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retro
Apr 20, 2008, 11:27 PM
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Possibly headed out to the Winds this July and have never been. Just wondering what the consensus was on what the best tent for that type of climate would be? Needs to sleep two! Thanks! 
Best Regards!
Chris
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petsfed
Apr 20, 2008, 11:39 PM
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A good 3-season, free standing tent will do you well, I expect.
I actually wasn't aware that the Winds had any special tent requirements.
But what do I know?
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veilneb
Apr 21, 2008, 12:33 AM
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I don't think the Wind Rivers have a special tent requirements.
My wife and I did the Highline Trail (about 95 miles) in early August a few years back and we used the North Face Roadrunner 2. It worked perfectly. We weathered a few thunderstorms and it held up well.
Veilneb
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irregularpanda
Apr 21, 2008, 1:02 AM
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retro wrote: Possibly headed out to the Winds this July and have never been. Just wondering what the consensus was on what the best tent for that type of climate would be? Needs to sleep two! Thanks! Best Regards! Chris
Don't know about the winds, but the two best tent companies ever are (in this order)
Hilleberg.
Bibler.
I have decided to not buy a tent until I can afford one of these.
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retro
Apr 21, 2008, 1:26 AM
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I probably should have been more specific and asked if a three season tent would be adequate? Sounds like a good lightweight three season would do just fine then...?
Living in the White Mountains, I have a couple of four season tents that probably would be overkill, and with the long approach, it would definitely rule out one of my tents.
thanks for the info!
Chris
(This post was edited by retro on Apr 21, 2008, 1:26 AM)
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petsfed
Apr 21, 2008, 1:49 AM
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irregularpanda wrote: retro wrote: Possibly headed out to the Winds this July and have never been. Just wondering what the consensus was on what the best tent for that type of climate would be? Needs to sleep two! Thanks! Best Regards! Chris Don't know about the winds, but the two best tent companies ever are (in this order) Hilleberg. Bibler. I have decided to not buy a tent until I can afford one of these.
For quite a while, Bibler made spectacular expedition and winter tents, but 3-season backpacking, their tents were terrible. Weighed as much as equivalent double-walled designs, and didn't breathe as well. Now that BD has released their light-weight tents based on bibler designs, you're a little better off, but still, there are better tents for three season usage than what Bibler/BD offers. The completely independent BD designs are pretty cool, but the ones based on Bibler designs are a little lacking.
Hillberg suffers from the same problem, a simple lack of tents that excel in warm weather.
What you need in a three-season tent is a ton of mesh on the ceiling so you get good air flow, then a rain fly suspended above that. What you need in winter/expedition tent is one that doesn't let heat from inside escape. You can have really good breathability or really good insulation, but typically not both in a tent.
Mountain Hardware's 3-season tents are really good, same with REI (odd, I know, but its one of the few things they do really well) and Sierra Designs. Sierra Designs remains the go-to brand for 3-season tents.
If you expect to stay in one place for a longish time, a 3-person tent is a really nice luxury, worth the extra weight.
I really like the already mentioned North Face Roadrunner, although it can get a bit cozy if you drag a lot of crap inside.
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retro
Apr 21, 2008, 2:42 AM
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petsfed wrote: Mountain Hardware's 3-season tents are really good, same with REI (odd, I know, but its one of the few things they do really well) and Sierra Designs. Sierra Designs remains the go-to brand for 3-season tents. I really like the already mentioned North Face Roadrunner, although it can get a bit cozy if you drag a lot of crap inside.
I will check these out! I currently have a mountain hardwear Trango II and an older Walrus Rapeede XV. The Trango is about 11 pounds, the rapeede is about 7. Much more room in the Trango, but the weight would be an issue. Breathability in the Rapeede would be the big drawback with that one...far less mesh than the tents you described!
I will check REI out as well as Sierra and some of the three season tents from Hardwear!
Thanks for the tips!
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deschamps1000
Apr 21, 2008, 3:16 AM
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Chris,
I spent a week in the Cirque of the Towers 2 summers ago. You will definitely be fine with a 3 season tent. In the winds you'll be camping in well sheltered valleys. Make sure your tent has mosquito netting. Bring a head net. Seriously.
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irregularpanda
Apr 21, 2008, 3:18 AM
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petsfed wrote: Hillberg suffers from the same problem, a simple lack of tents that excel in warm weather.
Check out the Allak (spelling?)
I think hilleberg is coming out with certain designs that are still 4 season, but more versatile.....
Either way I'm not getting a tent until I can afford the uber tent. I'll call it the hilton.
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carabiner96
Apr 21, 2008, 3:23 AM
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Check out Nemo (the losi) and Big Agnes as well.
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irregularpanda
Apr 21, 2008, 3:24 AM
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carabiner96 wrote: Check out Nemo (the losi) and Big Agnes as well.
If I buy it from you do I get a cookie?
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reno
Apr 21, 2008, 6:54 AM
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Weight being an issue depends greatly upon your point of view and length of stay.
If, say, you're going to be in one spot (Cirque of the Towers) for more than a couple days -- and why, exactly, one would make that approach for less than 4 days, I've no idea -- then MY personal view is "Rather be miserable for one day and comfortable for 9, than miserable for 9 days and comfortable for one."
That is, I will (and HAVE) carried a heavier pack into and out of the Cirque, knowing that the extra weight would result in greater comfort for the duration of my stay.
I took a Sierra Designs Light Year one-person tent to the Cirque, with a full-on-thickness Therma-a-Rest and warm sleeping bag and so forth. Heavy pack? Yeah, kinda. But I was comfy that whole week (well, except for the part when we rapped through a water runoff gully on Pingora during a hail storm. But that's another story.)
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scuclimber
Apr 21, 2008, 7:56 AM
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BD Lighthouse?
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retro
Apr 21, 2008, 12:50 PM
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deschamps1000 wrote: Chris, I spent a week in the Cirque of the Towers 2 summers ago. You will definitely be fine with a 3 season tent. In the winds you'll be camping in well sheltered valleys. Make sure your tent has mosquito netting. Bring a head net. Seriously.
Thanks man! I have heard that the mosquitos are UNREAL!!! I will definitely pick up the head net!
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ClimbinBob
Apr 21, 2008, 2:28 PM
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 I've got a Kelty Quartz 2-man. It's rated for 4 seasons, although I wouldn't take it on a mountaineering trip. However, it performs great in the rain, has lots of mesh for breathing, 2 doors and 2 vestibules. It is lacking on headroom, but I only use mine for sleeping in, anyway. If the weather is going to be hot and dry, you can leave the rain fly off, and have minimalist shelter with just a footprint and the tent. I searched the net, and got mine for about $150.00. Oh, and it's lightweight, but just maybe a little bulky for putting on a backpack. Overall, I'm very pleased with Kelty products. Almost all tents are made in China, nowadays, so it depends on your specific priorities. For me, I want to stay dry in a driving rain, and cool when the east coast summers get really humid and muggy. Hope this helps.
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carabiner96
Apr 21, 2008, 3:28 PM
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retro wrote: carabiner96 wrote: Check out Nemo (the losi) and Big Agnes as well. Love these tents!! Checked them out a year or two ago...but I would have to sell the house and the truck to afford them!!!  Just don't have the financial luxury of dropping 600+ bills on a shelter right now, but these are both great suggestions!
Don't know what they were when you looked at them, but the losi is $325...cheaper than many of the other tents recommended here and on par with the hubba and such. Ditto with BA.
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petsfed
Apr 21, 2008, 3:41 PM
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Can't speak for Big Agnes myself. I'm way too skinny to make use of their sleeping bags, so their big innovation is more of a gimmick for me.
The hubba has gotten good reviews though, so it might be worth checking out.
And the only tent I've ever broken while setting it up was a Kelty I had years ago. And another one I was fiddling with at REI one evening. And another one while camping with the Boy Scouts. I could just have bad luck with them, but my experience leads me to believe that Kelty tents suck.
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climbingaggie03
Apr 21, 2008, 4:06 PM
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You might look into the REI Quarter Dome T3 http://www.rei.com/product/761895, it weighs about 5lbs and will sleep 2 very comfortably. Also since it's a mesh body, it will ventilate well, while keeping out the bugs.
Also, I've used an MSR hubba before and it was great, I'm pretty sure the hubba hubba would be the same.
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edm
Apr 21, 2008, 4:37 PM
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I've used my MSR Hubba Hubba in the Wind Rivers. It rocks. I love that tent.
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retro
Apr 21, 2008, 7:23 PM
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edm wrote: I've used my MSR Hubba Hubba in the Wind Rivers. It rocks. I love that tent.
I will check them out. I have seen them, but didn't pay much attention. Thanks !
Chris
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retro
Apr 21, 2008, 9:13 PM
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carabiner96 wrote: Don't know what they were when you looked at them, but the losi is $325...cheaper than many of the other tents recommended here and on par with the hubba and such. Ditto with BA.
You are absolutely right! I was looking onto the Tenshi! $645 or there about? What a sweet tent that thing is!!! I was also considering the Rab Expedition tent, but I have heard that it is very narrow and short...just not enough space to move around in...and for the price that theyt are asking, I ruled that one out pretty quickly...despite its 3 pound weight!!
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brutusofwyde
Apr 26, 2008, 8:23 PM
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Check out the Eureka Zeus Exo. Under 4 pounds, attached vestibule, and about $140
That's what we got for the Winds, and is is our main 3-season tent these days, except where we go way light and leave the bug protection to chemicals.
Brutus
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retro
Apr 26, 2008, 9:38 PM
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Thanks Brutus! Will do...
Right now I am seriously considering the REI Half Dome. though not th lightest of the bunch, it seems to provide the best bang for the buck. good space for two, two doors, separate vestibules for gear stowage, roughly 5 lbs and takes about 2 minutes to set up!
I will check out the Eureka though!
Chris
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