User Review: Kelty Quartz 1

Kelty Quartz 1
Above: The current Quartz 1, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed February 26, 2006 by Zvezda

Rating:
Design: four-season two-pole dome tent
Sleeps: 1
Ease of Setup: Fairly simple. Poles are color-coded according to which sleeve they belong in. Flyboy system makes attaching the fly simple, once you figure it out. If it's your first time setting it up, make sure to read the manual.
Weight: 6lbs or 2.75kg
Price Paid: $120

This is a very good tent for solo camping in windy and cold environments. With some MSR Groundhog stakes, this tent easily withstood 40 mph winds. The Quartz 1 is designed primarily for light-snow conditions, and as such, is not as durable as many other expedition-grade 4-season tents.

This tent is one hell of a bargain when you take the price into consideration. Weighing in at around 7lbs with the bag, footprint, tent, fly, poles, and 7 MSR Groundhog stakes, the tent is a bit heavier than I would have liked, but when you take its durability into consideration, this tent is a beast, especially when compared to many 3-season ultralight tents. I bought mine because I frequently camp in cold, snowy, and stormy conditions, and this tent has the added bonus of having enough space underneath the vestibule for all my gear. Also, the rain fly is completely independent of the tent (not built-in), which nearly eliminates condensation on the walls of the tent itself, unless you zip all the vents shut.

My only qualms with the tent is that the interior is a little small, and so I would have to recommend that anyone who is thinking about buying this tent ought to go for the Quartz 2 instead, as it has extra room for an additional person at the cost of a few more dollars and a tiny bit more weight.

In summary: For light winter camping or camping in unpredictable weather, this tent is a must.

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