Dilemma: Perfect Backpacking Tent

“I use a Mountain Hardware smallish dome, 2 man, and an MRS super light 1.5 man. I may have to get a larger dome, because my wife doesn't like to sleep in either, because they are small and cramped. We have an old REI dome tent that lasted 15 + years, and was heavy and roomy! We need something that big, but light.”

“Thanks techntrek

that second link is the one i just found and is more like what I'm looking for. Is a 5x8 workable to get under with pack in rainy weather?
last edited: 1/07/05 9:28:27 AM”

“Come on out west, mapes, and I'll hep ya with yer gear! I usually carry come of BowlderSon's and BowlderGal's, so why not yers, too?!”

“I always take one of my 5 X 8's for use during lunch or in camp to cook/eat under. Works fine for me. A 6 X 8 might have been a little better, but not for the extra $22 ($60) for that extra foot. For just $16 more than the 6 X 8 you can get two full 5 X 8's - which is what I did.”

“So, you're not trying to sleep under a 5x8?

I'm looking to put together a lightweight tarp tent, but not sure what size? Money is a factor.”

“I have used a 5x8 for soloing. It's big enough for me + my pack if I use my pack for a pillow. I'm 5'6". You may need an 8x10.”

“are aluminum poles
better than the fiberglass poles?”

“Generally, yes.”

“Fiberglass poles are heavier and wear out faster.”

“And can shatter.”

“And I've gotten nasty fiberglass splinters from unpolished fiberglass poles. Yuck.”

“Wow, you guys can sure make those fiberglass poles sound so much more appealing than I can! I've never had either of those things happen to me (yet). My car-camping tent has fiberglass poles and they need to be replaced after only 3 or 4 years of very light useage.”

“I bought, on a whim, a large car-camping tent from Costco last year. It had fiberglass poles with metal ferrules on the ends, pretty standard. My wife and I were putting it up in the back yard, and we broke one of the ferrules on one of the poles while we were trying to get it set correctly. Back it went.

I noticed while I was packing up the tent that I was getting fiberglass splinters from the unpolished poles.

This tent was a Ridgeway by Kelty Moab. Here's the review I did at the time.”

“Someone was posting the other day a link where the Seedhouse SL was on sale for $130! I couldn't justify buying it tho, because I already have 2 tents.”

“I want to get a tarp tent”

“pix, at this writing I have 5 tents, and I'm thinking about adding another!”

“http://www.tarptent.com/

WK, this is still on his site "Fall Sale - $50 off all models while supplies last"
I don't know if it still good or not
last edited: 1/07/05 12:57:55 PM”

“How big of a tarptent do you want WK?

I recently picked up this one.

It's still on sale.”

“Ewker - I have looked at those and have almost bought one. I acyually wanted something lighter. I have a Microzoid now that weighs 2.5 pounds. With the options on the one I wanted, it brought the weight to like 1 pound 13 ounces. Thanks though!

Hub - Now that is sweet! At first I though, I see no netting and I am still too much of a pussey to camp with out it. This may be an option. Muchos Gracias!

Hey Hub, you see that Illinois game the other day?”

“I have seen nearly all the Illinois games this year. Cincy took another pounding from us and Ohio St. fought hard in the first half before wearing down in the second.

The Lunar Solo is fully enclosed with netting, floor, zippered door, etc. It's comparable to the Shires Virga for sleeping space, but I think it has more usable headroom and of course it has a nice big vestibule. Probably better rain protection too. You really need to look at the last two photos to see what it looks like inside, otherwise it looks like a spaceship to me. I took a chance since it's a newer product with fairly few (but good) reviews. I'll let you know how it works out.
last edited: 1/07/05 1:28:11 PM”

“I love my newest tent, Eureka Timberline 2 Tent, and prefer it over my one-person Eureka Zephyr because of the extra space. This new tent has been storm tested and not leaked a drop. I had a previous model of the same tent and this one is vastly improved with full sized windows at eacn end and with a roll around floor that has resisted water assults sucessfully..”

“Thanks Hub. I am so tempted, but I don't have any adventures planned at the moment so I will wait to see what you have to say.

I am looking at the reviews now and all seem promising!”

“I was checking this out -- it was in a recent REI mailer. I've been soloing with the SD Divine Lightning, but 21 sq ft is a little toooo confining, LOL

Sierra Designs Lightning

4 lbs, 31 sq ft, $250


I don't mind carrying the extra pound for another 10 sq ft (and another person could squeeze in, in an emergency....).”

“Mapleleaf can probably get her knees up in that.”

“But yes, do you have a garage? If I had a garage I'd have lots more toys. Like a kayak!!!”

“Yah, I've got a garage. As a matter of fact, over the Christmas holidays, I added a couple of shelves and rearranged our family car-camping stuff so there would be more room.

Get one of the rental storage units, pix! Then you can have all the gear you want!”

“TNF Tadpole 23... about 4 lbs. I love it!”

“I got 9 tents! I use 3 of them regularly...

My Mt hardware nightview for winter canoe camping. Its a 4 season convertable 2 person tent, 7.5 lbs

Mt Hardware Trilight 1. ultra light solo tent. weighs 3.5 lbs and has enough room for me and Khatru with pack under the vestibule. stricktly backpacking.

Northface boulder 36. A spacious 2 person, 3 at a pinch which I use for less cold canoe camping. It would be a great backpacking tent split between 2 persons, but since I don't have a shiela to share sleeping quarters with, It is stricktly my main canoe tent.”

“I have a garage. no cars in it :(
no room for them
silly kayaks and sail boats and wind surf boards take all the room. the nerve of them!”

“Fortunately my house also has a two-car carport that I can currently get one car under. The other side? Full of crap, of course, lol...

Actually, it just has toys and kids' swimming pool full of mulch that my wife keeps promising to spread so I can pull my truck under there. Also there is some wicker furniture. We use it as a back porch during the summer.”

“lol-- bit.
at least you can get 1 car in your garage...
Thinkbubelz & I have a 2 car garage... and both cars are parked in the driveway... partially due to

1) a pile of fill dirt on our driveway...
and
2) a whole bunch of junk in the garage...

Hoping to get rid some of the excess junk soon so that we can park at least 1 of our 2 cars in the garage!”

“No, that's the carport I can get one car under...the garage is so full of crap (or used to be anyway) that we can't get a car in there at all...
last edited: 1/07/05 4:07:01 PM”