User Review: The North Face Roadrunner 33

The North Face Roadrunner 33
Above: The current Roadrunner 33, which may differ slightly from the version reviewed.

Reviewed August 10, 2007 by Jason Chartrand

Rating:
Design: Three season freestanding modified dome
Sleeps: 3
Ease of Setup: Very easy to set up
Weight: 8 lbs with footprint.
Price Paid: Gift

My wife and I received this tent as a wedding gift three years ago. Our first trip with it was backpacking for four days in Waterton National Park, where it rained constantly for the first three days. This tent played a large part in making the trip worthwhile in spite of the deluge. We were able, with a bit of planning, to set up the tent in the rain without getting the inside too wet. The dual doors and large vestibules on the tent mean that we each get our own "decompression" space, which makes it easy to keep the inside dry.

On another trip in hot weather the mesh of the tent made camping a literal breeze. On our most recent trip to the Skyline trail, after a day of rain, the temperature dropped and snow fell through the night, but again this tent kept us warm and dry and made the weather bearable. Snow loading on the tent could be an issue if the guy lines on the fly aren't staked out, however.

Pluses:
- stays dry in wet weather
- stays cool in hot weather (without fly)
- helps keep you warm in cool weather (with fly)
- easy to set up
- 2 large vestibules/entrances
- good ventilation
- lots of room for tall people
- fairly light

Minuses:
- ... but not the lightest tent for 2 people
- sides of tent tend to stick out from under the fly, prone to wet head/foot areas if not careful