Garuda Kaja

Great value in a 4 season, single walled tent. I decided to buy it after pricing single walled tents made by Bibler and Integral designs. The colors of the Kaja are very pleasing (gold, red and blue) and it is easy to spot from a distance. Set-up is very simple and takes less than 5 minutes to fully erect and stake-out. I am 6'4" and have no problem streching fully out in this tent. The three pole design makes it the most stable small single wall tent to be found anywhere. Head room is greater than other tents of similar floor area, e.g., Bibler and Integral Designs. There is ample venting and it is very stable in high winds. Interior condensation has not been a problem. The tent comes complete with quality tent stakes, reflective guy lines, three tubes of seam sealer, a syringe, and spare patches. The stuff sack is extra large (so there is no problem getting it back into the sack) and there is a seperate sack for the poles and stakes.

On the negative side, the seams on the Kaja are not hot taped like those on the Bibler and Integral Designs tents. It is necessary to seam seal the stiches. Also, the number of zippers on this tent drives me nuts! I think the designers could get by with less. I would also like to see more interior storage pockets. The Kaja only has two and they are rather small at that.

All in all, the Garuda Kaja is a great tent that can be purchased for a reasonable price. It is light enough to use on solo outings and strong enough to withstand strong winds and heavy snow loads. On a scale of 1 to 10, I'd propably give it an 8 or 9.

I purchased the Kaja from Northern Mtn Supply after pricing and setting up comparable Bibler and other tents. I have used it for 4-6 day solo and double trips in the Whites here in New England, and in the High Uintas Wilderness in Utah last week. Temps ran down to 25* at 12,000', rain and hail storms were extreme, and the wind howled a few of the nights. With all this, the tent was a joy to be in. The seam-sealing took a while, but it was easy. Not a single drop of leakage. The ventilation is excellent with the combination of vents on the ends and roof. I'm 6'4" and can fit with no problem...when solo, I lie diagonally to get more stretchout room. The gold color helps brighten up the interior nicely. Nice tent overall, a 9 on my scale. A 10 would have to be a true 4 lbs, 1 person (6'4"), bombproof, singlewall, internal frame, 4 season tent. Email me if you come across one. Climb High!

I looked at many different single-wall tent. The Garuda Kaja seemed to offer the most for the price. It comes with three poles and a vestibule. Before purchase the Kaja you should be aware that the seams are not taped or sealed when you get it. You have to do the sealing yourself. The tent come with the instruction and all material necessary to perform the work. It took me about 4 to 5 hours to completely seal it (which I enjoyed). I’ve used my tent a few times in the hard rain and had a few minor leaks, I have to re-seal some of the seams. Just be aware of that if you decide to go with Garuda, that is probably why they are cheaper. Other than that it is a great tent and never had condensation problems. I recommend it.

This tent is a great value in a 4 season single wall. It's extremely well made, and includes a useful vestibule. I've used it year-round, and find it makes a great 1-person backpacking tent. It's light enough that I don't hesitate to bring it on all my trips. Space for two people is a little tight, though. Make sure you get along well with your partner!

One caveat: the tent is not factory seam-taped, and sealing the seams yourself is a BITCH! It cost me the better part of a weekend and a thousand toulene-addled brain cells to get it done right. The tent hasn't leaked yet, though.

I paid about $450, but Northern Mountain Supply is selling them for $317 now, which is an unbelieveably good price.

What can I say, I love my tent. It's single-wall but I haven't had any condensation problems. Fits two people with lots of headroom. Internal frame didn't seem stable at first glance, but weathered 4 months of backcountry use in Alaska with nary a problem. Once the tent is set up, only takes a few minutes, it's completely solid. Great quality construction, would take it anywhere but most extreme mountain trips. Not too heavy for solo trips either.

Very difficult to seam seal. It has leaked since the day I bought it. Re-sealed...still leaks. Anyone want to buy a used Kaja? Looks better than it works.

Great little tent, but it is a real pain to seam seal correctly. Light, good-lookin, durable, decent vestibule with good venting.