User Review: Black Diamond Firstlight

Black Diamond Firstlight
Above: The current Firstlight, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed November 30, 2007 by OldHiker

Rating:
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: very easy
Weight: 2.9 lbs
Price Paid: $299.99

This tent has the distinction of being the first and only piece of backpacking gear I have ever returned for a refund.

I am amazed by other reviews that describe this tent as being waterproof. I spent a week in the New Mexico mountains in this tent with a group of Boy Scouts. It rained daily, never that hard, but almost constant. I emerged each morning with all of my gear wet. As I would lie in the tent, I could feel a constant mist on my face. I also, had very carefully seam sealed this tent. The water inside was not coming from any seam leakage, just straight through the fabric. All the tent fabric did was change a normal raindrop to micro sized droplets that wet everything inside. I love the form factor and weight of this tent and really wanted it to work.

Now, I am afraid of any tent made of this material. I would have liked to try a tent made of eVent, however, due to some kind of problem making them fire retardant, you cannot find them any longer. I'll just keep waiting for a freestanding lightweight single wall tent that is actually usable.

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