Advice on a Kelty tent

[stillatit]

Anybody ever try a Kelty Tempest 2-person tent?

The deal at Dick's seems a bit too good for there not to be catch...

http://www.dickssportinggoods.com/product/index.jsp?productId=12550141&003=3934040&010=SKU-12110042&camp=CSE:Shopzilla:12550141

Thx in advance.

:-?

[Tuckahoe]

Well, yeah it seems like a great deal until you realize that it is a 5 1/4 pound tent. Seems to be an average weight for Kelty or Eureka 2 person tents in that price range up to $140 or so.

[no-name]

My starter tent was a Kelty Grand Mesa 2-person tent. I thought it was a good deal at $100 and around 4 and a half pounds.

After about 400 trail miles, I discovered I only used it less than 10% of the nights out.
When I did sleep in it, I felt like a king in that tent. But I cursed it on every hill.

I was fortunate to have been given a Tarptent Contrail, and the weight has been cut in half. Looking back, I would have spent twice the money and gotten a liteweight shelter the first time.

[CenAZwalker]

That would be great for a car camping tent but for backpacking, it is too heavy. If you can afford it, get something lighter like no-name suggested. But if this is all you can afford and it will get you out on the trail, then go for it. I've owned a couple Kelty tents over the years and they are pretty good quality, but I have always used them exclusively for car/family camping.

[leaftye]

Fiberglass poles. Upgrading to aluminum poles can be pretty expensive and might require modifying how the poles attach to the corners.

There's the weight too.

If you can spend slightly more, I know of a SMD Trekker Scout for $80. I think that includes shipping too. I'm thinking about buying it myself.

[MuddyWaters]

I have a kelty grand mesa 2 myself, got it at dicks for just under $100 on sale some years ago.
Works good for two people. I made some replacement poles from Easton Nanolites and it now comes right in at 4lbs for two people. Decent tent when expect snotty weather and want a double wall.

Would never ever consider it for one person.

[Teacher & Snacktime]

I just bought one myself at Dicks....It seems comparable to others at the $140 range, so how can I go wrong with half that price? Any way I look at it, it will probably be better than the Walmart special I have now!

[leaftye]

While I don't want to discourage pole building, replacing the poles may be false economy. Point of reference. Replacement primary poles for my 2-person Black Diamond Lighthouse with Easton 0.355" pole sections, tubing cutter tool and shock cord cost about $85 plus shipping. More if you count the extra pole sections I didn't need.

If you're considering upgrading your poles, then add the cost right now. Is that tent worth at least $155 to you? I bet you could find a similar tent that already have aluminum poles for less than $155. I'm confident you can because I was able to get a very nice Sierra Designs 4 person tunnel tent with thick DAC brand aluminum poles for $140 shipped.

[MuddyWaters]

Expect $75 or so to make nanolite poles, and ~$150 for fibraplex.

For sure, not the way to go to save money.

Most of the these 2P tents have very similar sized poles. About 12', give or take a couple inches.
You can find a used tent and harvest the Al poles from it ,cheaper than new ones. Just chop one end section to make it right length, or add a small piece, etc.