Gear find of the century?

“I'm still having trouble believing what I'm about to type... here's some background.

In winter I carry a Bibler I tent, I love this tent, but for $500.00 + dollars I only want to use it when I really need a 4 season tent so that it lasts as long as possible!

For 3 season BPing I usually just took my OR Advanced Bivy over the past few years. For various reasons I decided that I wanted a more flexible 3-season shelter so when I got caught in rain I could change cloths, have a place to cook, etc. Hence, my search for a different 3 season shelter began. My personal preference was for a light-weight free-standing tent, I've had problems now & then in the Sierra trying to drive in a stake into the granite :), or tying off to a rock, etc.

Well.. I went everywhere I could, considered every tent that I heard folks refer to on BP websites, tried to come up with an easy way to use a tarp with my hiking poles, etc., but just couldn't find what I wanted.

Then today I stopped at a Sports Authority on the way home from a biz trip. Walked back to the tent section, they had about a zillion, and there I stumbled across something called an "Alpine Design Ranger Dome" tent. Set-up, and size, is virtually identical to Bibler I tent, two poles on the inside, 6' x 50" floor area, center height 36". Advertisement says "tub floor design", "rugged, water-repellent fabric", "large, arch-style door opens wide for easy access".

So, I set it up in my living room, and it appears to be exactly what I was looking for... free-standing, 3 season, light-weight. It's advertised as 3 lbs, I weighed it on my scale, it's actually 3 lbs, 4 oz!

Are you ready? I paid $19.99 for it! No, that's not a typo, $19.99!

I'm stopping by tomorrow & buying another so I have spare parts!”

“Do you ship? LOL”

“I would test for leaks.”

“Wow sounds great!”

“Just had it out in the yard, it was pouring rain, no leaks I can detect! Obviously I haven't seam-sealed it yet, but it appears to be constructed of standard tent material, they say Polyester fabric. Bottom material seems pretty heavy-duty, with tub-design bottom material also comes up the sides about 5".”

“The original Alpine Design, of Longmont, Colorado, went out of business in the late 1990s.

More recently, the name "Alpine Design" has been used by The Sports Authority for its house-brand camping gear. Sports Authority Alpine Design tents are manufactured by NorthPole USA.

NorthPole, a multinational company based in Hong Kong, is the largest tent manufacturer in the world. Tent brands currently manufactured and supported by NorthPole include:
Alpine Design
Backyard Discovery
Cabela's
Cascade Sport
Cascade Trail
Craftsman
Glacier's Edge
Great Adventure
Greatland
Guide Gear
Guide Series
Lake N' Trail
Menards
Mountain Tek
NEO - Northeast Outfitters
North Crest
Northpoint
Northwest Territory
Ozark Trail
Quest
Restore & Restyle Kids
Sportsmans Warehouse
Stats Pro
Timber Creek
Trekker
White Stag
Wilderness Gear
X-Treme

Discontinued/older brands previously made by NorthPole include:
Alpine Ridge
Cascade Mountain Works
Emerald Bay
Equipt
Great Basin By Quest
Hillary
Ltd Commodities
Outdoor Spirit
Timber Top
Trail's End

Please note: In some cases, NorthPole is not the only manufacturer that produced and/or still produces gear under these names.”

“Beware their fiberglass poles! I have their last seasons $30 1.5 man tent; me and several other people in our troop, and our poles are snapping. How do we get in touch with them? I haven't figure that out yet. They have no website or phone number that I have been able to find yet.”

“This one looks like a standard-size pole, but if you break one you can always order new poles from another vendor, I think my Bibler I tent poles are the same length, I've had those for years & haven't had any problems with them, go to http://www.bdel.com/gear/shelter_overview.php# if you want those.

They do list a toll-free customer service # 877-872-6970. Also have an insert that says there's a one-year warranty, hurry up & maybe you'll get free replacements!
last edited: 4/11/07 7:11:01 PM”

“6' X 50" ???

I'll bet Pammie could fit in it.”

“is this about the hose? and the tennis ball? meet me at Free's mARKo.”

“Yep, me too MarkO. I at first read that as 50' (think square feet) and thought it was too good to be true. I need space to stretch my toes out!”

“I have one like that, Northpoint I think? I set it up in my living room so my 1 year old and I can play in it. Getting him used to tents at an early age. Not a bad tent for the money.
last edited: 4/11/07 10:04:36 PM”

“I have two Hillary tents from when I first started backpacking. Excellent tents for the money.”

“I have a five pound 4 season tent from NEO, and it is GREAT!, zippered vents, 2 doors, two vestibules and except for the vestibule tieouts it's free standing...aluminum poles.

Great to know who makes it, I bought it from Dick's on a closeout for $79.00.”

“"Are you ready? I paid $19.99 for it! No, that's not a typo, $19.99!"

He who puts their ass on the line on cheap gear will pay twofold.”

“I'm a sucker for cheap gear. I gotta have one.”

“I've seen people with expensive tents cursing their tent after a rain/wind event. Expensive doesn't mean good, nor does inexpensive necessarily mean bad.”

“hyway got that right.

I have two jackets...one is a $150 down PARKA the other.....ultra cheap $25 jacket...the jacket is light years more comfy.

About the only thing I really paid some major jack for is my TARPTENT....YAY STOVIE!

Other than that...go inexpensive. Have fun.”

“He who puts their ass on the line on cheap gear will pay twofold.”
laqtis

Agree to some extent Q, but if you read my initial post I don't intend taking this when there's any chance of serious weather. That's why I have a Bibler I tent! What I wanted was something for summer in the Sierra instead of my Bivy, where I could change clothes or cook if I encountered the somewhat frequent, but usually brief, afternoon thundershowers.

FWIW I've had it up for a couple days now, put it out in the rain & under my sprinkler, it seems to be the best $19.99 I've ever spent on a piece of gear!”

“Are you ready? I paid $19.99 for it! No, that's not a typo, $19.99!

welcome to the dark side...moohhaaahaahaaa”

“I bought the Eddy Bauer tent from Target when they went on clearance for 29 bucks. It is bomb proof, moderate wt for a two person free standing tent (5.5 packed), and durable. I have used it in all conditions the last 4 years without a single complaint other than the clear plastic on the vestibule cracked in cold weather (repaired with clear tape but it need to be cut out and sylnylon sewed in and sealed.)

Never confuse "cheap" with "inexpensive".”

“if thats teh tent you had at Trail days 2 years ago, I have been looking for it at Target ever since. Loved the vestibule on that thing. Most of those inexpensive tents have sorry flys.”

“No, hyway. That was my car camping Coleman tent that I got at wally world for $25 bucks.”

“I use a No-Tech ex-Canuck army bivy for winter camping. I like it because it's essentially a tunnel (not breatheable, but I use a VBL in winter) and I can just stick out my arms and head to melt snow and boil water.

I have been looking at the OR Advanced bivy and the Integral Designs (Canadian) Expedition bivy.

What I don't like is the side entry on the ID. It looks like the OR Advanced is a 'top loader'; is that right? How do you like the entry and the ground level hoop? Also it is narrower then most (my) mummy bags - is this noticeable?”

“Gremlin I realy like my OR Advanced. It's been thru rain, snow, sleet, you name it!

I don't have any problems with entry or the hoop, if anything I wish it was just a little longer so that there was just a little more room at the top, I often drag my boots inside so they'll be handy (and dry!) when I get up in the A.M.

In the winter when I put my heavier / dual sleeping pads and larger 0 deg bag it's just a little snug, but not uncomfortably so. I'd buy one all over again if I were shopping!”

“Thanks, Wanderer.

Doug”

“Gremlin, maybe OR has some seconds, you should call them. You know maybe one that came out only 4 feet long?








Sorry just had to get a poke in there for the vertically challenged Canuck!”

“"Agree to some extent Q, but if you read my initial post I don't intend taking this when there's any chance of serious weather."

Understand. However, even in mild conditions cheap gear can lead to serious issues.

You're a seasoned hiker; good luck.”