Trailspace Blog January 2007
Q&A: What Makes a Tent Four-Season?
Occasionally we receive outdoor gear questions from readers. Since we figured others would find them useful too, we’ll share some of those Q&A’s here. If you think we missed the mark, let us know by leaving a comment.
Q:
I own four tents. Three of those tents are three-season, and one is a four-season. One tent is a child's tent that is waterproof, without a fly. I have yet to find a definition of what qualifies a tent to be three-season and what qualifies for a four-season. My four-season is a Eureka K2-XT, with dome fly and vestibule. One of my three-season tents also has a dome fly with vestibule and the other has a fly that is heavy duty but is open in front of the door, without a vestibule.
Sincerely,
Richard S.
A:
Four-season tents typically have more and/or stronger poles and a rounded dome to withstand heavy snow loads and high winds. They are the heaviest and sturdiest of tents, expedition versions being the strongest of all. Four-season tents can be used year-round, but are generally too hot and heavy for warm weather due to their lack of ventilation.
Three-season tents are designed for spring, summer, and fall use and may be a dome, tunnel, hybrid, or single-hoop design. They’re not designed to withstand heavy snow loads, but most should hold up to a light early- or late-season snowfall. Three-season tents are designed with more ventilation than four-season tents, so they stay cooler and are less likely to build up condensation. (Warm weather tents have the most ventilation of all though.)
If you want to bridge the gap, there also are 3-4 season convertible tents that convert from four-season to three-season use with the removal of a couple of poles or zip-off panels. They tend to be heavier than standard three-season models, but offer greater versatility than a three- or four-season tent alone.
Trailspace: Gear Up and Get Out
In case you haven’t heard, Trailspace now has its tagline—Gear Up and Get Out—thanks to Jeffrey Perez and Christopher Ryan. Jeff and Christopher, who both submitted “Gear Up and Get Out” independently, now have $100 gift certificates to Altrec.com and the right to brag to all their friends about winning the contest. Ron Cook won another $100 gift certificate in a random drawing from all the tagline entries. Congratulations, guys!
We’re pretty excited about using “Gear Up and Get Out” as our tagline, since it so succinctly captures Trailspace’s mission to help people get out in the backcountry. Thanks again to everyone who entered the contest and took the time to share their ideas with us. It was interesting to learn how you think of us and to hear from so many of our users and reviewers.
If you haven’t already, you can read the full article on the tagline contest and the winners. Also, we’ve had a request to read all the taglines. So here they are, all 170 of them, in no particular order.
The Tagline Entries:
The space for everything outdoors.
The space to go find what you need.
For news and reviews the only place’s Trailspace
Fueling your mind for outdoor adventure
News and reviews you can use
The place for the outdoor ace is Trailspace
When you’re going, make sure you go prepared
Wherever you’re going, go prepared
Your one-stop information outfitter
Providing the know-how to walk the talk
Every adventure starts with a single step
Explore the outdoors on your own two feet
Get out there and explore
Get out there on your own two feet
Great adventures start here
Setting the pace for your next adventure
Step outdoors and explore
Take a hike—you’ll be glad you did
The first step on the path to adventure
Go Wild
Wander Wild and Wonder
learn what you need to know
learn what you need to know, no less
Exploring the places in trail-covered spaces...
Before you use it, let us abuse it!
Come on out, the weather’s fine!
Online outdoor info.
Take a hike!
Think outside the box. Think outside.
Helping make your outdoor experience truly great
Roam free
The Online CampSite
Come share the outdoors
Gear Up and Get Out
Give a review, Take a review
The Gear Dictionary
Your friend in the business of gear
Your gear Trailbook
Your source for Outdoor options
Work Hard, Play Hard, Save the Planet!
Gear reviews you want, from real users
Discover with Trailspace
Equipment for the down to earth
For when you just want to get down to earth
Mother Nature’s utility closet
Yours to discover
your door to outdoor adventure
Your online resource for outdoor adventure
An Online Ecology
E-elbow room
Get Lost
Space Out!
Adventures start here
Answers here before you step out there
Answers you need before you start
Because everyday IS an Adventure
Because your trip is enough of an adventure
Gear Up. Head out
Start here. Go there.
Taking the fear out of the unknown
Big As All Outdoors
Explore Open Spaces
It’s Your Space
Space Out
Where your preparations here meet the opportunities out there
Blaze your trail!
Get out there
Gear up and get out
The Great Outdoors Online
It’s Your World. Explore It!
Go Outside
Learn. Buy. Hike. Climb.
Live the Outdoors
Reaching Forward, Upward, Outward !
Wild & Free—Hiking's for ME!
Wild & Free—the Outdoors for me
Never Trail Behind!
Where the whole outdoors is YOUR Neighborhood
Don’t go outside without us
Going over the rivers and through the woods
Your world … your place
From the Trail to the PC
Your guide to get from here to there
Exploring and Connecting The Way to The Will
Gets You Outdoors Anywhere, Anytime, Everywhere, All the Time
Getting your body where your mind resides
Insatiable Love of Life Outdoors, Fulfilled
In-Tent-ional Grounding
Need good gear? Find it here!
The Outdoors...It’s our life, It’s our passion
Roads? Ha! We’ll get you off them.
the place you need to know
Your place for off the beaten path
Get the latest dirt on outdoor gear
Make us the first stop on your adventure
Your trip (adventure) starts here
Hit the ’net, hit the trail
Get “the inside” on the Outside here
Get “the inside” on the Outdoors here
The address of the Great Outdoors
The greatest Info on the Great Outdoors
The Inside Info on the Outdoors
When you’re inside and the outside calls
Where the Great Outdoors lives
Your guide to gear, news, everything Outdoors!
Your map to everything Outdoors
Get Out!!
For the meekly hardcore to the truly hardcore
For the truly hardcore to the meekly hardcore.
Get out
Breathe, sleep, eat, discover the outdoors
Freedom to Hike
Gathering All to The Wild
Home for the Nomad
Home of the Wilderness
Step out into the world
The world—one step at a time
Be one with nature. Even with your friends
A New Way to Climb
Campout Here
Climb Higher with Us
Climb the Peak
Climb with Us
Escape Begins Here
Get Gear Here
Grab The World By The Trails
Just Climb
Leave The Trail To Us
The Trail Begins Here
This Trails Yours
Way Outdoors
Feel The Outdoors
Forever Trails
Hit the Trail Feel the Space
Open for Outdoors
Outdoors Today
Reach for The Outdoors
Be prepared
Hit the trail with confidence
Outdoor gear reviewed by outdoor enthusiasts
Outdoor gear. Online reviews.
The Online Guide to Outdoor Gear
Tried and tested reviews for new gear
Tried and tested reviews for new outdoor gear
Tried and tested reviews for outdoor gear
Your gear. Everyone’s reviews.
Let Trailspace be your trails end
Human-powered personal viewshed at high altitude
Where there’s space we never trail
Start here, end there
Trailspace College of Information/Knowledge, Outdoor Awareness Degree
because out is in
getting out right
out is in
Gearing you up, for what’s outdoors
Reviews, views and gear for the outdoorsman in you
Nature, Exploring, Harmony, Community
One stop gear information, reviews, and market place
Inside the great outdoors
Your insider’s view on the outdoors
Beyond Limitations
Beyond Trails
Beyond Wilderness
Freedom is Out There
Information to Keep You Moving
Let the Journey be Your Guide
Let the Wild Take/Bring You Home
Your Inspiration, Your Journey, Your Destination
Hit your stride outside
THE definitive community for your gear critique needs
Q&A: Hooped Bivies Under $250
Occasionally we receive outdoor gear questions from readers. Since we figured others would find them useful too, we’ll share some of those Q&A’s here. If you think we missed the mark, let us know by leaving a comment.
Q:
I have been looking for a bivy sack. I backpack four to six times per year. I would like a bivy that would function well in temperature ranging from fifteen degrees to sixty degrees. I would like it to be good in a rain. It does not have to be that good in snow as it rarely snows in my typical trips. I would like to be able to read and not be to aggravated by a drizzle while reading in the bivy. I would like it to be less than 3 pounds and less than two hundred and fifty dollars. I would like it to be reasonably large as I am six feet one inch tall and weigh two hundred and thirty pounds. I recognize that all of these details may not be possible but when you do not know it is time to ask. I would really appreciate advice.
A:
Take a look at the Bibler Bipod and the Integral Designs Unishelter EXP. These both seem to fit all of your requirements. The Bipod is one of the few hooped bivies significantly under $250, and at 92 inches should be plenty long (though I don't know about girth). The Unishelter EXP costs a bit more but is specifically designed for larger occupants (up to 6'6").
Other alternatives are the Bibler Tripod and the Black Diamond Lightsabre. The Bibler Tripod is a little bigger than the Bipod, but also heavier and more expensive. The Black Diamond Lightsabre is less expensive, but its Epic fabric isn't as good in the rain as the ToddTex used in the Bibler bivies.
Q&A: Queen-Sized Sleeping Pad
Occasionally we receive outdoor gear questions from readers. Since we figured others would find them useful too, we’ll share some of those Q&A’s here. If you think we missed the mark, let us know by leaving a comment.
Q:
I am having the hardest time. I am trying to find a way for my girlfriend and I to sleep together while camping yet not having to buy one of those inflatable mattresses. I would love to find a self-inflating sleeping mat that is queen sized but I can't. Any suggestions? What are my options?
A:
Thema-a-Rest makes a little strap system that will hold two sleeping pads together. They call it the Universal Couple Kit.
Using a couple of those to lash together three full-size sleeping pads should get you pretty close to a queen size mattress, and you'd still have the flexibility of using the pads individually when needed.
Q&A: Lowe Alpine Mountain Attack 45
Occasionally we receive outdoor gear questions from readers. Since we figured others would find them useful too, we’ll share some of those Q&A’s here. If you think we missed the mark, let us know by leaving a comment.
Q:
I am considering purchasing the Lowe Alpine Mountain Attack 45 backpack. We are going to Central America for 7 weeks and once there, we will travel by bus/boat. We will be traveling in 5 countries. Is this the kind of pack for this type of trip? Will this pack do okay putting it in the luggage section on a plane/dumping it in the back of a bus?
A:
The Lowe Alpine Mountain Attack series packs were designed for alpine mountaineering and are probably not the best choice for general travel. They should be rugged enough to take the abuse, but they are pretty stripped down in terms of features (e.g. few pockets, minimal suspension and padding, etc.) and not really made with that type of travel in mind.
I'd suggest a somewhat larger pack, either a travel-specific or general backpacking design. The right pack for you will depend largely on how much you're planning to carry, where you're staying (hotel vs. hostel vs. tent) and how often and how far you'll actually be carrying the pack.
You may want to post your question in the Trailspace forums, where you're likely to get good suggestions from a number of people who've done similar trips.
FAQ: Writing Reviews
Recently several people have asked me how they could review products that aren't already listed on the site.
As it turns out, you can review any piece of outdoor gear -- whether or not it's already on Trailspace -- by going to the main Write a Review page.
The review form is accessible by clicking "Gear Reviews" at the top of any page on the site, and then clicking "Write a Review" in the upper-right corner of the Gear Reviews main page (or any other page in the Gear Reviews section). Then just select the type of gear you want to review (backpack, tent, etc.) and away you go.
On a related note, if the brand you want to review isn't listed, you can select "Other..." from the list and just include the brand in the "Product Name" field.
Have you run into similar roadblocks? What could we do to make the review process more obvious or easier to use?
Thanks, Trailspace Tagline Contributors
Our Trailspace tagline contest recently closed to submissions and we want to say thanks to everyone who took the time to send in a tagline (or two or ten!). Thanks to you, we have 170 thoughtful, witty, funny, and unique tagline submissions to consider. It’s been a lot of fun reading each of your entries. Now we get to the hard part -- choosing the contest winners.
This month one of you will have his or her tagline chosen as the contest winner and will receive a $100 Altrec.com gift certificate, in addition to bragging rights and some other cool swag. Another lucky individual will be selected at random for a second $100 Altrec.com gift certificate. The winners will be announced on Wednesday, January 17, in our monthly newsletter. So stay tuned for the results.
Thanks again!
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