a1rabbit

I'm slowly starting to get ready for not only touring, but getting my 5 year old son out camping as a father/son thing.

If you don't want to read this entire post I'd still like you to tell me what tent you use. how much it weighs and how many it sleeps, also it's pros and cons. Pictures inside and out are welcome!

Anyhow, sense I seem to be long-winded...

We have an older dome tent, it's been good for summer and spring trips but is aging. I'll still use our current dome for car camping, as I can easily string a huge tarp up over it to keep the entire site dry for my son if needed, but I'd like give it a sibling that will be good for touring.

It seems most tents I'm interested in are two person, I like the option of easily taking a friend who is not as well prepared for camping, the tent I like the most is around 3.5kg or 7.7lbs, the rest are a lot to a little lighter.

I'm looking for fast setup, I really don't want to be securing 12 guy-lines every night if I can help it. I'd also like one that will keep dry if I get rained out for a day or two and just want to hang out for a couple days without a tarp. Price range is around $250. (Canadian)

I'm not insistent on a two person. I've been checking out single person tents too, in the event that I get a single person and someone else wants to come with me I could always take the old dome and split the load.


A couple tents I'm looking at are as follows. (All are three season, possibly four depending on the user)

Single Person.

MSR Hubba Tent
$280
1.5kg or 3.3lbs
I know the brand name, looks like what I need. Most expensive on the list.

Big Agnes Seedhouse 1 SL
$255
1.3kg or 2.9lbs
Nice and light. Suffers from lots of guy-lines and possible leaks, I saw a workaround in reviews somewhere for the leak. Seems I should just get the MSR for a couple extra bucks.


Two person I like that I can get both of these tents in a brown "driftwood" color for stealth camping. It's turning into a selling point over the MSR single person.

MEC Wanderer 2
$217
3.5kg or 7.7lbs
I really like this tent, I love domes for their sturdiness and easy setup. I've wanted this tent for about 12 years (Unless I'm confused with an older tent they had) and have just never needed it. There is also an option to get the tent in all mesh. Two doors and vestibules, lots of great reviews, etc. Seems really heavy if I tour alone, but great for two people which will happen just as often as solo trips.

MEC Tarn 2
$182
2.8kg or 6.6lbs
Nothing much to say about it.


So those are what I'm looking at now. I'd love to get my tent from MEC, or at least somewhere in Canada. Shipping to Canada is no fun unless the savings is fairly high or if the product is made in America (no duty then).

I really love that Wanderer, but the MSR seems like a better fit.

If I tour with a friend who wants to come, splitting the load of the heavier tent would be worth it, especially if we get rained on which is very, very likely on the west coast of Canada.

On the other hand, I've always liked having my own tent.

So what tents do you use? Lets see some pics of them in use, and how heavy they are, how they are in rain, etc.

Thanks!

int19

I have a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL3, its about 3 years old. Its quick to set up even in pitch black, I never use the guy lines unless its very windy and rainy. Most of the time I only stake down the front two points of the rainfly to expand the gear storage area. It sleeps two people comfortably.

sehsuan

this is my to-be-edited review of the Big Agnes Slide Mountain SL3:
https://www.backpackgeartest.org/revi...ountain%20SL3/

you won't see it for too long, cos i'm behind time to get it edited... LOL

Juha

I have two shelters: an old double wall freestanding dome tent, and a Hennessy Hammock. The tent sleeps 3 comfortably, so with the two of us there's more than enough space to bring whatever gear you want inside. I use the tent on solo tours too, and it's great when the weather is cold. Hammock on the other hand is useful for solo trips where I expect to have warm weather and for some reason want to pack really light / small. One good thing about hammock is, it packs in pretty much any shape needed as there are no poles. But it's really just a solo shelter for sleeping. I would not like to spend time in it e.g. reading through a spell of bad weather or such.

Personally I would not consider a single person tent even for solo tours. I usually carry the tent on bike or in kayak, so small weight penalty is not an issue for me. I've used to the extra space and I like it. YMMV, of course. I would aim for a 2-person or larger double wall tent, and make sure it can be set up and taken down with the rainfly on. My current one requires inner tent be set up first, before adding the rainfly. If it rains heavily during set up or packing, the inner tent will get wet. On longer tours with consistent bad weather that can become a problem pretty quickly.

--J

takeonafrica

I would definitely go for a 2-person tent, even if you're touring alone... I put all my panniers in the tent with me (for security) and there's plenty of space still.

I use the MSR hubba hubba...

pros - lightweight, stands without ropes or pegs, can be put up with inner only if hot and dry, quick to put up and take down, 2 side entrances are great if there are two people.
cons - because it's lightweight the material will not be so hardwearing, expensive (but I got mine 2nd hand on ebay), have to put it up inner first (only a consideration if expecting lots of rain).

I've been using this for 9months now and am really happy with it - it's ideal for me in Africa so far... only had a couple of days of rain though so not sure how it will stand up with long downpours but I've stayed dry when it has rained.

The inner now has a couple of small holes in it where I've caught it on thorny bushes - should be more careful. And the zip on one side of the inner is stuck - think this is from all the dust and dirt so will try soaking it in water at some point...

Overall I'm very happy with this - the style and weight are perfect. But it may not be hard-wearing enough for some - but if you look after it, it should be fine.

Erick L

I still use a 12yo Sierra Design Clip Flashlight. This tent has legendary status and sells at a decent price. The newer models are supposed to be lighter and offer more elbow room. It is not freestanding and I wouldn't use it for two people on a regular basis.

Set-up is easy:
1- stake the 4 corners
2- insert poles in ends and clip the tenbt body to the poles
3- clip rain fly to body and 2 stakes for the vestibule.

I'Ve used it in strong wind on many occasion and it wouldn't bulge. I've seen a guy who climbed Denali with one. He sewed fabric over the mesh.

kutipper

I have a Mountain Hardwear Lightpath 2. it is a 3 season tent that fits two people. Pros is that it is very affordable, light, easy two pole set up, and have never had any problems with water. Cons would be that there is not a whole lot of room to move around in, and i would also look for different stakes than using the one that they give you.

wahoonc

I have a couple of tents, but my old faithful is a 4 man Eureka Timberline I bought it right out of high school for a month long camping trip. It has about reached the end of it's useful life span some 30+ years later. It was used for the original trip, then used a couple of weekends a month for the next 15 years and off and on after that.

They do make a 2 man version of the tent, my DD has one and loves it. We bought it for her when she graduated from high school.

To me the best feature of the Timberline is the interior volume it has low sidewalls that help make the tent a bit larger, the squared off foot print helps too. Price is usually under $200 for the 4 man and quite often can be found on sale at Campmor.

Aaron

markf

The two man timberline used to be everybody's first tent- cheap, sturdy and simple. Nice to know that they're still around, there's a lot to be said for cheap, sturdy and simple.

Here's my tent: https://www.blackdiamondequipment.com...ers/mega-light

Lightweight, packs small, sets up quickly. It has enough headroom in the middle for one or two people to sit upright, and I cook in mine on a regular basis. Sometimes I bring the floor, sometimes I just have a sheet of plastic for my side of the tent. Sometimes I pitch it by hanging it from a tree

The two drawbacks are, it's not free standing and you need a decent patch of level ground to pitch it. I would not consider it a 4 person tent, but it's a great one or two person tent.

zoltani

I use a Big Agnes Emerald Mountain SL2, and I love the thing. Keeps me dry, has two vestibules for gear storage, two doors, and not too many guy lines. Well, the guy lines help to sturdy the tent in the wind. We had some crazy mistral wind a couple of weekends ago and the tent barely moved. I hate waking up to a tent flapping around in the wind. I got it for around your price range on ebay, new.

If I had to buy another tent today I would buy this one again, or maybe consider another tent in the BA lineup. If I have one complaint it is this, if it rain a lot you get a puddle on the head side of the tent and the drip, drip, drip can splash up onto the mesh. It's not that big a deal, but maybe it is why they designed the Copper Spur tent with tent fabric higher up the tent.

staehpj1

I really like my MSR Fling, but it has been discontinued. I bought it for about half price when they were closing out the model.

My recommendation is to get one of the lightest 2 man tents if you only want to buy one tent. In your position I'd probably get an MSR Hubba Hubba. Think long and hard before committing to carrying anything as heavy as either of the MEC tents you mentioned. I carried a 9+ pound tent on the Trans America (for three of us to share) and I cussed it's weight everyday. A pound here and a pound there really make a big difference.

I am not inclined to bring much gear inside and prefer to just leave whatever I don't actually need in the tent on the bike and in the panniers.

Bikearound

I have a North Face Oval 25 for cold weather camping and an Early Winters Gore Tex bivy for lightweight touring and camping. While the bivy is old, it was my only shelter for years and I first used it on my Seattle to Madison Wi. trip in 1979. The funny thing is that it is still water resistant as any tent. As far as the Oval 25 tent, it's big and heavy but strong and weather tight and can stand up in a blow.

Juha

Forgot one thing about guy lines: they're not there just to make sure the tent stays put in wind. In a double wall tent guy lines pull the outer tent walls away from the inner tent walls. Having a gap between the two walls is important for proper ventilation.

chrisch

+1

I wrote a two-line review of the Hubba Hubba while touring northern Europe last summer. I highly recommend it.

Gordon P

I have the MSR Hubba and it functions well as a light weight solo tent. What I do not like about it is the colour, which is terrible for stealth camping and that it is not very comfortable for long periods of time such as getting caught in the rain for a day. Also the guy lines should be used to keep the rain out, not a big deal as there are only a few of them. I would agree with the recommendation to go with a 2 person tent.

Gordon

Pscyclepath

I have the Seedhouse SL1, and have used it for a little over a year now. I really like how compact and portable it is, as well as the ease of setup and takedown. It's a light, flat green, so it fits in well when you need to be discrete in your campsite selection.

I typically don't use the guy lines, but simply tack it down at four corners with some of the small stakes provided with it, and have not had any trouble with wind, leaks, etc. Having gone suddenly from sleeping under the stars or using a simple fly, having the floored inner (and bugproof) tent has been very nice ;-)

It is pretty small inside, though... definitely a one-person tent if that person is adult and of average size. Most of my "tours" to date have been solo overnighters, and I tend to pack light, so that hasn't been a big problem. I bought one of the Seedhouse SL2 2-person tents late last fall and have used it twice, it's a bit roomier and lets me bring the panniers and stuff inside... the vestibule for both the Seedhouse tents is rather small. The SL2 packs about half again larger than the SL1, but either are pretty simple to pack away...

rockdog

Since we're on the subject of tents, has anyone used the Sierra Designs Light Year 1 tent and if so what are your thoughts on it? I really like our old SD Comet but it's a 3 person tent and a bit much to carry around for 1 person. I'm thinking about using my REI member discount on a new tent and was looking at the SD Light Year or the Clip Flashlight that Erick mentioned earlier in this thread. Yeah, I know they're not free standing.

sunset1123

I also use a Black Diamond Megamid. They make a lightweight version as well (as markf pointed out). The most versatile tent I've ever used, with the exception of the Mountain Hardwear Kiva. The Kiva is a pentagonal shape, absolutely huge (think basecamp for mountaineering in a group of 4 with everyone's gear inside with room to spare)... unfortunately, the bright orange color was not good for hiding in the trees. The Megamid is smaller, but easier to hide, can be hung from a tree (can be pitched over rocks), and can be made tall enough to stand up in, or sucked down to a very low profile in bad weather. Definitely consider this one.

If you are really into a tent with a floor, GoLite makes a floor for the megamid that is better than the BD version.

Also, back to your list, you can't go wrong with the MSR. They make truly excellent products. I have logged countless days on backcountry expeditions, mountaineering, extended camping, and cycle touring... when your life has to depend on your gear, here's my short list: Mountain Hardwear, Black Diamond, MSR.

(and no, I don't work for or represent any of these companies, just had my a$$ saved by their gear several times)

browell

My favorite tent is the black diamond mega light. Lots of head room, good ventalation, and very light weight. Fly and bug screen are sold seperately. Single pole, tee pee style. It's a great tent. I've used it in all four seasons in Alaska without any problems, except the time I decided not to bring the bug sceen on a July hiking trip. The mosquitos were so fierce and I didn't get any sleep.
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Diamond-.../dp/B000R2BRWQ
https://www.amazon.com/Black-Diamond-.../dp/B0007SLEZA

Pokey Shabadoo

I would also suggest the MSR Hubba Hubba. All of what TakeonAfrica says plus it has two entrances and vestibules on either side, set up and tear down is quick and painless. I'm 6'2", 230 lbs and shared it with another person who was 5'10" 170lbs for 10 days. It was crowded, but there was enough space for both of us head to toe to sleep well.

We had 4 days of very heavy BC coast rain and stayed completely dry the entire time. The vestibules had enough room for two large panniers, a pair of shoes, a 6 pack of wobbly pop, and space to crawl in and out on both sides. The big plus was the weight and the fact it fit very nicely on the top of my rear rack.

Lanterne Rogue

+1 on Black Diamond Mega Light. You can fit four people (or two people and bikes) for less than 3 pounds. It's 57 inches high, and bombproof in the wind. If bugs are a problem, you can Velco on a 15-inch strip of mosquito netting around the tent bottom, or just use some netting around your head in the sleeping bag. Depending on where I'm camping, sometimes I use Tyvek scavenged from a construction site as a groundcloth for my sleeping pad. On sale now at Black Diamond for $208.

Or if you like a more traditional double-walled tent, I really the REI Half Dome 2, though I think they redesigned it lately.

truman

I sleep in an REI Quarter Dome SL 2man tent. At 6' 1" and 200 lbs I would not want to share it with another human for any extended time, but for one man, it's exactly what I wanted.

I have room for my crap + enough to easily sit up, change clothes, move around without getting condensation on me, or spend a rainy day without going bonkers. It has side doors which keeps me from having to crawl over anyone to get out for a midnight whiz. And it weighs under 4 lbs.

My previous tent which I still have, is a Wentzel Starlight 1.5 man. It's perfectly serviceable, single walled, 3 lbs and usable by 2 people as long as they are intimate or want to become so. One must belly-crawl in and out however.

I love my 1/4 Dome.

cyclist2000

I have two tents a Mountain Hardwear Lightpath 3, weights little more than 5 lbs, is not freestanding and uses a lot of stakes, easy to put up and I use it for one person and my gear, got it last year and haven't used it yet. My other tent is a kelty Pagoda 4 this I use for family or supported touring, it weighs a lot and has plenty of room good ventilation, its been a very good tent for me. My oldest tent is a Eureka Timberline, this is a boy scout a-frame style tent, it worked well enough for years but has poor ventilation and the pole for the rain fly is fiberglass which shredded on me during one trip. I wrapped the splintered pole with electrical tape and was able to use it the reminder of the trip, heavy for loaded touring, poor ventilation other than that it worked well. Since that Eureka I make sure that my tent have all aluminum poles.

blaise_f

Tents are much like sleeping bags - the more you spend, the likelihood of getting lighter/smaller pack size increases. If you don't need a free-standing, a Tarp-tent or the like are king, IMO, for both space and weight (and cost). I personally needed a free-standing tent, and had no intention of keeping much of my gear in the tent (bear country = most needs to be hanging anyway), so I went with Sierra Designs' Lightning XT 1. Just under 3 pounds, packs up *tiny* and comes with some strong weatherproofing. I recently pitched it in a 4 day downpour and slept in it nightly - everything kept dry and dandy. It's smaller inside than most, but it's perfect if you just need a solo tent and don't need 4 panniers inside.

BigBlueToe

I have a garage full of tents for different uses. After touring with a heavy backpacking tent I bought a Clip Flashlight, similar to the one described here. It's a great design for one person, but I wouldn't want to squeeze two in it. It's very light, which was the main reason I bought it.

However, I'm tall (6'4") and it was a bit too confining. I searched around and tried a Backcountry 1 from Eureka. It was a nice design, but too narrow. I like to read on my side, and it's so narrow I couldn't stretch my arm out. My book was 4 inches away from my face, and I'm far-sighted!

Then I found the Microlight 2 from L. L. Bean. The design is similar to the Clip Flashlight, except a bit bigger in all dimensions. It seems to be the perfect tent for me! It's even a bit better than the Clip Flashlight for summer touring because the tent walls are completely made of bug screen. Have you ever had to hide out in your tent because of mosquitoes? If so, you know that if the sun's out your tent will be like a sauna, and it's very unpleasant. This was the case in my Clip Flashlight because the tent walls were nylon. With the Microlight I can hide in my tent (without the rain fly) and it's like being in a screen shelter. On nights with no rain in the forecast I often leave the rain fly off all night and I can look up at the stars, protected from bugs. And it doesn't seem much heavier than my Clip Flashlight - probably because of the bug screen/vs. fabric walls, and the fact that much of it is made of that silicon-nylon fabric that is so light.

I recommend going one number higher than the tent manufacturer's recommendation. I mean, if you're going to be alone, go for a 2-person. If you're with someone else, go for a 3-person. You'll have someone else to share the weight, so you'll probably be riding with less of a load than if you're by yourself.

I also strongly recommend a tent with a rain fly that goes all the way to the ground. Getting wet inside a tent is miserable anytime, but on a bike tour you feel like you're more exposed. My son had a Coleman tent where the rain fly went halfway down, then the tent walls were supposed to be waterproof the rest of the way. It worked in a light shower, but we got dumped on once and it leaked. His sleeping bag got soaked and he was miserable!