User Review: Sierra Designs Tengu 3

Sierra Designs Tengu 3
Above: The current Tengu 3, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed March 8, 2007 by LBA7895

Rating:
Design: 3-season, free-standing dome
Sleeps: 3
Ease of Setup: Very easy to set up, after 1 dry run
Weight: 7 lbs, 15 ounces
Price Paid: $259

I selected this tent after looking at probably 6 "finalists", using the criteria of: easy to pitch, could sit inside if I had to, could sit in the vestibule if I wanted to, could cook in the vestibule if I had to. I was also intrigued (and sold) by the fact the tent hangs inside the fly, so you can set this tent up in the rain and not get it wet inside. And I selected the 3 person over the two person because I wanted the option of being able to store my backpack and gear inside the tent, not just in the vestibule. The fact the 3 person weighs 1.5 pounds more than the 2 person doesn't bother me, because I am a weekend backpacker, not a thru-hiker. If I was obsessed with weight, I would have selected the new Black Diamond Vista at 5.15 pounds, or a Baku 3 at around the same weight, both of which have 9 sq ft vestibules.

The propaganda is true, basic setup is a breeze, setting the 2 poles criss-cross then just clipping the fly to the poles. You thread the 3rd vestibule pole through a sleeve, which takes a moment extra, but no big deal. From there, you stake out the front of the vestibule and you've got a roomy front porch, which features an inverted V shape from the center outwards, thereby creating extra headroom, not a flat slope. I like the side-to-center direction in which the vestibule zipper unzips, creating a sitting space that is evocative of the Trango's. You really can sit in the vestibule and you really can cook there if you have to.

The first overnight was fairly cool, in the low 40s, and the tent proved to be a nice combination of ventilation without drafts. It is a little bit of a pain to get out of the front vestibule for a midnight nature call, and much better to use the significantly smaller rear door/vestibule. Indeed, you might even want to leave the rear vestibule unzipped for convenience and ventilation, unless you anticipate wind or rain.

Speaking of rain, I can't comment on the dryness factor, as we did not encounter any rain; and there was no condensation inside the tent, which was nice. There is plenty of room for two adults; and as is usually the case, I question the 3 person rating, unless you know each other pretty well. We slept at a 45 degree angle, to take advantage of the 73" width, and it worked out fine. At that alignment, there was plenty of room for our gear, with room to spare. The 44" inside height permitted sitting up and changing clothes; 48" would have been even better!

In all, a really interesting new tent for 2007. If you are the sort of backpacker who often encounters rain about the same time as you are making camp, and would like the option to sit or cook in the vestibule, I encourage you to consider this tent.

Oh, REI has it mis-priced at $259. If you pay $15 to become an REI member, you can get another 20% off, dropping the price to $208. Everywhere else, it's $299. The footprint is a hefty $45 - ouch! I wonder if they make as much profit on the footprint as on the tent, yano?