Hilleberg Staika 2 Person Tent

I have two Hilleberg tents, the Staika and a Kaitum 2. If I were going into a situation where I needed a self standing tent with a round (hexagonal) footprint, I'd take the Staika. If the tent could be as long as it wanted to be and it didn't need to be self-standing, I'd take the lighter, much roomier Kaitum 2. Both are arguably two person tents, but the Kaitum is exceptionally more roomy and comfortable. That said, the Staika goes up and comes down easier, and packs up quicker (though more bulky), especially if it's raining. The Staika was designed as a paddler's tent, and that's what I use it for. The extra weight of the Staika is of little consequence in a sea kayak. The Staika is incredibly strong and the twin vestibules absorb as much gear as the twin vestibules of the Kaitum 2, which has an extremely long, horizontal footprint. I find the Kaitum 2, a tunnel tent, to be easier to get in and out of, although that is counterintuitive, given the big doors design of the Staika. There is weight involved with all the heavy weight zippers between the inner tent and the vestibules, however they allow easy access to the gear in the vestibules, which is worth the weight. The Staika has bombproof 10mm poles which are a pleasure to assemble and disassemble. and the 1800 denier Kerlon fabric is impressive, if heavy. Whether you're in the Staika or the Kaitum 2, you feel totally protected and you feel you're in one of the world's best tents. The difference is simply interior space. Any dome tent is going to feel less spacious, pound for pound, than a tube tunnel tent. I like the ridge line in the Kaitum 2 for hanging lights, wet socks, glasses and the like, which is something I miss in the Staika. The Staika has no ridge line and seems also to have less pocket space. I could argue against many of the points I just made, but the difference comes down to ease of putting up and taking down and interior space. Staika is easier to deal with in the field (especially in the dark) because you don't need to thread poles through long hoop sleeves (it clips externally to the poles) and it doesn't have to be staked down, but it's tighter on space. The Kaitum 2 is more of a hassle to put up and take down, but it has lots of room and feels like a palace inside once it's up. They're both equally good for ventilation, though the ventilation designs are radically different. I like them both, but if I was camping in a place with lots of space and I didn't need the tent to be self-standing, pound for pound, I'd take the Kaitum 2.October, 2017 Update: I wanted to revisit my original review to raise the tent rating from 4 to 5 stars. I've had much more experience with it by now, and wanted to emphasize a few points not included in my original review. The Staika is now my main tent because I use it in very rainy and high wind conditions. A difference between a tube tent and a dome tent is that the tube tent has two wind-vulnerable sides. You need to pitch it with the long axis running parallel to the wind flow, so as to present the least wind vulnerable surface to the wind. On a dome tent (a hexagon) all the sides are the same, so it doesn't matter which side is oriented against the wind; the wind resistance is the same from every direction. This really simplifies placement in windy environments.The manner of pitching the Staika is so obvious and manageable that, once you understand it, you can pitch the tent in heavy rain and not get the inside of the tent wet, and you can pitch the tent in total darkness without difficulty because it's so easy to put up. The Staika is self-standing, so you can put it in places (on sand, rocks, slickrock, concrete floors, etc.) without using stakes. For a sea kayaker, the vestibules are large enough accommodate all the equipment you can possibly fit into the bow and stern compartments of the boat and not block access through either door. It's the perfect paddler's tent. For paddling windy coastlines, or out on a windy desert, or for use above treeline, this is a bombproof tent and it's worth the extra weight for the extra strength and security you get. This is a 5 star tent by any standard, so I wanted my rating to reflect that.

The Best tent I have ever owned! Great design with the inner and outer tent concept. Quality is simply outstanding! Excellent customer service.

This isn't your boy scout tent. Very impressed with quality of build and design. The vestibules are a great idea and I had plenty of room for a guy that is 6"1'.

I recommend you set this tent up prior to venturing out into the field, to learn the best/safest way to erect. It has many unique capabilities. It is very stable, windproof, layout is great. Get the footprint, it is a must have. I'm going to be using this in Alaska for its first trip. Be careful when placing the poles in, and don't over bend the poles.