Tent talk

[Ezra]

Well, it is time for a new tent and hopefully I'll be able to go look at a couple this weekend, but before I do, I thought I would solicit some advice... Right now, I am most interested in the SD Reverse Combi and the Mountain Hardwear Haven 2. Does anyone have any experience with either of these two tents? Any other recommendations for a quality 3-season backpacking tent that I should consider? Thanks in advance for your help.

[Ezra]

Wow, I used to follow this board a few years ago... what happened to everybody? I open the page now and I can hear the crickets chirping...

[Trinityalps]

I know what you mean. There was an incredible amount of information on this board in those days, not to mention the most severly addicted gear *****s I have ever seen.

I can't help you with the two tents you have singled out, but as to your request on other 3-season tents, I can suggest the Black Diamond Lighthouse. It's expensive, but I have been using it for two years and it's the best tent I've ever tried, and I have a lot of tents. I wouldn't recommend it as a high-elevation mountaineering tent because of its broad, high walls. For everything else, including limited winter use, I love it. You can't beat that big, full-wall door for sitting in and watching the rain come down on a mountain lake.

Good luck in your search.

[NoKnees]

Yep, the board does seem to gather a bit of dust these days between small flurries of activity. The old crowd has moved on to other sites...

Having said that, the BD Lighthouse does seem to be one of the new favorites around here for all but the most humid and windy conditions. It's just a lighter wieght version of the ever so loved I-Tent... It's the next tent I do plan on purchasing when I can find it at the right price and when the wife isn't looking.. ;)

I have no experience with the SD or MH tent mentioned, so can't help there. I just don't get out as much as I used to so I don't spend as much time dreaming of and fondling gear at the shops. It only depresses me these days...

As for other places to look for some advice, etc, let's see..

Lightweight backpacking discussions and gear reviews, etc: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/index.html

General Backpacking, but a fair amout of LW discussion too: http://www.backpacking.net/bbs.html

I know there are a few other good ones out there, but alas I'm at work and without my regular bookmarks..

[Ezra]

Thank you both for your help. I had originally steered myself away from the Lighthouse because of the price, but I'll take another look. I also have no experience with single-wall tents, but from everything I have read, it sounds like a fantastic tent.

[Trinityalps]

Don't let the single-wall design scare you away. I've spent days on end inside mine waiting for a big windy, wet storm to stop. No condensation and no leaks. Because the tent poles are on the inside, set-up takes a bit of getting used. One of the nice things about the tent is that when you get good at setting it up, you can unroll it, push the poles inside their pockets and set the tent up from the inside where you and gear stay dry while you're fine tuning the poles. The big caution I would pass on is that even though the tent is free standing, always, alway, always stake it out. Those big side walls will catch the wind and an empty tent will go a long ways. I share this with a red face. I caught mine just short of a mountain lake after I got it up, but before I put anything inside.

For one person and a dog it's a palace with enough room for all your gear. When I know the weather's going to be nasty, I bring the vestibule and the dog spends her time in there. If I were king, there a couple of small things I would change. I hear rumors that Black Diamond may introduce a two door model. Same size, just one more door. Since 99% of the time I'm solo I don't need the extra door and the extra weight that comes along with it. For three season+ use, I think this one will certainly meet your needs.

[The Weasel]

As I mentioned in another thread, I recently purchased a Mountain Hardware Hammerhead 2. I liked the heightover other 2 person tents. I do a few 24 hour mountain bike races, so being able to change quick without crouching too much was important. I used it for the first time this past weekend. It basically rained the while damn race and everything remained dry. A weakness is the vestibule door which when open, flaps down and can let some water run off into the tent.

[Jordie]

I don't spend too much online anymore but just visited the site here. When solo or with fiends I usually sleep under a tarp with an Equinox bivy. When backpacking with my wife I have used a Walrrus Arch Rival which is no longer made but similar to Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight. After looking around for a lighter two person tent and reading many reviews I just bought a Black Diamond Firstlight Tent on sale for $255 about 2 weeks ago. I do most of my backpacking in the south west and humidity usually not a problwem, but the reviews seemed good.

[Trinityalps]

Jordie,

I have the First Light's big brother. I have a friend who purchased a First Light earlier this year and he seems to like it a lot. He says that it is a great all-round three-season tent. I think he has posted a couple of time about his experiences with it on the Northwest Hikers board.