Marmot Bise 2P

My wife and I purchased this tent when it first came out, and we have not regretted it. I tend to spend a lot of time researching products before I buy them, so I was well aware of most of the 2-person 3-season tents out there.

I am 6'1" and have the problem that I know many others my size and taller have of having your head and/or feet hit the walls of a tent that is supposedly 10-16 inches longer than you when lying down....I know part of this is the "slope" of the tent walls, but I think some overstating of sizes by manufacturers must also exist...anyways, there is NO problem with that with the Bise.

We used it only a few times now (hence I'm reserving a perfect 5-star rating for that reason....no fault of the tent's, I suppose....). We camp in Alberta/BC so it is usually chilly at night even in the summer and rain is not a surprise. The one 3-night backpacking trip we took it on rained on-and-off the whole time, and we had no issues at all with wetness in the tent (rain or condensation). I was also concerned about so much netting and how much colder I would be at night, but I was fine and it felt similar to older tents I'd used that were totally "enclosed". Just lighter!

I know some true ultra-light hikers will not consider this tent, but at under 6 pounds that is great for the two of us. The extra room at your head and feet are great for keeping an extra layer, etc around, and (most importantly) my feet/head don't rub on the walls and I can sit perfectly upright without hitting the ceiling (the Aeolos, which we also considered, has a lower ceiling, which is what made me get the Bise). We opted for this tent for the length and ceiling height as we envision hours on end having to sit and play cards, etc in our tent due to rain and lack of warming hut/shelters on many trails.

While there are lighter tents out there that are *technically* 2-person tents, some I lay down in were so small (length, width, and height), I think I'd be so uncomfortable spending a few hours in there...worth the extra 6-14 ounces (depending which tent you are comparing it to) to save my back/neck/sanity!

Hmmmm....what else.....set-up is easy, and the 2 doors and 2 equal-sized vestibules are great. I also noted a "roof slant" that the previous reviewer noted, although I didn't think it was quite 3-inches, maybe 1.5. And no window in the fly, I think just the 3-person Bise has that. In summary, I'd totally buy it again.

I'm 6'-2" tall. This is the only 2-person tent I could find were while in my sleeping bag, I don't rub my head and feet on the inside walls of the tent. Sure I could fit length wise in a lot of 3-person tents but they weight too much and roll up too big to backpack with. Wasted space and weight. I've tried out lot of tents. ALL manufactures mis-state the actual usable floor dimensions of their tents. In fact, I can put my hands over my head while laying down in this tent and not hit the wall. It's jinormus!

Marmot's website and other advertisers state that the rain fly has a very fancy window. Not mine, no window at all. Just about every other new tent does. It does have a handy stash pocket in each corner. While sitting inside, it is a long reach to grab and open the zipper at the bottom of the fly. Some tents have a zipper at the top AND bottom of the fly. The Bise 2 comes with 2 doors. Kool.

I noticed that the roof line from one door to the other is not symmetrical, the ceiling and the door on one side is 3-inches lower than the other. I don't think it's suppose to be that way, but the tent still works. I think these tents are sewn together in China, but the stitching does look good.

Lastly, it's hard to get the bottom of the fly taut, I think it's probably because of the 3-inch differential in the roof over each door. In spite of all this, I still think it's a pretty darn good tent, albeit an expensive one. If you are 6 foot 2-inches or taller, this is no doubt the tent to get.

Nice tent, compact.

Used this tent camping several times.  

Setting up in a downpour in the Cascade Mountain range was less than ideal as the mesh inner tent gets terribly soaked then the fly goes on top — Hillebergs are far superior in this respect. However once set up thank goodness for its excellent ventilation as the tent dries out (inside) relatively quick.

Okay, now over snow.  Camping north of Pemberton BC during snowy conditions followed by -20 degrees C days. Snow load on tent caused tent to partially collapse. Had to remain vigilant and keep removing snow after accumulation of 2cm. Solution would have been to put a tarp at 45 degree angle high over the tent to deflect snow...but that would have been a pain.

Despite the good ventilation the tent offers there is still condensation inside the tent — haven't met a tent that doesn't condense; the Bise is no different. Sides of the tent stood up well to snow accumulation. 

With care, this can be a 4-season tent, but one must be aware of the rain and snow issues. 

Very pleased with the Bise 2. I am 6'3" and finally found a 2-person, reasonably light-weight tent. The extra pound is well worth the head-room. I also own a Marmot Nutshell, which is a quality tent, but offers nothing in the way of true two-person room. The near vertical walls make the interior spacious. My long sleeping bag does not touch anything in any direction.

The set-up is simple and quick. The doors are generous in size making getting in and out easy for my large frame. Packs nicely in the stuff sack.

I noticed the roof slant as well but it has not been an issue. My only complaint is the size of the poles when disassembled...a little too long. Can be frustrating to pack. Vestibules are ample. Construction seems solid but only time and use will tell.

If you are tall and are looking for leg and headroom this tent is it.

Took this bad boy camping after I picked it up at an REI scratch and dent sale for 80 bones. What a steal.

Rained hard all damn night, stayed nice and cozy inside tent, not a drop inside. All the gear stayed nice and dry in the vestibules as well. This tent is so massive, my wife and I fit in there with no issues at all, and still had plenty of room for our chocolate lab.

If you can get one of these tents, I highly recommend it!

well, like just about all the people who wrote reviews of this tent, I'm 6'3". This tent is perfect for my height (with room to spare!). Plenty of mesh provides a wonderful view for stargazing when the fly is removed. I recommend this tent to any tall backpacker. 5 stars