Eureka! Timberline 2 or 4

These boy scout stalwarts have earned their stripes in terms of durability; anyone will tell you that. I admire them for other reasons. The Eureka Timberline is absolutely, positively the most practical tent to have in a multi-day rain-drenched trip, and that's the benchmark I use to judge my tents, bcs 80% of the time, those conditions are the kind that *could* make your trip miserable. The Timberline is pretty much built like a *boat*. But that's not where it really shines. The freestanding A-Frame is *totally* self-supported. Unlike curved pole designs, and tension pole designs, the Eureka! freestanding a-frame stands up with *absolutely* nothing else. And the fact that the tent attaches with clips rather than pole sleeves, means you can put up, and take down the tent in the relative dryness and mud-free environment under the rain fly. The tent doesn't get soaked...or nearly as muddy...and neither do you. Go out on a 4 or 5 day trek, and you'll really appreciate it when the top of your tent isn't soaking wet when youre packing it, and isn't soaking wet when you're putting it up agian for the 3rd time. Try that with a $5000 geodesic dome, and I guarantee you, you will be cursing those pole sleeves out. Come on...when was the last time you were camped out at 40,000 ft?

I've been camping for 25 years, in all sorts of tents, all sorts of weather, and all sorts of terrain, and the Timberline line of tents is *still* my all-around favorite for 80% of the camping, and even longhaul hiking (where I'd probably go for the xt if I decided to blow the cash).

I bought the tent for family backpacking trip in '82 and have used it in everything, everywhere on kayaking, windsurfing, diving, mountain biking and climbing trips. Never, never ever been wet in that tent and will mourn its passing like a member of the family when it goes in the next ten years, maybe...