Hiking

We've now come down to the time when I'm going to take Bob for some overnights, and there are some gear selections to make. Rather than make that choice for him, I intend to present him with options. I thought I'd post those options here for your review and comment. All advice appreciated...

Some things that I like, I left out due to price. (Stephenson's, for example.) Others I left out for various other reasons. Keep in mind that Bob is BIG. 6'4" or so, 240 pounds. The tent can't be complicated to set up, take down, pack, unpack, or to vent properly. It must be reasonably priced, and light. (Hell, while I'm asking, can I have a tent that is bullet and bear proof too?) You get the idea... If I have left one out that he should consider, please let me know that too.

(These aren't in any order of preference, there just the options I intend to present to him. I'm rather sure any one of them would be just fine. I'm tempted to recommend #4, simply because it is common and a replacement could be had quickly.)

TENT COST WEIGHT

#1 Microlight Solo                          $119.00                                    4lb 4oz
     Microlight 2                               $149.00                                    4lb 15oz
#2 Coleman Peak 1 Cobra             $100.00                                    4lb
#3 Paratipi                                      $395.00                                   2lb 14oz
#4 Clip Flashlight CD                      $189.00                                   3lb 13oz
#5 Wanderlust Nomad                    $275.00                                   1lb 14oz
#6 Wanderlust 2-4-2                       $325.00                                   1lb 15oz
#7 MSR Zoid 2                               $199.95                                   4lb 4oz

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS FROM THE AT-L

The Kat $285.00 No Weight Given (Thanks Mara)

T-3 $250, 31oz. (Thanks Mara)

The Den $209, 56oz. (Thanks Mara)

SELECTION NOTES & COMMENTS

#1 LL Bean Microlight

Solo: 20 sq. ft. Peak height 2'11". 4 lb. 4 oz. $119.00

Microlight: 32 sq. ft. Peak height 3'7". 4 lb. 15 oz. $149.00

Almost identical to the Clip Flashlight except that it has more mesh (resulting in better summer time ventilation) and is cheaper. (Thanks Cindy!)

#2 Coleman Peak 1 Cobra

I couldn't find a price.

COMMENT #1

The Coleman Peak 1 Cobra is the exact same as the Coleman Inyo 2 (except its not the same because the colors are different).

I paid $89.00 for mine (the inyo, not the cobra) and have loved it ever since. It has a huge amount of mesh when the fly is removed so it give a great view and stays nice and cool AND bug free. It is a 1 pole (stakes required) tent which is very easy to set up, and can even be done with the fly on so the interior of the tent stays dry in a downpour.

I give it my highest praise and a ringing endorsement (unpaid) whenever possible.

With that said, it is probably too short for Bob. I'm 5' 11" and I just fit without pushing out on either the head or foot of the tent. Anyone much taller than me would run into problems due to the severity of the angle from the foot of the tent to the apex. - Rami

COMMENT #2

Shane, I highly recommend a Coleman cobra (AKA peak 1 Inya I believe). I paid $79 at Wal-Mart for mine and I carried it every step of my thru-hike (except up Katahdin) . It only weighs about 4 lbs (rated at 3 lb 14 oz) but I carried a ground cloth. It is also rated as a 2 man tent, but it would have to be 2 intimate men. It was perfect for me by myself. later, Eddie

#3 Paratipi

This looks like a great idea, but I've never actually seen one.

COMMENT #1

If Bob is really willing to look at the Paratipi option then that opens up some more avenues for you, since it's more of a tarp/rainfly than a tent. When I did the Allegheny Trail I was hard up for a tent, my one-man tent was in no condition for another long hike, and I wasn't willing to pack my TNF Tadpole/Lunar Light. My solution was to take the poles and the rain fly which (fuzzy memory) came in at about 2.5 lbs, with tons of room underneath and very secure from the weather (protected me from the remains of a hurricane). Some manufacturers now advertise this set-up as their "fast-pack" weight. I also bought a Integral Designs Silshelter, which is lighter than the fly and uses one of my ski poles for set up. I've only had the opportunity to use it once, since the first time I used it I got grand confirmation that I live in tick central... but that's another light-weight option to look at (14 oz) - skeeter

#4 Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight

Seems to be a popular choice. Bob likes it too.

COMMENT #1

I LOVE the Clip Flashlight. I've had two of them and can't say enough good about them. (The first didn't fall apart, it just got stinky and mildewy... I did not take good care of it :( ) I set one up in my backyard during hurricane Irene, and it stayed intact as well as nice and dry inside. However, I am a wee lass, and your friend is BIG! I'd suggest him getting inside this one before making a purchase. - Kelly

Shane, I'd say most definitely go for the SD Clip Flashlight. I like to spread out and I'm also somewhat claustrophobic, so I wasn't sure about the size for someone larger. Also, it's easy as 1-2-3 to set up. - Kelly (After Bryan's comment below.)

COMMENT #2

I have the Clip Flashlight and love it. The name is a bit of a misnomer. It has clips and you can set it up in a flash but it aint light. It is tough. I set it up a couple of years ago in my yard. It was new and I couldn't wait. It rained something like 11 inches in 3 hours. Water was so deep in my yard that water rain in the door. A strong wind (Tornado?) picked it up and deposited it in the neighbors yard. The were filming the storm and have movies of it flying as high as my garage. It went to Cumberland Island with me. We were hit by a tropical storm and evacuated off the island by the NPS and coast guard. 14 inches of rain and 70 mile per hour winds. It held up fine. I am 6' 2" and weigh 235, and I have plenty of room. I use a full length Thermarest and have room for my pack used as a pillow. My boots, cell phone and umbrella and gun have plenty of room in the vestibule. If I could just fit my windmill I would highly recommend it. As it is, if you need a windmill you may want to get a different tent. - Clyde

COMMENT #3

My Clip Flashlight CD is 4 lb 8 ounces, the Kelty Aero is 12 ounces lighter and that's supposed to be "ultra light" according to REI. It seems fairly light compared to the seven and eight pounders I see advertised. I guess the Nomad is lighter but I haven't had all this condensation problems I hear people talking about with the Nomads. You could just use the fly and footprint and get it down below 3 pounds.

I've just had the Flashlight for a month or so and have done a couple short trips with it, I'm happy so far and we are using it for two people. Using it for one would allow you to get your pack inside and would give lots of room as you suggest. I'm 6"2" and it has plenty of room for me. - Bryan

#5 WL Nomad

#6 WL 2-4-2

COMMENT #1

Shane, the wanderlust tents are a bit roomier than the Flashlight is. They are much longer, and it is easier to sit up in them comfortably. We used the early version of the 2 for 2 on the PCT. The new version is a bit different, but it is nice because there is lots of room for gear inside. We used the Flashlight before we got the Nomad. The Nomad is a bit hard to set up at first, but it really isn't bad. I like tents because I hate dealing with mosquitoes. - Ginny

COMMENT #2

This is a message re the Nomad 2for2 that we used on the PCT. I'll add that we've used it on the East Coast for the last year and a half. Not as much as we'd have liked to, but definitely in the rain. It works for us. - Jim

COMMENT #3

I've been in the 2-4-2. It is huge and appears to be an honest to God 2 person tent. For one person, it is a castle. It looks like it has a larger wind shadow, and may not be a durable in wind as the original Nomad and similar tents you have reviewed. I have not read reviews or trip reports on it in weather, yet, but I would believe anything Kurt would say about his products. He is quite exacting and responsive to his customers, even if that results in some delay in getting the tent initially.

The very light weight and roominess of the 2-4-2 allows an additional day supply of food, and luxurious place to enjoy it. The cost is significant but there is good value. I'd encourage him to go to Trail Days or similar gatherings and see/try this and other tents in the real world. - OrangeBug

COMMENT #4

During March I used my 2-4-2 during a 2" snow & ice storm with 20mph
gusting winds. It held up quite well.

#7 MSR Zoid 2

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS FROM THE AT-L

The Kat $285.00 No Weight Given (Thanks Mara)

T-3 $250, 31oz. (Thanks Mara)

The Den $209, 56oz. (Thanks Mara)

***

I'm enamored with my TNF Slickrock - about which I almost never see anything from anybody... ($239.00. 4lb 1oz minimum weight. 4lb 9oz pack weight.

It is free standing, 3 season, single wall, 2 large doorway w/modest vestibules. It has a bathtub floor which I particularly like. It is light, about 3.5 lb including the pegs and the whatchamacallit that will cover about 2/3s of the tent, thus converting most of it into a double wall during cold/heavy weather. (Sorry - just came back from the dentist, can't think of the word I need but I can assure you, it is dancing around on the periphery of my memory.

Best of all is it is roomy w/large net covered windows. I am 6', 180# and I sleep comfortably w/all my equip inside. At 6'4" he might have to sleep diagonally but, so what?

It takes me about 3.5 minutes to erect in the dark but only 3.5 minutes in daylight unless I'm using the pegs in which case it takes three or four minutes longer. I can slap it together in only 3.5 minutes in the rain. :>]

Finally, it's color is the same as the Green Bay Packers yellow - making it easy for search parties to find.

Al (Draggin' Anchor)

***

This is almost a copy of the peak1 cobra/inyo. has a ventilation hood in the front fly.

http://www.alpsmountaineering.com/Mystique.htm

http://www.alpsmountaineering.com/Lightweight%20Tents.htm

I have never used it, but I own a cobra

You don't know how handy those two vestibules are for covered storage, ventilation, privacy. - Mike

***

ADDITIONAL SUGGESTIONS FROM THE AT-L

Personally, I would cross all brightly colored tents off my list of potential purchases. In part because I don't want to impact on others' sense of wildness by presenting myself as a beacon across a pond we might be sharing, but more because I can be a bit paranoid from time time, and often prefer that others can't find me. Even if it is just the AMC. (Don't read too much into that ;-) )

I understand that many hikers don't give a second thought to tent color, nor care. I'm not saying its a sin. There is a case to be made that a bright yellow tent is more cheery if you are stuck in it on a rainy day, I suppose. I prefer to blend in and become one with the forest. Yea, that's it, one with the forest. - Rick

***

I noticed that your table of tent weights lists the minimum trail weight for the Sierra Designs tent, and the trail weight for the LL Bean Microlight tents. You probably want to present the same weight statistic to Bob, which makes it easier to understand the difference.

Here's the stats I have (from the manufactures' web pages) :

Tent Minimum Weight Trail Weight

Clipflashlight                           3 lb 13 oz                   4 lb 8 oz
Microlight Solo                       3 lb 8 oz                     4 lb 4 oz
Microlight 2                            4 lb 5 oz                     4 lb 15 oz

Manufactures seem to define Minimum Weight as the tent body, fly and poles only. Trail Weight is everything they ship you - adding stakes and tent stuff sack. I think Trail Weight is usually the most useful number.

***

Thanks!

Shane

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