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Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 14:25:13 No.95788 View View Reply Original Report

Quoted By:

It's time for me to buy a new tent and I'm not quite sure which route to go. I am pretty new to the whole backpacking thing. I have been outdoors most of my life but I am new to the light weight - carry what you have on your back thing.

I was originally looking at a 1 person tent until I realized that it may be pretty cramped if I have to spend any considerable amount of time in it. This will also be my only tent at the moment so I want it to be comfortable when I go car or truck camping as well as light enough for backpacking.

Any suggestions?

Price would preferably be $100-$200 (maybe just a tad more).

I was looking at:
Koppen Maelstrom 2
The North Face Tadpole 2
The North Face Rock 22
The North Face Flint 2
Marmot Traillight 2
And a few Keltys (I forget the names off hand)

Does anyone have any experience with these? Or any recommendations? Seriously, any advice helps.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 14:37:45 No.95795 Report

Quoted By:

bump

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 14:41:15 No.95798 Report

Quoted By:

Anyone?

Anonymous

View Same Google ImgOps iqdb SauceNAO msr-missing-link-camping-tent-2008.jpg, 40KiB, 541x492

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 14:43:14 No.95800 Report

Quoted By: >>95804 >>95805

This thread:
>>95419
He ended up buying this:
http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00452C2IC/ref=oh_details_o00_s00_i00?ie=UTF8&psc=1
Weighs 4 lb, 11 oz. Looks like a good deal.

Ultralight stuff, single wall tents start to get pricey. Special breathable/waterproof fabric needs extra care so it doesn't fail.

My personal favorite is my MSR "Missing Link," (pic) which has been improved in a new model: http://www.amazon.com/MSR-Fast-Stash-Shelter-Tent/dp/B00453SKYG/ref=sr_1_13?s=sporting-goods&ie=UTF8&qid=1366814099&sr=1-13&keywords=msr+tent
This is a single-wall tent, needs to be staked out. Uses totally waterproof fabric plus ventilation to reduce condensation. Costs more, but lighter if you use hiking poles, which are also used to pitch the tent. The only drawback is this type of thing is not free-standing, so you must stake it out, which can be a problem if you are setting up in sand, for example.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 14:46:14 No.95804 Report

Quoted By: >>95805

>>95800

I actually kind of like that MSR. I had not seen this one yet.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 14:47:48 No.95805 Report

Quoted By:

>>95800
>>95804

Well, until I saw that it was not freestanding. That is one thing I would prefer.

I don't mind spending a bit more if it is worth it but Don't really want to go over $220

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 14:48:36 No.95806 Report

Quoted By:

Does anyone know anything about the Koppen Maelstrom. I can't find any info on it but it looks pretty nice and it's only like $99 from Dick's

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 14:52:48 No.95808 Report

Quoted By:

Also, what weight limit would you recommend. I have seen some people say 3 pounds per person, but what if I don't have anyone else to share the load with?

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 15:12:51 No.95819 Report

Quoted By:

Seriously, no one has any tent advice?

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 15:31:01 No.95828 Report

Quoted By: >>95865

prease?

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 16:24:16 No.95865 Report

Quoted By: >>95877 >>95884

>>95828
MSRfag here again. Three pounds is my limit for a backpacking tent, four maybe is a luxury. I also have a slightly older version of this:
http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/mountain/shelters/bipod-bivy
... which weighs under two pounds, but it is like being in a coffin. I have completely seam-sealed it, but haven't yet tested it in the rain. It is so tight in there I have only used it a few times. It is also not free-standing, must be staked out front and back.

I also have an older version of this, which I have used extensively:
http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/mountain/shelters/mega-light-tent/
I have used it so much the zipper is worn out, but there is still velcro. This tent also must be staked out. The disadvantage to these are they are not fully enclosed, so bugs can crawl in, and I have been woken up by insects on my face occasionally. You pitch the thing, then put a groundcloth inside. There is plenty of room for gear. When it rains the water drips down around the edges, so you don't want your groundcloth anywhere near the outside, a few inches of clearance. You get condensation inside, but it drips down the steep walls, not on your stuff. Just be careful not to touch the walls in the morning. In an area with lots of flying insects, they seem to collect up at the top, flying around in circles.

Look around on Black Diamond's site, and you will see that the fancy single-wall-breathable-ultra-light tents are expensive as fuck. As soon as you deal with the condensation problem by using a double-wall, free-standing tent, the weight goes up. It's all a compromise. The ultralight people use overhead tarps and groundcloths, but they don't mind bugs occasionally checking out their ears.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 16:27:42 No.95867 Report

Quoted By: >>95882

If you're dead set on getting a two-person tent, I'd recommend the LL Bean Microlight FS 2: $219, 4lbs 6oz total.

For something slightly smaller, similar weight, and much less expensive, I'd go with the ALPS Mountaineering Mystique 1.5 (~$120).

Weight limit: really depends on what all you're carrying. 3lbs/person for shelter is good - not ultralightweight by any means, but certainly manageable.

I'm planning a week-long solo excursion and my total pack, minus food, will be around 22-23lbs, including a 4lb solo tent. Like you, I want the extra room just in case I get stuck in the rain or something. I considered going with a tarp and bivy, but that just seems far too minimalist for me (it'll be my first solo outing).

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 16:39:40 No.95877 Report

Quoted By: >>95883

>>95865
Me again. One thing you will want is to carry some kind of waterproof tarp and paracord. If you have ever set up a tent in the rain you will know why. Get an overhead tarp that is bigger than your tent, or you can make it your only rain protection, unless the wind whips up. The tarp should have grommeted holes around the edges. Stretch the tarp between two trees with the paracord, then pull out the edges with shorter lengths, tying them out to rocks or bushes or stakes. you can make a lean-to shape or an inverted V shape. Now you have a rain-free area to set up your tent. Remember to calculate your tarp size so that when you erect it, some of the length will be taken up by your chosen rain-run-off shape, so your protected area will be less than the actual dimensions of it. You want this in addition to your groundcloth.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 16:43:37 No.95882 Report

Quoted By: >>95886

>>95867

I guess I'm not dead set on a two person tent. I just had the Eureka Solitaire and that was too small for my liking. Also the black mesh kept it dark no matter what. It was just cramped and there was pretty much no room for gear to sit in there with me comfortably. I'm concerned about being stuck in the tent during a thunderstorm or rainstorm for extended periods of time.

I also plan on getting a dog this summer and would like to be able to take it along with me without making it sleep outside. But that isn't the big issue, just a side note.

Honestly, I would prefer the space of a 2 person unless I find a decent sized 1 person with a nice weight and price point.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 16:44:32 No.95883 Report

Quoted By:

>>95877

Absolutely agree with this. With some double-wall tents, though, you can set up the fly first, crawl underneath, and then set up the tent. In the few trips I've taken, I've included a tarp for emergencies, but that's the luxury of traveling with multiple people and sharing the weight of gear.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 16:44:32 No.95884 Report

Quoted By: >>95895

>>95865

Hmm, I still like that MSR tent that you showed me first, I just have to come around to accepting that it's not free standing.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 16:48:18 No.95886 Report

Quoted By: >>95893

>>95882

You might also consider this, especially if you take the dog: http://www.mountainhardwear.com/Sprite%E2%84%A2-1/OU9599,default,pd.html

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 16:51:40 No.95889 Report

Quoted By:

This caught my eye, does anyone have any experience with Kelty tents. I am kind of liking the Kelty Salida 2.

http://www.rei.com/product/819973/kelty-salida-2-tent

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 16:56:56 No.95893 Report

Quoted By:

>>95886

I actually really like that. It's within my price range and the weight is pretty low. I'm sure it'd be a bit cramped but the vestibule would be nice to have for gear.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 17:00:23 No.95895 Report

Quoted By:

>>95884
If you camp in alpine forests using established packed-dirt campsites, it isn't a problem. It has a number of out-rigging cords, though, so it needs a lot more room than a free-standing tent. It comes with lightweight but super hard and thin stakes. Sometimes your campsite might have hidden rocks underground, so that can be a problem. You might not get the geometry of the tent exactly right, but it still works. I have set it up at the edge of the Black Rock Desert, where the ground alternates between ultra-hard and way too soft, so I had to move around a bit to get all the tent stakes to hold, but I managed to get the back of it facing the oncoming wind, which was pretty intense, and it stayed put. I like the fact that I can sit up in it, there is good light level when the sun is out, and it has good ventilation, so I rarely have problems with condensation. I once woke up to a couple inches of snow while sleeping in it, but all I needed to do was occasionally whack the inside walls to knock the snow off. I stayed dry and reasonably warm, but I had my winter sleeping bag, because it was fall in the Rockies and you never know.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 17:00:34 No.95896 Report

Quoted By: >>95898

The other one that I am looking at is the Big Agnes Lone Spring 1.

http://www.rei.com/product/846547/big-agnes-lone-spring-1-tent

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 17:05:13 No.95898 Report

Quoted By: >>95908 >>95912

>>95896
>http://www.rei.com/product/846547/big-agnes-lone-spring-1-tent
Looks like a good price/weight factor. If you can, find an REI or similar showroom where they set these things up so you can check it out.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 17:15:45 No.95908 Report

Quoted By:

>>95898

The closest one is 1 1/2 hours away in another state. I'd like to make the trip out to Pittsburgh soon, but don't know if I will get a chance to get out there before I buy a tent. Gas prices just aren't what they used to be, lel.

Anonymous

Anonymous Wed 24 Apr 2013 17:18:35 No.95912 Report

Quoted By:

>>95898

The North Face Flint 1 (and 2) look like pretty good deals for the price as well.

http://www.thenorthface.com/catalog/sc-gear/equipment-tents-filter-category-recreational-camping/flint-1-bx.html

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