MSR, Asolo, EMS
I have an MSR solo freestanding tent which I’ve had about 10 years and is in flawless condition. Not sure of the model name, but they’ve probably updated their models anyways. I find it has plenty of room for me, my clothes, whatever gear I need in the tent with me, and the rest of my gear fits under the fly vestibule.
I have an Asolo (I think it’s called a Hawk) small 2 person tent. It’s has more mesh and is faster to put up so I prefer it in the summer. I bought it for $100 at an outdoor show.
I have a 20 year old EMS 2-3 person tent which has been well used in all conditions. The seam tape on the tent floor is starting to come loose, otherwise it’s in flawless condition. Once it needed a repair so I dropped it off at an EMS store and they did the repair free, no receipt needed.
Head to foot sleeping
Many tents now save weight and increase stability in wind by being wedge shaped: both narrower and lower at the foot. You can’t sleep head to foot in those tents.
Another very inefficient shape is the hexagon. It supposedly creates gear space in the pulled out corners, but it greatly reduces mattress space. A plain rectangle and equal height on all sides is the most efficient and comfortable in terms of space.
Suicide by bugs
The last time I was able to sleep outside and not get bitten by a mosquito was late August in the Adirondacks on a windy night . . . in the 1970s. I would not do that anywhere in the Northeast today. Ticks, mosquitoes, coywolves . . . they’re all out to get us!
Steep and Cheap
Watch for the Alps Zephyr on Steep and Cheap. http://www.sacalerts.com/history.php
It was on there 46 times last year, usually for less than $100. I know people are sceptical about a tent that costs so little but seriously, this is a well-made tent.
The best season to buy a tent is late fall. Incredible sales then. Inventory can by low now.
MSR fly replacement
Yes-they did replace my “gooey” fly @ no cost.
Dang
I should have bought that gooey fly MSR at the REI yard sale. Dough!
Alps Zephyr 2 is on it’s way.
Thanks for everyones input. I was considering the Hubba, but price on this was far better.
See OP’s final choice . . .
. . . and learn some manners.
tent care
Yes, agree. I store my tents like I do my sleeping bags – very loose in a breathable sack.
Heat is also an issue. Here in hot, steamy Florida, one season of storage in a hellishly-hot garage is often enough to make the waterproof coating of your tent fly and taped seems peel-off like a bad sunburn.
After a trip I drape my tent over a drying rack in the garage, and then store it inside.
One year my home A/C died and I made it a point to see how long I could last. Actually I did fine (with just a fan at night), but all of my expensive gear started to blacken with mold. I quickly replaced the A/C motor to save my gear.
My current solo tent of choice for local kayak camping is the Hubba with Fibraplex carbon poles. I enjoy the very small footprint of this tent, you can shoehorn it in a micro-site. For expeditions, I have a “bomproof” (but heavy) 4-seasn Hilleberg Allak. For hiking, I prefer something lighter, such as a tarptent.
Greg Stamer
I’m a Nemo man but…
I spent ten days on Lac LaCroix where it rained almost every morning and evening, and we had consistently strong winds the entire time. One evening into the morning we had torrential downpours, thunder, and lightning. I didn’t give it much credit at the beginning of the trip, but that two-man Eureka half dome tent proved me wrong!
Most of the time I use my Nemo which was only tested once on Moosehead Lake when some nasty storms ripped through the area, but I tell ya… That Eureka was solid…
Good Luck… there are a lot of good tents out there…
If Keeping Dry is a Must…
Then go with a Mountain Hardwear. I’ve had a bunch of different tents over the years from all the major mfgs, and spent more nights in ungodly southeast thunderstorms than I care to remember, from the mountains to the coast. NOBODY makes a 3 season tent that’s more bomb-proof than Mountain Hardwear. My only complaint has ever been they are a tad short, but I’m 6’4", and it doesn’t sound like that will be a big issue.
That’s a fact
I’ve owned two Mountain Hardwear tents. The materials and construction are very good. I do find, though, that they have some design problems. I returned one of their tents because it wasn’t freestanding at all—the pole tension caused the tent to bow inward severely unless it was staked. Also I find the entries too low even on their taller tents. But they are very waterproof, that’s a fact.