4 season tents

“HI all, I was wondering if you could answer a few questions for me.Could you use a 4 season tent all year long or just use it when the weather gets nasty? Second I've been backpacking for a little wile now( on and off sence I was a kid).And I have two tents now. An old academy Broadway three person dome tent and a Eureka Timberline 4 three season tent. I use the dome for overnighting and the Eureka for anything over two days.I now want to go backpacking when the snow falls( I usualy stop camping in early to middle fall)Any thoughts on a 4 season tent or should I stick to the Eureka?”

“The key potential problem with 4 season tents when it is warm, is the lack of ventilation (leading to excess condensation and/or hot muggy nights). However most 4 season tents can be rigged to ventilate pretty well. Also, 4 season tents generally weigh more than 3 season tents.

I don't know the academy broadway, but I would be thinking in terms of two gaps in your gear: a reliable lighter weight tent for traveling solo or with one other person (the Timberline would be a heavy tent for 2), and a tent for the snow. For mild winter settings, you could probably use the Timberline as long as you had really good winter gear with you. Depending on how harsh the winters you plan to face (how far North wil you be? What kinds of altitudes would you camp at?), the size of your backpackign groups and your budget, you might consider getting one of the lighter Hillebergs, a Stephenson, a Bibler or some other fairly lightweight 4 season tent for one or two.”

“Stephenson Warmlite 2R is a great solo tent.

Stephenson Warmlite 2R

4 season, 2-3 person, 2 lbs 13 oz, not free standing, easy to set up, dries quickly. I use it a lot (80+ days since I got it last spring) and used it on a 30 day trip for 2 and it was not a space problem. I've had condensation a few times in the Sierras, but other people with me have it too.

Do a search on tents.”

“2nd what ped said. I have the Hilleberg Akto. Great performer in the cold Michigan winters, we'll see about the summer, as this is the first summer I'll use it. Do you need a one or two person??”

“I have a Walrus 4 season tent that has worked equally well in 2 feet of Wyoming snow in January, and also in 100 deg in NE Oklahoma in August. It probably cost a little less than the tents mentioned above. Sure is nice to be in a sturdy 4 season tent during a thunderstorm.”

“the Timberline IS a 4 season tent,just invest in the vestibules and you'll do fine.”

“I have the Mountain Hardware Night View. its a convertable 2person tent...absoultly bomb proof, got stuck in hurracaine Gordon in the everglades in it and it wasn't even guyed out...took 75 mph winds and HARD rain and laughed at it. Great tent...not cheap!”

“IMHO, the need for a 4-season tent is highly overrated. When I was a kid (admittedly a long time ago), we used what were called tube tents. These were no more than sheets of plastic welded into a tube which we closed at both ends with clothespins in inclement weather. I have sheltered in blizzards in the High Sierra in this arrangement and have been fine. If you pick your camping site carefully and use a little common sense, any quality tent will do. If, on the other hand, you are going to climb bare rock faces, hang your campsite from a cliff and be totally unsheltered from the elements, then by all means buy the 4-season tent. Otherwise, don't waste your money.”