Mountain Hardwear Airjet 3 or Haven 3

“Yes...a real gear thread!

My son and I have been sharing an REI Half Dome for the past two summers for hikes together. It is great except a bit too cramped. We love having our own doors and vestibules. We are considering lightweight 3-person tent alternatives. Here are two tents we are considering that have lots more room but still weigh about the same as the Half Dome:

Mountain Hardwear Airjet 3 - Single wall tent. One door at the end. Vestibule. Downside according to thebackpacker.com reviews seems to be condensation in wetter climates. We are in the west and condensation is not as bad. Does not have a bathtub floor.

Mountain Hardwear Haven 3 - A new tent and we haven't seen any reviews. Two doors and two vestibules. Has a rainfly, not single wall. Roomy.

Anyone tried the Haven 3 yet? Also interested in experiences with the Airjet 3 in the Sierras or Rockies.

Thanks!
last edited: 8/20/05 9:33:45 PM”

“Phil-
We are considering the Haven 2 at this point. I love my one person Waypoint, but John doesn't like our 2 person Waypoint (condensation). Didn't realize the Airjet is really a single walled tent, so that's now off our list.(Thanks for the info!) We first saw the Haven in Tucson last April and liked the looks of it. A little more weight than we are used to, but still relatively light for what you get. There looks like there may be a little wasted inside space on the one side where it curves in, but suppose you could store stuff in the corners. If you get it, let me know.”

“Was going to suggest another MT HW tent, but realized it weighs quite a bit more than the others you're considering...
last edited: 8/23/05 1:25:11 AM”

“Trailtrekker - Thanks! I have a Waypoint 1 I use for solo hiking. It is OK because it is so light and I rarely worry about rain. I take it you get condensation in your Waypoint 2? I guess that is the curse of the single wall/no breathable tents.

The Haven 3 is a bit heavy, but my son would gladly carry the extra fraction of a pound to get the extra space over our Half Dome (When we hike together he carries the tent and I carry the cookset, stove, fuel, and water filter).”

“Phil- Just got my sale flyer from REI and guess what is going on sale?? That's right- now is the time to get your Haven 3. Sale goes from Aug 26 to July 5.
Yeah, bad condensation in the Waypoint 2- I keep telling John to quit breathing, but he's not listening! Don't seem to have that bad of a problem in the Waypoint One, although there has been a time or two that I've had some.
Was looking at the REI Quater Dome, but it seems too tight for both of us, would make a pretty roomy single person tent at under 4 lbs.”

“Trailtrekker - The half-dome is almost the perfect two person tent. But my son is a big boy.

Thanks for the heads-up on the Haven!”