Stephenson’s Warmlite Tents?

Warmlight tents pretty much live up to their claims… and have done so for over 40 years. They were designed and built well in the 1960s and have only gotten better. Warning: Warmlights are built very light for people who value and take care of their gear. But when you pay 2 or 3 times the price of similar tents it’s a great motivation. And cheesecake has always been part of their advertisement.

I have owned several Warmlite (both 2R and 3R) tents. They have serious condensation issues in humid environments, such as when it is raining. Also, water comes through the floor from hydrostatic pressure–a groundcloth helps but does not cure. The manufacturer will deny the above, but it is the reality. Tarptents are lighter and function better (for much less cash).

I just love anonymous cranks.

I’ve never owned a Stephenson tent but I have spent many nights in both 2 and 3R Warmlites, in all 4 seasons and in environments as varied as the Pacific Northwest to N. Africa. Particularly with the side window options, these are among the best venting tents on the market. Never had a problem with hydrostatic pressure creating puddles on the inside. But, then again, I’m not stupid enough to set my tent in the middle of a watercourse or in a hollow. The tents are among the most wind stable I’ve ever used, as well.

To compare them to Tarptents is beyond comment. If you still have a Warmlite tent, perhaps you’d like to sell it to more appreciative company.

Perhaps the anonymous poster who had the condensation problem was using the single-walled Warmlite?

Thanks very much for the comments, guys. Anyone have a used 2R for sale in Vancouver for cheap? ;) Just kidding.

Brian D

PS I post “anonymously” because you don’t have the option of using your handle as your poster name; only your full name. Any remedy for this?

Change the last name in the options. Do you really think my last name is Bradley?

Aah; much better.

Thanks, friend.

Brian

Every time you sign up for a free catalog or create a new name on a website, use a different and unique username. That way you can trace who is selling your info, and who they’re selling it to.

BTW, I don’t do it because I’m paranoid, I do it because I got my degree in advertising and like seeing how companies are trying to market to me.

Hey, were those photos of the naked campers taken at Woodstock? If not, where are they camping (where do we sign up?) :)

I’ll never forget the look of shock on my parents face when the Warmlite catalog came in the mail. I was a relatively innocent 12 at the time–hee hee. Those pictures had a few years on them then. I think an update of the Stephenson family photos( they were the models) is not in order.

I used the dog’s name and my baby son’s name for magazine subscriptions.

“Ring, ring”
Me: “Hello?”
Telemarketer: “May I speak to Emmett please?”
Me: “Okay, sure. Emmett, come here!”
Emmett was my springer spaniel and when I held the phone up, he would bark.
Emmett:”WOOF WOOF WOOF…”
Me: “Well, how was it speaking to Emmett?”
Telemarketer: “You know, sometimes you think you have heard it all and then someone tops it! Have a good day!”

I had similar circumstances with my son. I’d hnd him the phone and he would say “Hi” and the telemarketer would go on the spiel. My son loved getting phone calls. He got all kinds of stuff in the mail too. I stopped counting credit card offers at about $25,000. Good credit for someone still in diapers!

More to the point, these forums come up in Google. We’re famous :)

I don’t camp in snow, but I would have serious reservations with the warmlite tents, for 2 reasons: poles and zippers. Both of these can and will eventually fail, in my experience. Of course, my experience differs from that of some people. Some people are perfect and never make mistakes, whereas I make mistakes frequently enough that bomb-proof is what I look for in outdoor equipment. Here is an example of what I would call a bombproof snow tent:

http://arctictent.8m.net/index.html

As for condensation, under certain conditions that occurs in all tents and all tarp-tents and all tarps as well. The only way to prevent condensation, whether with tents or with houses, is to use a waterproof vapor barrier for the inner wall (such as tyvek in houses), then put some insulation between the inner and outer walls (such as fiberglass in houses). Such a system is overkill for camping gear.

The great advantage of tarps (or floorless tents like the arctic tent linked to above) is that the liquid or ice condensation can just roll or fall off onto the ground. With tents, whether Stevenson’s or other models, the condensation gets caught inside the tent and eventually makes a mess of things.

I agree with Vick Hines and Kevin Davidson. I also own the 2R and 3R and have found them to be very stable and very well made lightweight tents. I have experienced only minor condensation problems on the single wall ends of my 3R and some condensation on the 2R in 40 degree rain with no wind; both tents are double walled in the center and have side windows.

Stephenson Tents aren’t for everyone; other options include the new single wall epic tents from Black Diamond.

Stephenson Tents excel in winter use; all doors have double zippers, inner and outer sets, FYI to the post about zippers failing.

I purchased a 3r warmlite tent for my JMT trip several years ago with two adult two teenage boys (slender but tall). I am an outdoor sleeper and rarely use a tent unless I am getting rained on.

The four of us spent two nights with all our gear in the tent and had adequate room.

Although I have had condesation problems with the tent, it was because I didn’t read the instructions well. They have a lengthy explanation of how to use their ventallation system and how to prevent condensation. Part of their plan includes sleeping in one of their vapor barrier shirts which I routinely do anyway if it is at all cold (less than 30 degrees). The shirt keeps the vapor out of your bag as well as warming you immensely for its weight.

I wear their vapor barrier socks as well which keep my feet warm when they other wise might get cold and dry, when I am walking in the water or snow.

Using the proper ventillation and the vapor barrier shirt, I’ve not had problems with condesation.

The poles all broke around the ends because i did not follow the instructions. I was going to buy 200 dollars worth of new poles when the Stephanson sr told me to put strapping tape around the ends. I’ve had no furhter problems. The tent is very easy to set up once you learn how to set it up though setting it up is confusing the first couple of times.

I use a tyvec ground sheet underneath it mostly to protect the floor of the tent so I’ve not had any water coming through the floor. I’ve used it in the snow and rain but, incredibly, have missed the wind. I paid extra for the window option but have never used it. I don’t really stay in the same place long enough to need it.

In short, I recommend this tent and I recommend that all read the discussion of vapor barrier usage and ventillation whether or not you buy thier tent.

> I don’t camp in snow, but I would have serious reservations with the warmlite tents, for 2 reasons: poles and zippers. Both of these can and will eventually fail, in my experience.

Poles can fail under any weather conditions if mistreated. However, after over 15 years of snow camping, I have yet to break one. Sure, some care is needed – but that applies to all things when snow camping anyhow!

Zippers are slightly more tricky. The coil-coil construction can ice up around freezing point. That is, start with a wet zip above freezing point and then go sub-freezing overnight, and the zip can be hard to undo. This does not happen with the moulded-tooth zip. (The cure is to warm the frozen bit with your hand or some warm water.)

That said, I have been using #3 coil-coil zips for the last 8 years in the snow without damage.

I have used Stephenson sleepling bags (very versatile) and a single walled 2 person tent for 25+ years until it finally stopped shedding water. It was a bit noisy in a steady wind. Jack said I just wasn't pulling the tension straps tight enough. Still I bought another one this year because it was so light. I might have tried the Black Diamond HiLight tent which is advertised at about the same weight if the catalogue with a sale price of $280 for the tent had arrived earlier.

Still I wanted to buy American to try and help the economy and our government along. Afterward, I started to wonder a little about Stephenson's apparent Libertarian bent. I googled Jack Stephenson politics Gilford and got a 2005 letter to the editor complaining about how unfair it is to use property taxes to fund public schools. This Jack Stephenson believed all school education should be paid for with private tuition-a rather radical conservative position. If this is the same Jack Stephenson and politics enters into your purchasing criteria, you might consider alternatives. Here is the link to the letter:

http://www.concordmonitor.com/article/simple-solution-jack-stephenson-gilford-letter

Sorry if this sounds a little off topic, but it does matter to some.

How can you sleep in the tent now?