Trekkertent Phreeranger - Owners Thread

[Bmblbzzz]

I noticed on the weekend bikepacking trip that the dark green colour of the Trekkertents almost disappears at night. Pitched in a line were a dark green Terra Nova Solar Photon, my dark green Trekkertent, a light green Jack Wolfskin, a light green Hexluxe(?) mid. The TN was a darker green than my Phreeranger, and a very similar size and shape, but was actually more visible at night. Though of course it might just be that the Trekkertent colour corresponds to a hole in the output of my headtorch...

 

[Jakey]

I received my custom Phreeranger around 14 weeks after ordering, which was okay as I wasn’t in any particular hurry. Very happy with the quality of the tent, though I haven’t yet had a chance to use it on a trip.

This version is 30d silpoly, with half solid / half mesh inner. It has the option to use semi-freestanding, with trekking poles. All in (including 10 pegs and stuff sack) it weighs 1202g. Without pegs it’s 1072g.

The tent will be getting it’s first outing, in Scotland, mid- August

 

[BogTrotter]

@Jakey It should be a fine shelter for your Scottish trip. Decent weight for a double skinned tent too.

 

[el manana]

I received my custom Phreeranger around 14 weeks after ordering, which was okay as I wasn’t in any particular hurry. Very happy with the quality of the tent, though I haven’t yet had a chance to use it on a trip.

This version is 30d silpoly, with half solid / half mesh inner. It has the option to use semi-freestanding, with trekking poles. All in (including 10 pegs and stuff sack) it weighs 1202g. Without pegs it’s 1072g.

The tent will be getting it’s first outing, in Scotland, mid- August

Nice, didnt realise he was using 30D Silpoly now, mine was 20D.

Like the new door vents, an improvement on the unconventional "tabs" on the door zip.

 

[Jakey]

Nice, didnt realise he was using 30D Silpoly now, mine was 20D.

Like the new door vents, an improvement on the unconventional "tabs" on the door zip.

On the website he still offers the choice between 20d and 40d silpoly. I asked for 30d as a compromise betweeen weight and strength…….

 

[Bmblbzzz]

He was using vents of that style a couple of years ago when I got mine.

 

[toaroa]

I have a DCF Phreeranger that I haven't used yet because it's real wet this NZ winter and the thing arrived too late to use in Autumn, but I'm about to set myself up... I see from this thread that many use 8 pegs and some use 11. I get the 8, but don't quite understand why 11 and not 10.
= two at each end + one at each side + one at each end for 'in-line' guy lines = 8 OR
= two at each end + one at each side + two at each end for guy lines splayed out at angle = 10.
What's the 11th? Cheers. Brad.

 

[Bmblbzzz]

I generally use 14! One at each inner corner, one at each fly corner, one at each side for door, and two at each end for guys. On very windy occasions I'll even use two more, for side guys. I used to make the corner pegs double up for both inner and fly, but I think it works a bit better to peg them separately.

 

[BogTrotter]

I generally use 14! One at each inner corner, one at each fly corner, one at each side for door, and two at each end for guys. On very windy occasions I'll even use two more, for side guys. I used to make the corner pegs double up for both inner and fly, but I think it works a bit better to peg them separately.

I think it depends on what version you have - are the inner tent pegs not obsolete on some versions because there’s a clip with elastic to the flysheet?
This does confer the ability to ‘pitch as one’ the Phreeranger, and the external pole assists greatly in that.
I have the EB version so more pegs because there’s 3 rear guylines in addition to the two end pole guylines, then because the door has two zips at least one extra there.
14 on mine without pegging the pole and only 1 peg at the bottom of each door (additional peg there is useful for pegging back one of the two side flaps if using them as a lea doorway).

 

[will_mac]

I have a DCF Phreeranger that I haven't used yet because it's real wet this NZ winter and the thing arrived too late to use in Autumn, but I'm about to set myself up... I see from this thread that many use 8 pegs and some use 11. I get the 8, but don't quite understand why 11 and not 10.
= two at each end + one at each side + one at each end for 'in-line' guy lines = 8 OR
= two at each end + one at each side + two at each end for guy lines splayed out at angle = 10.
What's the 11th? Cheers. Brad.

I've got the same tent. I think the 11th is if you consider using the guy out point above the doors near the cross pole. Mark told me he doesn't recommend using it due to excessive strain on the tent at that point though. I can't think of another option unless you want to swap the line on the back vestibule which loops from the tent peg to 40cm up the fabric with two lines?

 

[Bmblbzzz]

I think it depends on what version you have - are the inner tent pegs not obsolete on some versions because there’s a clip with elastic to the flysheet?
This does confer the ability to ‘pitch as one’ the Phreeranger, and the external pole assists greatly in that.
I have the EB version so more pegs because there’s 3 rear guylines in addition to the two end pole guylines, then because the door has two zips at least one extra there.
14 on mine without pegging the pole and only 1 peg at the bottom of each door (additional peg there is useful for pegging back one of the two side flaps if using them as a lea doorway).

On mine the inner is not attached to the fly at the corners. The inner has its own loops for pegs. There are clips all they way up the spine of the inner but it still needs some sort of pegging out at the corners.

 

[BogTrotter]

On mine the inner is not attached to the fly at the corners. The inner has its own loops for pegs. There are clips all they way up the spine of the inner but it still needs some sort of pegging out at the corners.

If your flysheet has plastic or aluminium rings sewn into the corners you can add some elastic and hooks easy enough. Also saves some weight.

 

[el manana]

On mine the inner is not attached to the fly at the corners. The inner has its own loops for pegs. There are clips all they way up the spine of the inner but it still needs some sort of pegging out at the corners.

One of the earlier flys he made is set up like this....

 

[Bmblbzzz]

Oh neat! No, mine has separate loops on inner and fly, no clips at the corners. However, I have used a bit of string (ultralight string of course!*) to tie the inner loops to the fly loops, just to make them easier to reach. I suppose if I shortened those strings drastically it would be the same, in effect, as a clip. But in practice I'm happy to just carry four extra pegs. I mean, it's not as if I'm whittling my own using a sharpened stone and freshly-felled timber!

*I think it was Dyneema string.

 

[BogTrotter]

Oh neat! No, mine has separate loops on inner and fly, no clips at the corners. However, I have used a bit of string (ultralight string of course!*) to tie the inner loops to the fly loops, just to make them easier to reach. I suppose if I shortened those strings drastically it would be the same, in effect, as a clip. But in practice I'm happy to just carry four extra pegs. I mean, it's not as if I'm whittling my own using a sharpened stone and freshly-felled timber!

*I think it was Dyneema string.

Since the original Phoenix Phreeranger plastic rings and button-bars, for those who wanted Trekkertent to make a replacement flysheet, I think there’s more than one option for fitting the inner.
I know, I’ve endeavoured to retain the same original style of fittings compared to the plastic sprung clips which I’ve had to cut the clip part off. Small clips and cold wet hands don’t go well together.

 

[toaroa]

Ah. Now I'm starting to understand. I definitely don't have the EB version. I'll need to look at the fly-base attachment system to work out if one peg can perform two roles at the corner. Thanks all.

 

[MalcolmH]

It does look like those seams are siliconed. The solvent for silicon is white spirit.
With the material being rip stop nylon it could well have been silicone waterproofing rather than having a PU coating, but you might have already removed that if it was in fact, PU.

The remaining silicon on the seams doesn’t look very pretty but it’s making the flysheet waterproof which is the objective and I think if I was doing it I would attempt to remove as much silicone sealant as possible (within reason), then PU coat the inner side of the flysheet and then use a silicone seal on the outside. Something like Grangers’ Fabsil should be good for that.

The seams would want sealing again, so you could either iron on a seam tape using a wool setting on the iron with a grease proof paper between the iron and the seam tape. Or silicone seal the seam. Because of the pole sleeve, I think I would chose to complete any fabric waterproofing, then seam seal on the outside. There are both silicon based sealing glues and PU friendly ones.. if you silicon the outside, use a silicon based one.

To get the edges neat, you can use masking tape to great effect.

@BogTrotter Your help has been immense so far, but I've now actually got around to sealing the inside of the fly. Since it is very thin and ripstop the sealant saturates the fly all the way through to the outer. It looks like I can either saturate it or see very little sealant applied. Have you any thoughts on this? Saturating the whole of the fly is going to take bottles and bottles of the sealant I think
https://flic.kr/p/2oYvoFX

 

[BogTrotter]

@BogTrotter Your help has been immense so far, but I've now actually got around to sealing the inside of the fly. Since it is very thin and ripstop the sealant saturates the fly all the way through to the outer. It looks like I can either saturate it or see very little sealant applied. Have you any thoughts on this? Saturating the whole of the fly is going to take bottles and bottles of the sealant I think
https://flic.kr/p/2oYvoFX

What sealant do you have or are you going to use?

 

[old-skool-lite]

Is it worth it? I'd be reluctant to submit that to any wild weather given the condition its gotten into. Or is it a fair weather heritage item?

 

[MalcolmH]

What sealant do you have or are you going to use?

I have been using Seam Grip + TF Tent Fabric Sealant on the inside of the tent. It's the old style bottle without the inbuilt applicator. I've tried applying with a sponge and a cloth (as they recommend) with similar results. I might buy a new bottle with the applicator and try again. I could try silicone on the outside instead (or as well as).

 

[MalcolmH]

Is it worth it? I'd be reluctant to submit that to any wild weather given the condition its gotten into. Or is it a fair weather heritage item?

Good point @old-skool-lite. It's an original (probably early-mid '90s) that I inherited from my Dad. Trying to get it as ship-shape as possible for 'heritage' or real purposes. Needs some fettling for sure - Tenacious tape has been used!

 

[BogTrotter]

I have been using Seam Grip + TF Tent Fabric Sealant on the inside of the tent. It's the old style bottle without the inbuilt applicator. I've tried applying with a sponge and a cloth (as they recommend) with similar results. I might buy a new bottle with the applicator and try again. I could try silicone on the outside instead (or as well as).

TF Tent Fabric on the inside with something like Fabsil on the outside would work.
A couple of coats of the TF inside would work best for there. A single coat always feels rather thin.

 

[old-skool-lite]

I bought a virtually unused Ultimate Tramp, the favourite tent of my younger days. After only a couple of trips it started to peel. My old Phortress faired better. My mate still has his Phreeranger but no longer used.

 

[BogTrotter]

I bought a virtually unused Ultimate Tramp, the favourite tent of my younger days. After only a couple of trips it started to peel. My old Phortress faired better. My mate still has his Phreeranger but no longer used.

I picked up an Ultimate Tramp recently. This is in good condition. It’s sad that the PU on many of the old tents fails as otherwise they’re really well made. There are exceptions to the rotting PU; Ultimate ‘The Tent’, All Saunders’ tents, Wild Country ‘Voyager’ seem to survive well.

 

[MalcolmH]

TF Tent Fabric on the inside with something like Fabsil on the outside would work.
A couple of coats of the TF inside would work best for there. A single coat always feels rather thin.

Yes, where the sealant has penetrated through the fabric it feels properly loaded with sealant. Where it hasn’t gone through it feels no different to before sealing. I’ll continue with the soaking through method and buy some more sealant. There’s no way one bottle will cover the tent. Also the dining room table has become more waterproof as well just bought some external sealant as well. I’ll do this after the TF. Thanks again.