User Review: Eureka! Zeus 2EXO (snow)

Reviewed May 10, 2003 by Mitchell

Rating: rated 3 of 5 stars
Design: 3 1/2 season dome
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: easy
Weight: 4 Lbs
Price Paid: $100

I purchased this tent for snow camping. On "kind" days it is a delightful tent with pleasant cosmetics.

The ceiling vent sags especially with snow load.

A small piece of 1/8"thick water resistant foam rolled into a cylinder (rubber band) and placed in the vent supports and breaths perfectly.

The vestibule sags terribly with snow load and of course the front vesti vent covers quickly.

The side vents are big and breath nicely.

The vesti is reasonable size for pack and boots with adequate room to come and go.

Yes, there is condensation. The roof vent must remain open and this small piece of rolled foam handles that.

The interior is spacious for one and pleasant to the eyes.

Housekeeping:

Seam seal the tub ! (The rest is done pretty well.)

Use a footprint underneath. I use 4 mil plastic tarp.

Zippers will catch in vesti flap on occasion. Zip slowly.

Tub side wall is non-existant. The tent material is light to medium strength but lightweight which includes the corner and vent tie downs. Doesn't hurt to be gentle.

This is a playful and easy 3 season tent which ties down on the corners and on each side wall using the vent flaps.

It is light and compacts to bread loaf size.

About that extra 1/2 season:

The corners and vesti tie downs get extra support from the side vent tie downs. I add a pole interect guy line secured to the same (deadman) securing the side vent tie downs line.

I'm sure this is adequate to 15-20 mph and 2 inch snow load.

Well, that about wraps it up.

But what about 20-40 mph and 6 inches which can come to visit ?

It is possible in my world to add 11 more ounces.

Like another pole which is adjustably tied at the end of each side vent ties and crosses through the caribiners just above the EUREKA! logo. The pole adds strength to the two cross poles as it pushes upward against them. Also this tightens the side walls and adds some strength to the whole structure. I've added pole intersect ties of shockcord to the caribiners and one each side wall shock cord ties to help support the walls in heavy snow load which can be tied lightly to the overhead guy line tie down.

I still am using the standard eight tie downs.

The vestibule will continue to sag in snow and flap miserably in wind until I create a cure.

With the third pole the tent is taught and strong but the back wall still pushes in due to snow weight buildup.

But, no leaks, no rips and reasonable condensation.

For extra ventilation I close the mesh vent door just halfway as I am always certain the front vesti vent will be covered in no time by snow or my pack, boots or anything stuffed in the vesti.

In the future I will probably reinforce the caribiner ties to the tent material. The center pole intersect caribiner tie is reinforce by Eureka very well. I'd like to use matching tent material. This cutie sure would be nice with a window in the vesti to watch that pretty snowfall next year !!!

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