Looking for 2-man, 3 1/2 season tent

[Jim S]

Hi all! Newbie here. I have a 2-man North Face Ventilator tent that I love and has served me well for many years. However, I’ve recently started camping more in early Spring/late Fall, and the Ventilator lives up to its name too well in those conditions; it’s drafty all night, because the fly doesn’t reach the ground.

So I’m looking for a replacement. I’d like something generally similar to the Ventilator: Free-standing, easy to set up, room for two people or one person and gear, lightweight, tall enough to sit up in, cool and breezy with the fly off, but capable of holding heat with the fly on and closed up. I’m not looking for an Alpine tent; it doesn’t have to stand up to very high winds, feet of snow, or sub-zero temperatures. It definitely needs to keep me dry in a rainstorm, however.

Frankly if I could just modify my existing fly to be able to reach the ground and give me something of a seal against the breeze, that might be great. But that could come with its own problems.

I’m not worried too much about expense; I’m planning to haunt eBay until I find a good used one anyway. By the same token, it doesn’t have to be a current model. A high-quality older model is much better than a cheaply made new tent.

My Google searches have come up empty; there’s no agreement as to what to even call what I’m looking for (3-season? 4-season? All-season? 3 1/2 season?), and I cannot pin down a good model of tent for my needs.

 

So…anybody’s got any ideas?

[Brad Rogers]

Tarptent Scarp 2? It’s not free standing (unless you get the optional crossing poles) but the fly goes all the way to the ground, and it has been proven in Scottish weather. The Brits seem to think it is more sturdy than the Hilleburg Atko (and there is a video of the Atko surviving 80mph winds on youtube – and yes they had a wind meter).

If you need less wind resistance, the Tarptent Cloudburst 3 might be an option.

[Pigeon]

I’ve enjoyed my ~week using a Big Sky Chinook 2 and it fits most of your criteria. The fly extends close to the ground, there’s a choice of pole thickness, solid or mesh interior, and an optional third pole for robustness. It can’t be pitched without the fly but both sides can be rolled up fully for airflow. It can be pitched without the inner.

I caught/released a Scarp and I think it’s a smarter design but glad I ended up with the Chinook for now. The advantages I see in  the Scarp are the floor can adjust width and (I believe) the doors can be left open in light precipitation. The pole sleeve seems like a superior connection over  BSI’s clips , it comes with guylines standard, and the struts make the corners more spacious. But the Scarp crossing poles are heavy if you’ll only want them to make the tent freestanding. I also found setup more difficult because of the corner struts. The Chinook with 2 poles is still freestanding with only vestibules and head/foot ends needing 4 stakes to pitch in low wind.

[Eric Blumensaadt]

Look at the Tarptent Scarp 2. Two doors/vestibules, relatively fast to set up and can be made “freestanding” with 2 optional crossing poles.

This tent can actually sleep 3 in a head-to-toe configuration so there is good room for 2 and their gear, with packs in the vestibule.

For “3 1/2” season use get the ripstop inner. I use mine for full on winter with the X-ing poles. (See “Winter Hiking” forum and “Winterizing my Scarp 2” for photos of mine.)

Also ask for factory installed fly hem loops.Important to stake fly hem down in high winds to stop flapping. All tents need these fly hem loops.

 

[Dean F.]

You’re going to meet resistance here to the proposition that you need a freestanding tent (witness the TarpTent recommendations thus far).  *Most* people here insist that very few people actually need a freestanding tent, and that the only thing driving that market is FUD about non-freestanding shelters.

Also there really is no such thing as a “warm” tent except in that- as you have discovered- they cut down on the breeze.  If you want more warmth you’re better off buying a sleeping bag with more insulation.

Big Sky does meet your freestanding criteria and are impressively light for their category (full-featured double-walled freestanding tents) but they can be expensive.

[Jim S]

The Big Skys are indeed expensive! And they kind of make you want to buy all the different options :) Plus, there don’t seem to be any on eBay at the moment, which is a bummer.

Freestanding is not a requirement. I’ve just found it convenient. On low-wind days or in sheltered locations, I can just set it up and throw my gear in without having to stake it down; the sleeping bag and mat are enough to keep it blowing around. But it’s not a big deal.

And yes, I’m not looking for a genuinely “warm” tent; the only way to get that that I know of is to get an insulated tent, and as you say I’d rather invest in a 0-degree sleeping bag. But cold breezes blowing across my face at night drive me nuts.

The solutions listed so far—Scarp 2 (or 1; I’m realizing my North Face is only a 1½ person tent, and I don’t need much more space than that) and Chinook—look really good. Thanks! Anybody got other suggestions?

[Todd T]

On low-wind days or in sheltered locations, I can just set it up and throw my gear in without having to stake it down; the sleeping bag and mat are enough to keep it blowing around.

Famous last words.

[Jim S]

Oh, sure, I’ve had it try to blow away once or twice. But when there’s trees everywhere, there’s not too far it can go.

[Brad Rogers]

If you just need 1-1/2 person, for your requirements I might recommend the Tarptent Scarp 1 with the solid inner.

[Jim S]

Thanks for the recommendations. I’ll keep a lookout on eBay for the Scarp and Chinook, though there aren’t any there at the moment.

In the meantime, I’m considering getting more fabric sewn onto my fly so it reaches the ground; perhaps even with the “snow lip” that is optional with the Chinook. Is this a bad idea for any reason? Can you even get fly fabric, or will I have to find one to cannibalize?

[Brad Rogers]

I would keep an eye out here our on reddit for something used.  It’s hard to find niche stuff on eBay.

You can buy fly material and I imagine a silnylon strip would work.  Quest Outfitters or Rockywoods probably has what you need.  MYOG people can probably chime in and help more than I on that.

[jared h]

You didn’t mention a weight limit or a temperature, but the MSR Freelite 2 and Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 have higher side walls to help with wind, and are both under 3 pounds if you ditch the included sacks. Less breezy than tents with low side walls, or at least the air flow is disrupted enough by the sides that I don’t notice as much. My Copper Spur has been through 40+ mph winds in the mid teens and in 40* rainstorms without issue, but I also have the right bag that keeps me warm and blocks wind around my face if needed (very handy for nights without a tent).

Not sure a fly that touches the ground is all that common. I have never had one, even on my expedition/mountaineering tents. Either get taller sidewalls (those options or even more wall like the MSR Hubba NX series) or just upgrade your sleep system.

 

[Graham F]

Big Sky Revolution 2 Breathable nylon inner. Used mine below 0C and you can feel cool air when you open the door -it is that wee bit warmer inside-that is no exageration. Excellent.

The gap is needed for ventilation/ anti condensation. I have both the 1 person (one kg app) and the 2 (app 1.5kgs) Revolution, bit lighter than the Chinook and bomber tough.

[Ross Bleakney]

I own a tent that isn’t free standing, while most of my friends do. I can see some clear advantages to free standing. The biggest of which is that it is easy to adjust the location of your tent. If you set it up, and realize you want it over a few inches, or turned the other way, no problem. It is also easier to shake out. Another thing to keep in mind is that a tent like mine has multiple points of failure. If one of the stakes pulls out, my tent will go down. That simply isn’t the case with a free standing tent. That also means that in mild winds you can get by with a stake or two (just enough to keep it from blowing away).

So while I don’t own a free standing tent, I can see the advantages. I would look at some of the Big Agnes models. You can often find discounts. There are a lot of differences between the models. Trade-offs include being a bit flimsy in the wind, being a bit cramped, or being a bit heavy. Most of these are pretty easy to figure out, just by looking at them, but ideally you would be able to check them out at the store. For a true two person tent, I would probably go with a model that has doors on either side, which means you will probably have to go up from the lightest versions.

If you feel confident owning a tent that isn’t free standing, there are a bunch of really good ones made by Six Moons and TarpTent. I feel like you can’t go too wrong with Big Agnes, Six Moons or Tarp Tent. They all are high quality, and if your tent isn’t that light, it is because it has other features (like being especially roomy, or very stable in the wind).

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