User Review: The North Face Rock 22

I purchased this tent a year ago, and have used it 6-times. I have used it for backpacking and car camping. For backpacking the complete tent borders on being too heavy, but using the fly only is lightweight. The poles are aluminum.

I also bought the ground cloth which has a color coded system which aligns a corner. I have setup the tent w/o matching up the corners, and I don’t see any difference.

It is a very roomy tent for 1 person, and can definitely accommodate two people easily. If you are sharing the tent, the two entry ways and vestibules are a plus. There is an "attic" which is nice to store a light and any other thing you quickly need.

Setting up the complete tent is easy - it is intuitive after the first try. I have used the fly only several times, and you have to work with the poles to keep the tent upright. Once the fly is attached to the poles, the tent is ridged enough to complete the setup. If you are using the complete tent, the interior has clips which attach to the poles, and give the tent rigidity needed to setup the tent.

I have used the tent two times in moderate rain, and have been kept dry. (I have not been exposed to windy conditions with this tent, but I’ll post an update on setup and protection when I experience this.) The vestibule can easily accommodate and protect two backpacks and pairs of boots.

As noted on other reviews, this tent does not breathe very well. When temperatures dip below freezing, the fly and poles will accumulate a frost, which can be a problem when you want to hit the trail early and you have to pack the frosty fly. I am going to start guying the tent more to see if this helps with the moisture problems, and will update if it does.

Conclusion: The Rock 22 is a very good two man tent for the price and weight, and should be seriously considered when purchasing a two man tent.