Car Camping Tent for the Family

[SMSP]

Additional Information on the ALPS Mountaineering Neptune 4

I sent an email to ALPS Customer Service:

“I was looking at the Neptune 4 at REI and then went to ALPS site for additional information on the Neptune 4, but it is not listed.
I saw the Taurus and the Taurus Outfitter. The Neptune layout looks the same.
Could I get a specs list like you have for the Taurus & Taurus Outfitter?”

And, the response I got was:

“The Neptune that REI sells is the same as the Taurus 4 AL listed on our website with a color change. The specs for this tent on our website would also apply to the Neptune 4.”

Information from ALPS website for the Taurus:

features at a glance
• Free Standing 2 Pole System with Fiberglass Poles
• Easy Assembly with Pole Clips that quickly snap over the tent poles
• 75D 185T Polyester Fly resists UV damage and stays taut
• Factory Sealed Fly & Floor Seams give best weather protection
• 75D 185T Taffeta Floor with 2000mm Coating
• Extra Large #8 Zippers on Doors and Vestibules
• Easy Entry & Great Ventilation with 2 Doors (both with zippered mesh windows)
• 2 Vestibules for gear storage and extra weather protection
• Weatherproof Fly Buckles on for maximum adjustability and protection
• Mesh Roof Vents increase ventilation and improve star gazing

Taurus 4 Materials:
• Fly: 75D, 185T, Poly Taffeta, 1500mm Multi-pass Urethane coating
• Floor: 75D, 185T, Poly Taffeta, 2000mm Multi-pass Urethane coating
• Walls: 75D, 185T, Poly Taffeta
• Mesh: Nylon No See-um Mesh, 40D
• Frame: 11mm Fiberglass

If you’re tired of getting soaked on your camping trips or always find yourself struggling with the zippers on your tent, switch to an ALPS Mountaineering tent that you can rely on. The Taurus is a simple 2-pole freestanding dome tent that is enhanced with 2 doors and 2 vestibules (one over each door) with extra large #8 zippers to make entering and exiting the tent hassle free. The two doors each have a mesh window, which is great for ventilation…and when it’s time to put on the fly, you won’t have to worry about losing your fresh air. The fly has additional vents for continued ventilation. ALPS tents each come with a factory sealed fly and floor seams to give you the best weather protection and keep you dry. If you’re interested in an even heavier oxford floor and larger #10 zippers, you can always check out our Taurus Outfitter Series as another option.

Taurus 4 AL Specs
Base Size: 7'6 x8’6
Center Height: 4'4
Vestibule Depth: 35"
Tent Area: 64 sq. ft.
Vestibule Area: 25 sq. ft.
Tent and Fly Weight: 7 lb. 11 oz.
Total Weight: 8 lb. 11 oz.
Packed Size: 8" x 22"
Pole Diameter: 11 mm
Color: Blue/Coal
Style: Two-pole rectangular dome
Use Rating: 3 Season
Sleeps: Four
Taurus 2 AL $199.99
Taurus 4 AL $269.99

SMSP

[SMSP]

Update on the ALPS Mountaineering Neptune 4. Again, easy set-up, and it had enough room for us. This tent can easily accommodate a Queen size air mattress and it appears it can handle a King as well. With the Queen air bed, I placed it all the way to one side of the tent and there was plenty of room for stuff like each of our own overnight bags. We need the King with the three of us on it. I plan to return the Queen and upgrade to the King. We couldn't have asked for better weather. So I have no updates on the tents weatherproofness regarding rain and/or strong wind. Heck, with the weather we had, a poorly designed tent would have done well. I had some small square scraps of Tyvek to use for sitting when hiking, or to use as a door mat for the tent whether car camping or backpacking. I brought two pieces to use in the vesitbule. This was nice to have for entering/exiting the tent and placing our flip flops on. We did not use the other vestibule even though it was set-up. On the side of the tent we used as the entry/exit, we left half of that vestibule's rain fly unzipped to allow the cool air to enter the tent. The other half of this vestibule was staked out. We also unzipped that door of the tent's covered screen portion to allow additional ventilation as well. As the night got cooler, the door's screen portion was zipped closed. The weather forecast for this trip was no rain, 80-85 in the day and about 63-70 at night. I also had the vents on the rain fly completely open, but I couldn't tell a huge difference with these vents probably because the ventilation through the door was more dominant.

The only notable negative thing I came across on this trip was the way the vesitbule rain fly halves were designed to be tied back and out of the way. There is only one tie back point. When the vestibule half rain fly is tied back, it holds this half well at the bottom area, but not very well at the top portion and allows this top portion to sag down in the way. So, what this does is, when one is entering/exiting the tent, one has to push the sagging portion up and out of the way. It's not a big deal, but a second tie out point would secure the upper portion resulting in a neat and clean tied out vestibule rain fly half. To improvise, I had some extra Gear Wrapz, http://alliance-rubber.com/products/gearwrapzstrapz/camogearwrapz.html.
These are those heavy duty rubber bands and I rigged one up on the upper portion. I don't remember what size I used but it was small. I slipped the band onto one of the tent pole hooks from underneath and then pulled it out and over the vestibule rain fly half and placed the plastic nub in the tent's rain fly guy out. Since the weather forecast was good, I didn't use the additional rain fly tie outs, but it look like the same could be done even when using these guy out points.

It is inevitable to not get grass, a little sand/dirt and other stuff in a tent in my experience. After emptying the tent and before taking it down, I was able to pick-up the entire tent and give it a good shake out. I liked being able to do this as it saves time trying to sweep out the tent and such. Now, there was no significant wind to contend with, so this may or may not been possible otherwise. And of course, one has to be careful not to damage the tent poles.

Will report more when I have more...

SMSP

[SMSP]

Yeah, I finally figured out how to attach pics.

Anyway, these pics illustrate what I was trying to explain.

SMSP

[Franco]

Not sure if this is going to help you, but...
When rolling a tent door it is important that you start at the corner and that you roll it tight.
I did this little clip just to illustrate that
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/7300300/19052904
Franco

[ki0eh]

To add to SMSP's latest report we did have it out at Baxter SP last month for a couple of nights, it did rain once with barely any condensation (my wife insists on zipping everything up) and no rain entry. Our old Coleman tent would be dripping with condensation under similar circumstances (as stated, my wife insists on zipping everything up).

[SMSP]

Not sure if this is going to help you, but...
When rolling a tent door it is important that you start at the corner and that you roll it tight.
I did this little clip just to illustrate that
http://video.yahoo.com/watch/7300300/19052904
Franco

Thanks for the tip, I am always learning something new on this site and youtube. I will try this technique next time I set the tent up. It will be interesting to find if the extra strap will be needed or not with this technique.

SMSP

[SMSP]

To add to SMSP's latest report we did have it out at Baxter SP last month for a couple of nights, it did rain once with barely any condensation (my wife insists on zipping everything up) and no rain entry. Our old Coleman tent would be dripping with condensation under similar circumstances (as stated, my wife insists on zipping everything up).

Yeah, I may have to set the Neptune 4 back up and simulate some rain or something witht he garden house, we have had dry weather all month to the point of a state wide burn ban due to dry and windy conditions.

SMSP