User Review: Mountain Hardwear Tri-Light 2

Reviewed September 29, 2003 by Joewalp

Rating: rated 4 of 5 stars
Design: two-person freestanding minimalist
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: easy
Weight: 4.1 lbs

Note: This tent has been discontinued by the manufacturer.

Despite that the manufacturer categorized this as a three-season tent and despite that I use it as a three-season tent, I categorize it most formally as a warm-weather tent. Conceptually, it's a freestanding rain fly with mesh walls suspended beneath. The walls lead to a bathtub floor. Near the peak, the mesh walls adjoin a section of fabric featuring mesh pockets. The fabric (rather than mesh) at the peak isolates occupants from condensation droplets in cool, still weather.

The pole configuration is unconventional but easy to work with. I keep the rain fly zip-tied to the tent body to ensure that the inside is protected if I'm pitching in wet weather.

In fact, convenience in non-snow conditions is the hallmark of this tent. I can pitch on rocky or sandy ground, rain or shine, without regard to mosquito population or snake burrows. That site flexibility allows me to set up at night in an unfamiliar location in a downpour. And I have. My schedule isn't flexible enough to reschedule a catch-as-catch-can one- to five-night trip due to inclement weather.

This is a durable, minimalist freestanding shelter, despite the seeming contradiction of those adjectives. It easily accommodates two skinny people and luxuriantly accommodates one person. The vestibule accommodates a pack. Opening the zipper on the fly does not cause a miniature rainstorm to fall into the tent (unlike the circa 2000 Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight).

To decrease pack weight by over two pounds, I might eventually go with a single-wall silnylon shelter like Tarptent Squall, but Trilight 2 suits my needs for now.

Enjoy and preserve wilderness.

Best wishes.

Where to Buy

Sorry, we couldn't find any online retailers selling the Mountain Hardwear Tri-Light 2. You may want to check pricing and availability directly at these sites:

Retailers: Do you sell the Mountain Hardwear Tri-Light 2? List your site here.

Similar Tents

Compare
See how the Mountain Hardwear Tri-Light 2 stacks up against the competition: read more tent reviews or more about Mountain Hardwear.

Contribute
Have you used a Mountain Hardwear Tri-Light 2 or a similar product? Write a gear review.

Discuss
Still have questions? Answers? Opinions? Join the converstation in the Trailspace Forums.