I have not used that specific tent, but I have used lots of tents and also have a lot of experience in seeing what works and what doesn’t work.
First, let me state that cost is not always the issue. I am have seen some high end backpacking tents that by their price, should be the best of the best. When you see them in person you think “What the heck were they thinking with this?” Unforuntately, consumers are driven by specs. In the backpacking world, it is usually weight and number of stakes. Why would I buy a 3 person tent that requires 6 stakes, when this one only requires 5? Why would I buy a 30 oz tent, when this one is 28 oz? You see?
My preferences are different. I look for stability on its own, the means necessary to make it more stable in extreme conditions, how weatherproof it is, and how easy it is to repair.
With that in mind, I have never seen a perfect tent at any cost. All need some sort of work and you need to the weigh all those things against the cost you pay for it. With that in mind, let me point out the bad things I see about that tent, and then the good things.
Bad
• You do realize that 3 person means 2 comfortable plus a little gear inside. Not specific to that tent, that is typical of all makers
• I don’t like where the seams are at in the floor. Seams are your highest probability for leaking and a full floor that wraps up is preferred. When the seams are right on the edges, they give you the best chance for trouble. The good news is that you can treat that. A lot of tents come with seam sealer, or you can buy it separately. Thompsons water seal brushed on the seems left to soak for a minute, and then wiped off actually does an excellent job too. (do a test patch first somewhere).
• With the two hoop designs, you rely on tent tension for stability. Not a big deal, but you have to make sure you are staked well. Rock stakes in the sand in high wind are not going to cut it.
Good
• I didn’t know where the put this (in the good or bad section). But, I am not a huge fan of the “hub” tents that are all the rage right now. The reason is for repair. With a full pole, they usually have a repair sleeve, or if a pole were to break you could splint it, etc. If a hub were to break, repairing in the field would be difficult or at least time consuming. So, It is a bonus that tent has no hubs. But, it does have a metal elbow thing there in front. Easier to repair than a hub, imo.
• It has a bit of a fly. That is about as much as you are going to get from a backpacking tent these days. It is enough to store boots and stuff under, and give you a little protection. Ideally, it would be nice to have one big enough to shed raingear (out of the rain) before climbing into the sleeping area…..but that is just not going to happen in a backpacking tent.
• Price. That is priced nice. Even if only lasts a couple years, or it ends up not being your dream tent, I bet you will get your money’s worth by what you learn from using it.
That is about all I can think of at the moment.
B
