User Review: Walrus Swift

I've made good use of my Swift for two very full seasons now. The first year of use included about 30 nights of constant wind and intermittent rain in the Sierra Nevada. In general, I've been impressed with the Swift. Aside from a few minor annoyances, it's well constructed, sturdy, and, most importantly, very lightweight.

I was replacing an old Sierra Designs Sleeve Flashlight (an excellent lightweight summer tent) that had begun to leak and the Walrus Swift was similar in weight and less expensive. Initially I was concerned about the full length mesh fabric; however, the fly has been extremely weather tight and, so far, my concerns have been largely unwarranted.

Although considerably smaller, the Swift, for one occupant, has a very similar feel to the Flashlight: plenty of room for you, your sleeping bag, and a small amount of gear. Unlike the Flashlight, however, the doorway is small and partially blocked by the rain fly making entering and exiting the tent awkward, even for relatively small individuals. One other small annoyance is that the front straps used to attach the rain fly are cut about two inches too short, making the rain fly, at times, a real challenge to attach to the tent. Also, placement of the rain fly closure zipper is difficult and awkward to reach from within the tent.

Even with these minor flaws the Swift has been a very servicable and reliable shelter. Very good bang for the buck. Recommended.