When Hilleberg first introduced the Akto nearly 20 years ago, they didn’t know that it would become as popular as it has. Although only slightly heavier than a bivy bag, the Akto offers near-luxury, all-season shelter for the solo traveler – lodging that includes a vestibule and a packed size small enough to fit into a side pocket on many packs.
In most of my outdoor adventures I have been using the Akto tent as my favourite solo tent. Prior of getting my hands on the Hilleberg Akto I was very sceptical if the high price of the tent would justify the quality.
One of the main reasons I bought this tent is that is 4 season, lightweight versatile tent. I say versatile because when the weather is rather good, you can skip the inner tent and use only the ground sheet with the fly. This set up is much lighter than the full set up of the tent but with plenty of strength and durability. Another option is to use the bug net instead of the main inner of the tent. Bellow a photo of the separation between the inner tent and the fly.
One more reason I like this tent is that you can set up and stake down the tent as a whole. This means, that the inner tent can be attached to the fly of the tent and when there is precipitation you do not risk to have the inner of the tent wet. Keep in mind this is NOT a freestanding tent and therefore you need to stake out all pegs.
Some details:
- Minimum Weight: 1.3 kg
Packed Weight: 1.7 kg - Outer tent fabric: Kerlon 1200
- Poles (9 mm): 1 x 293 cm
- Pegs: 10 V-Peg
Bellow detailed photos of the ventilation panels/opening. One on the head side, one on the feet side and one on the top of the entrance.
On the negative side, the weak point of this tent is condensation. If you plan to use this tent where there is risk of high condensation, then you will not be able to avoid the condensation between the inner tent and the fly. Fortunately, I have never encountered to have condensation within the tent itself. From the other side, the Kerlon 1200 will dry pretty fast once exposed in the sun.
Bottom Line: The Hilleberg Akto is an ideal choice any time you need the lightest weight, all season solo tent, and while it was not designed for extreme use, it has proven itself on extended polar expeditions, and so will stand up well to all conditions. I am just not 100% convinced that price/value is the best. If this tent would be retailing for 100-150 euro less, it would be a no-brainer.
Olympus Mountaineering 
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