Open main menu

ALPS Mountaineering Chaos 2

rated 4.0 of 5 stars
photo: ALPS Mountaineering Chaos 2 three-season tent

Fantastic tent, wish I didn't have to carry it. Can only recommend to those not looking to cut weight or plan on running headlong into a storm.

Pros

  • Strength
  • Cost
  • Simplicity

Cons

  • Weight
  • Takes up a lot of room

I've used this tent on a JMT thru-hike and a variety of other short trips. I appreciated the crap out of it when we were stuck in random thunderstorms for days, but cannot stand how much it weighs.

Setup is relatively straightforward and easy. Can be done under the rainfly to minimize water inside. Pitches beautifully as every freestanding tent should. 

I cannot stress enough how nice it is to have in inclement weather. Very weather resistant, ventilates surprisingly well, and comes with enough room to not get claustrophobic while waiting out a storm. 

Roomiest 2-person tent I've ever seen. Sleeps three in a pinch. I'm 6'2" and fit with room to spare. When you get the tent, throw away the little mesh gear thingy at the top as all it does it bring pain and nuisance.

It's not a huge tent when packed up. It's large. Too large for someone who wants a light pack, I'd say, but not huge. The only thing that has crapped out on me was the storage sack, in fact. Now I just bind the whole tent together and that works better. The rest of the tent gets high marks for dealing with me for so long.

I cut weight to about 5 pounds. Out of the box with the footprint I'm sure it's well over 6.

Recommendation wise, I love this tent but don't buy it. It's complete overkill for a 3-season tent. It's too heavy for backpacking like a reasonable person. It's spacious for 2 people. I did the JMT with a Kelty Salida 2 and an REI Half Dome 2. The Kelty is much smaller, harder to set up and much less weatherproof. But it weighs under 4 pounds on trail and provides a great shelter. I didn't like the REI Half Dome, but it's a similar story to the Kelty.

Backyard: Go cheaper. Backcountry: Go lighter. 

Source: bought it new
Price Paid: $115

Your Review

Where to Buy

Help support this site by making your next gear purchase through one of the links above. Click a link, buy what you need, and the seller will contribute a portion of the purchase price to support Trailspace's independent gear reviews.

You May Like

Specs

Price MSRP: $249.99
Current Retail: $115.00-$259.99
Historic Range: $83.73-$259.99
Reviewers Paid: $115.00
Base Size 4 ft 8 in x 7 ft 2 in
Center Height 3 ft 5 in
Vestibule Depth 29 in
Tent Area 33 sq ft
Vestibule Area 17 sq ft
Tent & Fly Weight 4 lb 14 oz
Total Weight 5 lb 6 oz
Packed Size 6.5 in x 22 in
Pole Diameter 8.5 mm
Product Details from ALPS Mountaineering »

Recently on Trailspace

Call for Reviews: Your Favorite Spring Gear