CF
I also have a Clip Flashlight and it’s got decent “peak height” except realistically it has very little height, the “peak” comes to a point pretty much and isn’t useful and it’s pretty low after the first 2.5 feet. Never thought of it as an issue for sleeping but pretty awkward for any “activities” inside if both people aren’t short.
The Eureka Spitfire Duo is very similar but much roomier tent, i think a bit heavier in real life than the CF and isn’t rated as waterproof( i think 1200 or 1000 mm vs 1500/1800 for sierra designs). it has side entrances but no vestibules to speak of. I think you can’t go wrong with a MEC Tarn 2,reasonably light/compact,freestanding,well priced and very waterproof.
go-Lite Den 2
my personal favorite (after the Hennessy hammock)
Paul
Discussions – leaning to Hammerhead 2
Thanks for the discussioin pointer. I really did do a search before posting, and musta missed that one – honest!
I’m leaning toward the Mountain Hardwear Hammerhead 2 at the moment. Yes, heavy (7 lbs) but not that big a deal for kayaking, and also still as compact as anything in this category. Yes, pricey, but I must be inured to that after spending u-know-how-much already for this $#!@*$#@ gear-heavy sport ;-))) But it’s roomy, has a good tall peak, 2 doors/vestibules, and the rainfly and footprint can be pitched without the walls.
I was thinking of the REI Half Dome HC 2, with specs almost that good, for a lot less money and a bit less weight. But I saw some reviews that said it did not hold up well to heavy rain.
Any thoughts?
–David.
Didn’t leak
during the time I lived in Alaska. Rained hard on my last paddling trip up there. Matter of fact, it didn’t stop raining the whole 3 days. My tent was the only dry place. Amazing what a dry tent, a warm sleeping bag and a bag of Austrailian wine will do. 
Maybe my tent’s just a fluke though, I haven’t read the reviews lately.
Here’s the Half Dome review, but…
Here’s the review with the leaky Half Dome 2 HC
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/rei/half-dome-2-hc/
Judging by your experience, I’d guess the reviewer did not do a very good job of sealing the seams. It’s hard to believe a best-selling tent from REI for many years would have such a fundamental flaw as a leaky fly.
Still, the specs on the the Hammerhead 2 are a tad better. I have a Hammeread on hold at EMS, and REI has plenty of Half Domes – tough decision.
big and waterproof
http://www.mec.ca/Products/product_detail.jsp?PRODUCT%3C%3Eprd_id=845524442537451&FOLDER%3C%3Efolder_id=2534374302702837&bmUID=1158434870904 the Tarn 3. on the heavy side but if you want waterproof and roomy,its a good one.
Marmot Swallow
Of the 2 person tents I’ve seen (been spending nights in these things for 20 years), I believe this is one of the most versatile 2 person tents out there.
It has a bit of an unorthodox look to it initially, but that wears off very fast as you use it. The main door is huge and makes entry and exit easier than any other 2 person tent I’ve been in. 2 doors, 2 vestibules. BTW, fly is factory seam taped… Virtually the entire tent body is one big screen, but each part of that screen can be zipped up for nasty conditions, something many tents on the market don’t do. 3 equal lenth DAC aluminum poles for best strength and lowest weight. Equal length poles means faster pitch as there’s less fumbling for the right pole. Mesh poles sleeves give the best of both worlds with sleeves for best pitch and strength and netting for ventilation under fly.
http://tinyurl.com/p83v4
Give it a good look before moving on.
Reviews
As far as the half dome, I read that review before buying the tent. It didn’t ring true to me, and every other one was glowing.
There are so many great tents out there and like kayaks most people love theirs…it’s the comfort zone. Go with a company with great customer service so you can return it if whichever one you decide on is not the tent for you.
Lyn
Consider $$
For $320, it got to be good. REI Half Dome $169 (or less at discount). Which is a better deal?
funny
your looking at the hammerhead 2. That’s what I’ve been using. I love the footprint, the vestibule room is very roomy and the inside height at your head is very nice.
I also bought a Hubba Hubba
It was a birthday present for a friend. But when he got it home, it was only a Hubba! He had it together in his living room the first night and couldn’t wait to take it out for an overnighter.
Unless
Unless you dont want to spend 650 dollars.
I’m Absolutely sure bibler tents are outstanding.
But for 650 dollars it better come with a hooker and wifely approval for her.
For 116 bucks shipped I can get a Eureka pinnacle pass 2xta.
Would the bibler be a better tent? sure, is it $534 or 5.6 times better?
Not to me
USMC Combat tent
http://froogle.google.com/froogle?q=USMC+combat+tent&num=100&hl=en&lr=&safe=off&sa=X&oi=froogle&ct=title
DJL, Reviews
by fellow paddlers are somewhat sketchy to me. We can be thrifty, paddle barges, not do a lot of camping, not mind their boat handle like a slug from excess kit, need extended water supplies, or want gourmet food.
I like Backpacker magazine for reviews, as I have found them unafraid to criticize and the subject of me, my boat and where I paddle is not a part of their review. Another paddler saying their tent is bombproof and the best choice you could make, all validated by their paddler status is not indicative of what I’ll do.
Backpacker weighs and measures, then publishes their differences with the Mfr’s. YMMV? Then the bit about flapping noise, handling winds, how crummy the poles were, condensation, two 6 footers trying to share a 28 square foot space, vestibule space and utility, leakage and venting. Will your footwell of the sleeping bag drag up against wet walls?
What happens if you want to take that 10 pound tent backpacking? You won’t have that 18 foot Ro Ro containership to haul it up the Continental Divide. Water weighs 8 pounds per gallon, not to mention the container, so is that 10 pound tent a good choice for waterless areas? Do you paddle an
Anas Acuta or Chilko? Do you weigh 120 or 220? It matters depending on your boat and where you paddle.
Since I am in the same boat, looking for a decent 2 person tent for paddling and backpacking, I watch threads like these.
My criteria:
floor space around 35 square feet or more, higher walls, large vestibule, decent peak, unflappable, 3 season plus, good ventilation, quality poles, easy setup, no dripping when the door is open, the ability to get out without crushing your tent mates wrist in the middle of the night, wind shedding, handle a moderate load of snow, light as possible, excellent construction and design. Oh, I’m a blend in kind of guy, not a find me in a whiteout kind of guy, so color matters to me. Day glo beach balls are a hard sell to me but not a deal breaker. I have a single wall and it is a drag mopping it out after I had to stuff it away wet, keep that in mind. Look at the Exped line, as well as the others mentioned. Marmot’s Aelos is getting there despite the color and price. None of my criteria may matter a hill of beans to you, so be advised of my paddler status reviewing tents for you. Oh ya, haven’t found a non free standing tent I couldn’t put anywhere…yet.
Augus Dogmaticus
MMVI
tents
Marmot has a nice “bent knee” design that give you a lot of room inside.
The MSR tents are nice, but pricey. When my walrus tent became an MSR tent the price went up $100 or so.
I love my Exped Sirius Extreme, ok it’s 4 season and not free standing but it’s big, light and strong. You can pitch the fly first then crawl inside and hang the body from the fly, very handy when it’s raining.
As far as not being free standing I’ve only only seen a few free standing tents that don’t require some sort of stake or guyline. The Quest Praying Mantis, and the Bibler, ID tents are the only ones I can think of.
Bibler not so great for
heavy rain in coastal locations. I own one and have used it in high alpine environs with great success. That’s what the single walled tents excel at. I’ve used the Bibler on some coastal trips and found it very sweaty, and wet. Perhaps they now have a two walled tent, but my Eldorado sucks in rain. Awesome up high.
Bibler
My guess is that in humid, coastal rain forrest environments, the Eldorado wouldn’t be so great, but then it is a high altitude mountaineering tent not an all purpose tent. The Ahawahnee on the other hand is extremently well ventillated, easy to set up, very stable, quiet in high wind, great in rainy humid weather, and delightful in the desert, and very light for a 4 season tent. I used it in Newfoundland for a month in daily rain and fog with winds gusting to 70-80mph at times. My friends were both in 4 season North Face tents–they were always wet, the fly on one tent kept coming loose, they took forever to set up, and forever + more when raining and windy. Me, I just crawled into the Bibler, set up the poles on the inside, adjusted the vents, and settled in for the night. I’ll never use a tent with a fly again. Many years ago when I was doing a lot of winter mountaineering, we got trapped in a bad storm on a high ridge in the Sierras for a couple of days. Of the three tents, the only one left standing at the end was a Bibler. Over the years, I’ve owned North Face, MSR, REI, and Sierra Designs tents. Sure, Bibler tents are expensive, but IMO they are worth it. Only thing better is a VW camper van .