Our mountaineering reviewer, Kirk Watson, climbed high in the snow-covered Cairngorms to review the best two-person tents. On test Salewa Alptrek II tent
This tent was bombproof once it was up. It’s a good shape and fully waterproof, plus the outer and inner go up together so the inner stays dry. It was slightly baggy in the wind and flapped a little. I also had to get a friend to help me put it up as the pole sleeves were only about twice the diameter of a pole so hardwork squeezing them through which led to cold hands on the night I put this up. I like to think a tent shouldn’t take more than 10 minutes to erect, but this was much longer and I couldn’t pop it up myself because of the pole sleeves. It was also handwork taking it down. The pegs were half normal size and hurt your hands putting them in. I’d replace these for longer pegs even if it increased the weight.
Once up it was good though and the front porch is just big enough but there is also a back porch. It stood up to some rough winds and rain which is one of the most important parts of any tent.
Reviewed in May 2015 Issue