3 Season tent under 4lbs, Recomendations

[powderhound]

So believe it or not I am going to purchase my first tent. I usually prefer to sleep outside but I think the bugs up in AK will eat me alive this summer. I would like to be able to use the tent for backpacking and alpine excursions. I began by website searching and would like to spend less then $400. the lighter the better. thanks for all your help.

 

I have been looking at the golite SHANGRI-LA 2 and get the floor floor.

Edited April 28, 2008 by powderhound

[Lambone]

I have Big Agnes Seedhouse 2 (SL) that I really like. It's pretty damn light, easy to pitch with just one pole, freestanding, and has just enough space. Maybe a little small for two big guys.

 

http://www.bigagnes.com/str_tent_series.php?cid=8&PHPSESSID=75f6b4a1e865fe31cc46cc2f0d814b32

 

Maybe the biggest downside is the fabric is pretty thin, so it is fragile, but that is the trade off for weight savings.

[mike1]

Mega light= 2 lbs. - 5oz

 

[jared_j]

Ditto on the Megalight - also, it's even lighter if you are bringing along trekking poles that the thing can be pitched with instead of the provided pole.

[AR_Guy]

Hubba Hubba from MSR is highly rated by my long distance hiker friends who have one. Right about 4 lbs.

 

Never used one myself, but the specs on the Seedhouse mentioned by Lambone are compelling.

 

If you can handle 2 1/2 season products, check out tarptent.com I loved the Squall Classic (03 model) out on the PCT in 2006. They have 2 person models in the 2 to 2 1/2 lb range.

 

[ericb]

Hubba Hubba from MSR is highly rated by my long distance hiker friends who have one. Right about 4 lbs.

 

Never used one myself, but the specs on the Seedhouse mentioned by Lambone are compelling.

 

If you can handle 2 1/2 season products, check out tarptent.com I loved the Squall Classic (03 model) out on the PCT in 2006. They have 2 person models in the 2 to 2 1/2 lb range.

 

I've got a hubba hubba, and love it....for the use mentioned it would be great because it's a great bug dome if that's all you need, but use in the alpine might be questionable as I don't think it does great in high winds. I don't know if they've changed the design but my only real beef with it is that the there are tie downs on the fly, but not a corresponding anchorage of the fly to the poles near these points, so anchorage of the fly does not translate to the poles.

[ericb]

Ditto on the Megalight - also, it's even lighter if you are bringing along trekking poles that the thing can be pitched with instead of the provided pole.

 

Not sure how it would keep the bugs out.

[counterfeitfake]

Ditto on the Megalight - also, it's even lighter if you are bringing along trekking poles that the thing can be pitched with instead of the provided pole.

 

Not sure how it would keep the bugs out.

 

They sell a bug screen/floor for both the Megas and the Betas. If you want something smaller and lighter, look at the Betalight. Two trekking poles, sleeps two people pretty okay, very light.

[Crillz]

I've been happy with my Black Diamond Firstlight :tup:

[Wastral]

Tarptent Cloudburst 2. Weight: 2lbs 7oz Not freestanding, 3 stakes needed, but can take some snow unlike the megalight. You do need to watch which direction you set it up in for wind reasons. We had snow ice rain wind in the pickets and were fine when we had to pitch on a 30 degree slope in Cresent Creek Basin(W. of Terror). The guys with the megalight weren't. Not to mention it has no floor and their sleeping bags got drenched.

 

Brian

[Wastral]

Oh, yea it has full mosquito netting. Cost for Tarptent Cloudburst 2 = $260. Setup time can be done in under 2 minutes on good ground. A bit longer if you have to tie to boulders...

 

www.tarptent.com

No, I am not a representative, just mighty impressed by their "tarptent" For most 3 season stuff you can probably go for the lighter squal 2 at 2lbs 2 oz and still fit 2 people in it. This tent I also own and it can take some snow also along with normal rain. It does not fare as well in wind though.

 

Have used the ubiquitous 5-6lb dome tent +rainfly and find them HEAVY!!! They are freestanding though. Only reason I would go the Black Diamond route at over 3+lbs for a 2 person cramped tent.

 

Brian

[jared_j]

Not to nitpick, but the Megalight, and pyramid tarps in general, are good in wind / precip if they're pitched and located well . For instance, pitching 'em where you can tell water will pool up in the event of rain, not the hottest idea if you wanna keep the sleeping bags dry. What you save in weight you gotta make up for in planning your spot.

 

As for snow, the shape allows the snow to sluff off, in theory. I haven't gotten mega snowed on while using mine, but there seems to be no place for the thing to get 'snow loaded'.

[wfinley]

Using a mega-mid in the summer in Alaska sucks (well actually the mosquitoes suck). You could use the megamid with the big screen - but that jacks the weight up over 5 lbs.

 

[FatTexan]

Quite a few options:

 

Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo

Gossamer Gear "The One"

 

TarpTent Rainbow

 

I think the Tarptent Rainbow would be the most weather resistant. It depends on how light you want to go.

 

 

[Wastral]

The tarptent rainbow would be less weather resistant than the cloudburst 2. It uses the same front pole and is wider, thus making it less resistant to wind/snowload.

 

In the alpine enviro I find "good" optimal spots for "tarps" to be set up like the mega-mid far and few between. Not to mention if you are camping on snow. Camping on snow with no floor sucks. Yes, snow caves suck. You are warmer in snow caves, but you get everything soaking wet.

 

There really is no "optimal" solution. Always +/- to all options. I used to go without any tent/tarp/or bivy. Why? Because we owned the ubiquitous 6+lb dome tent that I hated to carry. Thus, never carried it. IF it rained I got wet along with my sleeping bag. OF course this was only weekend trips...

 

Brian

PS tarptent is made from sylnylon instead of PTFE fabric and will produce more condensation on inside which is a definite consideration in the ol' PNW

[dbconlin]

How 'bout a classic lightweight "dome" like the North Face Tadpole. Sleeps 2, about 4 lbs.

 

REI and Big Agnes make similar models that were recently heralded by Backpacker mag.

[RichardKorry]

My $0.02 about NF Tadpole. I have a Tadpole I bought used in 1988 or so. I've put in hundreds of days over the years and I love this tent. However even quality products age so I looked to replace it.

 

bought a new Tadpole at an REI sale but was sorely disappointed. It weighed closer to 5lb than 4lb and I found the quality of the design/sewing had really declined. Specifically, the old Tadpole was cut so it was tight when you set it up. The new style is a sloppy cut and you need to tighten webbing to make it taught. I returned it and have been on the lookout for replacement since.

 

The TarpTent products look really intriguing. Anyone else had any experience with them pro or con?

[Jim]

The thing about many of the lighter weight tents is that the uppr tent is made of mesh. I've been in some windy storms in a few of these and 1) their colder, and 2) all kinds of grit gets blown into the tent.

 

I'm debating about a new tent as well. Something like the BD Mirage or an Eldorado.

[johndavidjr]

I've used something like a Mega a fair bit, but only once when bugs were at all numerous and not, in fact, extremely numerous.

 

It seemed to provide some significant protection with the door closed. I mean, what's the difference, really, between a net door and a cloth door? Obviously once you shut the door, you've got to do some extermination.

 

That said, given opportunity to use it in a swampy Alpine meadow in the summer, I've taken a regular tent in preference.

 

I'm not convinced either way on this question -- and never heard the voice of experience offer a clear opinion.