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| Robens Mythos Solo |
In my quest to find a new tent that suited me as well as the Phoenix Phreeranger I'd looked at a variety of single pole tents that had the pole run end to end rather than side to side as in the Terra Nova Laser and the multitude of clones that various 'Designers'?? have come up with.
I looked at the MSR Hubba HP but ruled it out as it was basically inner 1st pitching (unless you use the footprint work around) and was narrower than I wanted, the Vango Apex?? was dismissed for a variety of reason not least the sail like porch hood, the Macpac Microlight and Blacks Octane were ruled out for being too small. Then I saw the Robens Mythos Solo.
This was interesting and although there were a few things I didn't like the look of I finally bought one. I felt that a new tent made from fabrics that were 20+ years advanced from the Phreeranger would offer a multitude of benefits.
When the Mythos Solo arrived I was impressed with how small it packed and how light the fabrics felt, the flysheet is virtually see-through. There were quite a few little features that I felt were eye candy rather than of any real benefit such as the overly complicated vents on the flysheet and the method of attaching the poles but I went ahead and pitched it.
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| Tent As Supplied |
The 1st thing I noticed when I started to pitch it was that the method of attaching the poles wasn't any easier or quicker than on the Phreeranger which has pole sleeves, the Mythos uses plastic hooks. IMO it's possibly faster to insert a pole into a sleeve and then place the pole ends in the webbing pockets at each end than it is to insert the pole into eyelets at each end and then attach to hooks, with the pole sleeve on the Phreeranger, especially the later continious pole sleeve it's a 3 step job, slide the pole through and place each end in the webbing pocket. In addition I feel that a pole sleeve adds strength to the pole and spreads the stress along the length of the seam, the hooks on the other hand don't support the pole and create stress points at intervals along the main seam, on top of that if a hook breaks how do you replace/repair it? you'd need to open up the seam with all that entails and stitch a new hook on. Additionally the use of webbing pockets rather than eyelets is stronger, I've seen eyelets pull through the webbing they're attached to which makes it almost impossible to pitch the tent, with the webbing pocket if it tears you repair it in the field by stitching it up.
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| Porch Door Opened Up |
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| Pole Locates in Eyelets on Webbing, Choice of 2 Positions |
The corner pegging points are more hi-tech on the Mythos, the Phreeranger simply has webbing loops with an alloy ring, there's no adjustment at all, the Mythos uses lengths of dyneema running through a cordlock. The ability to re-tension the flysheet is probably necessary on modern silnylon type fabrics as they tend to stretch when wet although I find that the type of cordlock used on the Mythos is prone to slipping. The porch door opens right up to the crossing pole with a double ended zip which had luminous plastic caps on the dyneema pullers (all the zip pullers are dyneema which is a nice touch). The Phreeranger has a shorter zip that stops well below the crossing pole so it's easier to get in and out of the Mythos even though it's a slightly lower tent. Both sides of the porch can be rolled back to completely open the porch much like the Phreeranger. I found the webbing loops that you put the toggle through to secure the door to be too small for ease of use so added a short piece of shockcord. Looked at from above the Mythos is less symetrical than the Phreeranger, the rear of the Mythos doesn't extend as far out from the ridgeline as the front, this makes it narrower than the Phreeranger and obviously reduces internal space.
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| Adjustable Pegging Points |
There are 6 guylines fitted to the flysheet, all using dyneema and linelocks, in addition there is a webbing loop at each end of the crossing pole to allow the fitment of more guylines if required. The main pole guylines are attached to the fly at 2 points, the other 4 are attached to loops sewn into the front and rear of the tent.
I mentioned the vents at the beginning, there are 2, one at the front and one at the rear, these are opened/closed by a zip and have what feels like a fiberglass rod in a velcro webbing pocket which can hold the vent open, the inner has matching mesh vents which can also be zipped open. IMO the vents are a bit over designed, too many zips and stuff which adds weight and complication.
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| Flysheet Vent |
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| Flysheet Vent from Inside |
One final thing I noticed on the fly was the length of webbing running end to end to hold the pole in place, this has a fastex buckle at one end but isn't adjustable, I've no idea what purpose the buckle serves.
The Mythos did come with very nice alloy DAC V pegs rather than cheap skewers and the pole set was also DAC.
The inner tent attaches to the fly using small fastex type buckles, the female end attached to the fly, the male end attached to the inner on webbing which allows the tension to be adjusted. Not only are these used at the corners but also along the ridgeline. There is a good sized mesh pocket at one end and the door opens to the side and stows away in a pocket, like many modern tents there is a half mesh panel on the door with a plain section that can be used to cover the mesh. The inner tent has an adjustable cord running across the apex of the inner tent below the crossing pole that can be used to hang a torch etc. In addition the inner tent has 2 mesh vents which can be zipped open, these match the vents on the flysheet. I think these are overkill to be honest, I can't see that opening the zip will increase ventilation much.
With the tent pitched it was noticable that it was significantly smaller than the Phreeranger, although there's more width front to back at the apex, both on the fly and inner there's less headroom and the floor space is quite a bit narrower. I had intended to use the Mythos on a previous bike trip but with my motorbike kit including a pair of actual motorbike boots there simply wasn't enough room, after my last trip where I had problems with the Phreeranger groundsheet leaking I tried the Mythos again at home with the same kit I'd used and as I was wearing army boots which take up less space I could just about manage.
Overall the tent is really well finished and has lots of 'nice to look at' features such as the fastex buckles used to attach the inner tent, the dyneema/cordlocks at the base of the flysheet, the clever vent system and method of attaching the poles etc but do they really offer an actual benefit? I don't think so. The tent also comes with a nice roll top stuffsack although it could probably hold 2 Mythos Solo tents.
So given that the Mythos is a modern tent with the benefit of 20+ years advances in fabric technology over the Phreeranger and taking into account that it's smaller how does it measure up as far as weight is concerned? Surprisingly not too well, as usual I only take into account the components that are unique to a tent, Fly, Inner & Pole set. Here's how the Mythos compares to the Phreeranger.
Mythos - Fly - 569g, Inner - 603g, Pole Set - 259g = Total 1431g
Phreeranger - Fly - 708g, Inner - 610g, Pole set - 233g = Total 1551g
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| Mythos Flysheet |
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| Phreeranger Flysheet |
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| Mythos Inner |
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| Phreeranger Inner |
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| Mythos Pole Set |
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| Phreeranger Pole Set |
So 120g difference which isn't a lot really. That said I do like the Mythos Solo although I should have probably gone for the 2 person Duo given that I need extra space for bike kit. Am I surprised that the Phreeranger compares so favourably with a tent 20+ years newer? well yes and no, I'm a fan of the Phreeranger and I've already seen from experience how well it compares with more up to date tents but shouldn't there be a bigger difference? how much lighter would the Mythos be if they simplified it by reducing the number of zips on the unnecessarily complicated vents and dispensed with fastex buckles that could easily be replaced by lighter, simpler alternatives? I've no doubt that Terra Nova could have made the same basic tent but reduced the weight by using simpler but equally functional means of attaching the pole and inner and coming up with a simple but effective vent set-up.
In the end though it appears that Robens have dropped both the Mythos Solo and Duo from their range and replaced it with, you guessed it, yet another Laser clone!!!
I certainly don't or a least didn't regret buying the Mythos, it's as close as perfect for me as I've found but if new replacement Phreeranger parts had been available when I bought the Mythos I wouldn't have bought it, ( nor would I have bought a TN Laser, Vaude Power Lizard, Wild Country Zephyros 1 or Laser Comp although I will confess that while I really disliked the Laser I do like both the Zephyros 1 and Laser Comp) now that I have it would I still take the option of a new flysheet/repaired ground sheet from Trekkertent? Absolutely Yes.
The pics below are how I would have used it and show the kit I'd expect to need to store, this is all the kit I carried on my West Coast Trip.
