SingFin WindSaber tent – strong and light

[Max Neale]

I’ve been using the SlingFin WindSaber over the last two years and have found it to be an excellent tent for exposed areas. Most of us here on BPL have a high level of skills and knowledge–we rarely need a tent like the WindSaber because we can use lighter shelters such as pyramid tarps for most winter travel. However, sometimes we need a much stronger tent that is also lightweight. I share my opinion and some photos here.

[Marcus]

Great write up. You seem to test your gear to the max and this is excellent feedback.

I want a Portal2 or maybe the Crossbow2 to motivate myself into higher elevations and colder temps.

The Wind Sabre is way overkill for my hiking, but you drive home the point that Slingfin produces essentially the best tents for strength:weight ratio in for 3 season, 4 season, and mountaineering almost without competition.

The portal is fully freestanding at 3lbs and 3.5 season worthy from reports I’ve read.

The crossbow is 4lb for 4 season, bordering on light mountaineering conditions from the sounds of it.

And sounds like the Wind Sabre is 5lb and fully Mountianeering worthy

All of which are quite impressive. Both you and Ryan Jordan speak highly of their fabrics too. Slingfin seems to really have it dialed in in terms of fabric, pole quality, and pole structure at a macro level on all their tents.

Another reason I want a Portal/Crossbow – you never see them on the used gear market. People seem to keep them forever.

Anyone want to sell their neglected portal or crossbow to me for a buddy price ;)

[Bruce Tolley]

Hello Marcus, I own a both Portal 2 and a Crossbow. They are different tents for different environments.  I would never take the Portal in Winter when expecting snow and wind.  The materials and construction match the quality of Hilleberg tents but SlingFin also builds in a lot of clever innovations that are described in the reviews.  Buy a SlingFin and you will be happy.

My only nit on the Portal is that it is a bit short on usable length.  I am 6 ft 2 in tall and have to sleep diagonally in order to avoid touching the two ends of the tent.

[jscott]

“My only nit on the Portal is that it is a bit short on usable length.  I am 6 ft 2 in tall and have to sleep diagonally in order to avoid touching the two ends of the tent.”

Maybe the real issue is that you’re too tall.

[Paul S]

My wife and I own a portal 2p and the crossbow 2p.

Both are strong tents, stronger than you’d think. The Crossbow 2 in particular does a great job in the wind.

 

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