User Review: Mountain Hardwear Approach

Mountain Hardwear Approach
Above: The current Approach, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed August 9, 2007 by Canyonrider

Rating: rated 4 of 5 stars
Price Paid: $300

The Approach is a great lightweight two-person backpacking tent that sheds wind and water quite well. I have used this tent for four years in a variety of climates, including the Rockies, Alaska, and the southwest. Despite extended periods of heavy rain I have not experienced any leaks whatsoever, and the low profile does a great job in strong winds.

At 6'3" I find the length of the tent to be fantastic, but the ceiling height is too low for me to sit up completely. The tent can also feel a bit cramped with two people, but as long as you aren't holed up in it for days it's perfectly adequate. My only other issue with the design is the rather small door, which can make it a bit of a nuisance to enter and exit (particularly in wet weather).

I have had some issues with the lightweight poles, bending or splitting sections on three separate occasions. Fortunately a pole repair sleeve saved the day on each occasion, and Mountain Hardwear has replaced the bent or broken section under warranty each time. Nevertheless, it has been a bit of a hassle and I now take exceedingly great care in handling the poles during setup and take-down.

Despite the pole issues I have been very happy with the tent as a three-season backpacking shelter. Given the small size and light weight I would probably not recommend the tent for very cold or harsh weather where you may be spending extended periods of time in the tent, but for typical backpacking conditions the Approach gets the job done nicely.

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