Searching for a new light weight tent

[zack0109]

I currently have a quictent 2-3 man camping tent...Now looking for a light weight 2 person tent. My choices so far are the Mountain Hardwear lightwedge 2 and the NEMO Espri 2. I know that to make tents lighter in weight they remove the solid panels and only use the mesh screens. How waterproof and weatherproof are the newer light weight tents?

[matee5]

Re: Searching for a new light weight tent

Hey Zack, check out "Tarptent" online. They are super lightweight silnylon tents. I use one of their two mans as a single. Yes you could fit two in but it would be tight and they are so light I am happy with the micro amount of extra weight to give myself the room. They have larger two's and three mans that would do the trick for you. Basically they are a single skin that has a mesh strip between the roof and floor. Sounds funky but they work great and I have had mine in high wind and rain and got nothing but a perfect nights sleep. Check their website.

[busere]

Re: Searching for a new light weight tent

Yeah...after looking into the Tarptent's...I like what I see. The ability to have a full tent (with bugscreen and floor) using your trekking poles as the "tent poles" And their prices are livable. Nice...and their 2 man tents seem to be TRUE 2 man tents. I'm hooked on the Stratospire 2...two doors, two vestubles and only 2.5 lbs. I like it. Now...how do I convence my wife that we need one, after we just bought a MSR Hubba Hubba a month ago???

[matee5]

Re: Searching for a new light weight tent

Sorry!!!! Just wait till your wife deploys and then grab it while she is gone (that is how I did it)++++++....oh crap did I just write that in a public space.....shhhh nobody tell her please, she will never know!!!!

They work great as well. If it gets a little cold you can just drop the sides all the way down to the ground and it is like a little cocoon. When I bought mine I had used a lightweight tarp and bivvy bag in the military and loved it so I was looking for a similar set-up but all the bivvy's were proper bivvy's for use without the additional protection of a tarp so they were heavy. I nearly bought the "Bug Bivy" but found the Tarptents and they are the perfect balance. Protection from rain, bugs and the ground but still allow you to connect really well. I can lie in mine and see what is going on outside. Love it.

[busere]

Re: Searching for a new light weight tent

Well, my wife doesn't deploy...so, that's out. Plus, I've pushed the "Asking forginess later is better than asking permission now" button way to many times. But they look like awesome backpacking tents! Now, how can we get a stove jack in one????

[Internetpilot]

Re: Searching for a new light weight tent

Wow...those are pretty ingenious. And you all should know by now that I'm a car camping type of guy, so I don't care if my tent is 2lbs or 40lbs. I like the Hogback 4-person model at around 4lbs. You're right, busere -- finally a tent company that properly rates the capacity of the tents! At $400 I'm not in full-blown sticker shock either. Thanks, matee5 -- I'm going to have to remember the Tarptent name for POSSIBLE future reference. Maybe when my two boys get older.

[matee5]

Re: Searching for a new light weight tent

IP, just be careful with the kids. This was my first tent (anything) made from silnylon and it is a great product but it feels weird because it is so lightweight. I am pretty careful with my gear when I walk so it doesnt bother me but I am not sure about kids and the stresses they put on everything. I have just purchased my Kodiak Canvas Cabin tent because the kids destroyed the storm flaps on the zips of a regular nylon tent. I repaired it a couple of times but we are now working on a lot more camping (my wife is back from Afghan) so we bit the bullet.

As I said, the Silnylon is great and does its job but I would be hesitant taking my kids out in it.

If you get the chance read his history. It is some guy who just started out making a super lightweight tent for himself and it has grown into a full blown business with a great product. These types are normally the best.

[Internetpilot]

Re: Searching for a new light weight tent

Well, my two youngest boys are 9.5 & 11 years old now, and they're currently pretty much pure car campers. I was thinking more about when they're teenagers and I wanted to really annoy them with the challenge of more remote-ish style camping, make them carry their own gear, in the snow, up a hill -- like I had to to school and work every day from the age of 4 (or so I remember -- haha).

That's one of the things I like about my two Coleman tents -- they both have a hard-framed D-shaped door with a hinge. Spaced out patches of velcro hold the door closed fairly well, so they don't have to zip/unzip/zip/unzip/zip/unzip/repeat all the time (and it is ALL THE TIME). It would be very hard for me to go to another family tent that didn't have this type of door. I even like it as a grown-up.

Back on the subject, I'm just surprised they're so relatively inexpensive. I'm used to severe sticker shock when looking at anything that could remotely be considered a backpacking tent.

[matee5]

Re: Searching for a new light weight tent

9.5 and 11 should be fine.....LOL. Yeh mine are 7,5,3. Not pretty when it comes to doing things with control and ease.

[zack0109]

Re: Searching for a new light weight tent

Hey Zack, check out "Tarptent" online. They are super lightweight silnylon tents. I use one of their two mans as a single. Yes you could fit two in but it would be tight and they are so light I am happy with the micro amount of extra weight to give myself the room. They have larger two's and three mans that would do the trick for you. Basically they are a single skin that has a mesh strip between the roof and floor. Sounds funky but they work great and I have had mine in high wind and rain and got nothing but a perfect nights sleep. Check their website.

Yeah...after looking into the Tarptent's...I like what I see. The ability to have a full tent (with bugscreen and floor) using your trekking poles as the "tent poles" And their prices are livable. Nice...and their 2 man tents seem to be TRUE 2 man tents. I'm hooked on the Stratospire 2...two doors, two vestubles and only 2.5 lbs. I like it. Now...how do I convence my wife that we need one, after we just bought a MSR Hubba Hubba a month ago???

thanks for your advices,matee5,busere and Internetpilot. I searched for some more info. about Tarptent. Just seems great and professional. And the customers forvalued the brand highly. I like the one you recommend. Thanks and enjoy the spring.