Hex Peak F6E (Winter Solo Version) - backpackinglight.co.uk

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Customer Reviews (2)

The much awaiting winter version of the Luxe F6 Hexpeak has arrived, cleverly entitled the F6e.

The first question everyone will ask is ‘what’s the difference?’

Mainly the outer of the F6e has a snow skirt with closing ventilation hole, plus double the side guy points. Thus the F6e outer is heavier than the F6.

The inner on the F6 is 3/4 of the foot print offering lots of space for 2 people. On the F6e the inner takes up half of the tent, leaving the remaining half of the floor for storage.

The F6e inner has considerably less mesh, thereby cutting down the drafts and making the space warmer, thus the reason this tent is sub titled ‘the winter version’.

I've recently pitched this shelter on a warm day and can vouch for the amount of heat it retains, making it ideal for colder climates.

Please note the inner, is fractionally larger than the Hexpeak V4a Inner, which we also sell separately. The construction has considerably less mesh and is thus warmer, but if you seek an all round backpacking tent with this space I would suggest the F6 and the V4 Inner as being easier to pitch and 400gm lighter.

I’ve put up a comparison chart for the solo V4a, the duo F6 and the winter solo F6e which may help.

The pitched height of the V4a is 137cm and the F6 and F6e is 160cm, therefore the footprint of the inner combined with a steeper pitch of the outer will give better headroom for the taller user.

More detail review and video to follow soon.

This will pitch with either the 163X or 197x pole. However I have found the 163x Pole is at the maximum extension which doesn't allow any variation for uneven ground or when the pole sinks into soft turf. Therefore I would recommend the 197x for more options.

Top tips for a stable shelter in all weathers

If the supporting pole sinks at any stage the material will lose all the tension and the tent can become unstable in high winds, with the possibility of the pole moving. The common tip here is to cut a tennis ball in half and use each half at either end of the pole. It prevents the pole from sinking and also reduces the pressure on the peak. Once this is in place, applying tension on all the surrounding guys will maintain tension throughout the night. Some use Marmite caps or Rebar Mushrooms.

In excessive wet weather we have had occasional reports of the supplied guys slipping in the cleats. A simple overhand knot will stop this. Alternatively replacing the guys with our 2mm Dyneema cord will jam in the cleats nicely.

Hot Tenting

There appears to be a certain amount of confusion currently regarding what is a stock item available from Luxe in the UK and
the customised 'hot tent' option which appears to be on offer in the US.

Currently Luxe Hiking Gear (the US importer/retailer) is customising the V4a, F6a, F6e and F8a to order adding a stove jack as the customer requires.

We are unable to offer this service in the UK currently, so if this is something you require please contact them directly using the below links.

Hexpeak V4A - Hexpeak F6A - Hexpeak F6E - Hexpeak F8A

Any warranty issues you may have with the shelter will be dealt with directly by them.

Seam Sealing

As the silicone tents are designed without seam taping, we recommend user to apply seam sealing on the outside seam of flysheet where necessary (Mainly around the crown area). Along the horizontal stitching around the vent. Down the zip and 'inside' the guy loops and top loop. (Pull apart with your fingers) Anywhere water can gather is a potential point of issue if the tent will be subjected to prolonged rainfall or a persistently wet environment.

Pole Option

Your have a choice of 2 poles which will support the F6 model. The 163X or the 197X. As the 163X is almost at its fullest extension we suggest the 197X as the preferred option to allow for more height flexibility for the minor penalty of 54 grammes.

Weights
Outer: 1050gm
Inner: 700gm
6 Pegs: 84gm
Silicone Sealant included

Seam sealing video

Average Rating (2 Reviews):

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Rating:

not pleased

Saturday, 22 October 2016 | Robert

Used this last month in wales I was only there for 2 days I cut it short by 2 days .
why because everything inside the tent was wet it was drizzle on and off and damp but the first night even my motorcycle boots are wet the whole of the inside of the sheet was very wet,
and then the inner no matter what I did I could not keep the inner material off my face or head that was annoying, so I will not be using this tent much Ill stick to my HALLo 300

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4 of 10 people found this review helpful.

Response:

We were sorry to read your review of the F6e.

It is a winter tent so naturally the compromise is; the more you keep warmth in, the less you let moisture out.

In the situation I think you describe, if you have wet bike gear inside the tent, plus you are warming up the wet ground with your body, plus I assume cooking, you are generating an immense amount of condensation. The solution is therefore to try and get as much air flow as circumstances will allow to release that moisture.

In the case of the F6e, this means ensuring the edges of the tent are above ground (correct pole height), opening up the lower circular vent, making sure the upper air vents are as wide as possible and also opening up the lower part of the door, to get air to flow through.

In fact the more windy the weather the better. If there was no breeze during the rain, then any tent would suffer the same issues.

With regards to the inner, which pole did you use to pitch it? It sounds as if the pitch was not quite high enough. This again is understandable if the rain was heavy as you pitched the tent, as naturally you want to get inside as soon as possible. However I do know from experience, that getting the right height on the pole is vital to prevent the mesh behaving as you describe.

Rating:

My first Tarp tent

Saturday, 3 September 2016 | Stephen

Really pleased with this item! Rapid delivery meant that I could spend an afternoon pitching it (with the handy 14mm pole extender/joiner) and sealing it with the provided sealant. I also made up some guylines using a different colour for the door side to enable night-time access. My son and I then spent a couple of days in August in the English Lake District walking over St Sunday Crag, Dollywagon Pike and Helvellyn. We then dropped down Swirrel Edge to wild camp at just over 700m. He got the inner tent (I really don't like the term "nest"!!) and I slept in the remaining vestibule on a thermarest and in my ex-army gore-tex bivvy bag. Both of us snug as bugs! It rained overnight and we were completely dry. The snow valances actually helped by catching rain water that we used/boiled up for breakfast the next morning! I am 6'4" and my son is 5'11". I would actually be happy to sleep in the inner tent, although accept that the sloping roof/wall is a little close; it doesn't feel too claustrophobic. There is storage space to one's side in the inner tent next to your sleeping mat. The whole tent seems a bit quieter in the wind compared to the two man mountain tents that I am used to. Also MUCH lighter that the 3kg+ weight we're used to carrying! Easy to pitch although the straps provided to set the shape when pitching are a bit too adjustable which leads to different lengths and rather defeats the object of setting the peripheral pegs before lifting the apex! All in all, will be a great 1 or 2 man 3 season shelter and fine (although not tested yet) 4 season/winter shelter for 1 person. Seems well constructed, but will have to see how it holds together over time. Recommended.

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17 of 17 people found this review helpful.