View Full Version : Texsport Bivy Tent
For The Past Several Months There Have Been Hundreds Of The Texsport Bivy Tents For Sale On Ebay In The 30.00 Dollar Range...has Anyone Used This Tent.....?
HikeLite
08-09-2004, 22:30
I've seen someone mentioning the texsport knollwood bivy tent as a good cheap tent in the three pound range. I have no experience myself with these tents.
JimSproul
08-10-2004, 12:23
I bought on of these Texsport tents from ebay. First, it has a poor design in that the unprotected door zipper is directly exposed to rain because of the angle of the door. Second, I set the tent up in my yard with a storm on the way. The back end ripped out! This is a not a quality product. Single sewn seams, no tape, etc...
For about $100 I bought a Roadster from REI (under 4 pounds) and have used it for many miles, in all kinds of weather. Including a VERY cold night in blowing wind camp on Springer Mountain in ealry march this year.
If you spend the money on a cheap tent. You pay for what you get! Remember that the tent will be your home out there. Look at www.campmor.com (http://www.campmor.com/) or even www.rei.com (http://www.rei.com/) They have a nice selaction of tents at a good price.
Nothing sucks more than having a water dripping on you all night.;) Cheap sounds good but in the long run, you'll be dry and happy. Not wet and pissest.
I bought the Texport bivy tent at the reccommendation of one of my hiking buddies. I have used it a couple times in the rain and have yet to experience any leaks or problems with the tent. It is not the same quality as a $200 tent but I didn't pay for a $200 tent either. The Texsport bivy may not last as long as some other tents but in my mind its worth the price even if it makes it through a few trips. Keep in mind that I have used this tent on weekend backpacking trips, not thruhiking. As far as the shelter entrance letting in rain, I use my umbrella to enter the tent so that the rain stays out of the tent.
I have one of these tents, and used it in heavy rain just once. However, I also carry a military parka/tarp that I set up as a rain-fly using my hiking poles. I had no problems. One thing that the TexSport needs, and it's in the instructions for the tent (RTFM), is seam sealer on all the stitch lines.
Having used this tent I see it as a great, low cost, fair weather shelter. I wouldn't trust it for long-term use in a wide range of weather conditions.
The Cheat
01-21-2005, 17:30
Good info. How would this compare with something like this from Campmor:
Wenzel tent (http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=66486&memberId=12500226)
Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-22-2006, 21:32
I used a Texport Knollwood under a 10 x 12 tarp at Trail Days 2006. I bought this tent solely to test the doorway (I have mobility problems and the shape is easier for me to use.) This tent is not a viable option for backpacking unless it is modified - It has bad condensation issues and the zipper leaked during the lovely sideways rain around 3 AM Saturday morning. We seam sealed it and guyed out the rain fly as recommended to improve ventilation. I even left the window on the slanted door partway open on Saturday night and we still had massive amounts of condensation in the doorway (where our heads were). It might work better if you slept with your feet at the entry, but I wouldn't bet on it. The entire roof inside is bug net so I can't figure out how so much moisture managed to stay inside the tent, but it certainly did.
This tent will get a serious makeover if I decide to keep it at all. The tent is far too small to get any gear inside with two people. The first thing I'd do is add a vestibule for gear storage and to protect the slanted door so I can get out in the rain without getting rain in the tent. I would also add some vents beneath the vestibule to improve ventilation. Finally, I'd add a vent to the rear and a cover for that. There is already a mandatory guy out there so adding a cover would be simple. The entirely bug net top would not be my first choice either - I think part of it would become 1.1 nylon uncoated.
With a few tweaks, this could be a decent tent. I have to wonder what Texpost was thinking when they let this go to market.
I bought one from Sportsmans guide a few years ago. Thankfully SG has a fantastic return polocy.
First set up: the fiberglass poles broke, before I had the tent up. Got replacement poles (Tex sport sent them to me unasked for, problems w pole maker).
2nd set up: couldn't get it taut (tight), with the adjustment allowed. If I held it tight, I had about 24" floor to celing, as set up, only about 14" then it rained. Fortunatly I wasn't using it, just set it up to see, then had to go to work, so left it up. After a 4 hr very light rain, the top of the bivy was Literally touching the floor, not from rain weight, from sag. I sent it & replacement poles back.
I generally like Tex-sport stuff, but this thing was useless.
Doctari.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-22-2006, 23:45
They must have improved it a bit since Doctari got his - I was able to get it to set up mostly taut and both of us (6' and 5' 10") were able to sit up in the tent below the larger pole.
MedicineMan
05-23-2006, 00:04
but wallyworld has some really cheap tents that are good for the same....better than nothing shelter until help arrives say in a car accident
I had a hike and bike bivy tent from them while hiking the pct, and it was fine!I spayed it with water reppellent and went hiking.I paid 50 bucks it lasted for the season I reckin i couldnt asked for much more.ky
and think it's a good tent, especially for $30. I have never owned a $100 plus tent, so maybe I am missing something. My texsport doesn't leak and has not had any problems. No tears, zippers are good. I added a canopy sort of thing over the entrance because the door is slanted --tough to get into in the rain. Plenty of room inside. Yes, the weight is 2-14, plus 4 oz for my canopy. If you spring for the light weight carbon poles, you can loose about 5 oz.
Okay, the bad part is the colors. Mine is bright red and royal blue, it really stands out.
I would by this tent again.
Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-24-2006, 06:39
I suspect this tent might not have as many condensation issues with one person inside. It is advertised as a two person tent. You'd better be mighty friendly with anyone you attempt to sleep next to in this tent. Mine is the lovely royal and red model also.
I bought this tent because of the 'design flaw' - the slanted doorway. I need such a doorway due to mobility issues to be able to exit the tent. Does anyone know of a better tent with a slanted doorway or a tent that would allow someone to exit the tent by crawling backward until the feet are out of the tent and then using the hands to push yourself to this position? (http://www.bodybuilding.com/fun/md8s7.jpg)
Lets put it this way....will it work? Sure. Is it high end? no.
But I wouldn't buy one on EBay, you can get them for $25 in sporting goods stores, brand new.
I actually had one, and besides the poles and no seam sealing, it really wasn't that bad.
But, personally, I'd buy better.
Lets put it this way....will it work? Sure. Is it high end? no.
But I wouldn't buy one on EBay, you can get them for $25 in sporting goods stores, brand new.
I actually had one, and besides the poles and no seam sealing, it really wasn't that bad.
But, personally, I'd buy better.
So,Sabar, what would be "better". I keep looking for a reason to drop $100 plus for a tent, but I cannot find the benefits to more$$. It looks to me like most WBers have more expensive tens. But other than weight and a vestibule, what am i buying??
RSWillis
05-25-2006, 08:21
Got this tent and it was horrible, tried it for about two months of weekend hiking this spring and got wet every single time. Personally I reccomend switching to hammock and tarp as I have done.
So,Sabar, what would be "better". I keep looking for a reason to drop $100 plus for a tent, but I cannot find the benefits to more$$. It looks to me like most WBers have more expensive tens. But other than weight and a vestibule, what am i buying??
The biggest reasons for me to buy a higher end tent is the fabric, poles and seam sealing. Also design. A Half Dome for instance is going to last for years-and the poles will hold up. The fabric is real tent fabric.
The Knollwood and others of its kind do work, but they are made for starter tents or for those who just don't care.
While I do own a cheapie tent for my truck, I'd not trust a night above treeline in it-for that I'd rather be in a trusted tent, that was tested for wind and snow.
Now there are buys out there for good tents-my first real backpacking tent was an Eddie Bauer one from Target years ago-but it was designed for actual backpacking :) The Tex Sports series has its place, but not in rain, wind or snow!
Footslogger
05-25-2006, 11:28
If you are interested in this approach as a shelter consider the OR Bug Bivy and a really light weight tarp. Best of both worlds in that on really nice nights you can skip the tarp all together and sleep under the stars totally protected from flying bugs and creepy crawlies OR you can just set up the tarp and sleep on top of the Bug Bivy since it has a waterproof bottom.
'Slogger
Frolicking Dinosaurs
05-25-2006, 12:10
As Sarbar notes, Texport Knollwood is not a tent to rely on, but a cheapy tent to use for specialized situations - the poles are not great, the fabric is not great, the seams need a lot of waterproofing, quality control is lacking. There is absolutely no way I would have considered taking this tent to Trail Days to test it without the 10 x 12 sil-nylon tarp above it. I could have rigged the tarp to keep us total covered, and used the tent as a bug bivy (what I would do if I ever use this tent on a hike) - but I wanted to keep all my car camping goodies (chairs, table, etc.) dry as well and wanted the covered area to be comfortable for visitors and thru's with tiny tents looking to get out of the rain. My tarp served as a dry area for several thru's packs during the non-stop rain Friday night and as a "drying out gear area" for several others on Saturday and Sunday morning.
As I said before, I will be using this tent until I find something better that I can get in to and out of - the slanted door worked though I hear I looked funny and pitiful backing out of my tent and 'crawling' my hands to my feet. I had hoped the Rainbow II would be a viable option, but it doesn't look like that will happen. The doorway design won't work for me.
Hana_Hanger
05-25-2006, 14:02
12
I hear I looked funny and pitiful backing out of my tent and 'crawling' my hands to my feet.
I bet you were more admired by most:D
I have this tent:
Pros: Cheap. Lightweight. Its bigger on the inside then I thought. My wife and I liked sleeping in it.
Cons. The front door part sucks in the rain...there is no rain fly in that part of the tent. If it rains and you have nothing to put over the front you are screwed!!
This tent would be awesome if it only had a rain fly by the door. I might just do a DIY project and create a rain fly for it.