By Michael Wheiler

November 5, 2006


Hilleberg Rajd at Bear Gulch Pitched Using Hiking Poles

 

Company:

 

    Hilleberg

    www.hilleberg.com

 

Product:

 

    Rajd:  A Superlight Single Wall Shelter: "More than a tarp yet not quite a true tent."

    Color:  Green

    Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price For The Rajd:  $285.00 US
    Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price For The Rajd Footprint:  $32.00 US
    Manufacturer Suggested Retail Price For The Rajd Poles:  $35.00 US

 

    Height:  5'10"  (177.8 cm)
    Weight:  175 pounds  (79.4 kg)

    email:  jmwlaw@ida.net

 

Manufacturer Design And Specifications:

Design	A-frame style with two access doors and sewn in floor with no seams; no-see-um mesh in top one-third of each door for ventilation; bisected eaves designed to extend out from the ridge line to cover the mesh can be rolled up to assist with ventilation.   2mm guy lines are made of red and white interwoven Spectra cord and polyester.
Poles	Optional poles weigh 9.6 oz/272 g per pair; 45.3 in/115 cm in length; hiking poles, sticks and guy lines can be used to pitch Rajd.
Pegs	10 square pegs made of hardened aluminum; 6.3 in/16 cm in length; 0.32 oz/9g each with integrated string loop designed to facilitate easy removal of peg from ground.
Material	Kerlon 1200; "six times stronger than competing" materials.
Weight	2 lb 2 oz/950 g
Dimensions	100 in/255 cm in length; 47 in/120 cm wide; 45 in/115 cm in height at peak.

For more general information about the manufacturer specifications and my initial impressions of the Rajd, please read my Initial Report.  The remainder of this report will be dedicated to reporting on my field experience with the Rajd and my long term testing strategy.

Locations and Field Conditions:

I used the Rajd three times during Field Testing.  In early September, I used the Rajd one night at Bear Gulch (elevation 5,662 ft/1,700 m).  The temperatures were in the low 40° F (4° C) range at night.    There was little to no wind.  Humidity was low.  I spent the weekend of September 30 near Warm River (elevation 5,260 ft/1,603 m) testing the Rajd and the temperatures dipped to at least 26° F (-3° C) according to my Brunton Sherpa.  Again, there was little to no wind to assist with ventilation but humidity was low.  In early October, I spent one night in the Rajd near Challis, Idaho (elevation 5,072 ft/1,546 m).  Overnight, the temperature was 36° F (2° C) with a light rain off and on all night.  When I pitched the Rajd at approximately 5:00 p.m., there was a slight breeze from the north with a weather report of light snow (which never materialized).  I pitched the Rajd to take advantage of the cold north wind.  However, during the night, the breeze quit and and it was very calm except for the patter of rain on the Rajd.

Experiences and Findings:

The quality of the Rajd's construction is exactly what I have come to expect from Hilleberg.  All of the seams are tight and all other aspects of the Rajd appear to have been well constructed with high quality materials.  The footprint fits perfectly under the Rajd and has loops at each corner so it can be staked down with the Rajd.  The red and white guy lines do not slip, have not stretched and do have an easy-to-handle soft feel.  It is easy to adjust the length and angle of the guy lines on each end of the Rajd.  The light-weight optional poles are sturdy, easy to pack and work well with the Rajd.  However, I found that using my hiking poles produced a sturdier, more taught pitch.  So far, I have only bent one of the stakes.  The stakes are well constructed and the loops in the end of each stake make removing them from the ground much more convenient.  The Rajd is extremely light-weight and compact.  It is easy to pack and carry.  The Rajd has ample room for two medium sized users to stretch out and has enough height in the center for a user to sit up.  As should be expected with all "A" Frame style shelters, the shelter material is fairly close to the face and the feet while the user is laying on the floor.  This poses a problem when the Rajd becomes wet.  More on this issue later.

After familiarizing myself with the Rajd at home by pitching it twice, set-up in the field was relatively easy.  It is important to note that the area required for set-up is larger than one might expect due to the use of guy lines on all four sides.  I must admit that I spend more time than necessary trying to pitch the Rajd without folds or creases in the roof by playing with the stakes and guy lines.  While I do not believe it changes the quality of the protection afforded by the Rajd, to date, I have been unable to pitch the Rajd without folds or creases in at least one side of the roof.

To date, the major problem I have experienced with the Rajd is condensation build-up.  This was not a totally unexpected problem but it was a bit more of a problem in colder weather than I had expected.  In all fairness, Hilleberg warns that the Rajd, like many other single wall shelters, is subject to condensation and is not a foul weather shelter.  Hilleberg even recommends that a back-up shelter be available for bad weather.  The Rajd is rated by Hilleberg as a three-season shelter.  While using the Rajd near Warm River, the temperature dropped to below freezing.  I was using a 30° F (1° C) down sleeping bag and I found myself on the edge of cold most of the night.  My yellow lab was even trying to snuggle with me most of the night.  By morning, there was significant ice build-up on the lower corners of the Rajd where my feet and face were located  (see photo below).  Inside the Rajd, it felt like a cold version of a rain forest.  Water was dripping onto my bag near my feet and face.  The Rajd was now sagging, even though it had been pitched as taught as possible the night before (see photo below).  When I tried to get out of my sleeping bag, I brushed against the roof of the Rajd and immediately water began to drip onto me and my sleeping bag from the areas that I touched.  I had attempted to pitch the Rajd so as to take advantage of the prevailing southerly wind but there wasn't even a breeze all night.  The Rajd was so wet from frost and condensation that I had to pack it up wet and hang it up at home over night to dry.

Rajd at Warm River:  "The Morning After."                        Ice/Moisture Build-up With Folds and Sagging In Rajd.

When I used the Rajd at both Bear Gulch in early September and near Challis in early November, the temperatures were much milder but still relatively cool at night.  There was no frost on either occasion.  At Bear Gulch, I faced the Rajd into the direction of the prevailing southerly wind and tied back the eave on the left hand side so as to allow any breeze free access to the interior of the shelter.  There was still minor condensation build-up in the morning on the area of the Rajd located above my face but again, there was little to no breeze available to help move the air through the shelter during the night.  Because there was less moisture build-up on the Rajd, it also retained more of its tautness over night as well.  On this particular occasion, I pitched the Rajd using my hiking sticks (see photographs below).  The Rajd seemed to me to pitch a little better with the hiking poles than with the optional poles manufactured by Hilleberg.  The handle of the hiking stick fit perfectly in the reinforced "pocket" located where the eaves meet the ridge line of the shelter.  The point of the stick then was stuck into the ground giving the shelter a better anchor.  The optional poles are round on both ends.  I really liked the Rajd/hiking pole set-up.  I left the Rajd pitched while I fixed breakfast and did some exploring and it was completely dry upon my return.  At Bear Gulch, I used the foot print and two closed cell foam sleeping pads under the Rajd even though the ground was not too rocky.  This set-up worked fine.  The closed cell foam pads did not move much during the night but I prefer using my Therm-a-Rest self-inflating pads for comfort.  I'm just getting too old and soft I guess!

Long Term Testing Strategy:

I still need to test the other pitching options for the Rajd by using branches and the guy lines.  Although I have slept in the Rajd one night with my dog, I have not yet used it with another person and will attempt to do so during the long term testing so as to be able to fairly comment on whether the Rajd is truly a two person shelter.  We are moving into the winter season here and I will need to be selective on the nights I use the Rajd.  I will be looking for milder weather reports but will undoubtedly be using the Rajd in the snow.  I will report on how well the Rajd fares during such use.  Clearly, I will continue to use the foot print and likely the closed cell foam pads under the Rajd to protect it from freezing to the ground during winter use.  I will continue to work with the ventilation system to try and reduce the condensation build-up.  I will reserve comments regarding suggested changes or additions to the Rajd, if any, for my Long Term Report.

Additional Personal Biographical Information:

I have had more than 38 years of outdoor experience.  I've been car camping/hiking/backpacking since my early teens; mostly weekend trips but some week long trips.  I try to take trips of 3 to 5 days in length at least once a year along with multiple weekend jaunts during the year.  I like to camp/hike/backpack regardless of the weather.

 

Geographic Information: 

 

Most of my camping occurs in the southeastern Idaho area but spills over into central Idaho, western Wyoming (Grand Teton National Park) and western Montana.  The elevations of the areas I frequent generally range from 5,500 feet (2 km) to 8,500 feet (3 km) above sea level.  However, during the summer of 2005 I was able to climb Mt. Borah in the Lost River Range (12,662 ft/3,859 m) and Diamond Peak in the Lemhi Range (12,197 ft/3,718 m).  I recently climbed Mt. Leatherman (12,228 ft/3,727 m).  Idaho has nine peaks with elevations above 12,000' (3,658 m).  Mt. Borah is the tallest; Leatherman is number two and Diamond is number four. The weather in southeastern Idaho is fairly typical of a high desert plain.  Winters are usually cold and snow depths vary but are generally over 10-12 feet (3-4 m) in most of the areas where we camp and snowshoe.  Springs can be moderately wet and cold.  Summers are typically dry and warm (80 to the upper 90 degrees Fahrenheit (27-32 Celsius) though this year we have seen temperatures over 100 degrees Fahrenheit) (38 Celsius) with occasional thunderstorms.  Fall weather is actually the best--crisp mornings, warm afternoons and cool evenings with little moisture.  In the winter, although we can expect colder temperatures, we generally try not to camp in anything colder than -10 degrees Fahrenheit (-23 Celsius).

 

My thanks to Hilleberg and BGT for the opportunity to test the Rajd.

 

Mike Wheiler