TNF Westwind: a 4 season "classic" tunnel tent selling on eBay

[Matt Dirksen]

A few weeks ago, I was searching through Ebay looking for good gear deals to outfit my kids.

When I came across a group selling classic TNF Westwind tent’s for $70. They’ve sold a bunch so far, and it looks like they still have a bunch.

I thought “why not” and got one. Even though they said they were in “good” condition, the one I got was brand new. Not even seam sealed yet.

While I know it isn’t “UL” by today’s standards, it’s quite the formidable three pole hooped shelter and has a long and reliable track record. It can certainly hold it’s own next to the MacPac Olympus or a handful of the Hilleberg tents (even though the poles sleeve through the tent body)…

for a LOT less money.

Looks like my kids have a good tent for their winter campout in a few weeks!

:)

 

[Russ W]

Matt,

That’s just interesting and thanks for posting. I’m getting twitchy and my heels are digging in…must resist…..don’t need…must resist..

What does it weigh? ….must resist.

 

[Monty Montana]

The tent weighs ~6 1/2 lbs and had quite a popular following, especially in the UK where it held up to any and all inclement weather.

[nunatak]

Wow, it was 6.5 lbs!! I had one in the eighties/early nineties and thought it was so light.

We used a tiny padlock to lock it (for European insurance purposes) and finally at Snell’s Field in Chamonix someone sliced it open and ran away with 2 smelly sleeping bags.

[Tipi Walter]

The original NF Westwind was my main backpacking tent for 10 years in the late 1980s/1990s—until a freak tornado in NC swayed the thing terribly and cracked several of the poles.

It’s a 3 pole Hoop tent (different length poles vs a Tunnel tent which has the same length poles).  And North Face in their wisdom discontinued the thing and dumped an excellent tent for no apparent reason (although I hear there’s a single wall version sold in the UK).

Here’s my Westwind used in the backyard of a friend’s house when I was “homeless” and literally living out of a tent in Watauga County NC.  It also accompanied me on a hitchhiking trip from NC to Nevada City Calif—where I stealth camped for a month near the Yuba River by Ananda Village.

 

[Tipi Walter]

And Matt—your Westwind link doesn’t show or mention the fly which goes with the tent—and w/o the fly the tent is worthless.

[Matt Dirksen]

The fly is included (and I repeat: has never been used.) It included some guy lines that look like they’ve never been opened up either.

Should be seam sealed, since these tents were made before the $h!tty seam tape was used. I’ll leave the seam sealing for my kids to do…

[Ed D]

I received mine and it was full of holes and wear (both the tend body & fly), most of it crudely patched with various colored material either glued or stitched or both. It stunk so bad that it made my whole basement smell after I pulled it out of the stuff sack. The tent I received is entirely useless and has no value.

My daughter’s boyfriend ordered one at the same time, received his, and it’s like new (same as Matt). He’s very happy with it.

Luck of the draw, I guess.

 

 

 

[Stephen Hoefler]

I ordered two of these. One was in used (but good) condition and the other appears to have never been used!

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