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User Review: Stephenson's Warmlite 2R

Reviewed December 13, 2008 by speacock

Rating: rated 5 of 5 stars
Design: Hooped, single door, very small vestibule area but adequate for most activity
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: One person puting the two hoops together while one lays out tent takes about 3 minutes. Maybe less time if solo and have done it a few times. Only takes three stakes on a good night. 7 for a blow.
Weight: around 3 pounds and a few ounces for tent, sack, ground cover and stakes.
Price Paid: $450

Prior to this tent, I had made three others to fit the family as it grew. I was intimately familiar with my likes and dislikes (and errors) about a tent and tried the best as I could to incorporate improvements in the next.

The Stephenson 2R would have saved me a lot of trouble from the beginning. It is everything I need in a tent..with the exception of the 3R. Didn't buy it because of the extra weight and size I no longer needed. A decision I am not fully convinced was the right one.

The 2R sets up quickly in any weather including 40mph gusts at high altitude in a cold rain/ice mixed storm. It allows you to adjust the tautness of the tent from the inside. You can only appreciate this if you have ever tried to mess with another tent when it is really really nasty out.

This is not a tent for the klutzy. The individual pole sections, when not holding the tent up up, cannot be stepped upon or treated badly. The entire kit when laid out looks about as flimsy as a kid's kite. When set up the tent has taken 4 foot snow loads, winds big enough that three of us had to put our backs against the sides to stay the night.

It is almost tall enough for a 6 footer to kneel in. If you are going to spend days and days in this tent you might wish you had something a bit taller - perhaps the 3R would be best.

It has been on a 10 day trip where it rained constantly. No moisture inside except what I brought in. PLENTY of room for 2 and at times 3.

Sometimes it has some minor condensation on the inside of the two ends, but no more than any other single wall tent. It is a minor inconvenience on some mornings. A quick wipe down is all that is needed. The 3R gives opportunities for better ventilation.

It packs down to about the size of two wine bottles punt to cork, and fits nicely in all overnight packs I've used. It is light weight enough so that you don't have to share its load with others.

It does not come with a fly (or stakes), which I found to be to my advantage as I can choose what fits me or the trip. In my case, during the summer, a light weight paint plastic cut to size fits the bill. The foot print's only use is to reduce abrasion and works just fine temporarily with gaping holes in it.

I keep my pole connections clean and lubricated with a very light covering of silicone grease. The fabric of the tent is not UV proof although after all these years of use I have seen no deterioration. I do not use it as a base camp tent, but as a packers tent. That is, it gets struck and packed each morning - generally.

There are a number of color combinations available. Don't get the lime green. Yellow works well for more light inside, and makes it easier to find in the snow.

I have the barn door windows and they are worth every ounce of extra weight. Never a leak and no problems in the most severe weather. During summer use when the trek poles are not used for the stakes, they are used to hold out the window canopies. These also make almost adequate covers for some gear.

The 3R allows cross bracing for higher winds and snow loading. You give up a considerable amount of room but would be worth it -- when you need it. I like the two doors of the larger 3R tent, but the single door of the 2R works fine and is a good compromise. I have had 5 adult males in the 2R for two rainy nights. Almost enough room to shuffle the cards. The three other luckless gents lost their pop up tent to the wind before they could get it nailed down.

It makes a great solo tent, even if it will draw cat calls because of the extra size. It is lighter weight than many bivy shelters. I've only had one problem finding a place to pitch the tent - because of its footprint size. It was on the Wonderland Trail in a very restricted camp spot that was overbooked and I came in late and last to set up.

If they are making it for you, you might see if they could put couple of ties into the ridge of the tent for hanging things and include a way to tie back the window flaps (a couple of ties on both sides of flap, on the outside, to tie it back. Or you can sew them in later.

It comes unsealed, so you get an hour or so of quality time with your tent. The silicon process they give you works as advertised if you follow the instructions. Not one leak in almost a decade.

The tent material especially the floor of the tent is very slippery. You will either get used to piling up in a corner or painting no-slip skids on it. Few things stick to the material, including dirt and you. That being said, it is easy upkeep. A few flaps gets rid of the dirt, turn it inside out and flap out the debris and old socks. When needed a quick run around with a damp cloth will remove most leftovers.

Excellent tech support and parts replacement/repair and solace. Jack (senior) is a bit quirky to work with but has your well being in mind. I suspect he no longer has his fingers in all the pies at the place now.

Only source is warmlite.com

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