Hilleberg Allak 2 Review

The Hilleberg Allak 2 is a free standing, double walled & double entry 2-berth tent. Perhaps the gold standard in tents; Hilleberg is a brand synonymous with bomb-proof tents. The Allak 2 comes from Hilleberg’s ‘red label’ range, which favour lighter materials over absolute strength – whereas their black range is reserved for the most demanding & harshest of conditions.

Specification (provided by Hilleberg, actuals may vary);

• Weight – 3.3kg.
• Pack size – Length 20” x Dia 7”
• Interior size – Width 120cm x Length 225cm x Height 105cm
• Fabric – Kerlon 1200 outer fabric
• Poles – dia 9mm x 370cm (x3)

I bought the Hilleberg Allak 2 for a planned 18-month career break, where I intended cycling round the world. I intended to be in the High Andes of South America, the Himalaya & Tian Shen regions of Central Asia. The tent was to be my home every night – therefore I wanted the best I could buy. Unfortunately, this trip never happened in 2020 due to Covid & travel restrictions. However, I have found other uses for it; cycle touring in the UK on the Pennine Bridleway, as well as wild camps in exposed, mountainous locations.

What I like…

Its solid. Absolutely solid. Whilst Hilleberg say their black label tents are for the harshest of conditions, I never found this red label tent to be lacking. Its 3x 9mm pole dome structure performed exceptionally against high winds & heavy rains in exposed areas.

Spacious; plenty room for gear with 2 vestibules, sufficient head height to sit up inside & sufficient width such that you’re not fighting for space with your partner. Crucial when calling it your home for longer durations. The double entry means you aren’t climbing over each other either.

Freestanding. For me, this is one of the most important criteria when choosing a tent for long durations. It means you can pitch the tent on any surface. Freestanding means ease of erecting – creating a perfect pitch is simple; perfect after a long day on the bike. I find 1-pole, pyramid tents to be the opposite in this regard – requiring even ground conditions & perfectly equal tensioning across the entire tent. Whereas the dome structure naturally distributes equal tension around the entire tent, meaning no irritating material flap in higher wind – and crucially, no contact between the inner & outer.

Big doors. Perhaps an understated feature, but one I really like. Not just for the big views it opens up, for ease of use. I’ve recently gotten into ultra-distance racing & often stuffing myself into coffin sized tents & bivvy bags. The ease-of-use factor was impressive.

Outer first pitching. On a long trip, you cant pick & choose the weather, therefore pitching outer first & keeping the inner dry is essential.

What I Don’t Like…

Weight & pack size. Let’s get the elephant in the room addressed first. Its 3.3kg in weight, which isn’t what concerns me. Any cycle tourer & bikepacker knows that space is at a premium – I found this tent to take up an entire 12.5l pannier + poles in a frame pack. Pole section length is usually my biggest problem when cycle touring or bikepacking – finding somewhere to fit them. At 45cm, they won’t fit into any panniers.

Whilst a 2-berth tent can be shared between 2 people, you can’t cut the material in half – it is bulky. That said, knowing the tent will provide a robust shelter gives peace of mind.

Condensation build up. Any tent which has material extending right to the floor will prevent airflow under the outer – perhaps this is more a reflection of where I used the tent & not having needed that 4-season level of protection. I should add a caveat here, when cycle touring & wild camping, I tend to ride all day meaning I pitch late & leave early – the tent doesn’t often get time to ‘breathe’ & dry out. That said, it does have so many ventilations options, which is a real bonus – all of which are protected by the ‘dome flap cap’. Should you know you’ll be in hot & humid conditions, the inner can be switched for a mesh alternative too.

Alternatives I Considered…

The main reason for considering alternatives was price. There’s no getting away from it, £1165rrp is hellishly expensive. I considered the following alternatives;

• Hilleberg Soulo. A 1-berth version of the same tent. Smaller pack size & weight, but I wasn’t convinced id be happy with the reduced interior space for such a longer duration.
• Terra Nova Southern Cross 2. Wasn’t available at the time.
• Tarptent Scarp 1. Another highly regarded tent. The fact it required import to the UK & had those flappy-straps, which if not used, would’ve driven me insane.
• MSR & Big Agnes offered perfectly acceptable alternatives. However, once I started looking at Hilleberg, it was hard to convince myself I’d be okay on a round the world trip with anything else.

Overall Thoughts

Whilst I said I didn’t like the weight & pack size, I acknowledge if that’s the only ‘con’ to consider against all the ‘pros’, then it’s the Hilleberg Allak 2 is an absolute winner. There is no perfect tent, it just comes down to what criteria you value most.

Score

9.5/10. There is no perfect tent, but this comes pretty close.