User Review: The North Face Bullfrog 23

The North Face Bullfrog 23
Above: The current Bullfrog 23, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed January 20, 2001 by an anonymous hiker

Rating:
Design: 3
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: Moderate. Pole sleeves are discontinuous, so threading poles requires several efforts for all three poles.
Weight: 7# w/tent; 3.5# w/o
Price Paid: $200

Pros: The fly is free-standing even without the tent body, so you can take just the poles and fly for ultra-light camping. Good headroom and built-in vestibule. Three loops inside for a gear sling. Has excellent ventilation, yet has never leaked. Roomy for 2 people.

Cons: Can be annoyingly hard to set up, due to discontinuous and similar-looking pole sleeves. The main hoop also kinked permanently when the tent was hit by a huge storm downdraft (it still works, though). Can be breezy in high winds. Cramped in the foot area for two bags.