Photograph by Simon and Lisa Thomas Photograph by Thomas Jonsson Photograph by Claes Grundsten Photograph by Peter Schoen Photograph by Peter Gerdehag Photograph by John Dunn

Frequently Asked Questions

Tent Usage

How do I pitch a Hilleberg tunnel tent?

• Start by assembling the poles, make sure the sections seat together completely.

• Lay the tent out, start at the side and insert a pole into the pole sleeve just above the pole tensioner and slide all the way to the end.

• Then insert the pole end that is closest to you into the pole tensioner cup and pull the webbing until the edge of the tent meets the holder.

• Repeat above process with other pole sections.

• Stake down the rear corners, (on a tent like the Keron, with two identical entrances, either end can be staked first) grab the front corners and pull the tent out tightly, then peg them down.

• The adjustable peg attachments should be loosened so that they are at their longest possible length when initially pegging the tent down. Then you can tighten them to achieve additional tension.

• If you are expecting any wind or if the weather is bad, it is best to stake out the guy lines as well.

Your tent is designed to be pitched with the inner and outer hooked together, so you don’t need to take them apart unless to pitch one separately.

When using a footprint, which side goes up?

The shiny side goes up with the matte finish toward the ground.

How do I pitch the inner tent separately?

• Start by removing the inner tent by unhooking the toggles.

• Lay out the inner tent. Attach the pole holders, purchased separately, to the toggles at the sides.

• From here you slide a pole across the tent through the elastic shock cords and insert the ends into the pole holders. Repeat process with other pole(s) on a tunnel tent.

• Tie a guy line on to both the front and back of the inner tent at the top of each pole and peg these out to erect the tent.

• With the Akto you will need to untie the cord that runs across the bottom of the tent and tie that between the two pole holders and attach the guy lines to the short end corners of the tent. The Allak, Soulo, Staika, and Tarra require separate pole holder kits that have the necessary extra webbing.

• Please look to the tent descriptions to see how many pole holders your tent model requires.

With the tent pitched can the inner tent be partially unhooked?

Yes, the inner tent can be unhooked fully or partially and pulled to the side to make even more vestibule room.

My tunnel tent is noisy, in strong winds, what can I do?

Make sure the tent is pitched properly and is fully taught. The adjustable pole holders should be tightened so the outer tent meets the bottom of the pole holder. All guy lines should be drawn to their full length and pegged down. The guy lines attached to the vents should also be secured. In winter conditions, you may have the advantage of being able to dig down into the snow a bit before you pitch your tent. Never dig the tent down further than half its own height. Be weary that wind will bring more snow with it and can block entrances.

How can I get more ventilation in my Nallo?

The back of the outer tent can be unzipped and rolled up to create a gap to allow more airflow. This can be achieved by pulling the peg at the middle of the rear end and pitch out the guy line located just above the zipper. You can also detach the back corners of the inner tent and peg these to the ground to enlarge the gap between the inner and outer even more. This can also be done on the Nammatj tents. Additional airflow can be achieved when the door on the outer tent is zipped open a bit from the top under the protection of the vent. The door on the inner tent can be zipped open and pulled to the side leaving the full protection of the mesh door.

My tent has seen a lot of heavy use, how can I retreat the fabrics?

Our fabrics are very strong and both waterproof and highly water-repellent. However, sun, wind, rain and wear will weaken any fabric over time. Just as UV rays from direct sunlight have adverse effects on our skin, the same is true for all materials, including, unfortunately, tent fabrics. Exposure to the sun’s rays, especially at altitude and in the southern hemisphere, can weaken a fabric’s performance over time. One such weakening is diminished water repellency, so that water no longer runs off the fabric as it did when it was new. This does not, however, indicate a reduction in how waterproof the fabric is. Retreating the fabric will improve both protection against UV damage and water repellency.

For retreating our Outer tent (fly) fabrics, we recommend Nikwax Tent & Gear Solar Proof, which is easy to use and does not contain fluorocarbons.
Set up your tent and wash it with a sponge and lukewarm water. Spray or brush the Tent & Gear Solar Proof on the fabric and wipe off any excess liquid. Once the tent has dried it is ready for use.
Please note that Tent & Gear Solar Proof should not to be used on a new tent, but only on one that has lost its water repellent ability. Note also that we always recommend that you protect your tent from harmful UV rays by avoiding pitching it in direct sunlight and/or by using a tarp as sun protection. If you would like more information about this product and to find out where you can purchase it, please visit www.nikwax.com.

Retreating your inner tent
If the water repellency of your inner tent has diminished over a long period of use, you can use Nikwax TX Direct Spray-On, which works well on fabrics – like those in our inner tents – that need to have both air permeability and water repellency. As with Tent & Gear Solarproof, spray on the TX Direct, wipe off any excess liquid, then let it dry.