+1...go thier web site and watch thier set up videos. I have the Double Rainbow and the Notch and am a satisfied customer with both.Originally Posted by leaftye
Too bad I learned that the hard way. I was wayyyy miserable that night. Totally worth it though!
keep an eye on geartrade and ebay, you can get a Flu creek Ul2 for <$250
I've been down that route recently... I don't think there is a $40 tent out there that is dry enough for an AT thru
I'm just about ready to pull the trigger on the Big Agnes Lynx Pass 2.
The bottom line is comming down to size. I need a tent that is at least 52" wide, with 54" or more being preferable (the Lynx Pass 2 is 58").
Basically I'm finding that just about all lighter 2-person tents are only 50" wide. When I tried to fit a NeoAir Large and Prolite Regular inside such a tent, the pads either overlapped or were right up against two sides of the tent.
At the moment, about the only other tent currently still in contention is the Kelty Salida because it's 54" wide and weights a pound less than the Big Agnes. But I'm not leaning that way too much... If I got the Salida, I would still need to carry an extra tarp to cook under on rainy days. With the Gig Agnes, I'm thinking I could leave that extra tarp at home and cook in the tent's vestibule (because of the way it's designed to create a "front porch"). So when you add the weight of a cooking tarp, the two tents are about a wash.
Did you look at the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL3. I saw several couples carrying this tent.
The door just slammed shut on the Kelty Salida. I KNEW there was something wrong with this tent. It was just too good to be true (Kelty durability, 88"x55", and only a 3lbs 12oz base weight). Well the tent isn't really that big. I found out from the pictures on CampMor.com that the 55" dimension is only the size on one end... the other end is only 45".
As for the Fly Creek UL3, it's too expensive or too small. IMHO, the tent is too expensive to risk using with kids. I'd rather something a little less expensive.
Now I MIGHT could justify the Fly Creek if it could fit me and both of my sons. After all, the one Fly Creek cost about as much as two Lynx Pass (and if I get the Lynx Pass 2, I'm going to eventually have to buy another tent of some sort when all three of us start hiking). But with my NeoAir large, I need about a 70" wide 3P tent for all of us to fit. The Fly Creek is only 66".
I'm still looking though, trying to consider this from multiple angles and will likely pull the trigger on Sunday.
I appreciate all the input, and welcome more.
Why not a 2-person tent, and then add a single person tent when the time comes? There's more flexibility there, and I'd bet that at some point the kids would be taking turns sleeping alone.
I really like the Mountainsmith Morrison 2 person. The price is good too.
Now this is interesting... I have never used a groundcloth and I've never thought the bottom of my tent was muddy. Wet, yes.... muddy? no.
Do you pitch your tent in the dirt?
To me it's just something else you have to carry and keep up with and anything that falls into that category stays home.
Funny - I always carry a groundsheet - mine is tyvek and cut to fit my tent floor perfectly - - helps keep the tent floor bone dry on wet ground, clean, and protects from abrasion - - it weighs only a few ounces and is worth it's weight to me for sure.
Morrison is a great tent for the money with 35 sq. feet of interior space. Not the lightest, but well-built and keeps you dry. 4lb. 11oz. weight not too bad if two hikers share the carry.
Well then... you're just doing it ALL wrong.
Dangit.
p.s. Didn't you say you carry 2 headlamps too... Just in case one dies on you... Now that sir, is hard core.
Love Big Agnes Copper Spur 3. Its a 3 person tent, but only weighs 3 lbs. 14 ozs. I use it for girlfriend and me. Plenty of room for two people and gear. Door on each side.
Have you looked at the Lightheart Duo? This tent costs a little more than your $250 limit, but meets all the other requirements. 55" wide. And it's only two pounds. http://www.lightheartgear.com/index....products_id=12
Some people take the straight and narrow. Others the road less traveled. I just cut through the woods.
Interesting tent... and thanks for the suggestion. Unfortunately, as you say, they are pretty expensive... and absolutely bear bones (seam-sealing is extra, no tent pegs, etc). Just to make it worst, I'd have to spring the additional tent poles. I don't use "trekking poles", I find them too short. I use a custom-built bamboo pole that is over 6' long.
Can't find much information about this tent. The sites I checked that carry it have no reviews. But simply looking at it, I would seem to be on par with the Kelty Gunnisson (my primary basis of comparison because the Gunnisson was Kelty's replacement to the Vortex I currently have and have loved).
Thanks everyone for your input. I just finished placing my orders.
The first was for REI where I used the 20% discount to get a new water filter.
The second was for CampMor where for $190 I got the Lynx Pass 2 & Ground Cloth.
In the end, I decided on the Lynx for several reasons:
1. Additional offline discussions with friends convenced me that I wanted a free-standing tent.
2. The weight is NOT bad for this class of tent. For example, the Moutain Hardware Drifter 2 is only 4oz lighter.
3. Tents that were significantly lighter were much more expensive. For example, the one tent I considered was squeezing into the REI 1/4 Dome 2. It is a full pound lighter, but cost $100 more.
4. The design of the fly should allow me to leave my cooking tarp at home.
About the only thing I feel like I might be missing out on is having the doors on both sides of the tent. That's what I'm used to with my Kelty Vortex, and would likely demand the same thing if I were using this tent camping with "buddies". But for the next 10 years, I expect to only be using it with family (and the boys would likely be too scared to get out of the tent on their own in the middle of the night).
As someone suggested, I did decide to go with the 2 man version. I expect that at some time in the future, I'll buy myself a much lighter weight tent and let the boys share this one while I use the light weight tent, or only carry this one if both boys are not joining me.
Thanks again for everyone's input.
I got my tent and ground cloth today. After swapping out the tent pegs with ones I already owned, the final weight was under 6lbs (that's for a 90"x58" tent with ground cloth @ <$200).
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