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 ;)