around that little hurdle. :)
Yes, I'm actually quite familiar with the Unna. But, thanks !
What a nice review. Very well done. I see from the comments that you later sold this tent and bought an Unna and a Fjallraven, and I won't be buying a Niak for myself (doesn't meet my requirements), but it was still a nice review to watch. Norway still looks nice. I cycled along the fjords region by myself in 2004. A great experience. Greetings from Ireland.
Hey! :) That sounds amazing! I bet you have lots of fond memories from doing so. Thank you for sharing, and for your comment. Cheers. :)
Seems like I will be getting a Abisko Lite 1 (UN-Blue) With a footprint in the mail today.. :o Perfect timing, hiking 2 different Places this weekend!! :D
Over all a great tent to hike with, stable as heck in the wind and no issues with heavy rain or high humidity and warm days. Enjoy and let me know if there's anything you're still wondering after watching this video! :)
Very cool, I've been debating about which hilleberg tents might do for the tropics. I really liked the way that you've upgraded it and customized it with the exped gear loft and cord stuffsack.
Glad I could help! :) And I did check after I made the video, there is a entirely mesh inner tent that can be purchased, should the conditions call for it- great tent no matter though. :)
Also, come to think of it- if where you live its possible to get a look at tents from Fjällräven, you might want to check out the Abisko View 2 in their new 201 6 line. Just a tip. :) Haven't tried it myself but its a very interesting tent, specifically for the conditions you mention.
+Vandrefalk Great! I didn't think about it but you're right! :) Sadly both aren't available locally ... Would need to go online.
Nobu Ah okay, oh well- good luck with your future adventures regardless! :)
Great review, very comprehensive. Norway looks beautiful. Thanks for doing that. 👍🏻
And you for the comment! :) I'd love to do more scenic videos but I need a new computer for that, my gaming rig keeps overheating when rendering videos, so for now its straight from the phone hehe. Hope this helped! :)
+Vandrefalk You definitely don't need the expense of a new processor. Best tents in the world, cheers.
One day I'll have to either upgrade or just get a new rig, but all in due time. :) Hilleberg is great indeed! Next week I'll be getting a Fjällräven Abisko Dome 2 as well.. oh my.
+Vandrefalk I've never had a Fjällräven tent, I think I'd prefer Hillëberg as they're a tent manufacturer. Fjällräven are associated with great clothes although I'm sure their designers will have done a great job on their tents. I'll look forward to that video.
I actually had the Abisko Lite 1, from their new 2016 line, as they've updated all of their tents with new, lighter and stronger fabrics and better design solutions, but I found those tents (like the Akto) too small for my preference, even when solo camping. Can't wait though!
I am currently testing the Fjällräven Abisko Dome 2, let me know if there's anything you want me to cover in the review. :)
Nice review! Keep it up! :)
Thank you so much for your comment and encouragement! :D :)
Hi Vandrefalk. Very nice video and review. Like comments and your responses. I'm heading for Iceland in late August and solo. I believe that I don't need a full-on Hilleberg winter tent. The Niak looks like it would meet my needs. However, wondering about the Rogen (better for two with 2 doors) or the Anjan 2 esp as ventilation may better. Your comments?
I've only had personal experience with the Niak 1.5 out of those 3 tents, and I've seen that both the Rogen and Anjan/GT were updated in their designs not too long ago, to provide better ventilation along the lines of what they also brought with the Niak 1.5 it seems. With the increased ventilation on these tents (especially the ground one, that remains constant and cannot be adjusted as much) it really all depends on several factors:
1. The weather conditions and temperatures of where you are going, that time of the year and what can be expected in those regards. I don't have the research or experience with how Iceland is that time of the year, but it shouldn't be hard to track down. :)
2. What other sleeping gear you are bringing. I.e. the mat, the bag (and liner?) and/or other things that could help you compensate for the 3-season ventilation, if said season and area you're travelling in produces cold weather and winds.
3. Personal preference in terms of tent design. I tent to go for the freestanding, as much as possible. But that's all personal. Some people really like freestanding or dome, and some really love the tunnel designs; while some enjoy both. Niak 1.5 has the one vestibule, and its okay. Eventually the fact that I had to lean all the way out from the inside of the tent to open up the zipper from the bottom, got a little irritating when it was really wet. Because I would tent to brush up against the fabric and get soaked. Its a really good tent all around though, solid and easy to pitch, with room to boast. The Rogen looks like a Niak 1.5 but with two vestibules and a slightly wider head-space, because of that third pole. Looks interesting! And the Anjan as well; not freestanding like the others, eventhough the vestibules of both tents have to be pegged out, but if that's not something that bothers you, the Anjan looks exciting to me.
4. Seek out reviews; always take things with a pinch of salt, but there's some good stuff out there. Just keep in mind the redesigns. Also, trailspace dot com has some great user reviews, that a very detailed in both text and images. I'd take a good look there! :)
Hope any of this helped! Have a great trip! :D
Hi, I know this is an old video but I've read a few of the comments and can see you have had niak and unna.
I had a nallo 2 gt and wanting to downsize. I'm torn between the unna and niak.
I don't like the niak outer door but like the black mesh inner. The unna is so basic I like it.
My needs. This will be my only tent. UK use. All 4 seasons. I don't go hiking too much when it's hot, like 25 to 30, but on rare occasions I may do or even be on a motorbike tour with the tent. Main conditions are going to be minus 3 to plus 18 degrees. Lots of rain and often wind in exposed areas. 70% of the time it will be used solo, 30% will be me and partner. But this would only be for single night camps so two small day bags which in the unna may fit between the inner and outer.
If you was buying 1 tent for my uses which would you go for as you have had both.
Many thanks
Hey! Thank you for asking, I check only sometimes here (parent life is quite busy haha), but I will answer as good as I can, with the experiences I had and the current specs @ Hilleberg in mind.
The Unna was, out of the two, my favorite. It does not have a vestibule, but (in particular when solo-camping) it is easy to make one. Like you say, it is in it's simplicity that this tent really shines. It is also slightly longer then Niak.
However, you say you would like to have the option to use it for more then one person.
The Niak is the only one of the two listed under that category, for starters. It is wider 120cm vs 110cm, which doesn't sound like much, but with pads and such in there, it does matter. That, combined with the small, separate vestibule, does add space and livability. It is also quite lighter and smaller packsize (if I remember correctly). 5-600 grams. Unna has a stronger outer fabric, and ofc the inner is different.
The also have different ventilation options- the standout being that Niak has curved (catanary cut) outer fly, which can make it more susceptible to (cold) winds. While the Unna has the brilliant 'top hat'.
It is not an easy choice. Making a recommendation between the two is hard- they both have pro's and con's, in particular when it comes to being more then one person. That point alone slightly shifts it towards the Niak.
However, Hilleberg is what you want- the Rogen seems to me a better 2-person tent. It has two entrances and vestibules (also great if you're alone). It retains the width and ease of pitch. It also has a sort of mix of inner tents, between the Niak and Unna.
Hope this helped you in some way! Best of luck and happy trails. :)
Hallo Vandrefalk, hvordan går det? First of all, thanks a lot for the great and comprehensive review! I'm really interested in this tent, because I'm seeking for a tent that's flexible enough for solo trekking trips or which can just in case handle 2 persons. Would the tent be comfortable enough for 2 persons if they lie in the opposite direction or if you remove the inner tent and just sleep on the footprint? Have you experienced condensation with 2 persons in there? Greetings from Portugal to your beautiful country. Ha det bra!
Hello Rafael! Sorry it took so long to reply, the comment you made didn't give me a notification for some reason. Thank you for your lovely comment and also with the included Norwegian! That added to it! :D Also the first reply I made (but deleted) just now was me thinking this was a different tent video, haha. Anyway, onward to your questions! The footprint for the Niak 1.5 covers the inner tent area only, so size wise it would be very similar to having the inner tent there, except for the walls, insect protection etc that the inner tent provides. But I suppose just sleeping on it would give you more room, keep in mind that the outer tent arches at the bottom, so if it starts to rain or you're iffy with bugs, then you'll definitely notice. Another reason why the inner tent has the bathtub design, to keep the water out if it should hit the ground hard and get inside the outer tent. The tent handles condensation well because of the ventilation design (the arches in the outer tent), so I didn't really notice any at the time I had it, and as long as the isn't a lot of rain or anything, you can undo the zipper at the door from the top down to increase the effectiveness of it. Its not a cold tent to sleep in though, at least it wasn't for me during the spring/summer time, and with an extra person/dog/child in there you'd be hard pressed to be cold. Obviously your experience may vary here. When it comes to the space in the inner tent I'd say that you CAN be two people in there, and it'll fit you both okay depending on the amount of gear you bring, but it won't feel spacious in any sense. At least that was my experience, and I'm not a large person. :P And only having one exit/entrance can also have its ups and downs. I know that Hilleberg are revisiting some other tents they have but I'm not sure when they are releasing in 2017, like the Rogen, which is getting an update, making it very similar to Niak 1.5 but with two aps/doors. Hope any of this answers your questions, if not let me know and I'll get right on it! :)
Hello Vandrefalk. Thanks for this video. It helped me a lot to see the dimensions of the tent. I like the light weight of it. Do you have experience with winter camping with the Niak 1.5? I know it is not a real winter tent but I want to spend 1 or 2 nights in the winter landscape in switzerland. So I think it doesnt have to be designed specifically for winter.
Thanks for your reply
Hello! :) I haven't spent nights in the tent with plenty of snow, but I've had low temperatures when I had the tent. Down to close to zero degrees celcius. It went fine, though I think most of it depends on the conditions you're in and the other gear you carry; sleeping mat and sleeping bag. If it gets too bad, boil water in a 1L Nalgene bottle and stuff in a pair of wool socks and you'll have extra heating for hours. :) If there's heavy snow though, I've not sure how the tent will perform. Also if theres snow with wind, the snow COULD be blown up the arching outer tent wall, so you may have to build a sort of "perimeter" of snow or something else to keep it from getting too bad; then again that's also where your main Source of ventilation comes from if the weather requires you to keep the doors down.
Hope this helps!
And happy trekking! :)
- Vandrefalk
Thanks for your fast response! As I don't plan to use it in heavy snow fall with strong winds, I think it will be good enough for me. But the temperatures I'm in at winter time are around -5. So I already have a good sleeping bag and mat.
Then by my account you'll be fine! :) If you're used to it and keep within sensible conditions, then the Niak 1.5 should be ok. :)
Thank you for a very helpful review, Vanderfalk! I am curious about the tent's performance under very windy conditions, especially regarding the mesh door - when the vestibule is closed and there is a strong wind, does it get into the tent through the mesh?
Hello! Thank you for Your comment, happy to hear th video was of some help to you. :) In my time With the tent, wind/cold never really became an issue to me, in that sense. The fabric of the vestibule is much closer to the ground then the outer tent is on the sides or at the back. And the shape seems to allow the air to just glide over it, if that makes any sense. I must admit though that the 2017 version of the Rogen, which is pretty much a Niak with two vestibules, and a pole across the top, seems more appealing. There's nothing wrong with the Niak, but because of the vestibule design being "long and flat towards the ground, having a secondary one to put backpack etc, or just having the option to ventilate or exit two sides of the tent instead of just the one, appeals to me. On the Rogen there is also some of the yellow fabric at the bottom of the door, making it ever so slightly less prone to entering through the mesh door, it that's something your camping conditions would allow. I don't currently own the tent anymore, but I never felt like the inner tent got windy through the mesh door, or anything like that. Hope this helps! - Vandrefalk
Thank you so much for a quick and detailed answer! basically I am looking for a solo tent where weight and packed size are of utmost importance (for a sea kayaking expedition to Shetland in June). Been looking at the Soulo vs. the Niak... Soulo is heavier and since most of my trips are not really in extreme cold conditions I thought Niak would do the job being the lightest of the two.. The strangest thing about the Niak is that for some reason it is more expensive than the Rogen, the soulo, and other yellow label 2 persons tents. Can't figure out why!
Yeah thats.. interesting. I really love the concept of the Soulo, but its so noisy.. all the metal zippers everywhere. Yes you can use plugs etc. Yes, yes. Hmm.. the tent you are looking for, does it have to be a freestanding tent?
yes... with sea kayaks you can never know. lots of wind and sometimes sand or rock :)
interesting point regarding the flapping of too many zippers..
Okay, well, seeing as you'll probably be in a place where you can expect some heavy rain, if it does rain- then imo the MSR tents are off the table as well, with such low waterproofing. They have great freestanding tents, especially their new line looks interesting, just wish they made them better suited for bad weather. xD Well, the Niak isn't very noisy in terms of zippers, as there aren't many of them. Soulo is a bit more, but its also an incredibly durable tent, very easy to pitch in bad weather(!!) and really strong. I mean, you could just bring ear plugs should it get really bad. :) Haha. Its slightly narrow though, but the fact that the vestibule doesn't have to be pegged out as well is great stuff. The entire shape of the Soulo is held into place by the poles; which is designs I tend to enjoy the most tbh- even if I have other tents.
Hello! Thanks for review. What is your experience to kook in vestibule? Is is possible, how is ventilation?
Hello! Sorry about the late reply, had to manually find your comment. But! Ventilation on the tent was pretty good, because of the arched outer fly on the tent. Granted you could also peg it out a little too on the back side and vestibule. Cooking in it was 'okay' if you had it open on one end, and folded up. Its very steep, so not a lot of headroom to cook directly under it. If there's really terrible weather, then close it up and take down part of the inner tent to create a space inside the outer fly. :) I never did this on the Niak specifically, but I did it a lot on the Hilleberg Unna.
Vandrefalk, er det kun nettingdør til innerteltet?
Thanks for your review, very comprehensive, however I have few questions. This summer I was in the Lofoten Islands when a sea storm came in => think wind speeds so high the rain was horizontal, The fjords tend to channel the wind into narrow corridors which increases the speed. Do you think the Niak would hold out in such conditions? Would the airflow through the tent and mesh door making sleeping difficult? I am contemplating buying a new tent and am as yet undecided between the Unna and the Niak. I prefer the Niak as it is light weight and has a vestibule for my pack and boots. However I a bit worried about the mesh door under very windy conditions. Do you have any experience of such conditions in your Niak, and would you use an Unna or Niak for such conditions? A future trip with my new tent might include a summer trip through Iceland which could well be very windy owing to the lack of trees.
Hey! First off, sorry for getting back to you so late. Life has been a real hurdle these past 3 years and these past months especially, so again, sorry for the late reply. Now to the questions at hand; I sold my Niak last year and have tested other tents since then (had to sell to buy other stuff), and what I've had since July of this year, just so happens to be a Unna tent. I think they are both great tents, and each one has things that one might prefer over the other, so I am going to be nitpicking over details, and just tell you what I like and don't like (SO FAR) between the two:
They are both incredibly easy to set up. Two crossing poles, UL Y-pegs pegs on the Niak, regular Y-pegs on the Unna. Same diameter poles on both, I think. Kerlon 1000 on the Niak, Kerlon 1200 on the Unna. 0,5kg roughly more weight on the Unna. Unna is 10cm longer in length, but 10cm shorter on the width in the inner tent, then the Niak.
The Niak has a mesh door, where the Unna has a yellow fabric, but the top of the inner door has a mesh cover on the outside of the yellow fabric, so you can roll the yellow fabric down at the top portion for increased ventilation, and also to reach the zipper at the top of the outer door, to create ventilation through both doors, or as you need, in addition to be able to see out through it. Which is very nice. The Unna has a "hat" that goes a little over the doors, so that if you use the secondary zippers to create more ventilation or whatever, you're still slightly covered under this 'hat'. What I've found is that its incredibly useful and handy, and its so nice to sit inside in the mornings with the zippers down from the top to create a great view out of the tent, without having to open the doors in any significant ways.
The Niak has arched/curved sides and a pegged back to the outer fabric for the ventilation, where the Unna does not. You can still however peg out both of the longer sides of the Unna and create ventilation along the bottom IF you want to. So you have a choice here, depending on the conditions you're in. Also handy in high wind, to have the choice.
About that vestibule/door though.. in the long run, it was one of my pet-peeves with the Niak. The fact that I had to peg it out so far, and open it, again, with having to reach as far out as the door is pegged, bothered me in the end. Particularly if the outer fabric had condensation on the inside, which can easily happen if the ground is wet or w/e, you're more then likely to have your arm covered just trying to open it. Also that whole stretching far to open it, was just "eh" to me, in the end. That's me though! Nitpicking. The Unna doesn't have this at all, and unless you have a tarp or something you're gonna have to store your gear in the inner tent if the conditions state so. Mostly I've had my backpack and gear in the inner tent without any problems personally, and my boots fit between the outer and inner fabric with no issues. There is a gap, and can be pegged slightly more out if you want to. If the weather is horrible, you can take down parts of the inner tent to cook inside the outer tent. And I would go as far as to say that this should also be done in the Niak, because the door/vestibule is so steep. Overall, I actually enjoy camping in the Unna more, I've gotten used to it, but again that's all if you're "willing" to when it comes to a lack of a vestibule. I've also used a tarp over it on occasions, to create a bigger roof and room to cook outside the tent, and shelter from the rain and sun. A tarp is great in any sense though tbh but that's a different conversation, and this is a tent v tent convo.
I've also gotten used to packing the Unna with only the outer tent and the footprint attached. The reason is that I can pitch this really quickly as a shelter, be it "mid-trip", or when pitching the tent. This means I can pitch it fast, get inside, and then pitch the inner tent from inside. This eliminates some of the risk of getting the inner tent wet from my gear. I use a pack cover too, to help eliminate having wet gear in the inner tent. But you see what I'm getting at here. There are compromises, but if you're clever about it, they are very limited. In dry conditions, everything is sweet ofc. In the long run I might get a mesh inner tent for the Unna, for the warmest days of travelling with it, but I've enjoyed it so far. :)
Hope this answered your questions, let me know if there's anything else!
@@VandrefalkTV Thanks for your reply!! I have one more question. Have you found the weight of the Unna to be an impediment? On a short trip (up to five nights) I would imagine it is very manageable but what about a longer trip of say 10 days or a trail such as the Kungsleden?
@@thomasf.9869 No problem. :) Not at all, the Unna tent has become one of my all-time favs for solo trips. It does take it's given amount of room in the pack, and weighs in more then other solo tents, but man.. that build quality, and the ease of pitching in all kinds of weather is phenomenal. I still have a Dome 2 for when me and my gf head on out, but the Unna feels really spacious for one person. You do have to get used to the compromises, which I would translate to just using the tent differently. Like I mentioned in the previous reply with the inner tent and such. :) I feel more secure in the Unna, and it's been really flexible and great, for me at least. :) I know several people that, once they got used to the design of the tent, keep coming back to it, too. It gives you a great amount of living space, given that the weather isn't horrible all of the time (i.e soaked backpack etc), and if you're going to spend a lot of time in a tent, I've always favored size and comfort over weight. :)
Hi Thomas Was very interested in your question and responses. What did you decide in the end between Niak and Unna, and how did it work out for you ? Cheers, Peter
@@petergilbert72 In the end I opted for the Niak, as it is slightly lighter and has a vestibule. I have only however used it Sweden on the Kungsleden in moderate weather and it held up just fine. Very comfortable inside for one man, and very easy to pitch. For Iceland I will likely share a tent with someone else and we will likely use the two man, four season Hilleberg Staika.
I want this tent but looks like they only sell the 2 person version on there website .. is 2 person the new version ???? What happen to the 1.5 version
Hi! You said it very fast, but what kind of pack do you have? Does it take the weight off your shoulders and put it on your hips? I'm going to be living out of my pack but doctor said don't lift more than 25 lbs because of my back problem. I hope to world travel for a couple of years in all kinds of climates. How does this tent hold up if one pitches it for days and there's no shade. Can it take UV rays okay? Thanks for this video.
Hello! Sorry about the late response, plenty of work and straight to a family dinner afterwards. Now, to the questions at hand: I currently have the Gregory Baltoro 85L. It fits me really well, I loooooooove the solutions the pack offers in terms of storage, access, the way it carries the weight +++ The shoulder pads take some getting used to, as they are slightly curved, and you'll have to be really sure about the size you get in terms of the back length, as the adjustments that can be made length wise is limited, compared to other packs I've tried. The pack weigs anything from 5 lbs. 3 oz. to 5 lbs. 11 oz. though, so if you're going on longer trips etc, maybe look for something that also weighs less? Look at ZPacks even, The Outdoor Gear Review (Luke) just did a video on his "ultra light set-up" and he's got one of them. They are incredibly light, but durable. Might be worth checking into if you're packing gear that has some weight to it (in regards to Your back problems). But both Osprey (Aether, Xenith) and the Baltoro are really, really great packs. Slightly different solutions and to me and my back/gear- the Baltoro fits the best. I'm pretty sure a video is coming up on this, as I've had a lot more experience with the pack now, and some new gear in it. Again, its the 85L version, the 60L etc weighs less obviously.
As for the tent and the fabrics- all of Hillebergs tents have the outer fabric treated for UV resistance during dyeing and coating. So you should be pretty good in that regard. :)
Hi! You late? Wow! Thanks for the prompt response! You have given me a lot of good information as I know nothing about camping equipment and have already spent a lot of time trying to figure out what to do and invest in the lightest possible equipment because of my health. I might use Tyvek plastic for inside tent floor as I believe in the rule that one can never rely on a tent floor remaining durably waterproof over time no matter what make of tent and to simply create the "bathtub" from inside, not outside the tent with plastic. Have you heard of that advice before? If it wasn't for ultralight new technology I wouldn't even be able to attempt my bucket list of going possibly for years all around the world, yet in the lower cost countries like Central and South America, and on to maybe Southeast Asia and maybe China (maybe China is too expensive though - have you heard?) and/or Africa. A 4 season tent would be too much but really best only too heavy and planning on everything from Amazon jungle to Andes Mountains etc and all the way down to Terra del Fuego. The doctor said don't carry more than 25lbs... but plan to break the rule and do it at 30lbs! I will actually live out of my tent at times if I have to. My other hurdle is my "sleep Apnea" where I must travel with no "CPAP machine" for breathing at night. I must sleep in a semi sitting up position, quite a feat with camping. I must devise a means of sleeping like that in my tent! Have you heard of others with that same problem? Any other input or leads on such travel let me know as I hope to subsist on my $683 Social Security and hitchhike and eat from food markets rather than restaurants. Anyone else out there with advice I would greatly appreciate it! Thanks for all!
Sincerely,
mwj5368
Hi again! :) You know, I really, really wish I could assist you better in terms of the sutiation you are in, but I am sure that if you take a good look around the web, you'll find some useful information. Both on reddit and here on youtube through Peoples channels. Luke over at The Outdoor Gear Review might have a few answers, especially on that recent light weight video he did! :) I admire your persistence, and I wish you the BEST in your Journey and adventures going forward! And don't hestitate on dropping by to give me an update! :) - Vandrefalk
thanks, atb Hans Petter
Thanks for this good look at the Niak, and also your thoughtful comments subsequently. I realise you no longer have this tent so please ignore if you wish... In one of your replies you mentioned the difficulty of stretching to reach the far away zipper on a wet entrance door was what really ended your love affair with this tent (well, something like that!). Is it possible to lower the zipper from the top to the half way position and then step between the two pieces of door? Or is it too taught and narrow for that? Another work around I wondered might be to attach a short piece of bamboo to the lower zip slider so as to avoid reaching under the wet entrance material? I can’t think of any workarounds for the bugs, but I presume that you can ventilate the top zipper without rain egress if the opening is tiny (such as 1cm) and under the black storm tape? Thanks!
Hi! Sorry about the late reply, work work work.. but I digress! Excellent questions. I'd say that you probably could exit the tent the way you suggest, but it could be a tight squeeze. So that would depend on the size of the person doing it, and/or the kit on said person. If the fabric is wet though then.. yeah. Your second question though, that's not a bad thought. The only thing is, and I cannot remember this since it's been a few years, is if the doors also have a velcro patch down at the end there, which I think it does as it's pretty standard. That would still require you to reach for it, or poke at it to separate the door from the storm/rain cover/flap. Probably not the biggest issue, but still something to consider. I mean you could proably even just attach some cordage to the zipper pull and make you able to reach it from the inner without having to reach at all to be honest. And I'm sure there is some clever work-around that I'm not even thinking about. Not easy without having it physically here, hehe. Also, experience yeilds more solutions, so who knows. I do know I enjoy the Unna a lot though, even if it didn't have a proper vestibule. And yes, I would imagine you could if the rain isn't too bad or the wind isn't too strong. Good point. I just think there are better solutions for those kinds of situations. That said, I know many people are quite happy with it, and for most it probably is just nit-picking at the end of the day. :) Hope this helps! Cheers and enjoy the outdoors ^^
@@VandrefalkTV thank you for responding! (You can tell there aren’t many reviews of this tent as you’re still getting questions after all these years!) I can see the Unna’s advantages but it does weigh 600g more (and in fact is only 1kg less than my Allak). Such a shame the Niak’s vestibule arrangement is impractical. Out of interest, do you think my folded Brompton bike would squeeze into the front of the Unna between the inner and outer tent if the latter is guyed? It’s 25cm deep, and is 60cm tall snd 55cm long. Some images I’ve seen look as though it just might, but it’s difficult to judge scale. I wouldn’t wouldn’t want to undo the inner tent to accommodate the bike as I’d have other stuff to go in there. If it fitted that would be a neat arrangement! Cheers
@@petergilbert72 That's a very good question, I'm not sure it would, without touching the outer fabric and, I may just be very wary about things like that, might be a risk for wear and tear on it. That's very hard to say. Can I ask, what kind of a tent are you looking for? What seasons, conditions, how many people, price range, weight etc.?
@@VandrefalkTV that’s a good point about wear of fabric. Even in the Allak’s vestibules the outer fabric does often rest on one part of the bike. In future I will try to prevent this. I could of course leave the bike outside, but it’s an expensive electric bike and I just like the surety of knowing it’s in there with me even though the risk of theft is very low. As to your question: I’d use the tent for 4 British seasons, temp -3 to +28 degrees, max wind 70 km/h, heavy rain, sunshine sometimes!, single occupant with space for bike trailer inside tent (or additional person occasionally accompanied by car), bicycling and hiking up hills, weight as light as possible of course but realistically maybe around 2kg?, price immaterial really. I’m keen environmentalist so ideally made from recycled materials and one which will last many years without getting dumped into landfill. Lastly, self supporting preferred to enable pitching on widest range of sites. I bought the Allak2 thinking it would be good for bike camping which it is, though somewhat bulky. That doesn’t matter with the trailer but it occupies quite a lot of a rucksack.
When I first spotted the Niak I hadn’t previously realised that yellow label tents could be suited to winter use and of course they are if there’s little snow. I was looking at the Niak as an additional tent for hiking, but the vestibule was tantalising as a potential one-tent-fits-all solution to my bicycle and hiking camping (with space for second person or trailer). But maybe I should go with Niak or Unna for hiking only which would simplify the spec considerably, sell the Allak and buy a cheaper tent for cycling/second person occupancy which will be at lower elevations with less wind. Btw I’m 188cm tall which is also a factor for some tents. I find Allak2 only just tall enough to sit up in what with thick Sea to Summit air pad, and a woolly hat! That’s a long answer; thank you for taking trouble over this! (Btw your video presentation was superb, engaging with ideal inflection etc, and I’m amazed you aren’t a first language speaker of English!) Peter
@@petergilbert72 Sorry about the late reply, work has been all too much lately, thankfully I'm heading out camping tomorrow night, which will be a delight! Thank you so much for your comments and considerations, I appreciate them all. ^^ As to finding a tent.. man. I have to admit that's a tough one. I would recomment some MSR tents but I have absolutely no ecperience with them, and the hydrostatic head seems.. low. They do offer tents that pitch all in one and tents suited for biking which look neat tbh. I just wish their mm ratings were higher and more focus on ventilation, but some seem really decent. There is one however, and you may be sceptical, but check out Andrew Park and his channel on YT if you haven't, and look at his videos usikg the Black Diamond HiLight 2P (the new, Blue version) with the add-on vestibule. I would looove to try that one myself, great weight to space ration, strong. It is a single wall tent though, but I think this might be pne of good ones, but I'd try and talk to Andrew about it as he has experience with it. The set up isn't the best looking, but I'm sure it can be mastered. Condensation management seems decent too. And hey, there are lots of cheap-ish tents from Naturehike even, decent stats and prices, weight and even the possibility to add vestibule. Anyways! That's enough of a rant from me. Good luck and thanks again. 😊
I want to see it packed down if you still have it.
I don't, unfortunately. :) Had to sell it to try other tents. Sorry for the late reply!
After 2 plus years how is this tent holding up?
Sorry about the late reply! I don't get notifications on comments for some reason; but the tent is amazing and has held up really, really well. Typical Hilleberg quality. :) I do however like the Unna a tad bit more though, if given the choice. Probably one of the most underrated (Hilleberg) tents around!
Im in doubt between this one and the anjan 3. I have a nammatj but need something lighter for solo with the dog. The anjan would be nice as i could use it with a friend and gf with dog as well but this is freestanding. Hmmm :)
Well, both the Anjan and Rogen have been redesigned slightly, or updated rather for 2017. Not sure if they are out everywhere or not, but the Rogen is pretty much a bit nicer version of the Niak 1.5, I think. For your purpose. Its freestanding like the Niak, but with two entrances and a bit wider roof it seems, because of a crossing pole at the top below the fly. So I would either get the Anjan or Rogen, in your case. And do look out for the 2017 designs. :) (as long as we're talking Hilleberg.)
Hm but the Rogen is heavier again. So you feel that the niak would be too cramped for an adult and large dog? I was leaning towards the anjan but for some reason the niak design was so interesting.
I was indeed going to buy the new design :)
Sadly it has a price bump :o
Well that really, really depends on the size of both of you :P hehe. But it is a possibility, yes. If you're into (like I am) or interesting in freestanding tents (both of them do need their vestibules pegged out though) then the 200grams more on the Rogen, to me personally, isn't a dealbreaker. But that's me. :) If you're really unsure, maybe try see one in person? Or see if you can borrow somewhere? Even if just to pitch it and see how it is in person. I know it sounds like I complain about the Niak, and I'm not. :p I'm just trying to imagine myself in your situation, based on my of past experience with it. :) Then again, with the Anjan you already know what you're getting, so its maybe the safest pick. I just love the flexibility of freestanding tents, though I try not to find ones where I still need to peg out the entrance (I like it when they hold their shape based on a pole). Might be me being weird and picky, but yeah. :P hehe
The Rogen was 400 grams more than the niak and 200 more than the anjan 3. The niak interested me because it was lighter than the anjan and also freestanding.
The Rogen does indeed look a lot better but the internal ground space is almost the same. Only at one end it is 10 cm wider than the niak, looking at the specs.
So internal space wouldn't be that much better. For that the anjan 3 would be the best pick.
It is indeed the safe bet. I know the tunnel tents. I'm used to them. It is bigger with more venting options.
The freestanding would just make site selection just so much easier. And maybe because it is something different that it interests me. I keep getting pulled to it :p
I meant over the Anjan 3, indeed. :) Also the two entrances makes for better storage options over the Niak, especially if you're going with someone else. Either have one each or keep the gear in one and have better space in the other for sitting with the door open, cooking or what have you. Especially on longer trips if you are bringing lots of gear, having one side each is really great, imo. It can get really cumbersome getting in and out of the tent if you are both storing packs etc in the one door on the Niak, depending on weather, but personally also with bugs like midges. I have had terrible experiences with that. :P Freestanding do tend to weigh more, which is a shame, because they rock, haha. MSR have some interesting tents, as long as you're not going to run into heavy rain, like I do here in Norway, unfortunately. :\ Their latest tent, the Access or whatever it is called, looks interesting, but not for the environment I live in.. I don't where you are in the world, but an alternative could be this one: www.helsport.no/reinsfjell-superlight Reinsfjell Superlight, from Helsport. I've heard so many, many good things about this tent. Completely freestanding, including the vestibules. 2.2kg incl the pegs. Never tried it myself, but I'd loooove to.
Is it strong in wind? Its the main question))
Great review! Do you think I can stuff two Exped LW mats in there? They're around 65 cm. each. They fit snugly in my Allak, which is somewhat wider than the Niak in one of the ends. Thanks.
Good question. I had to look up the measurements, and yes the Allak has a 130cm/120cm head/foot end. The Niak is 120cm in both ends, leaving less of a wiggle room, plus the walls on the inner tent seem to be more straight on the Allak, at least for some of the hight, before they curve. Where as the Niak curves on one of the side walls more then the other. You problably could, but it would be a really, really tight fit. There is a 2017 redesign of the Hillberg Rogen, which has the same 130cm/120cm as the Allak, but two crossed poles like the Niak, with a short third pole accross to make the headroom a little better. Plus it has two vestibules. Maybe have a look? I think it would be really tight in the Niak. :P
Thanks for you answer! I have been considering the Rogen as well, but really like the simplicity of the Niak (no third pole), and it makes more sense as an occasional solo tent. I must perhaps just get smaller sleeping pads instead. God helg!
No problem! You too! :D
Hi I have an Allak2 which is great for bike camping but too big and heavy for solo backpacking. I’d be interested to know whether you went for the Niak ? I was thinking it might also Vs good for bike camping (I have a folding Brompton) but the vestibule seems smaller than it looks on paper? Cheers, Peter
@@petergilbert72 I went for a Rogen, which was great, but eventually decided to have two tents instead of only one. So now I have an Allak 3 and a Niak. Also tried the Enan for solo use, but the Niak is just so much roomier for only a small weight penalty.
just an overpriced tent, nothing special compared to budget tents
You pay for the quality and lighter weight .
Having owned both budget tents and Hilleberg tents,the difference is worth it if your budget permits.