Tystevens
Member
- Joined
- Jul 18, 2016
- Messages
- 47
Background -- my Go Lite 3-person tent (approx. 5.5.bs) works fine for me and my two oldest (11 and 9), for now, at least. But my 5 yr old has expressed some interest in coming along with us. After looking at 4-person behemoths, I am realizing that I can buy a pretty nice 2-man shelter for the same or less than I would spend on a 4-person -- me and the 5 yr old would fit fine in a 'regular' 2-man, and it would make a great shelter for solo trips. My solo trips range anywhere from the Uintas to So. Utah, with some No. California and Oregon likely mixed in. So the tent would need to work in wind, rain, sand, and rocky ground. I have some aspirations of longer thru-hikes in the future, 7-30 days maybe, if they can be worked in with family and career. No intention of becoming an UL enthusiast, and looking for a reasonable mix of light and durable. $400 about as much as I want to spend.
Leaders in the clubhouse are the usuals: BA Copper Spur (~3lb), REI Quarterdome (~3.5 lb), or maybe the BA Fly Creek (~2 lbs). There is an MSR Nook on clearance on a bunch of sites for $230 that is intriguing (2.75 lbs). Also interested in some of the single wall tents, mainly the Six Moons Lunar Duo (2.5 lbs, big) or Tarptent Double Rainbow (2.5 lb, no trekking poles, but can be set up freestanding w/ poles).
On one hand, I'm inclined to stay with the freestanding tents that I already know. I'm really interested in the tarptents. But I am a little worried about setting them up in sandy washes in So. Utah or the rocky Uintas. I know, flys have to be staked out to work on the freestanding tents, but a loose fly is different than the whole tent coming down because a stake pulls up. I guess the Double Rainbow is intriguing because it can be set up w/o staking, is lighter and cheaper than the Copper Spur. The Lunar Duo looks great, but can't be set up w/o staking. What do you all think?
Leaders in the clubhouse are the usuals: BA Copper Spur (~3lb), REI Quarterdome (~3.5 lb), or maybe the BA Fly Creek (~2 lbs). There is an MSR Nook on clearance on a bunch of sites for $230 that is intriguing (2.75 lbs). Also interested in some of the single wall tents, mainly the Six Moons Lunar Duo (2.5 lbs, big) or Tarptent Double Rainbow (2.5 lb, no trekking poles, but can be set up freestanding w/ poles).
On one hand, I'm inclined to stay with the freestanding tents that I already know. I'm really interested in the tarptents. But I am a little worried about setting them up in sandy washes in So. Utah or the rocky Uintas. I know, flys have to be staked out to work on the freestanding tents, but a loose fly is different than the whole tent coming down because a stake pulls up. I guess the Double Rainbow is intriguing because it can be set up w/o staking, is lighter and cheaper than the Copper Spur. The Lunar Duo looks great, but can't be set up w/o staking. What do you all think?