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 On: 2006-04-18
Good tent, Im happy to have it. Its affordable, large enough for my family (me, wife, and two kids), and at 8 pounds, its light enough to backpack or portage.
Inside feels roomy, its bright and has great ventilation. The doors are big and its easy to get in and out. The gear loft is great. We havent used the tent in inclement weather (lucky us), but if I was expecting bad weather Id take this tent without reservation.
One thing about this tent that doesnt quite work for me (and there havent been that many) is that the vestibules dont hold more. If the vestibules had their own poles theyd hold a ton of stuff, but of course, it wouldnt be an 8 pound tent then either. The vestibules stretch tight from the apex of the tent, and they swoop very low against the ground, offering minimal room for your pack. I imagine a 30 pound dog wouldnt be able to turn in a circle before laying down.
With regard to fragility, like so many other tents on the market, the large amount of mosquito netting saves weight and improves ventilation, but Im forever worried that my 3-year-old son will bounce right through it, or rip the netting along one of the zipper seams. Weve made it through one summers use, Im hopeful we can continue without incident. Buying such a lightweight tent with small kids was a calculated risk, but I just try to keep the kids out of it when theyre not sleeping.
Thats pretty much where my worries of ruggedness end. When the tent is pitched and fully staked, its very rigid, I wouldnt worry a bit about wind. Rain would have to be nearly horizontal to enter the tent through the side vents, though water could splash in if puddles formed around the tent. Regarding snow, I bet the tent could hold an inch or two of snow without difficulty, though as a three season tent, it would be a pretty cold place to weather a snow storm.
There is one thing Kelty needs to fix: thats the buckles that holds the rain-fly in position. You buckle it like a Fastex buckle and cinch the fly tight by pulling a piece of webbing and youre done. But as soon as you zip or unzip the vestibule, the webbing that holds the rain-fly tight wiggles side to side in the buckle, goes slack, so you lose tension around the side vents. This could be the difference between staying dry and getting wet in a storm, and should be redesigned. I guess I can solve this problem with a safety pin, though I shouldnt have to.
Overall, Im happy to live with this tents shortcomings, because Kelty has delivered so much tent for the paltry weight and low price.
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