Help deciding on a tent

Yes- and I didn't mention that I'm in the Seattle area. My normal conditions are very wet. Not the humidity of the East, but constant rain, drizzle, sprinkles, slush, and snow. I love my Tarptents (I've used 7 different Tarptent models- original Tarptent Squall, Squall 2, Rainshadow 2, Sublite, Cloudburst, Tarptent/Gossamer Gear Squall Classic, Rainbow 2) and they've all been great, and each model has been an improvement. My old floorless and non-bathtub Tarptents would get some rain splash in extremely intense downpours, but since the move to bathtub floors, that's history. Great stuff.

Doug great avatar. Not to hijack but the Mrs. and I might do the big soggy NW next year. Is the Wonderland Trail worth the infamous crowds, or is there something cooler?

I do want to say I've never had a dog in my tarptent, so I don't no about dog nails and the floor and such. I do know that the tyvek groung cloth could fit inside the tent and protect the bottom.

You know Rick- I've never done the Wonderland Trail- only portions in the winter and summit climbs. But I know it's incredible from talking with others.

Other amazing options- Olympic NP coast trip- easy to do 4-7 days and nothing else like it. I also loves the Pacific Crest Trail through the Alpine Lakes Wilderness- Snoqualmie Pass to Stevens pass. Or if you have off trail/scrambling experience- the Alpine Lakes High Route (axe required). But I'm 100% sure the WT is worth it.

Back on track- curious what the original poster thinks of all this!

We got him on the line, if we can just get him in the boat. JJ obviously. HYOH The Mrs loves the WA coast so we'll put that in the running. I've been to San Fran and I've seen big sur but i never got that far north. Ok I'll stop hijacking, I know where to find you Doug! If you ever come out east, hit me up. I know many, many cool trails.

You won't have much condensation if you can pitch the tent under a tree. However, in the Rockies these days when most of the trees are dying or already dead from bark beetle infestation, in the open well away from any other choice is better. Just be prepare to wipe down the walls in early morning (preferably before you dog wakes up and starts wagging his tail, which of course knocks down any moisture on the inside of your tent).

Good point Mary! A small pack towel is a great addition to your kit on high condensation mornings.

Thanks everyone. Doug I checked out the tents you recommended and really like them. Our dog would ideally sleep in the tent. With the tents we had originally be thinking about getting we assumed the dog would sleep in the tent on cold nights so that it wasnt so drafty. However, with these tents it doesnt seem like he will have much wind protection. In most cases i'm sure he would be fine though. In the 30's I might be a little concerned about him getting cold though. Also, yes, we may be warm in our bags but what about if we're sitting around playing cards or just talking when it's breezy and 30 degrees outside. I certainly don't think that would be as comfortable in one of these tents. I've also seems some reviews where people talk about them not being the easiest to set up perfectly. I'm sure for you guys it's no problem but for the inexperienced that is certainly a concern for me. We can practice plenty in the backyard though so i'm assuming with enough internet research we can get good at it.

As someone mentioned before, price is definitely important. I'm not crazy about getting a more expensive tent just to have to get a more expensive sleeping bag! I know most of you will say, pay more to get the better gear but "better gear" means different things to different people. What I was looking at before was already a serious upgrade from what I could be getting! We both have North Face Chrysalis 15 degree sleeping bags that we were given. Buying a new sleeping bag really isnt an option. In the weather we are planning on camping in I think we would be fine in these bags though with either tent.

Neither of us have hiked with trekking poles either. It seems like pretty much everyone does though, especially since a lot of tents seem to utilize them.

My main concerns are still: price, possibly needing a warmer bag, being colder when not in our bags, pup getting cold, ease of setup, and needing to get trekking poles.

I'm getting closer to the boat…still trying to envision 2 less pounds on my back and what it's worth to ME. Thanks for the help everyone.

Steven I have a feeling you're gonna have fun no matter what. Warm clothes can stretch the warmth of a bag a good ways.

Absolutely we will. Rick I see you're from Virginia, so are we, Richmond specifically. I think our first weekend hike is going to be in October on the AT. Dragon's Tooth up Mcafee's knob and Tinker Cliffs, right near Roanoke. Are you familiar with that stretch?

I don't often get that far south, I'm in NoVA so most of my hiking is in SNP. October is the month for hiking in VA!
Me and the Mrs are gonna hike the AT through SNP this october. Can't wait. You been to Shennadoah yet, it rocks…and roots, and muds, and steeps:)

Good points Steven. A few comments:

RE: 30 degrees. Yes, if it's freezing and windy, any 3 season tent may be pushing it a bit. Winter tents typically have solid walls to decrease airflow, where summer tents have mesh to increase it. It's a trade off either way. Mesh walls cut down on airflow to a surprising degree (compared to open tarps), but not as much as solid walls. This is why most tents are labeled 3 or 4 season- mesh or solid walls (and increased structure for snow loading and high winds). If you want a tent that can cross over, you might want to consider the Tarptent Scarp, or something similar. Even double wall tents with mesh are going to be colder in freezing conditions due to airflow. They usually have rainflys that are not at ground level to make them cooler in warm conditions and mesh inner walls- similar to single wall Tarptents (or similar designs).

If you buy a winter tent with non-mesh walls (either single or double wall), you will be better off in winter, but worse off in summer when a cooler, more ventilated tent is what you want. Folks that do a lot of winter camping or mountaineering often have winter and summer tents for this reason (as well as heavier structure for high winds and snow loading).

As for me, I often use a Tarptent in sub freezing conditions. Condensation in a single wall tent is at its worst in these conditions when the air is still. But a small towel takes care of this. A simple bivy sack can be a great way to extend into subfreezing conditions because they up the temp rating on your bag (around 10 degrees), they keep the wind out, and they keep the bag dry. This really won't be necessary unless you're taking the tent into nasty winter conditions, but it's much cheaper than buying a second tent- and much warmer as well.

When it gets just a little chilly and windy, a great trick with a tent like the Squall is to pitch the tent closer to the ground to cut airflow.

Re: your bags. Bags all depend on the weather you're hiking in. Your 15 deg bags should be great in most conditions and wearing more clothes to bed to increase the range is a good trick. A winter tent can be warmer because of decreased airflow, but not because of insulation. If it's cold, your dog will still be cold, regardless of the tent. That's where a pad or blanket can come in handy.

Re: trekking poles. I think that most still do not use trekking poles. That's why all tents from these companies have optional poles that you can use. The Tarptent Rainbow 2 that I mentioned does not require straight poles at all.

Re: difficulty of set up. These tents are quite easy to set up, especially with a little practice. I used to be the shelter editor here and I've used many, many tents and I've always found that Tarptents are really easy to set up and get a taut pitch. Double wall tents with separate rain flies and multiple poles can be more complicated. Straight tarps can require some practice- that's for sure!

Re: reviews. We have detailed reviews of almost all of the tents discussed on our site as well as a detailed explanation of single wall tents: http://www.backpackinglight.com/cgi-bin/backpackinglight/sotmr_single_wall_tents_2008.html

Bummer- you do have to subscribe to BackpackingLight to access these reviews. But if you're considering buying a tent you're unsure of, it might be worth it to you.

Best of luck- there are many great shelters on the market and I'm sure you'll find a good one to fit your needs and style. I hope some of our comments help!

Best, Doug

Room for 3 (well, 2.5 anyway), 2 walls for weather/windproofing, under 5 lbs., high ceiling for rainy days, $299

http://www.rei.com/product/761895

Best of all, if you don't like it, you can get your $ back.

I actually have one of these i use for car camping or short weekends where it's sandy. It's a very solid, nice and big tent. Very easy to set up, after the first time.

Hi Steven,

Lots of great comments for you here! If you're going to get into, or think you might get into, lightweight backpacking, then joining BPL is one of the best investments you can make. I've not been a member long, but already feel that I've gotten much, much more than my money's worth. I'd also like to suggest that, if you haven't already, check out meetup.com for backpacking groups in your area. There's also a wealth of information through those groups, as well as planned trips so you can dip your toes in without having to do it alone!

I'll also second/third/whatever Henry Shires' Tarptents. I own three, and love them all, but my newest one, a Cloudburst 2 (I also have a Rainshadow 2 and a Contrail) is my favorite. Plenty of room (I use it as a palatial one-person), and so very easy to get in and out of since there's no pole in the middle of the door (which means no pole for your dog to knock over when rambling in and out). It's a great tent.