MSR Carbon Reflex 3 Tent Review

Would be even nicer if it was a bit lighter. Nice review Ray.

Nice review and nice tent. People wanting a true 3 person tent should be very happy with this tent. I have the Big Agnes Fly Creek UL3 which is much lighter (~3.4 lbs) but the CR3 looks a lot bigger. The Fly Creek UL3 is a great choice for two people looking for a bit more elbow room, but the CR3 looks great for hosting 3 actual people.

Peter:

Murphy's 14th Law of Backpacking states that if you are properly prepared for the worst Mother Nature can throw at you, she'll be on vacation at the time and you'll have nothing but sunshine and fair temperatures.

The corollary states that if you cut corners for the sake of saving weight – well, Mother Nature can be a real female canine and as they say, "It's not nice to fool Mother Nature.

Besides, would your kids want to go out in the yucky rain and wind that keeps them inside the tent with (YUCK) Dad all the time?

At least they got in a good wind and bug test.

I thought the review was well done. You would probably prefer the 3 part reviews that are standard at BackPackGearTest.com as they cover a much longer time frame and involve multiple outings……….but without the kids.

Ray –

Did you ever get a chance to pitch it in the rain? We're looking for a tent to share with the kids, too – but I lean toward external-pole (or sleeved-pole) models that keep the inner dry if you have to pitch when precipitation is falling.

How would you compare this to the Tarptent Hogback (4-person, but not dissimilar in layout)?

Thanks for the helpful review,
Steve