User Review: Black Diamond Lighthouse

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

Reviewed June 17, 2005 by Daro

Rating:
Price Paid: $368

Over the past 15 years of backpacking in the Sierras, Anza-Borrego desert, and the canyons of Utah and Arizona, I've owned many tents (single and double wall) and none of them met all my criteria for an optimal tent: spacious but lightweight, simple and quick to set-up, minimal noise in wind, little or no condensation, side door to facilitate entry/exit, a good view in decent weather, and high enough to change clothes comfortably.

Though admittedly expensive, the Lighthouse was perfect except for the hassle of the inner poles. Since I do three-season backpacking only, I had the tent modified by slightly elongating the poles and placing them on the exterior of the tent ("exoskeleton"), which achieved all my criteria and moved my rating of the Lighthouse from "4 stars" to "5 stars".