Test Night in the OEX Rakoon 2.1

[@jeffprice2210]

Keep it going Hengis Keep smiling and enjoying yourself

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

Thanks for watching Jeff, and for taking the time to post that comment. Both are appreciated mate.👍

[@CliffuckingBooth]

Another great one! :) Also the cooking/eating parts could be longer in my opinion. Always looking forward for those ;)

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

Thanks for watching mate. I didn't think that making and eating a bowl of cornflakes would be worth filming, but I'll note your opinion for future vids :)

[@DaveGoodman1959]

Cheers Hengist, I would like a larger tent for winter eventhough Ive always only ever had one tent at a time. Ive gone lightweight recent years as I do like a long hike and my little tent with an extra ground sheet is 720g so I'll suffer the cramped conditions I think. When the weather improves I'll be back to the Peaks. Cheers 👍

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

Thanks for watching Dave. I think that my lightest tens are my Polestar & Lanshan 1, each of those with their footprints weigh around 1100 & 1200 grams respectively. This Rakoon thing is 2.76 Kg, then the generic footprint which I use in the video must weigh a couple of hundred grams, in the end I'm carrying almost an extra 2 Kg compared to my lightest tents. My usual 'goto' winter tent is my Vango Nevis, which weighs almost 2 kg (with the addition of the Vango footprint for it), so when compared to that tent, I'm still hauling an extra 1 Kg. I'm thinking that that 1 Kg extra carry weight could be better employed as Beer. So, I guess that it boils down to a choice of comfort or 2 tins of extra Beer... Hmm, this is a tuff decision :)

[@AndyWragg]

A cracking tent for when it's not snowing, would hate to see that with snow on it. That being said, a cracking camp Steve. Some good views up there, just a shame it's Manchester 🙂 (from a Sheffield Lad)

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

Ahh Sheffield. Like Rome, it's built on 7 hills, but unlike Rome, it's famous for cutlery... (from a Manc' lad). 🙂

[@AndyWragg]

Not forgetting the Hendo's Stave.@@Hengists_Wild_Camps

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

@@AndyWragg 🙂

[@mrnobodieswildcampingadventure]

Once again Hengist, you have outdone yourself with a very interesting first time use, review of the OEX Rakoon 2.1. Cracking tent for price, my only concern would be, if in high winds, how easy is it to set up! First video I have watched since Friday night after having the flu jab in one arm, and Covid booster in over. Been in bed absolutely flawed! You cheered me up with your most excellent adventure. Thankyou so much for the time it took to film this and edit it!

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

Thanks for watching mate and I hope that you start to feel better soon.

[@mrnobodieswildcampingadventure]

@@Hengists_Wild_Camps Cheers Buddy, yeah, feeling a lot better now!

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

@@mrnobodieswildcampingadventure That's good to learn mate. P.S. With reference to the wind thing, I reckon/anticipate it being a similar experience as when I used my Cloud-Up 1, up at Back Tor... That was fun, pitching that thing in the wind :)

[@mrnobodieswildcampingadventure]

@@Hengists_Wild_Camps Lol I bet it was fun lol

[@fenpunx]

Banging tent for the price. Looks ideal for festival/site camping where you use it as a base or indeed, the upcoming winter when you're u der tent arrest. Funny of you to fetch some dehydrated milk with you. I've been on a bit of a quest for a few years to find a decent one I can use for morning porridge so I don't have to buy pre-made, have it with water or carry milk on a multi day.

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

Yeah mate, the tent price was really good. I'm looking forward to seeing how it can handle strong winds. The milk powder is called Nido and is made by Nestle. It was £9 quid for a 900 gram tin. I bought 3 tins of the stuff for camping from Amazon, and so far, have used 2 tins at home on cornflakes, milkshakes, cooking and brews, it's that nice. I'm determined that the third tin will only be used for camping purposes, lol.

[@fenpunx]

@@Hengists_Wild_Camps Haha, unfortunately my problem is the dairy content. Being a fussy vegan, there are two options: Spend an absolute bomb on something that might turn out rank or go without. The only dairy free ones I seem to find are catering sized and overpriced

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

@@fenpunx Ahh right, this milk powder ain't for you then mate. It's super creamy full fat. If you can remember bottles of sterilised milk, or I suppose, the similar taste of carton UHT milk, well it's like that but then imagine someone comes along and poured an inch of single cream into the pint of milk.

[@fraserconnell21]

A chirpy chap goes wildcamping for a nap!

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

Thank for watching Fraser, your comment brought a smile to my face. You were just in time, with your rhyme!

[@PhilWaud]

A great video my friend, thank you. Where did you get the flysheet from please?

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

Hi Phil and thanks for watching. I assume that you meant the groundsheet/footprint type thing and not the fly? The groundsheet was from an old budget tent which I returned, minus the footprint (I kept the groundsheet as compensation for the hassle, and they didn't notice it missing when they refunded me🙂). It didn't fully cover the bathtub floor of the Rakoon 2.1, but it covered the pressure points where I would be lying and did the job for me.👍

[@PhilWaud]

@@Hengists_Wild_Camps yes, that's what I meant! Thanks.

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

@@PhilWaud I've seen a few generic groundsheets/footprints on Amazon and Alpkit have some for sale. Personally, for what they are vs cost, I'd buy one from Amazon.

[@PhilWaud]

@@Hengists_Wild_Camps I've made one from some tyvek, but I'm 50/50 about using it. What I'd really like is a "floor" to the vestibule of the Rakoon, it's one of the things that put me off tarp camping. Talking of the Rakoon, you can put it up flysheet first, I've done it a couple of times. It's not easy and I wouldn't like to do it in high wind.

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

@@PhilWaud A groundsheet/footprint that covers the porch area of a tent is always good for reducing condensation Phil, i.e. As the wet grass in the porch area evaporates overnight, the mist has to settle somewhere if it's enclosed, better if the grass is covered up in the first instance. I think that I mentioned in video that it was possible to pitch the tent outer first (as I'd done so in my living room when it was delivered), and as you've mentioned, I wouldn't like to do it in strong winds.🙂

[@ianwoods4020]

Hi great video, I have just bought the OEX Racoon 2 mainly for 1 overnighter summer wild camping, and because of weight I wanted to utilisew it for when I am campsite camping and day hiking, due to space I though this could be my ideal campsite tent, , I am sure the tent is worth it just for good conditions, I am also sure it is ok for dry breezy conditions, but could you tell me how it bears up in heavy rain in non windy conditions? I hear reports of roof leaking, puddle effect due to pole design? can that be eliminated by changing modifying the guy lines or somehow tensioning the 2 poles closer at the roof with cordage? I have also read that some people set up the outer in heavy rain haha no idea how that is done, but I would like to record someone setting it up on video

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

Hi Ian, thanks for watching. I've used the Rakoon in heavy downpours and I've not had any leakage whatsoever with it. As for the top of the tent collecting a rain puddle, I'm sure that it's possible, for example, if the fly isn't taught enough and is slack on the top. However, I've not experienced this. It is possible to outer pitch the fly first, then crawl inside it and attach the inner. I know this can be done, as I did it with the tent in my living room whilst messing around with it when I first got it. On the inside their are ties for each pole on the top of the fly which wrap around the tent poles. I started off with these ties on the poles first, then when the tent was up and the pole ends were seated at the corners, there are then similar ties on the fly where they cross at each end of the tent, which I fastened. After that, I crawled inside and attached the inner via the hook clips. Finally I attached the poles to the inner bathtub via their seating connecters, which are similar/identical to how the outer fly connects to the poles. The process wasn't as easy as a dedicated outer pitch tent design, but it wasn't much more difficult. I can imagine that if I was outside doing it, on a windy day, then that may be a pain with the fly getting blown about, but I reckon that once you've got the knack of doing it, it shouldn't prove too difficult to do.

[@ianwoods4020]

@@Hengists_Wild_Camps Hi Thanks for your fast reply This is great to know that if the tent is taught out tightly then the fly should not collect as a puddle on the roof of the tent, I like that it is possible to raise the fly with straps to allow more ventilation, and the front and back bottom of the fly could be taped and with a clip peg and bungee I could pull out to allow more ventilation through the inner vents at the ends of the tent, You have restored confidence for me not returning the tent, as I want it mainly for easy distance wild camps, due to the weight, and because of the space of the tent, I will use it as my campsite tent also, Thanks for the detailed instructions of how to pitch up the inner after the outer, for wet conditions, I will read this message and try it out while it is dry, to get used to pitching the tent in the wet, How has the tent held up in winds? have you stayed in relatively windy conditions under 25- 30 MPH?

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

@@ianwoods4020 HI Ian, you mentioned pegging out the bottom of the fly at the ends for ventilation. I did something similar to this in the 'Test' video around the 11:45 mark (I got the idea from another channel which I mentioned). Also, if you click the Facebook link at the top of this channel (I don't think that you need to be signed up to Facebook to view it), then about a dozen posts down, you'll see a picture of the Rakoon where I also did this. In that pic, I took the Rakoon to a wilderness campsite in Wales where I once again used a couple of tarp clips with bungie cords at each end to peg them out. The main reason for doing this was that if the cross-pole end is into the wind, then the wind can press the fly onto the inner, thus impairing ventilation and allowing any condensation that may form to run down the fly and onto the inner (which could then possibly make its way to the inside of the inner). I've never actually used the Rakoon without dong this, so it may be a pointless exercise, but better to be safe than sorry, I reckon. As for wind performance, the tent is really good if you angle the cross-pole end into the wind. Because of its semi-geodesic design, it copes really well. I've used it in conditions were the Met office forecast was showing up to 45mph gusts (I don't use a wind meter, so cannot tell you what it actually was), but suffice to say, it was what I would call very 'windy conditions' and it was rock solid.

[@ianwoods4020]

@@Hengists_Wild_Camps Hi thanks for the reply, Yes the pegging out modification I will try, as this is a slack part of the tent that could touch the inner, and with the fly raised a little from the ground with strap adjustments and the bungee with awning clip will give more ventilation, I woke up today with condensation on the inner of the fly doors, not a big issue, so I left doors flapping in the wind this morning, around 15 MPH It was quite cold up there last night in the mountains, from 23C in the early evening down to 7C in the morning So I set up camp with full fly cover, it could be a 4 season tent compared with my old superlight weight 3 UL Lanshan 2 Which is my go to for longer distance overnighters and heavy winds rain, I have modified a lot during the lockdowns with 6 extra pegging points, and it has unbelievably held up in 55MPH - 70 with gusts winds, As for wind performance, I will set up angle the cross-pole end into the wind I will remember that advise thanks

[@IceColdtvx]

Which sleeping bag is that plz

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

I've had it for a few years mate. I got it from Amazon (dunno if the still sell it?), but it's a -3'C comfort down bag (which actually woks at -3'C lol). It's from China by a company that I can't remember or pronounce, and back when I bought it, it cost me £65 quid.

[@IceColdtvx]

@@Hengists_Wild_Camps ok thanks caught my eye cos looks nice and light

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

@@IceColdtvx It is mate. I can't remember it's exact weight, but it's sub 1Kg, possibly 850 grams.👍

[@IceColdtvx]

@@Hengists_Wild_Camps I only started wild camp last year so after my initial buys mostly bad I'm now upgrading bits I like your channel relaxing to watch or listen along to in nightshift at work :>)

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

@@IceColdtvx I don't tend to spend a lot of money on gear mate, for example, I've never spent more than £140 quid on any of my tents. Most, if not all my gear, comes from places that have sales on. I'll always be honest about gear that I have whilst using it. I don't do proper reviews, but I'll say what I think is good and bad about stuff... Like My Alpkit Polestar is bad when in 50mph gusts last night up on Kinder Scout (my fault for taking the wrong tent for the conditions) lol.🙂

[@anthonyhumphries5895]

I may have missed it but how do you put it up fly first? Is it simply putting the poles in the clips in the fly and then clipping the inner to the poles?

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

Hi Anthony. You can outer pitch the fly first, then crawl inside it and attach the inner. I know this can be done, as I did it with the tent in my living room whilst messing around with it when I first got it. On the inside their are ties for each pole on the top of the fly which wrap around the tent poles. I started off with these ties on the poles first, then when the tent was up and the pole ends were seated at the corners, there are then similar ties on the fly where they cross at each end of the tent, which I fastened. After that, I crawled inside and attached the inner via the hook clips. Finally I attached the poles to the inner bathtub via their seating connecters, which are similar/identical to how the outer fly connects to the poles. The process wasn't as easy as a dedicated outer pitch tent design, but it wasn't much more difficult. I can imagine that if I was outside doing it, on a windy day, then that may be a pain with the fly getting blown about, but I reckon that once you've got the knack of doing it, it shouldn't prove too difficult to do.

[@anthonyhumphries5895]

@@Hengists_Wild_Camps I can imagine that being quite the hassle when out in the wild as the poles overlap in a strange way and to get the right angle could be very tricky, especially on your own. Will definitely give it a try the next time I take mine out though so thank you for the information 👍

[@hicksinguefield8309]

p̳r̳o̳m̳o̳s̳m̳

[@Hengists_Wild_Camps]

Thanks for watching Hick.