User Review: Eureka! Zeus 2EXO

Reviewed September 24, 2004 by Drew Bristor

Rating:
Design: Three-season single-wall freestanding
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: Easiest setup I've ever seen
Weight: 4 pounds
Price Paid: $139

While I really appreciate the light weight and packability of this tent (stuffs into a 7" x 14" sack), as well as the reasonable price, stout pitch, and couldn't-be-easier set up, several poor attributes prohibit me from relying on it.

For one, it does not have a true bucket floor and the floor seams are not taped. It leaks in heavy rain or when standing in a puddle, especially at the corners where the stakes are applying the most pressure to the seams. The size is perfectly adequate for two people up to 6', and the roof is high enough to allow sitting up in comfort. The vestibule has a large enough floor area to keep two packs and pairs of boots dry, but it is not tall enough to let you stand the packs upright (they must lay flat). The zipper on the vestibule is guaranteed to snag the waterproof fabric flap every time, especially in the rain when you're trying your hardest to get in quickly. Opening the vesibule will also let in much of the rain through the mesh door, although this is a common problem with any tent that omits a separate pole for the vestibule.

And then there's the condensation: quite simply, it's terrible. The large side vents would seem to bring fresh air in well enough, but this doesn't matter much when the top vent is all but closed off because the fabric sags over the mesh. When the fabric gets wet, it is completely closed off. I was using my toothbrush to prop it open during several days of non-stop rain on the (humid) East Coast. The condensation builds up all over the inside walls to the point of beading up and dripping straight down onto you. This happened to me when it was dry out (although admittedly humid). When it started raining, the beating of the rain would knock off all of the condensation drops all over my tent-mate and I. So when it was raining outside, it was raining inside.

Overall, if you camp in a dry climate and don't mind carrying a rag to wipe down condensation every morning, you could probably live with the negative attributes of the tent and enjoy the positives (light weight, small stuff size, easy set-up, relatively strong structure, price). If you backpack in humid weather or in frequent rain, you might want to consider a slightly heavier double-wall with lots of mesh in the canopy.

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