User Review: Eureka! Solitaire

I love the zippered top. I agree it is hard to sit up in but the vestibule holds most my gear and i have found set up to be pretty easy. BUT . . . the poles suck!!!! Every time it rains or blows the poles snap. I have replaced them, duct taped them, electrical taped them and they still break.

After reading the reviews I think Eureka should just offer to replace them with aluminum. I will gladly send them my old poles if they would back their product by replacing them. Are they selling them with aluminum now?

The tent has some drawbacks - like it sags in the rain and really doesn't keep water out and it has to be staked really well but I would probably buy it again for the price and weight if the pole situation was fixed.

Update: December 16, 2010

I agree with everything about your review.  I have used it in cold, wind, wet, hot, extended backpacking and love the tent itself.  Getting dressed in it is a challenge but that's OK. 

HOWEVER, the poles are a real serious issue. They break if it's nice out, they break if the tent has any weight on it, they break if the wind blows, they tear the sleeve when they break. I have replaced them, duct taped them, electrical taped them, and nothing has kept them from just breaking in new places. 

I also would like to replace them with aluminum poles but the price I got for those was about as expensive as the tent. Replacement poles from Eureka are also expensive. I have read SO MANY reviews that say the same thing about the poles. 

My question now is 'Why hasn't Eureka offered to address this problem?'. They could at least make replacement poles affordable and sell them in sets or something. It is obviously a design problem because so many people say the same thing.

I do not enjoy using this tent without poles - however it is possible - I wouldn't buy the tent again given the pole issue unless Eureka does something about it - but I love the tent so I wish they would.