User Review: The North Face Tadpole 23

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

Reviewed August 12, 2006 by Joel Maners

Rating:
Design: Three-Season Freestanding Dome
Sleeps: 2
Ease of Setup: Very easy setup
Weight: approx 20 pounds
Price Paid: $29

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. The poles velcro to the fly so you can leave the tent behind if you like.

The only problem I've had with this tent is water wicking up through the webbing at the foot of the tent in very heaavy rains. It's never much more that a couple of tablespoons of water though. Keep the tent clean and store it dry and it will last you a long time. A great freestanding tent with a great weight-to-space ratio.