Newer TNF Mountain 25 – black foam spacer solution?

[John F]

Setup my new Mountain 25 in the backyard today with the fly.  Its the current model, less than a month old.

Disappointed that I can’t seem to get the fly separated from the tent body right where the older models had the black foam spacer (and the 3P VE25 still has them).  The little plastic “struts” that hold open the attic venting in the fly naturally push down on the fly a little and there’s a big 12-18″ circular portion below that which ends up looking glued to the tent body.

Called TNF support line, they were worthless. None had ever pitched it personally or had any rationale for why the new models don’t have that spacer anymore.

I’m going to have to re-engineer the black foam spacer myself it seems.  I think I could just dangle it down on ~14″ long cord from the cross of the tent poles at the top – just have a long 28″ cord with the foam on each end and do a little wrap around the poles during setup.  Hardware store must have some reasonable material I can substitute.  My buddy let me look at his VE25 so I know exactly what the real thing looks like.

Anyone else with a newer M25 have different experience or advice?

[Edward John M]

Perhaps the spacer is simply missing?

Do the pitching instructions for the new tent not show its use?

[John F]

The spacer is held on by a sewn in strap on the tent body on the older models and the VE-25.  The current M25 doesn’t even have the strap so it isn’t simply missing.

Pitching instructions are a complete joke. They are a single page 8.5″ x 11″ with 5 drawings, none of which are useful.  Pathetic really.  And TNF staff on the phone weren’t any help either, but did confirm their designers got rid of the foam spacer on purpose, but had no idea why of course.

Really just looking for someone else that actually owns a modern M25 and what their experience has been with this aspect.  Thanks.

[Author]

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