Sierra Designs Delta

I was looking for a slightly larger tent for two people for week-long trips both backpacking and sea kayaking. I have an old SD Flashlight that has been a great tent but pretty tight for two average-size people. I picked up this SD Delta on sale and took it on a backpacking trip this summer.

I am quite happy with it. I like the double doors, overall size (37 sq ft vs. 32 for the flashlight) and height of this tent. It makes for a great, comfy base-camp tent for any kind of trip. Setup is a breeze. Two poles, free standing; super fast and easy. For warm summer nights (we mostly just do summer trips), I string a tarp high over the tent to provide top cover without restricting airflow on the sides. The Delta has a lot of mesh so this way you get a really nice cool setup.

If there is any chance of rain, of course, use the fly. The fly is pretty nice, and provides one and a half vestibules; a full-size one on one side, and a smaller one on the other. With the fly on, airflow is reduced quite a bit. Ventilation with the fly on could probably be improved. That said, on a chilly night, the fly added warmth. We got several nights of drizzle and one deluge on my first trip with this tent. No problems with waterproofing, leaks, or bad internal condensation - but we didn't ever get really prolonged wet weather.

It's a fairly tall tent and presents a big target for wind gusts, but we staked it out in all directions and were fine. It packs down to a reasonable size and weight for a 2-person tent. It's not a compact tent by any means, but it's not a pig either. I'm not sure this would be a great choice for more extreme conditions, but it's fine for what I need 90 % of the time. Highly recommended for the price.