The North Face Tadpole 23
Average Rating: 
Reviewed by 34 Trailspace users
Description
The Tadpole 23 is a three-season tent made by The North Face. It has an average rating of 3.5 stars (out of 5), based on 34 user reviews.
Here's what other sites are saying:
From Moosejaw:
"Free Shipping. The North Face Tadpole 23 Bx - 2 Person Tent (Fall 2009) Tadpole 23 - 2 Person Tent by The North Face Features: DAC Press-Fit poles Lightweight, easy-to-use clip pitch system Comprehensive color-coded pitch system includes, poles, canopy, and fly Fully taped bathtub floor and full-zip doors Convenient overhead pockets stow headlamps and fragile items Full mesh canopy for comfort and ventilation Abundant gear loops Fly-only pitching Capacity: 2 Fabric: canopy: 70D 190T nylon ripstop Fabric: floor: 70D 190T nylon taffeta with 5000 mm PU coating Fabric: fly: 75D 190T polyester ripstop with 1500 mm PU coating Floor Area: 26 ft2 (2.4 m2) Poles: number: 3 diameter: 9.0 mm Stuffed Size: 23" x 6" (58 cm x 15 cm) Vestibule Area: 9.1 ft2 (0.85 m2) Weight: trail weight: 4 lbs 10 oz (2.1 kg) total weight: 5 lbs 7 oz (2.37 kg)"
From Massey's:
"Area: 27 ft2 (2.5 m2) Capacity: 2 Color-coded flysheet attachments Compatible with The North Face #1 Gear Loft Compression stuff included DAC Featherlite NSL aluminum poles using reverse-combi technology D-shaped door Fabric: [Canopy] 40 denier, 240T nylon ripstop Floor: 70 denier, 210T nylon taffeta coated with 5000 mm PU Fly: 33 denier, 244T nylon with silicone and 1500 mm PU Fly-only pitching Freestanding, front-entry, two-person backpacking tent for three-season use. Fusion pitch combines pole sleeves and clips High-low air circulation through mesh panels and doors Internal pockets and hang loops Multiple guy-points Poles: [Number] 3; [Diameter] 8.84 mm Reflective guyline loops and zipper cording Silicone flysheet Stuffed Size: 23 in. x 7 in. (58 cm x 18 cm) Taped nylon taffeta true bucket floor Freestanding design with front vestibule Vestibule Area: [Front] 7 ft2 (0.7 m2)"
From Campmor:
"THESE ARE MAIL ORDER RETURNS AND MAY BE SLIGHTLY SOILED. THEY HAVE BEEN INSPECTED AND CARRY THE SAME WARRANTY AS A NEW TENT SHIPS GROUND ONLY. NO AIR SHIPMENTS ON THIS ITEM. The North Face Tadpole 23 is a geohybrid frog? design that sleeps 2 and yet provides an efficient space to weight ratio. An all clip design speeds set up or take down while improving airflow by eliminating pole sleeves. Huge mesh panels provide optimum ventilation while allowing for nighttime stargazing. The space efficient shape provides a low sturdy profile in wind or rain. And the large circular door is convenient and leads to a moderately large storage vestibule. Sleeps 2. All main fly seams are factory sealed. Nylon taffeta bucket bathtub floor keeps seams taut and high off the ground. Freestanding. Full coverage fly protects the tent from wind and rain. Front storage vestibule for stowing excess gear No-See-Um Mesh canopy is lightweight, breathable and good for stargazing. Circular door is big and it makes it easy to get in and out of the tent. Fast Pack option - use fly, poles, and optional nylon footprint (leave the tent body at home) to make an ultralight shelter. Wt. 4lbs. 8oz. Features 9.0mm DAC PressFit aluminum poles which are light and durable All clip design sets up fast and is great for ventilation Roof and portion of walls are no-see-um netting for stargazing and superior ventilation. High and low venting created with mesh canopy and vented vestibule for climate control Color-coded poles, fly, and body ensure quick and easy set-up. Ladder Lock buckles, used to attach fly to tent, provide adjustability. #8 zippers with stainless steel sliders on fly and door Reflective guy line loops and glow-in-the-dark zipper pulls make it easy to find the tent or adjust it in the dark without knocking it over. 4 additional guy out points on fly. Large mesh storage pocket on interior wall for storing small items. Flame retardant. Guy lines and aluminum stakes included. Compression tent bag, pole and stake bags included. Import."
From Backcountry.com:
"Equally at home in the soggy Pacific Northwest or the arid deserts of the South, The North Face Tadpole 23 Bx Tent outfits you and a companion for your outdoor adventures. This lightweight tent won't weigh down your pack on long treks, and the three-pole clip-in pitch system makes setting up camp a breeze. The fully taped bathtub floor and the PU coated rain fly ensure that a sudden rainstorm doesn't leave you and your bags sopping wet, and the large vestibule hides your boots and other gear from the downpour. When the weather's so hot and stifling that you're sticking to your sleeping bag, pull back the fly and expose the full-mesh canopy. Stash your headlamp and glasses in the overhead pockets, and hang your essentials on the multiple gear loops."
User Reviews
Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Bill Coogan, Aug 19, 2009
"Firstly, matching the poles was a pain. Then, bending the fiberglass arch pole was a pain and seemed way too tight...I was waiting for it to snap. Thirdly, I got claustrophobia in it. The fly was pain to put up. Way too cramped inside. Used it once in a hurry before setting it up at home. After one night I got a cabin. Poor design. It even looks like a coffin."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Jonogden, Aug 04, 2009
"Easy to put up, light and able to withstand most wet weather. Great for a hike. Bad ventilation and flat spots might lead to leakage if not pitched perfectly. I was sold this by a guy who said it was an American style design in that you put up the inner first. Does it rain in America??? Outer first seems logical to me."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Tony C, May 19, 2009
"I can say that I really like the tent. However, I just spent a weekend motorcycle camping and I was very unhappy to find that the rain cover is breaking down.
This tent is a couple years old, and lightly used. No problems with tears, or zippers, but the inner surface of the rain cover is very sticky, it appears that the waterproofing is breaking down."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Edbell222, May 06, 2009
"I've used this tent in a rain lashed Yorkshire and the Lakes a couple of times, in hail and driving rain. It feels secure and for the money vs. weight, it's bombproof and great value, easy to live with with nice design touches.
I'm 6ft and its OK for two, not masses of spare room but very livable."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by east_stingray, Apr 06, 2009
"Unlike the other reviewers, I have been impressed by my Tadpole tent. Knocking down the rating for a 2 person tent because it isn't big enough for you and your buddy to blow up queen air mattresses in is bad form. This is why you research gear before you buy it."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Paulivan, Dec 19, 2008
"I will dispute every bad review I've read about this tent: I bought my first Tadpole tent in the late 1980s. It was one of the first freestanding tents made, originally rated as a 1. 5 person tent. The design has changed minimally over the years with added foot space and pole attachment changes."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by JDLP, Nov 05, 2008
"I bought this tent several years ago and it's had its ups and downs. It is nice that it's freestanding and I haven't had any of the leakage problems that many others have reported despite dozens of trips through all kinds of weather (including light snow)."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Niko, Oct 07, 2008
"Since I got my Tadpole 23 fly !world is save. I am not kidding, this tent since 3 years with me and no problem so far. I went all national parks in California, always it made me and my girlfriends happy :)
Tadpole 23 show how to fly...
Peace, Niko"
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by SirDon, Sep 28, 2008
"I bought this tent a year ago for a trip that didn't push through. I got to try it this year though on a backpacking trip in Yosemite National Park and it did okay.
Ease of pitching was one of its good points but roominess is definitely not of them."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by MikeCroft, Jun 23, 2008
"Have backpacked through Italy with this tent where it survived mosquitoes, blazing sun and a thunderstorm which left me floating in six inches of water. It didn't leak a drop. And it's stood up to rain and gales on the Outer Hebrides of Scotland without a problem."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Bill Vail, May 18, 2008
"Pure and simple, this is a bad design. It is way too fickle, and the thing leaks badly. The flat top does not naturally shed water and it doesn't take much more than a good morning dew to get the thing leaking. The fly touches the tent itself in the flat top area and you better go for your raingear and I'm not kidding. Just as I said, a bad design."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Ben Cameron, Mar 27, 2008
"I bought my Tadpole in 1994. It's the only piece of my travelling kit remaining from then. I've cycle toured in S. E. Asia extensively, France, the U. K. and Tasmania. I'm also an avid bushwalker so it's been everywhere from the gails on the west coast of Tasmania to 4,400m up in the Himalayas (without snow of course)."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Dirk McGirt, Feb 07, 2008
"This tent has never let me down. I have been through moderate to heavy rain with no problems. I have also seen some light snow and hail in this bad boy with no complaints.
This tent is said to be a two man tent, but I have actually slept three in a pinch with NO ROOM to spare."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by ChicagolandRon, Sep 19, 2007
"I have owned this tent for about one year now. It has been used for over twenty nights in the back country. It has been used in the UP (Porkies), New Mexico's Gila Wilderness, Isle Royale and in southern Illinois in the Shawnee National Forest. It has seen a lot of rain and wind."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Niko Geronimo, May 23, 2007
"I bought my Tadpole 23 in 2005. I've been camping for more than ten years and owned and used many tents, including the 1999 Tadpole model. For me this tent is emblematic of the decline of The North Face's quality. I used it only one time and one time alone last year."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Howard, Mar 01, 2007
"I'd rate The North Face Tadpole 23 as four stars. Why not five, when it's light (just over 4 pounds), sturdy, easy to set up (three-poles/free-standing), and compact? The answer: It's just so-so as a two-person tent because of the limited square footage (37 square feet), steep side walls, and headroom limited to one end of the tent."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Stuart Cooper, Feb 24, 2007
"I've just returned from a two-day hike across Dartmoor. The weather was absolutely terrible as it rained continually for the whole time. Normally I would take a Vango Hurricane as I know it is bomb proof from use in all conditions but I wanted to go lighter so I purchased the Tadpole 23 for the trip."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by AnneMarie, Feb 13, 2007
"I think I have the 2004 model of this tent, as I can't remember exactly when I got it. Overall I love this little backpacking tent. As a summer camp trip leader my tent is where I live for the summer. I also have lived out of this tent on drives cross country."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Stuart Buchan, Nov 18, 2006
"that hillbilly bruce houston is totally wrong. i was with him on those trips. the tadpole held up to some pretty rough weather. the only minor problem is it has little ventalation so u do get quite a bit of condensation inside the tent in the morning. it is also more of a 1 man tent but can fit 2 if neccesary."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Bruce Houston, Nov 12, 2006
"My mate bought this tent a year ago and since then we have used it on numerous trips. Our first trip was to the lakes, within hours of walking we got stuck in extremely wet weather. The water appeared to come through the groundsheet and the flysheet and come morning both me and my friend were damp and miserable."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by wing1238, Nov 09, 2006
"Mine is a 2005 model.
Very good design, the details are lovely. But the quality is BAD!!
I treat my gear good, clean and keep them in a dry and cool place after I use every time.
The first time I used this tent, it was great. The second time, the inner fly became sticky, but still okay."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by seahiker, Oct 23, 2006
"This is roomy for a light tent. Properly set up, it provides a terrific weather shelter. I spent two days alone in a blustery October gray-out storm in the Appalachians' Shenandoah National Park, with night temperatures around 30 and in the day around 50."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Lottie C, Oct 06, 2006
"Thankfully I got this on sale. What is The North Face thinking of? It's the same weight as other tents in its class, but smaller- I'm 5'6'' and can't sit up in it, which is a real pain--I thought it wouldn't bug me, but it does. You can't pitch it in the rain as the fly sheet is so separate -- and if you pitch on damp ground the damp comes through the base, unless you get an extra footprint."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Bjm, Sep 21, 2006
"I just got back from spending five days in the North Cascades here in Washington State. I had just bought the Tadpole from REI for this occasion. On the first night we had heavy rains and 2" of snow. The tent leaked badly.
When I got back, I called REI and they said to return the tent, I will."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Ben, Sep 14, 2006
"I purchased this tent two years ago as "last season's" model, saving some money over the usual price. It is super light, and packs super small. The first time I set it up, it seemed small, especially compared to other "backpacking" tents I'd used."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Joel Maners, Aug 12, 2006
"I bought a Tadpole about 15 years ago and it's still going strong. Easy and fast to set up. You can pre-attatch the poles tothe tet before you set out for faster set up. If you're camping on a dry weekend, save the weight by pitching the fly only."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by kerway, Jul 16, 2006
"I've owned this tent for more than two years. I would say I've seen 25 nights in it. I have only recently started appreciating it for the sub 5lbs weight, fully packed with groundsheet. It is nothing if not light.
Many of my impressions of this tent have already been mentioned, but I'll list the major ones that come to mind: TIGHT for two."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Davidbboyle@gmail.com, Jul 11, 2006
"This tent kept us dry despite a prolonged period of heavy rain (12 hours+)-- but the following night (which was dry and cool) the inside of the tent was drenched with condensation. This tent is probably better suited to the warmer areas of the Americas than the cold damp ones of Ireland and the UK."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by ckirkwood9, Jul 06, 2006
"I've used this tent in Rumney, N. H. , over July 4th 2006, and in The Gunks in New Paltz, N. Y. , three times and in Yosemite over Thanksgiving 2005 and have not had any real problems. Overall, I like the tent but have a few gripes about it. Read on:
Pros:
1) Easy to set up
2) strong construction
3) lightweight
4) glow-in-the-dark zipper pulls
5) Great vestibule space
6) fly/footprint only option
7) Tent did very well in HEAVY rain and did not leak."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Tom Little, Jun 26, 2006
"I am surprised at all the positive reviews for this tent. I found it to perform very poorly in the rain. The problem is the gap between the fly and the tent towards the back -- there essentially is no gap and the slightest bit of moisture sees the fly sticking and acting like a wick for water."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by hiker62va, Apr 23, 2006
"I love this tent. I have owned it over a year now. I had a very small solo tent before this one and was always cramped. The Tadpole is really roomy for one and tight for two (advertised as a 2-man), but set-up is a breeze and it really keeps the rain out."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Clayton Tapp, Jun 20, 2005
"I just came back from a three-day hike and the TNF Tadpole 23 proved to be an excellent tent. It would probably be cramped for two but I was solo so I was able to keep my pack and gear inside. The vestibule has adaquate room to cook under since I spent almost a complete day inside of the tent in a thunderstorm."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Tanner, Jan 24, 2005
"I am completely satisfied with the Tadpole. This was my first backpacking tent purchase and if I were to do it all over again I would purchase this tent. The tent is lightweight and durable with no seam sealing required.
The first trip I took my Tadpole on in the Central Cascades of Washington it rained hard for 16 solid hours, both my buddies were wet in their tents but I remained completely dry."
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Tadpole 23
Reviewed by Jim Owens, Sep 05, 2004
"The Tadpole 23 is the ideal lightweight backpacking tent for those who live in climates where both screening and a rainfly are a necessity in any weekend or week-long pursuit. It has a mono-entrance large front door, with extremely roomy vestibule -- sufficient to hold two packs, boots, etc."
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Have you owned or used a The North Face Tadpole 23? Share your thoughts with other hikers and backpackers.
Where to Buy
Buy Online We found the Tadpole 23 at 8 online stores:
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