User Review: Sierra Designs Convert 2

Sierra Designs Convert 2
Above: The current Convert 2, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed October 27, 2008 by Scott Krankkala

Rating:
Design: 4 Season Single Wall Freestanding
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: Very Easy
Weight: 4lbs fastpack 6lbs w/ vestibule and Jakes Corners

Unable to find any reviews or stores that stock this tent I finally decided to bite the bullet and purchase this tent on pro form. After setting it up and analyzing many of the features I am very happy with this product from Sierra Designs. The DriZone material used in the single wall construction seems to be very durable and waterproof.

The first thing I noticed upon setting up the tent was the interior space, while many 2 person tents are sized for two people very close with no additional room for gear. This tent is a bit larger and therefore the perfect size for two people and all the gear often carried along in winter trips. The vestibule is an easy addition and adds plenty of more space to this tent(great for crampons, packs, etc.).

Another thing that impressed me about this tent was the ease of setup, simply slide the poles through the one way sleeves and lock them into the tabs and your tent is complete. There is nothing worse than struggling with set-up in high winds and a snowstorm (especially with double wall tents). If you are in high winds simply add the internal "Jake's Corners" I found these simple additions increased the tents stability greatly.

Another great advantage of this tent is the ventilation system. While I have yet to spend a night in this tent the ventilation system seems greater than most other 4 season tents. Additionally this tent features mesh on the vents and the door. This is a feature not found on most 4 season tents and increases this tents versatility as a true 4 season tent. (If you are not a fan of mesh or you want to use this tent exclusively as a 4 season cut it out)

I also found that this tent in the fastpack mode (no vestibule or jakes corners) is very lightweight and compressible which makes this a true 4 season tent.
For the money you will not be able to find a better truly versatile tent that is still strong in harsh 4 season conditions.

Pros:
Mesh increases versatility
Strong waterproof DriZone material
Jake's corners and internal guylines(optional) increase tents strength in high winds
Adequately sized for two people and gear
Lightweight and compact in fastpack mode
Price

Cons:
Cheap tent stakes included
Non-Reflective Guy Lines

Also recent winner of Alpinist Magazine's "Mountain Standard Award"

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