tent suggestions?

“I have the TNF Tadpole 23, I love the fuctionality and ease of setup, but I think it's a tad (no pun intended) heavy for its size. Great rain coverage though.”

“my freestanding only weighs 3.3 lbs.”

“I never thought of the Zeus Exo as being a winter tent. It doesn't seem that strong to me, if there was a good snowfall. I sometimes wonder about it in windy conditions. Scorchy, what kind of winter conditions have you used it in?

I guess I can say mine did weather what might have been a 3-minute hail storm, with quarter-sized hail. I can also truly say I was worried the hail was gonna rip that single-wall tent right apart and pelt me instead!

I have tons of condensation in mine. Just used it last night and -- again -- it almost rained on me. I've read about lots of people having condensation problems with them. I have to watch out in the morning, to make sure all my gear doesn't get rained on if I accidentally bump the tent.

It's great and lightweight... but those would be my two questions.”

“I have the REI Half Dome +2 and love it. Works well in any season for one or two people. The Clip Flashlight is great for one person or two small people...but definately not good for two men. I have trouble storing my gear inside tents like the Clip and MH Trinity. The front enterance and tapered design is the reason.

I wouldn't get an EXO but would consider the MSR Missing Link...it's light, big, and sturdy.”

“My Sierra Designs is a great tent and has taken the abuse of a wild Moab thundershower and kept me dry. But, with this toughness also comes the inability to vent moisture and condensation is noticable.

Would I buy it again? Yep.”

“BTW...both my tents from Sierra Designs leak and had to be sealed. I'm not sure I'll ever use the ultra lightyear again because it leaks so bad.”

“Scorchy, what kind of winter conditions have you used it in?

lizs, haven't used it in significant amounts of snowfall, but i used it all last winter and it kept me real warm. used it IN snow, just now DURING large amts of snowfall or anything. yea, the condensation problem would be my only concern if i were to purchase it again, but i still like it a lot.”

“helinka, my search for a solo tent came down to these final two;

North Face Canyonlands
Eureka Mountpass 1XT

- I went with the Mountainpass 1XT and really happy I did, it's got an incredible amount of space under the fly on both sides of the tent. Check it out;

Eureka Mountain Pass 1XT

- Amazing!!! I had to do a 15 minute Google just to find a link for this tent. Eureka, Campmor and REI aren't listing it, discontinued? Still, It's a great tent, if you find one I'd snatch it up!”

“I bought a Eureka Exo when they first came out - yes, they set up in 2 minutes and have a lot of room for little weight. But I have had nothing but condensation and leaking problems with mine. First good rainstorm and all of the panels were leaking, everywhere but where I seam sealed the seams. Condensation all the time.

Bought a tarptent this last spring. Half the weight, sets up just a fast as the Exo, bigger inside, and has much better ventilation.”

“a question...

What is the difference between a 3-season and 4 season tent?”

“4-season can hold a snow load.

I haven't been in heavy rain in my Lightyear yet, but my Clip 2 withstood some heavy rain at last year's Trail Days. Of course, I sealed all the seams that I could on the tent and fly.”

“Mountain Hardware PCT 1

I love this tent. Easy to put up (even when it's very windy), easy to take down, toasty (though I've yet to push it's limits in serious winter weather). I trust this tent.

Platform use? Hmm...this is not a freestanding tent...but..I've had it up in my apartment so I imagine that you could guy it out and get creative with you knot tying..”

“

I found this light (43 pounds) and compact (53" x 31" x 7" when folded) freestanding Cot Tent at one of those giant "everything outdoorsy" stores. More info here. I don't understand why it isn't more popular with backpackers. :)

I think our REI Half Dome is only 3 season, but it did nicely to keep up warm in our 50F bags when we woke up to frost in Alaska. (Well, we cheated and used a small fleece throw, too, as well as sleeping in our thermals.) We also had to deal with condensation. Fairly heavy at 5 pounds, but not too expensive.”

“thinkbubelz? any relation to pinkbubbelz?”

“LMAO, thinkbubelz. Just one of those yesterday in the "Bargain Cave" at Cabela's. Of course, I HAD to try it out.

I don't understand the purpose. You certainly can't sit up in it. It does hold 2 people, but there's a nasty support bar going up the center. How lovely. ;-)

Scorch, yeah, I take the Zeus Exo if it's just me. It does set up in breeze, I mean fast, and I like freestanding. On mine, I attach little bungee cords to the guy-outs on the vent flaps, attach the bungee to the stake and then leave the cord up a ways, hopefully to improve ventilation. Seemingly even that does nada. Still trying to think of ever more ingenious ways to get more air into it. It seems I heard somewhere that someone perhaps put the front vestible area up with trekking poles?? Or something, to get that off the ground. Aaaah... the challenges.

I also attach a flat "tarp" clip or two on the middle of each side, at the bottom then stake that out. The Exo kinda bags in the middle on each side otherwise.

Also, have noticed the vents on top clipped to the tent poles don't see to even clear the tent fabric, so I don't think much air is coming in there.”

“The only time I got any decent ventilation is when I just left the vesibule door wide open all night. I forgot to mention another dislike I found with the Exo - since the inside tent door (the one with the mesh) is angled upward and sticks out into the vestibule area, if you open the vestibule while it is raining anything near the mesh door gets soaked.”

“What is the difference between a 3-season and 4 season tent?

The main difference between a 3 and 4-season tent is an extra support pole or two on a 4-season and sturdier body (usually very little or no "mesh") and a substantial fly (with more guy line tie-offs) often with a large vestibule. The extra support poles help keep the tent sturdy in high winds and/or snow accumulations. They are usually quite a bit heavier (some of the single-wall 4-season tents are pretty light, like the Biblers). Hi.”

“
"thinkbubelz? any relation to pinkbubbelz?" --Scorchfire

Yes, check out my user information thingie. We're joined in holy matrimony (or something like that).”

“oh how precious.”

“Dub mentioned the Half Dome +2, which is what I have. I've used it in winter, actually about as much or more than in the summer. On its first use it withstood some moderately hefty gusts (maybe 50 mph?) and about 6 inches of snow. I like it for winter camping - but I am very careful to check on the weather before I go. Any possibility of a real storm and I would stay home (been pretty fortunate so far).”

“If you're looking at things like the REI Half Dome, they've come out with an REI Quarter Dome that's even a little smaller and lighter. It's a tight two-person or a roomy one-person. It's pretty sweet.”

“Anyone ever tried the MSR Missing Link?”

“Yes, check out my user information thingie. We're joined in holy matrimony (or something like that)."
thinkbubelz
10:41:16 PM
09/27/04


she has him so damn whipped she made him have a name with bubelz in it ROFL



















just playin wit yah”

“Don't get me started on the Quarter Dome, Buck! Those jerks at REI are always coming out with something better, just to deliberately deflate my wallet!”

“I love tents! I have REI tents, Eurekas!, Sierra Designs, and I love them all. Last winter when I went snow camping with birch we used his Kelty tent. I’m easily enamored but this thing blew me away! It had some of the coolest features. A window, one way poles sleeves, poles with little knobs on the end so they slide, ventilation out the wazoo, subdued colors, double doors and vesties. It was an awesome tent!”

“hey now... he came up with that himself... i didn't realize he had done it 'til he posted!!!

*******

Back to the REI Halfdome 2-- It worked out very well for us-- we even had to set it up during a light rain, but it set up so quickly that we didn't get too much water inside...

Nice and cozy even at around frost-temperature! :-)

*****************”

“I always wanted one of the 1/2 domes but they started adding a bunch of stuff to it and it started getting heavy. But everything I've heard of them has been top notch.”

“I'm just waiting for Starbucks® to come out with a good lightweight 2-man, 3-season tent.”

“They aren't coming out with that but they are coming out with a pumpkin spice latte on Oct. 20th.

Yes, I'm an addict.”

“Has anyone else heard the rumor of a possible hostile takeover of Mountain Hardwear® by Kellogg's®? I wonder how that will affect the talks between The North Face and Nabisco?”

“Snap, crackle, What did you just call me!?!”

“Instead of the nut logo, will it be the face of Snap, Crackle, or Pop. That would be pretty cool actually. Maybe it will be mix and match. On my next hike I will be wearing my Gortex Crackle Cap, with Snap wicking base layer.”

“does that mean we'll have to call you "POP"?”

“Love that thing.
But for solo I got the REI Roadster. Not free standing, but a fab tent nonetheless. Love it love it!
I miss my tents.”

“What, did they go on a trip without you?? :-)

I would get myself something like the Roadster, but I have claustrophobia problems - the Half Dome is very roomy for the weight. The Quarter Dome is pretty much the same layout, only designed to be lighter, so it costs a fair amount more (229 vs. 159).”

“Our Warmlite held up really well last weekend. (Snow and high winds). We were happy with it.

2 lbs 13 oz, 4-season, plenty of room. We had to cook in it for 2 days, no problem. But its pricey.”

“wowee. those warmlites really are nice but a bit pricey. i need freestanding though, which is why i'm pretty sure i'm going with a zeus 2exo. i even managed to find one here in London, so that'll save me a bit on shipping and customs charges. but, i've gotta go set it up & try it out and see how many i can cram in there before i can make up my mind.”

“Kellog and Nabisco? Say it ain't so.

Why do you miss your tents, Pixie?”

“Warmlite ??

Do you model for Stephensons equipment - Snow Nymph ??”

“lol, manuka, in your dreams dude!”

“Hey nothing tried, nothing gained.”

“OK, OK, in my dreams too....”

“have a tent that provides enough head room so that during sex, both parties can be on their knees without hitting their heads on the top of the tent, this way, condensation won't drip into the tent, making things wetter than they will be as a result of the sweaty pulsating bodies.”

“LMAO @ stikmon”

“Don't know of too many backpacking tents that have that kind of headroom.

My Base Camp 6 does though.”

“Oh, I thought something else with "head room" and it had nothing to do with kneeling and much more to do with "head".”

“That will be an awful heavy tent then Stik.
My Kelty Vortex 4 would work.”

“the only way to have trail sex!”