User Review: The North Face Tadpole 23

Took this tent on a one-week backpacking trip to Yosemite this June.

Overall, the tent itself performed fine: Easy to pitch, freestanding, plenty of room for one with gear. I'd give the tent a rating of 4 or 5 if it weren't for:

The fly. My experience parallels that of Tony C. My tent is a few years old (approx 5 yrs) and the fly has deteriorated to the point that it will be useless in rain. The fly surface has turned waxy and sticky. Unfolding it requires slow careful peeling. It is clear that the fly surface is being destroyed in the process. There are now microcracks throughout the fly that are not going to block rain. The seam tape also is coming apart.

My internet research has shown that this is not an isolated occurrence. Others have reported the very same problem, although it appears to be limited to tents made some years ago. I'm not aware of newer tents having this problem.

In the meantime I'm looking for a replacement fly and not having much luck.

Note: The tent fly has an orange/red color.