Boundary Waters Quetico Forum :: Gear Forum :: Tents
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deerfoot |
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kjw |
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LarryS48 |
I am thinking about some dome tents as a replacement for my aging TL 4. I am looking at the following as starters. Any comments on these tents would be appreciated. Marmot Fortress 3P Marmot Tungsten 3P These two seem to be the same design but the Tungsten use a more breathable tent body. Some questions: Is the Fortress tougher and better able to stand up to storms? Are there potential condensation problems in the Fortress? Is condensation less of a problem in the Tungsten? Larger option are: MSR Zoic 4 MSR Papa Hubba NX Again any comments on these or similar tents would be useful. Thanks again, Larry |
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boonie |
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LarryS48 |
kjw: "There are a lot of tents. A good starting point would be to go to outdoorgearlab.com and type tents in the search bar. They rate a lot of tents by category - i.e. camping tents, backpacking tents & etc. That may narrow down your choice by looking at their ratings." The review sites are somewhat helpful but they never quite understand what I want in a canoe camping tent. I am not as fanatical about weight as a backpacker would be and am willing to tolerate a few extra pounds for more room. The backpacking tent section usually concentrates on two person tents that Bill Mason would have called a dog house (or an extra small dog house). One the other hand, they also review "camping tents". I don't want the weight and size that a person doing car camping would. The three or four person backpacking tents which usually get little coverage are what seem most suitable for a two person canoe camping tent in my opinion. |
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SevenofNine |
Certainly if someone asked me what manufacturers to look at I would have a lot of answers because there simply are a lot of good manufacturers out there Nemo, Big Agnes, Marmot to name a few. Then there are more cottage style makers like Tarptent and Six Moons designs which probably are not what you are looking for but who make great light weight tents. For sure I think you want a large 4 man tent since you stuck with the tent you have so I would start with the manufacturers I suggested but leave the door open for others. Getting back to the start I really think you should think about what you like in your current tent and what you dislike and go from there. |
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jewp |
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ZaraSp00k |
I’m not going to mention the tent name or MFG, everybody makes a similar design, it is as popular as the Timberline 4 was back in the day, maybe more so. Dual doors and a vestibule for each is mandatory for me, even if I am solo. |
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prettypaddle |
The bodies of the new dome tents have so much netting that ventilation inside with the fly closed up isn't much of a problem, but I sure do miss looking outside. In our new dome tent we've left the vestibule door on our fly open at night for a view but we have to have it closed to stay dry in the rain. Closing the fly quickly and without letting in mosquitoes in our dome tent is not as easy as zipping up those triangle windows in the T-2. Even with that I would not go back to the Timberline. Especially since we couldn't retape its seams to any workable degree. The dome tents just give so much more headroom it's like being in a palace compared to the Timberline. If any good outdoor stores are open near you I encourage you to go try out one of the new dome tents before buying another T-4. The nostalgia I have for the Eureka is strong, but I never choose it over our newer dome tents. Also you mentioned that you liked the fly to come down to the ground. At Walmart, Target, etc. they sell the tents that only have like half a fly or one that just covers the top. Stay away! Those are really only good for car camping. And not so much even then. You should be able to get a decent quality backpacking tent for a couple hundred bucks if you watch for sales. REI is always a good bet. |
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LarryS48 |
On the other hand, it may be time for a new tent. I wouldn't mind replacing it with another Timberline 4, but the ones they make now only have one door. That is not necessarily a game ender but is a strike against it. In addition, I expect that tent technology has made some advances in the last quarter century. So, let me talk about what I liked about the Timberline and what I'd want in a replacement. 1. I like a free standing tent. 2. I liked the room in the tent. (I think I'll want a 3 or 4 person tent to sleep 2.) 3. I liked the overhang on the doors so that you could open the tent for ventilation even when it was raining. I also found that under the overhang was a place to let wet socks dry at night even if rain threatened. 4. I liked that the rain fly went nearly to the ground. I guess a couple of more inches wouldn't hurt. 5. I liked that the A frame design was sturdy and stayed up in some bad storms. Perhaps a little more head room could be had in a dome or other design. 6. It wasn't the world's lightest tent, but for canoe camping I'm okay with an 8 lb. tent. 7. As far as price goes vs. quality goes, I come down in the middle of the spectrum. I am not willing to have something that wouldn't serve its purpose because it is cheap. On the other had, sometimes having the latest and greatest gets you very little in added functionality for a great price. So, if waterproofing the floor fails, who makes some tents that I should consider? |
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Mashuga |
These do have 2 doors and a built in vestibule among a few other changes from the original. Weight, as you mentioned, is a drawback but it's not terrible either. I like this tent and have taken it to the BWCA on a few trips but have changed to different tents as the make up of our group has changed. |
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butthead |
I'm not advocating a new replacement but looking at used gear as a source of obtaining a known item at more reasonable prices. The market is full of once or twice users who then no longer want to participate in activities. May even find a little used Timberline older modle or a new Eureka Canada Timberline SQ Outfitter 4 There are differences between US and Canadian Eureka products. I am a fan of Ebay and have bought most of my camp gear discontinued or used. Another excellent source is the Items For Sale or Wanted in this forum. butthead |
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Jaywalker |
If you do want to consider a new tent, two I’ll toss out there are the REI Half Dome 4 or the Nemo Losi3 - both of which happen to be on sale right now at REI. When I tossed my TL4, I switched to the Half Dome (or it’s similar predecessor) and loved all of the room and stability. I used it for several years before swapping for a smaller tent. Now I’m in a Losi3 which I’ve used for 3 years. Great head room, ok weight, vestibules are ok and good ventilation. It’s weathered 2-3 strong storms, as I’m guessing most can now days. |