User Review: Bibler Tempest

Bibler Tempest
Above: The current Tempest, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed August 28, 2007 by Dave H

Rating:
Design: Internal Frame Free Standing Four Season
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: Simple once you have done it once and marked the poles.
Weight: 6.5 lbs list, 7 pounds with extra stakes.
Price Paid: $80

Yes, the price I paid is correct - picked up at a local REI "Scratch and Dent" sale, the problem - "customer said it was too heavy" - that took $310 off the price. I've always known that Bibler was the best tent that you climbing partner could buy - brand new they are bloody expensive, but now that I have one, I am tending to think that like most expensive gear, worth the price.

I've been using it for most of this summer in Sangre de Cristo and Jemez mountains of New Mexico. Have not yet had it in a really serious storm, but I'm hoping! Set up definitely takes some practice, do it at home to figure out the sequence.

I am marking it 4 out of five stars for two reasons: 1. The largest drawback is the "asymetric" pole design, that leaves one of the poles in the back shorter than the one in the front. (I marked the longer pole with some white electric tape, and the front of the tent. Makes setting it up in bad conditions a little easier.) 2. You must fully seam seal the canopy of this tent, why they don't apply a factory tape job is beyond me when the price for this tent at list is $389.

Since the poles are inside the tent, they say that you could just grab the poles and dive in if the weather was really bad, but I think that could get seriously claustrophobic. Once set up, the tent is roomy, stable even in high wind and quite comfortable. Not the lightest tent available, but it is strong, sturdy, and quite durable. With proper care I expect that I'll get at least ten years of use out of it - let's see that $8 bucks a year, 20+ nights per year, about 40 cents per night. Of course, at full price that would come out to more like $2 per night, still not bad.