User Review: Mountain Hardwear Viperine 2

Mountain Hardwear Viperine 2
Above: The current Viperine 2, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed May 19, 2008 by Buffalo Skipper

Rating:
Design: three-season freestanding
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: Fairly easy, once you get the hang of it. The single pole design is definately different from other tents I have used
Weight: 5 lbs
Price Paid: $225 (including footprint)

I am 6’1” and I could not fit well into other tents. This one is just right for me and my gear.

Make no mistake, this is a 3.5 season tent. The first night I used it, I set up on frozen ground and the temperature dropped below 10 degrees. The ample ventilation did little to keep the tent warm. The second time, it was in the mid 30s with a 25 knot wind coming off a lake and was quite cozy and very stable. The Viperine 2 performs excellent in warmer weather, with all the mesh. I have had no problem with moisture or condensation.

I use the footprint, and it has protected the floor well. This tent is easy to set up with the single pole, though it takes a couple of times to get comfortable with the process. The design provides significant headroom—more than comparable dome tents. This is not a 2 man tent (no surprise), but for me and my gear it is perfect.

I would like this tent to be 1 lb lighter, but this is not a complaint. I evaluated tents for some time before settling on this one. After considerable research, I settled on this for my perfect compromise of weight, price and space.