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Sierra Designs Baku 3

rated 4.0 of 5 stars

The Baku 3 has been discontinued. If you're looking for something new, check out the best three-season tents for 2024.

photo: Sierra Designs Baku 3 three-season tent

The Baku 3 is a good performing tent and pretty good value at some of the closeout prices currently available.

I've used it in cold/dry and cold/wet conditions primarily along the Appalachians. If properly ventilated, the condensation is comparatively minor and manageable, no more than one would expect with two single walls. The two vents are mildly awkward to open but do their job. The vestibules, if vented properly, add considerable air-flow.

I typically use the Baku 3 as a spacious two man tent since with 3 adults it tends to become cramped...as is the case with most alleged "3 man" tents. The two doors and vestibules make independent entry and exit extremely convenient.

The tent is lightweight for its size and if properly folded/rolled compacts down to a bundle far smaller than the provided stuff bag accommodates. I usually transport the tent in the top of my pack, with poles and stakes placed along the side. Although you can't split the tent body and fly between tent mates, you can evenly split other shared equipment to make things "fair".

The internal geometry provides plenty of headroom. The color scheme contributes to good light transmission. Again, a pretty good product.

Design: 3-season; hybrid
Sleeps: 3
Ease of Setup: average
Weight: just under 5 lbs
Price Paid: $200

This has turned out to be an excellent tent for camping in dry western environments. So long as you keep the door flaps fully open to allow for maximum ventilation, condensation on the inside of the single wall is minimal. However, if you have to close the tent flaps to prevent rain from dripping through the screens into the tent, condensation is much greater causing your sleeping bags and other gear to get wet each morning.

The best features of this tent are: ease of setup, bright color and light weight.

I recommend this for hiking out west but will continue to use my double wall tent in the Northeast.

Sleeps: 3
Ease of Setup: easy and fast
Weight: light and great for long trips
Price Paid: $200

Great weight for 3 person. Faired well in the rain with no leaks. The built-in vestibules catch a lot of the condensation when (2 walls worth) camping in the cold/wet.

Design: three-season freestanding dome
Sleeps: 3
Ease of Setup: pretty easy
Weight: about 5 lbs
Price Paid: can't remember

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Price Historic Range: $150.00-$358.95
Reviewers Paid: $200.00

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