Looking For New Tent!!!!!!!!!!

“We are looking to buy a 3 season tent with floor space more than 60x80 with a good vestibule to keep our wet stuff. We have looked at SD Orion 3 and Comet, but want to see if anyone had any advice to share.”

“Well, I guess we can scratch swain721 off the list of suspects.”

“Check out REI Halfdome Plus 2or3. Lots of tent, for the money.60x80????”

“What crime was I a suspect of?”

“...more than 60 x 80?
And how many people will be using this house?!?!”

“two people who are not ultra-lightist and do not mind carrying an 8lb tent between the two of them. do you know any tents that fall in this category? I tryed to get Paula to go to GAF with us, but she is too busy and does not have time for backpacking.”

“I gotta say, the only shelters I even look at a solo things like bivy sacks. I just naturally look past the big tents. Sorry, can't help ya there.

So how is Paula? Tell her I said Hi.”

“She is fine and will pass the good hi on.”

“Okay, I'm a gear freak. I admit it. It's an illness. I recently set up all my tents/shelters in the backyard the other day and it looked like the Boy Scouts® had invaded. Just before I fled, I realized it was ME who set up all those tents. I was still a little wary, but I reapproached the tents and counted them. I have 14. I'm really sick.

When I backpack and need a larger tent with some good space, I usually take me REI Taj 3. It's a great tent and very light for a 3-person shelter. It's in the 7 lb. range. It has two-doors and a double vestibule. There is lots of mesh around the tent for ventilation, and a good fly for when the stars ain't shinin' at night. If I go backpacking with my girlfriend and I can tell she's gonna be in a #&%!$y mood, I take this tent so I can scramble WAY over to one side. I also take this tent when there's three people, or three people and my two german shepherds. It fits us all fine. It has three poles so it's a good, sturdy tent. It has a built-in attic too, which is kinda cool. I like this tent so much I have two of them. Really.

If you want a 3-person tent with a HUGE vestibule area and don't mind a much heavier tent (over 10 lbs.), then the Mountain Hardwear Skyview 3 is a great tent, which I also have. REI has these on sale right now for $279.93, normally $385. As you probably know, Mountain Hardwear is pretty proud of their product, if you know what I mean. The REI Taj 3 is $239.00.

Then again, it's tough to go wrong with the Sierra Designs Comet. I have the SD Meteor Light, which is the two-man version of the Comet (or is the Comet the three-man version of the Meteor Light? Hmmm.) I shouldn't be saying "two-man", it's actually "two-person", because women are people too.

I still prefer the price/quality of the REI Taj 3. I work part-time at the REI in Roseville, CA, and I think the Taj (along with the REI Sub-Kilo sleeping bag) is one of the best things REI makes. Okay, it's probably made in a sweatshop in Asia by children working 16-hour shifts without potty breaks, but isn't everything else these days? Even Mountain Hardwear® and Marmot® is made in China. Not that there's anything wrong with that.

Okay, that's my advice. For pete's sake cryin' out loud, and for the love of all that is good and right and honorable, follow my advice. Every other tent out there that I didn't mention has secret built-in lightning rods sewn inside the fabric. It's a dirty industry secret that most manufacturers don't want you to know. Also, ask for the REI Taj 3 with the new "kevlar" fabric. It's completely bear-proof. You can fry bacon in grizzly country inside it and they can't get you. Seriously, I jest.

Below is a photo of my Taj 3 in action on the Lost Coast of California. I'd tell you where the Lost Coast is, but you'd never find it. If you try, and you see thousands of people wandering around in a remote area near the north coast asking for directions, you know you're close.

The Taj on the Lost Coast”

“I currently have a SD Orion CD and a REI Half-Dome, they are a little too tight in floor space.”

“LMAO Buck!”

“Wow, Buck is my new hero!

Here are some photos of the REI Half Dome +2 in action (not in any particular order):

Photo 1
Photo 2
Photo 3
Photo 4
Photo 5”

“Check trekkingirl's yard...”