brotherdan

I've been using a 2002 version of that tent for several years. It has worked out pretty well for me. My only concern is that you have to stake it down every time you erect it. I've pitched the tent so many times that I can do it in about two minutes in the dark.

This tent is very well constructed, and I imagine I will be able to continue using it for touring and backpacking for many years to come.

I'm glad that I purchased this tent for many reasons, including it's ability to remain dry on the inside even in the midst of torrential downpours. I weathered a storm in Montana that dumped so much water on the ground that there was about a foot and a half of water flowing around the outside of the tent. Everything that was inside the tent remained completely dry.

If this tent ever wears out, I might want to replace it with a free standing tent that does not need to be staked down. But I'm not willing to go with a single walled tent, or increase the overall weight by very much, which makes this tent, and a few others like it, the best options as far as I'm concerned.

Erick L

What tent?

sam83

Where have you used it? I've been looking at these but have wondered about condensation.

brotherdan

The "mountain hardware PCT 1" that billiam mentioned.

Lolly Pop

Man I love tents. I got my first one when I was four.

I think most of these tents would be good. I like a tent I can sit up in. I got the Big Agnes Sarvis SL2, which is the on-steroids version of the Seedhouse SL2 (ten inches more headroom, among other things). If I wanted to go really lightweight I'd get the SL1 or 2. There are a lot of great tents out there.

ppereira007

Where have you used it? I've been looking at these but have wondered about condensation.

only on the west coast. i've done some backpacking trips with his tents. last year i hiked the john muir trail with a cloudburst. never had any condensation issues, had small amounts but never enough to mist down on me.

ernok1923

i do find myself looking at the big agnes seedhouse, especially the sl1. i really like the size it packs down to, and it weighs in under three pounds (packed weight)! while i like that it is a neutral color (gray), i really wish it was a more natrual color like a brown or green. i think that would help with stealth camping a little more. so, if you are listening big agnes, my vote for next years model is green.

Lolly Pop

the other good thing is that the Big Agnes pole sections are short enough to fit into my front panniers.

I think grey is a very stealthy colour. Well, here anyway. It's normally sort of misty.

Mine of course has two enormous orange panels made of eVent, so it's not exactly stealthy. Or even PC.

Cave

www.tarptent.com

The "Double Rainbow" is pretty roomy, heaps of head room, weighs 1250 g (45 Oz?). Cost is US$250 + US$35 for international posting (eg to Australia). Poles - not sure of exact length, but pretty close to what you want. Olive green/grey colour.

Really nice tent, well ventilated. Takes a bit of effort to seam seal properly, but worth it.

ernok1923

the grey looks very light on the big agnes website, does it appear a bit darker in real life?

Erick L

The Big Agnes SL1 they have at my local MEC store is green. Very stealthy.

Miles2go

This green?

Erick L

Yup, something like that. Grey-ish, olive green. I checked the MEC website and the SL1-2-3 have different shades of green. I think it's more because of lighting conditions than the actual color. I've seen the 1 and 2 together in store and they were the same color. It's quite spacious for its weight.

dogpound

I've toured with a seedhouse and I love it.
Really, it's such a great little tent and big enough for me to sit up in and get changed and all that.

ernok1923

would it be roomy enough if i spent a rained out day in it?

dogpound

yea, I mean, it wouldn't be my first choice to do it, but it would be cozy, the vestible is pretty big

brokenankle

Another vote for the tarptent. I have a squall2. Good for two people or one and a lot of gear. I was unsure about tarps, plus I wanted bug protection, I ordered mine with a sewn in floor. Its great. Henry's customer service is suberb also.

ernok1923

i feel like i would be much more interested in the tarptent if i were backpacking, where a trekking pole is more common and can then serve two purposes. packing it in with my bike gear, it becomes a specialized piece of equipment that i carry around, but would never use for its primary purpose. its only function then would be to support that tarp. i do realize that a stick would probably work just as well, but spending time looking for a suitable stick each night just doesn't sound like fun to me.

however, if i ever decide to hike the appalachian trail, i will definitely give these guys a call.

Miles2go

RUMOR CONTROL: To be fair to Tarptent, you'll have to come up with another reason as I'm pretty sure you can use tent poles for most of Henry's tents.

From the website FAQ:

"Q: Do Tarptents come with stakes and poles?
A: Yes. Every Tarptent comes with a rear arch pole, 4 stakes (3 stakes for the Cloudburst 2), guylines, and a stuffsack. The Cloudburst 2 also comes with a front arch pole and is complete. The Virga 2, Squall 2, and Rainshadow 2 work best in high winds with front trekking pole support but if you are not a trekking pole user we offer optional lightweight and inexpensive front poles that can be ordered with the shelters. Two of our poles will provide excellent wind performance for those shelters."

ks1g

I just did a quick mental inventory; thanks to my own interests and a bunch of years as a Cub Scout and Boy Scout adult leader, I have:

An ancient Eureka 2-person Timberline - A-frame style, comfortable for 1 adult or 1 friendly couple or 2 younger scouts. Sort of self-supporting, more complicated to set up in rain/dark. Heavy for the size. I let my son use this one.

A Eureka 2/3 person (?) pop up (Hexagon series?). Self supporting and cheap. Best you can say about it. My kids have use of this one, too.

A Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight CD (the 1 person version). Used it on a number of Scout overnights and a 4 night C&O Canal trip. Easy to set up, very comfortable for me at least in cold and wet. Cozy; you need to be a bit of a contortionist to get in/out and dress/undress inside. Sufficient inside storage for 1 person's gear unless you are tall. Very lightweight for the size. Was able to fold small enough so only the pole bag had to ride outside my panniers. Bought mine on sale from REI, Campmor and others may have older year models on close out. This is my favorite if size/weight are primary and I don't need much interior space.

REI Half-Dome. Comfortable easy to erect 2 person tent. Self supporting. Weight not bad for 2 people, a bit heavy for one person vs. the Sierra. 2 doors with awnings for gear storage. Try to get one on sale or end of year close out. Rentable if you want to try one from local REI stores. My favorite if I want space, comfort, and not so concerned about the packed size and weight.

Tarp - used one ONCE on an early December camping trip (temps dropped into mid teens). Yes, ALL the Scouts and other adults thought I was NUTS. If it had been windy or snowed, they would have been RIGHT! (and I would have pulled a real tent out of my car). To use with a bike instead of hiking poles, I'd use the bike as a support (guy it with rope and stakes) and rig the tarp lean-to style or with a nearby tree for the A-frame look. You still need a ground cloth and there is ZERO bug protection. With the mosquitos and deer tick problems in the Northeast and Midatlantic, I wouldn't use one from mid April (maybe earlier) until the first hard frosts. Might be OK with a bivy sack for wind/precip and bug protection.

Comments on the Eureka Solitaire and Gossmar - I had considered them before getting the Clip Flashlight. One of the scouts had a Solitaire on the C&O trip. He thought it was OK, but I observed: Not significantly easier to rig than my Sierra Designs. Basically ZERO room for gear inside. Specs show no huge weight advantage vs Sierra Designs. Personal: too cramped for my taste. Significantly cheaper vs Sierra Designs but an end of year model closeout sale and my REI dividend helped.

If there's a backpacking store you can visit, check their tent displays and spend some time wriggling in and out of them. Some stores (REI, EMS, Hudson Trail) have very knowledgable staff who can help alot with advice and suggestions. Good luck.

Erick L

I haven't tried it in the field, only seen in store a few times and read about it a lot since I'm interested in it. I think it's roomy enough but don't kid yourself, it's roomy for its weight, but still small (the SL1). For me, big enough to sit up = enough for a rainy day. I currently use a Sierra Design Clip Flashlight which I love. It has long been the standard tent for light travel. Super strong in the wind too. The reason I'd like a Big Agnes SL1 is to have a smaller and lighter sleeping shelter and use a tarp for rainy days. A tarp is like a huge front porch where you can sip your hot chocolate while watching the rain come down. You can spread your stuff more to make it dry, err... less wet.

Another cool thing is it's freestanding and all mesh so you can set it up quickly without staking it down when the night is windless and buggy. It's not "truly" freestanding. You have to stake down the back or it'll be floppy. From what I've read, it's best to use the guylines for good rain protection (minimum set-up is enough with my SD). My only concern is the light material they use for the floor but I haven't read any complaint or problem. Entering is a bit of work but i can live with that. My other choice was the MSR Hubba (or Hubba bubba?... one person), which has a large side door and thicker fabric but it's barely lighter than my Sierra Design.

ernok1923

how about this:

i am looking for a tent which packs down small. almost all of their tents (with a sewn in floor, which i would want to have) are 20 inches long, which makes them close in size to my current spacious two man north face tent. (although the contrail is smaller at 14 inches, i am not sure if i like the almost-A-frame design). i am looking for something that can pack down to 15 or 16 inches as to fit into a pannier if need be.

outashape

I have the Agnes SL2 tent. I have used it two times backpacking. Last used on October 1 in Yosemite for a 12 mile hike. My husband and I are not small creatures. We took a cheap ($50) Coleman tent for car camping in the redwoods. The Agnes is small enough that I would not use if I didn't need to save weight. I have used the SL2 on two week long tours in Arizonia (GABA) and Florida (Bike Florida). The SL2 is great for one person. Room for all my stuff. One thing, when two people are in the SL2, you may end up sleeping against the netting. I had mosquito bites from a local 15 mile hike in Michigan. I did not have any problem with heat in the desert or in Florida with the rain cover. It was surprisingly cool. I use Tyvek as my ground cover. I also sewed the ends of the pole loops together so I could put up the rain cover, and then put up the netting underneath, so my stuff would not get wet. It is a freestanding tent. I have also sewed the tent bag to the end of the tent so I don't have to go looking for it. BTW, I also sewed a tyvek cord to my thermarest, and sewed the sleeping bag compression bag to the end of the sleeping bag. I hate having to look for all the tie ups when I am tearing down camp. If you put the backpacks in the vestubile, you have to unzip the netting, unzip the vestibule and move the backpacks, or whatever bike gear (panniers) to go the the bathroom at night. I bought the Agnes for my solo C2C trip I am planning. If I had ever thought my husband would backpack, I would have bought a 3 person for the two of us. I bought the 3/4 light thermarest and did not like it. I returned it and bought the regular length in the lightweight, it was worth 6 ounces to not have my feet lower than my upper body. The extra warm clothes I carried to cycle or hike, I used as a pillow or wore them to sleep.

markw

The Zeus is freestanding, it's the one I have. Packs darn small, I've got the 2 person. The Zeus 1LE specs to pack down to 5" x 17".

Lolly Pop

I think the big agnes must be greeny-grey, then. Dark greyish green.

. . . Colours are hard!

I like the Big Agnes Sarvis SL2 for just me. But us canadians like lots of space.