2007 Rab Summit Extreme Tent REVIEW

This is a preview of a member exclusive premium article.

The Rab Summit Extreme is based on the older Outdoor Designs Summit Extreme but with a few changes. It is also the only tent in the world market constructed of the amazingly breathable eVENT fabric. Unfortunately, the current Easton 7075 aluminum poles are heavier and less strong than the previous Easton Carbon FX models. The Summit Extreme also retains the Outdoor Designs model's small footprint and low 28 inch roof, making it tight for two hikers. However, the low profile design, 13 guy-out points, and dual "donut link" tieout points make it the ultimate tent for extreme alpine placements and brutal weather conditions. This tent has few (if any) peers.

ARTICLE OUTLINE

Introduction
What's Good
What's Not So Good
Specifications: Tent, Style, Fabrics, Poles and Stakes, Dimensions, Packed Size, As supplied by manufacturer with all included items, Includes minimum number of items needed to securely erect the tent , Protected Area, Floor Area/Trail Weight Ratio, MSRP, Options
Performance
What's Unique
Recommendations for Improvement

# WORDS: 2260
# PHOTOS: 8
# TABLES: 1

--- End of free preview ---

Member Exclusive

A Premium or Unlimited Membership* is required to view the rest of this article.

Membership Login

* A Basic Membership is required to view Member Q&A events

This topic is empty.

Viewing 17 posts - 26 through 42 (of 42 total)

← 1 2

Author

Posts
Sep 12, 2007 at 9:09 am #1401960

Daniel Richardson
Member

@drichardson23
Locale: Wasatch

I just want to comment on this comment:

"Unfortunately, the current Easton 7075 aluminum poles are heavier and less strong than the previous Easton Carbon FX models."

Easton Carbon FX tent poles are as strong as our .340 7075 T9 (96,000 psi) and in fact are designed to have the exact deflection of the .340 7075 T9 (.070 at 18"). The Carbon FX is designed around the .340 and a tent design can be created as a hybrid with aluminum and carbon sections. Also, the Carbon FX is lighter than the 7075 T9 .340, but it is 3x the price of aluminum. The weight difference is 5.543 gpi (grains per inch).

If you have any questions, just contact me directly at [email protected].

thanks,
Elizabeth Wise
Mountain Products Manager
Easton
Salt Lake City, Utah

Sep 17, 2007 at 4:10 pm #1402565

Brian James
Member

@bjamesd
Locale: South Coast of BC

It would be awesome if you could post the component weight of the tent. How much did the poles, body, guylines, and the stakes weigh each?

Thanks!

Brian

Sep 19, 2007 at 9:20 pm #1402856

Brian James
Member

@bjamesd
Locale: South Coast of BC

No love?

Does anyone out there own this tent, who could let me know how much the body alone weighs and how much the poles alone weigh?

Thanks!

Oct 29, 2007 at 4:34 am #1407002

Donald Browning
BPL Member

@docdb
Locale: SE USA

Brian,
Did anyone ever help you out with the weights of the Rab? If not, I have the tent and could weight it for you.
Don

Oct 29, 2007 at 7:53 am #1407013

Christopher Plesko
Member

@pivvay
Locale: Rocky Mountains

I would love weights. This tent is on my short list if a couple mountain trips fall into place.

Nov 20, 2007 at 1:06 pm #1409677

Connie Yang
Member

@connie

The NEMO Tenshi fabric is called OSMO. It has a 30D polyester ripstop base with a proprietary monolithic laminate on one side.

We (I'm an engineer at NEMO) changed over from eVENT for a few primary reasons:

1. the eVENT fabric being used was not fire-retardant and for tent to be available everywhere without exception, all fabrics must be FR-treated

2. The NEMO OSMO fabric (5618 g/24hr/m2)tested better in our independent lab fabric tests than eVent ev5005 (5304 g/24hr/m2). The test we use is ASTM E 96 METHOD BW (inverted).

3. The NEMO OSMO fabric has a lower weight (2.22 oz/yd2) than the eVent (2.84 oz/yd2).

Nov 20, 2007 at 1:18 pm #1409678

Woubeir (from Europe)
BPL Member

@woubeir

Hi Connie,
thanks for stopping by.
A small question: I've read somewhere that the Osmo fabric is a formulation of Toray Dermizax. Could you confirm or deny this?

Nov 20, 2007 at 1:33 pm #1409682

Connie Yang
Member

@connie

Hi Tom,

The NEMO OSMO fabric is a propietary fabric made by a company called Formosa — so, it is NOT a Toray fabric.

Let me know if I can answer any more questions.

Connie

Nov 20, 2007 at 2:07 pm #1409690

Woubeir (from Europe)
BPL Member

@woubeir

Thanks

Nov 21, 2007 at 12:02 pm #1409808

Andy Dixon
Member

@sideshowandy

OK folks, just weighted my own summit extreme, results are as follows (in grams for greater accuracy)

tent body alone 1333g
poles 380g
guy lines 181g
pegs 185g (15 x V-shaped alu)

Hopes this helps

Feb 22, 2010 at 12:40 pm #1577131

Ben Pearre
BPL Member

@fugue137

If BPL still believes that eVent is still the ultimate material for tents, then the Polaris is a top contender for the title of ultimate single-wall tent, right? Or do the new fabrics (OSMO perhaps, and others) offer similar performance in the Rockies? Might you treat us to a review?

Aug 16, 2010 at 5:46 pm #1637945

Gabe P
BPL Member

@gabe

According to the reviewer, the Rab Superlite tent/bivy has a mesh front door for camping in the lower elevations. I looked at a Rab Superlite today and I saw no mesh door. Have the folks at Rab removed the mesh door on this tent/bivy since it was reviewed in 2007? Thanks

Aug 17, 2010 at 11:55 am #1638124

Gabe P
BPL Member

@gabe

deleted

Aug 17, 2010 at 12:18 pm #1638126

Diplomatic Mike
Member

@mikefaedundee
Locale: Under a bush in Scotland

Gabriel. This was a review of the Summit Extreme, not the Summit Superlite. I don't think Rab make the Summit Extreme anymore.

Aug 18, 2010 at 5:35 am #1638321

Gabe P
BPL Member

@gabe

Mike you're right… I go this from Rab early this morning:

Hi Gabe,

I think I figured it out. the article you mentioned is reviewing the Summit Extreme, not the Summit Superlite. What this boils down to is: You were correct in your original statement of the Summit Superlite having changed since the review to remove the mesh door.

When the Summit Extreme was reviewed by backpackinglight.com, it had the mesh door. Once it had been updated (in 2009) to make it lighter (by 2 oz) the name was changed to its current name of Summit Superlite. The current model does not have a mesh door.

Cheers,

Karen Moldenhauer

Customer Service Manager

Oct 6, 2010 at 2:48 pm #1652084

Roy Jamieson
Member

@roysta1
Locale: Gosford

Is the removal of the mesh door the only change?
In my view this is a retrograde step.
The mesh door allowed some other options, like leaving the door open near lakes riddled with sandflies etc.
I also note references to this being three season.
Is is a 3 or 4?

Oct 18, 2010 at 2:08 pm #1655695

ROBERT TANGEN
Spectator

@robertm2s
Locale: Lake Tahoe

The Rab rep was negligent in not revealing that the Summit Extreme was “split” into two tents:
Summit Mountain Bivi
Single skin, 2 person mountaineering shelter with increased headroom
Weight:2000g/71oz (+1000g/35oz with optional porch)
Colours: Olive, Red
• Highly breathable Exchange Lite™ fabric
• 10000mm laminated nylon waterproof bathtub base
• Internally pitched DAC 8.84mm Aluminium poles
• 2 sealed ‘donut link’ tie in point, located at top and side
• 4 internal pockets
• Mosquito net door
• Glow in the dark zip pullers
• Available with removable porch adding 140cm length for gear storage
size: 2220 x 1200mm base, 1000mm height
Summit Superlite Bivi
Single skin, 2 person lightweight, low profile mountaineering shelter
Weight:1500g/53oz
Colours: Blue, Red
• Highly breathable Exchange Lite™ eVent® fabric
• 10000mm laminated lightweight ripstop nylon waterproof bathtub base
• Internally pitched DAC 8.84mm Aluminium poles
• 1 sealed ‘donut link’ tie in point, located at top
• Rear snow collection drawcord porthole
• 1 internal pocket
• Glow in the dark zip pullers
• Aluminium pegs
size: 2220 x 1200mm base, 700mm height
Author

Posts