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AFGreenJeans
08-13-2017, 12:02
I'm contemplating a '18 thru hike northbound. Right now I'm taking stock of cost...which leads me to my question. I have a MSR Elixir 3 tent, I like it, it's still in great condition, but I feel like it's too big to bring. Am I crazy to consider it so I don't have to buy another? :rolleyes:

Greenlight
08-13-2017, 12:14
4 lb 4 oz. You may start with it but I doubt that you will finish with it.


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moldy
08-13-2017, 12:51
If your tent is 4.4 lbs, it's too heavy for a thru hike, you can do much better for less than a hundred bucks.

Stone1984
08-13-2017, 13:05
Amazon will have much lighter options for way less, That is just way to much weight to put on your back for that kind of distance.

AFGreenJeans
08-13-2017, 13:40
Thanks everyone, confirmation of what I was thinking. I'll put it on the list.

jgillam
08-13-2017, 15:17
For what it is worth, I have both a ZPacks Duplex and BA Copper Spur UL2 HV. Both are light and quite comfy, especially for 1 person. The Duplex wins on weatherproofness, the UL2 HV wins on ease of setup due to its freestanding setup...though the Duplex isn't hard to setup. There are many very good, much lighter options for a thru hike.

Stone1984
08-13-2017, 15:23
My Duplex is the easiest tent I have ever set up. Easy compared to the easiest freestanding tent. And for the weight and cost it is by far the best decision I have made getting my gear together.

OkeefenokeeJoe
08-13-2017, 15:25
Lightheart Gear SoLong 6, and don't look back. Not enough space here to write what a wonderful tent it is.

https://www.lightheartgear.com/index.php/shop-now/tents

OkeefenokeeJoe

Suzzz
08-13-2017, 15:37
I have an MSR Elixir 3 and I love it... for car camping. I'm not sure how others have it at 4.4 lbs because when I weighted mine before my section hike in July, it came at a little over 6 lbs!!! Regardless of whether I'm the one who's wrong or they are, it's still too heavy. Think about it, water weighs 2.2 lbs a liter! If you get a 2-ish lbs tent, it's like you erased the weight of your water. In my opinion, buying a lighter tent is money well spent. At least, it was for me.

DownEaster
08-13-2017, 20:22
You've got a fine tent -- for 2 people. 2 lbs./person is reasonable. If you find a compatible hiking partner between now and your start date you're good. Otherwise, start making lists of reasonable tents. If there aren't any other sales, you'll be able to fine pretty much everything on sale Black Friday (day after Thanksgiving).

MtDoraDave
08-14-2017, 07:12
If you use trekking poles, why not select a tent that uses the trekking poles for its support?

There have been several suggestions already, and lots of people love those tents. Check out Tarptent.com while you're researching. I've had 2 so far. First a two person, then a 1 person (the Notch). The Notch sets up super fast, is a double wall tent, only needs 4 stakes, has 2 doors and 2 vestibules, and weighs 27 ounces... but take your time and do your research.

Bansko
08-14-2017, 08:09
I'm contemplating a '18 thru hike northbound. Right now I'm taking stock of cost...which leads me to my question. I have a MSR Elixir 3 tent, I like it, it's still in great condition, but I feel like it's too big to bring. Am I crazy to consider it so I don't have to buy another? :rolleyes:

I would not consider taking the Elixir 3, by any stretch of the imagination. I own one, and it makes a fine car camping tent but a lousy backpacking tent. Too heavy, too big, too .....You name it.

Bansko
08-14-2017, 08:21
4 ob. 4 oz.? I just weighed my Elixir 3 (with poles, stuff bag, & stakes) and it comes in at well over 6 pounds.

Time Zone
08-14-2017, 08:27
If your tent is 4.4 lbs, it's too heavy for a thru hike, you can do much better for less than a hundred bucks.

Do you mean much better only in terms of weight? If so, well, yes there's the Eureka Solitaire - perhaps some others (but nothing comes to mind). If you mean in terms of both weight and at least similar quality, what is much better for less than $100? Or are you suggesting buying used?

Bansko
08-14-2017, 08:28
In fact, my Elixir 3 is closer to 7 pounds than 6. Where is this 4 lb., 4 oz. coming from? I swapped out the original crappy stakes with groundhogs, but that's a wash, since they weighed about the same as the originals. I also added side guylines, but at most that's two ounces. Why the 3 pound difference?

ggreaves
08-14-2017, 10:11
2 words... ham mock

Suzzz
08-14-2017, 10:59
4 ob. 4 oz.? I just weighed my Elixir 3 (with poles, stuff bag, & stakes) and it comes in at well over 6 pounds.

I got the same thing when I weighed mine.

Grampie
08-14-2017, 12:01
I would suggest starting with the tent you have. Consider that 80% of the thru-hikers that start, don't finish. Start your hike with your existing tent. If you decide to stay for the long haul than spend some funds to lighten your gear.

HooKooDooKu
08-14-2017, 13:01
For what it is worth, I have both a ZPacks Duplex and BA Copper Spur UL2 HV. Both are light and quite comfy, especially for 1 person. The Duplex wins on weatherproofness, the UL2 HV wins on ease of setup due to its freestanding setup...though the Duplex isn't hard to setup. There are many very good, much lighter options for a thru hike.
I absolutely loved my BA Copper Super UL2 (pre-HV) for a JMT thru hike last year. Small enough that it could be setup in lots of places, yet big enough to comfortably fit my large sleeping pad, back pack, and all my gear... INSIDE the tent.

I had heard various stories of gear damaged or stolen (boots, shoelaces, hiking pole handles,etc) by mouse/marmot/coyote that I didn't want to risk leaving anything outside my tent... so I didn't (except the bear canister).

I would setup my sleeping pad diagonally leaving me plenty of room to setup my gear around me.

Ethesis
08-14-2017, 13:14
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008PLXUM6/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1502730721&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=light+backpacking+tent+1lb&dpPl=1&dpID=41QoeMwtEML&ref=plSrch

and there are lighter and cheaper tents out there.

Ethesis
08-14-2017, 13:15
https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B008PLXUM6/ref=mp_s_a_1_7?ie=UTF8&qid=1502730721&sr=8-7&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=light+backpacking+tent+1lb&dpPl=1&dpID=41QoeMwtEML&ref=plSrch

and there are lighter and cheaper tents out there.

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B019F2QHOG/ref=mp_s_a_1_13?ie=UTF8&qid=1502730721&sr=8-13&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=light+backpacking+tent+1lb

for lighter. For cheaper start looking at Chinese clone tents.

Ethesis
08-14-2017, 13:23
Under a hundred dollars:

https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B01L1F8UPE/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1502731034&sr=8-1&pi=AC_SX236_SY340_QL65&keywords=light+backpacking+tent+1+person+ultraligh t&dpPl=1&dpID=41aDIK1EjZL&ref=plSrch#featureBulletsAndDetailBullets_secondar y_view_div_1502731060053

And another clone tent: https://www.amazon.com/gp/aw/d/B06XXX1SJS/ref=pd_aw_sbs_468_3?ie=UTF8&refRID=19PZMK4NNKJ5TG0HVB5G&dpPl=1&dpID=51RkHjifMFL

gets you in the area of the new LL Bean tents.

Ethesis
08-14-2017, 13:33
That said, you need to stop for just a minute.

An easy way to pay a thousand dollars for a tent is to jump early and then jump again and then again.

Every tent has compromises.

At the end of the day most people on a budget will end up with a quarter dome or a tarp tent or something similar (see my next post).

https://www.rei.com/product/110817/rei-co-op-quarter-dome-1-tent gets used by a lot of people.

https://www.tarptent.com/store/notch

When you compare, start with looking at these two.

Then ask yourself what you like and what you dont.

Then you look at the Solong and the Big Agnes tents.

You have plenty of time and no no need to buy anything just yet.

Get out and section hike a little. Look at everyone else's gear.

Read trail journals.

A tent should be last on your list for what you buy.

But first to start thinking about.

Hope that helps and isn't too cluttered.

Ethesis
08-14-2017, 13:41
For more accurate statistics than my off the cuff statement:

https://thetrek.co/appalachian-trail/top-tents-hammocks-appalachian-trail-2016-thru-hiker-survey/. (Is not limited to budget choices).

For a decent review of tents (better than mine):

https://thetrek.co/2017-best-tents-for-thru-hiking/

Time Zone
08-14-2017, 15:15
Thanks, Ethesis, but I do note that you posted links to only 1 other tent that was lighter and under $100 - a $99 very short (81" nominal*) Chinese clone, hardly a mainstream choice. The others were $120-$130 (another Chinese clone, apparently), $285, $279, $395, $289. Moldy claimed that one can do much better for under 100 bucks. I'm not sure I'd agree that a Chinese clone (any meaningful warranty?) under $100 is "much better" than a 4.4 lb MSR. They're lighter, for sure, but I'm not sure they're better in any other sense of the word.

* Nominal measurements are generally stake-to-stake and in my experience they overstate usable interior space by about 16" in length, once you account for the fact that the stake is outside the tent at a slight distance, that the walls slope in, and that one's feet and head thus intersect an inwardly-leaning tent wall at a height such that the interior length at that height is narrower than it is at the base.

cmoulder
08-14-2017, 15:37
I'd say spend a bit more and get the reasonably priced LHG Solong 6 and rest assured. I have an LHG Solo and it is very well made.

nsherry61
08-14-2017, 16:03
I'm reading a lot of suggestions for cheap $100 ballpark knock-off tents.

The cheap knockoffs are fine for weekend and occasional use, but zipper and seam reliability is seriously compromised to make the price point on these.

I would not consider saving a couple hundred dollars on my primary shelter a bargain when my long-term daily stress, comfort and safety could be so dramatically hampered by gear failure on a long-term hike. . . and I'm the guy that is always using a tarp instead of a tent.

But, tarps don't have zippers, and, in most cases, a damaged tarp pitches a lot more easily and reliably than a damaged tent. . . actually, I haven't had to deal with anything more than torn grommets on cheap tarps, and I've had cheap tents with failed zippers, torn pole sleeves, self-destructing seams, and fabric that wasn't anything close to waterproof when it should have been. . . of course, all those problems are attributed to only two tents since I eventually learned my lesson the hard way. RELIABLE TENTS ROCK! Tarps rock even more.

HooKooDooKu
08-14-2017, 16:31
In fact, my Elixir 3 is closer to 7 pounds than 6. Where is this 4 lb., 4 oz. coming from? I swapped out the original crappy stakes with groundhogs, but that's a wash, since they weighed about the same as the originals. I also added side guylines, but at most that's two ounces. Why the 3 pound difference?
I'm noticing that the specification for the Elixir 3 are 4#4oz for fly/footprint pitch, while the packaged weight is 6#13oz.

To the OP... are you going solo?
I ask because the Elixir 3 looks like a huge tent for one person... it's 84"x68".
As a point of comparison, the CS UL2 I claim has ample room as a solo tent has average dimensions of 88"x45".

If you are planning a trip as a couple, the Elixir doesn't look all that bad... as the current model CS UL2 has a packaged weight of 3#1oz. That's 6#2oz if two people were each carrying their own. That's not that far off from 6#13oz.
But if you are planning a solo trip, that makes for a pretty darn heavy tent.

My two pieces of advice:
1. If you want to look for a new solo tent and want to perhaps get the most bang for your buck, look into TarpTents. As much as I like the Copper Spur, I'm contemplating a future JMT thru hike with one of my kids. When I saw the full retail price for a CS UL3, I went looking elsewhere and quickly realized that TT are a lot cheaper, are well known (at least here on WB), and very light for the floor space.

2. If you're not picky about exactly what tent you are using, wait until after Christmas and watch sites like Campsaver and SierraTradingPost... see what tents go on sale.
I bought my CS UL2 that time of year for $275 (with ground cloth) because the next year's model was getting a makeover.
Same thing happened when I wanted a 3-man tent for camping with my sons. The Kelty Gunnison 3.1 was getting a makeover to the 3.2 (with the newer model being a heavier tent). I purchased a 3.1 for about $130 when the full retail on these tents are $250.

Ethesis
08-14-2017, 16:39
I'd say spend a bit more and get the reasonably priced LHG Solong 6 and rest assured. I have an LHG Solo and it is very well made.

exactly.

There is a lot to be said for the brand names.

Some of the cheap clones are good, some are so defective that the homeless won't use them without an extra tarp.

REI garage sales are always a fun place to look.
It is a huge morass right now.


But don't be the guy with the thousand dollar discount tent.

capehiker
08-15-2017, 03:52
Lightheart Gear SoLong 6, and don't look back. Not enough space here to write what a wonderful tent it is.

https://www.lightheartgear.com/index.php/shop-now/tents

OkeefenokeeJoe

Interestingly, I'm the exact opposite. There isn't enough space to write how much I hated it. To each their own.

Ethesis
08-15-2017, 13:10
Interestingly, I'm the exact opposite. There isn't enough space to write how much I hated it. To each their own.


Which is why experimenting with things is important.

I love the way that Altras feel on my feet. They throw my knees out. If I hadn't done some hiking in them I could have discovered that in a really bad place.

Tent preference is the same.

I really liked this tent: https://mytrailco.com/collections/tents/products/tent-ul-2?variant=20147804867

My wife hated it. We obviously now have a different tent for our section hikes.

cmoulder
08-16-2017, 06:40
Whatever one might not like about LHG products, at least they are a known quantity with a solid reputation.
Over the years I've used a bunch of tents... All-time fave and #1 go-to is the Duplex, but even that one is not the best for all occasions. As with packs, most of us are going to end up with more than one in the gear closet... often a LOT more! :)

Engine
08-24-2017, 18:05
The joy of owning and using a quality product lasts long after the pain of the initial expense. The joy from savings for buying a cheap inferior product is always temporary and followed by regret.

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capehiker
08-25-2017, 16:40
The joy of owning and using a quality product lasts long after the pain of the initial expense. The joy from savings for buying a cheap inferior product is always temporary and followed by regret.


Very good advice!

macdiver
08-31-2017, 20:05
I have the LHG Solong6 for sale. I just posted it. That is what you need.

AllDownhillFromHere
09-01-2017, 10:47
Bring the tent, and send it home when it gets warm, and/or you accelerate ahead of the pack. Then get it back with your colder weather stuff later.

If you own it, it's free, and the $300 you'd spend on a new one can buy you a lot of gorp, bus rides to GA, etc.

SwathHiker
09-30-2017, 02:38
REI has the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2 on sale right now I think, or Google it for prices and find it on sale. It's 2.5 ish pounds I think. Use Tyvek housewrap for footprint material, it's much lighter, buy some cheap titanium triangle stakes to drop a couple more oz.

Maineiac64
09-30-2017, 06:48
Duplex - buy once cry once.

Hikingjim
09-30-2017, 09:07
4 lbs, 4 ozs is the fly and a footprint weight only. the whole thing is like 7.
Not an option to use

SwathHiker
09-30-2017, 21:29
If it is useful to anyone I just put my never used REI Dash 2, a UL 2.5 pounder up for sale on GearTrade for $200 with Ti Stakes, new REI footprint, and already seam-sealed. I have three because I like it alot and it was cheaper than the Copper Spur UL 2 with basically the same kind of setup and around the same weight. I've been on here off and on for YEARS mostly lurking but I've changed my info over time, so I couldn't list it for sale on here. (so please don't ban me, I am not new here to take advantage of people, thanks)

SwathHiker
09-30-2017, 21:32
And actually there are TWO of them up for sale on Gear Trade. Some other guy ("IRVINE") is selling his used one right now too, but without Ti Stakes, footprint, and tyvek, and not sure about his shipping, for the same $200. It's a great tent.

Luna Anderson
09-30-2017, 22:40
The MSR Elixir 3 is quite heavy and it takes time to set up. If you want a lightweight tent, pls consider buying a pop up tent. It's easy for both setting up and folding up.