Buying a new tent, would like some help.

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Posted by Prelucir on December 18, 2006 at 4:08:53 am EST

I have been thinking for a while about a new tent.

I am kinda stuck on which to buy. I have found several tents that look like they will work just fine.

Here are three and some questions I have.

MSR Hubba Hubba:
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/msr/hubba-hubba/

Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2:
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/big-agnes/seedhouse-sl2/

Sierra Designs Baku 2:
http://www.trailspace.com/gear/sierra-designs/baku-2/

Here are my issues. I have an Eureka Zues II. The older model. I like this tent, it is light enough and holds me and my gear nicely. I can get everything in the tent and do not have to leave anything in the vestible if I do not want to.

Anyhow, as I have posted before, when the tent is pitched in the sun, the inside temps reach over 100 degrees fast. Sometimes I like to take an afternoon snooze when I hike to a peak or something. Despite the outside temp being 65 degrees, it was over one hundred in the tent according to my Altitech.

Anyhow, I have spent a few rainy nights in this tent and it held up great. Very little leaking even in a decent down pour.

What I think I am looking for. I think I want to stick with a two man tent. I can pretty much assure you, two men will never use this tent at the same time. But, I like to bring my gear in the tent. I have been thinking that if I have a tent with a bigger vestible, perhaps I won't feel like I need to bring my gear in the tent and thus a one man may work.

Also, I have been thinking I want a tent that is mostly mesh to maximize ventilation when I am kicking back in the sun and the fly is in place.

However, I have been reading some posts about those hiking in different conditions and they stated that heavy wind with rain may cause the rain to blow under the fly and in through the mesh. Hmmm. I don't like the sounds of that. Any furhter opinions on this?

I will be hiking mostly in the Rocky Mountains with one to three trips a year to the SW in the dry dessert areas.

So! Do I need to buy two tents or will one work just fine? I don't think that I am looking to hike in the snow per se, but perhaps near snow line in the spring. I do intend on sleeping several times above tree line in the Rockies.

Here is another issue. I like to sleep in comfort. Therefore I have purchased a self inflating pad that is 2.5 inches thick and 30 inches wide. I love this pad. I really do not want to shrink that in size. I may consider purchasing the 25 inch wide pad, but do not want to thin it out.

So! A single man tent, I did not find too many that are at least 30 inches wide. It would be nice if a few folks could post a few single man tents that I can consider.

This is what I am looking for in a tent. (I think)

Good ventilation. This I think is the big one for me. I have yet to be in extreme weather and doubt that I will be other than by surprize. And if I am, I doubt that I will hang around for more than a night if the weather was to remain bad.

I would like a double door tent so that when the fly is in place I can tie back two doors and get cross ventilation for that occassional, lazy after noon snooze. I think this is important as I had found out the hard way that my current tent will not do that.

Also, I think that I would like the doors on the sides and not on the ends. It looks like that would make it easier for me to get in and out. What do you think?

I think I would like a tent that is solid for about 1/3 the way up the walls to help prevent rain and sand from blowing in if it is windy.

I like the Sierra Design for the solid walls with two doors to help promote ventilation and help prevent wind and rain from blowing in. But I worry that it is not enough ventilation.

Price is not real important, but like anything else, I would like to spend the least amount as possible. However, quality is more important than price at this time. (I think.)

I am not willing to spend over $400.00 total on a tent. When I say tent, that includes better stakes, foot print and attic.

Oh yeah, I would like to stay as close to four pounds as possible with a two man and three pounds or less with a one man.

If you have suggestions for me, please post them. I will look at all.

Thank you,
John

[Edited by Dave: added product names, Trailspace links]

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