The Hilleberg Nallo 2 GT could be the most hardwearing and reliable 2-person 4-season tent on the market
When it comes to camping out there are many tents to choose from. But which is the best tent for cycle touring? In this article, I explore the possibility that the Hilleberg Nallo 2 GT is the best tent in the world.
How to choose a tent for cycle touring
When Adrian and I made our plans to cycle around Europe on a charity bike ride, we made a list of the essentials that would be needed for a four-month trip based on two people sharing kit. That meant that we shared spares, tools and weight distribution.
In the end, we decided to maximise our budget on the road by sharing a tent. We’d camped together in the past and knew that we could handle close quarters for long durations. We were best mates, after all, easy breezy, right?
Try this selection of lightweight tents for bikepacking and cycle touring.
Room for two or a space of your own
Yes and no. There were times when we’d have welcomed a space of our own. Many folks we met on that trip shared their amazement that we were sharing a tent for such a length of time. It was quite amusing in some ways.
The way our cycle tour of Europe panned out, I’d do it just the same all over again. We were young and pretty relaxed about it all. We also stayed in hostels occasionally to blow off a little steam. It worked for us.
Not a bloody Hilleberg
In Albania, Adrian and I met a couple of guys cycling to Australia. Andy and Matt were a just few months into their trip and had already suffered a fractured wrist and a broken wheel.
They’d spent big on the cycle touring kit, their bikes, in particular, were something special – handbuilt titanium Dutch machines with Rohloff hub gears.
Discussing the finer points of Australian biosecurity policy over a few beers, Adrian gently taunted the lads about the possibility of the bikes being crushed by Aussie customs.
When Andy found out that we’d chosen the Nallo 2 GT he squealed with delight: ‘not a bloody Hilleberg!’. It’s stayed with me all these years. Good lads, they were.
Hilleberg Nallo 2 GT – the best tent in the world?
Though Adrian and I decided to share a tent to save money (relative) and weight (actual), we did end up with arguably one of the best two-person tents on the market.
The Hilleberg Nallo 2 GT is a spacious and durable tent designed for mountaineering. It’s relatively lightweight for its size and provided sleeping space and a porch for cooking and storage.
The benefits of sponsorship
Hilleberg offered us a third off the retail price which made this awesome cycle touring tent slightly less expensive than an actual house. Hilleberg has a massive reputation with mountaineers, climbers, adventurers and explorers. We heard only good things about these tents.
We felt like this was a good investment since Hilleberg is often quoted as the best tent brand and the Nallo GT model is listed as the best tent for the money. The combination of word-of-mouth recommendations, generous sponsorship discount and the packed size to space to weight ratio made the decision easy.
Hileberg Nallo 2 GT – the best 4 season 2 person tent?
The Nallo 2 GT is a four-season tent which makes it super insulated for mountain climbing. The Nallo excelled in Europe and Central Asia, it’s perfect in the high mountain plateau and wide-open plains.
These same qualities are less desirable for sleeping in the tropics. The Nallo lacks ventilation and is not free standing which in hindsight was fine for our European cycle tour but not ideal for a world cycle.
A freestanding tent of my own design
I figured out a way to pitch it freestanding. A weight at each end – one side with panniers the other with the bike. And left the door open for a breeze.
Despite these considerations, this is the same tent I used to cycle around the world and is still going strong after a decade. I’ve spent hundreds if not thousands of nights under this canvas.
Cycle touring is often about improvising solutions and problem-solving on the hoof. That’s why this tent is still an awesome choice for bikepacking and cycle touring.
Try ‘Bikepacking Tents and How to Choose One’ for the lowdown on buying a new tent for cycle touring.
Is there a better recommendation for a 2-person 4-season tent for cycle touring?