Sierra Designs Assailant Tent REVIEW

Fascinating review Will, I had high hopes for this one. I would love a winter solo tent that offers a little more legroom than my ID MK1. Ah well. Another one out. Funny how so much "4-season" gear isn't, really.

It's a crime to have external poles for a 4 season singlewall tent and this review just makes that point obvious.

Besides providing less in the way of ledges for snow collection, internally mounted poles allow one to set up the tent from the inside (and take it down) in inclement weather. I betcha forces such as sudden wind gusts are better distributed with a sleeveless interior design over a greater area of the tent than with pole sleeves, as well.

I heart my internal pole Bibler and BD epic tents for Winter, general mtneering, and anywhere the wind blows hard and the snow falls deeply

p.s. love the avatar, Greg

I have the assailant.
Used it on Colorado Trail this year (hiked 26 miles/day av) it performed well and so I have grown fond of it. It sets up easy, makes little noise in gusty weather as fabic nice and taught, plenty long enough and never leaked in some heavy rain that lasted hours (a number of occassions). For a vestibule, I use a Integral Designs Sil Poncho. Fold it in half and secure loops on cape in the holes of pole sleeves. The width is ideal and it comes in yellow too. As for condensation, yes Ive experienced this. I find that if relative humidity less than about 85% in tent then thats fine. Above this and up to 100% I wipe the condensation off to stop it dripping on my sleeping bag.