Need a 2 person tent

I've been researching 2 person backpacking tents for a long time now and can't get settled on one. Much of it probably has to do with not being able to actually see one anywhere but in a catalogue. I've got EMS locally, but that is about it. Their tents seem well made, but perhaps a bit heavy/bulky (please correct me if I'm wrong). Ideally, it would be below $200 (well below would be great), free-standing, and as small packing as possible. Also, I tip the charts at a whopping 5'5", so I don't need one of the tents the magazines rate as great for big guys.

Will you use this in the winter ? Will you be 2 people that can share the load ? Do you like extra room to store gear or is the weight of the tent the important thing ?

Run, RUN and get this tent before it is gone!!!! I don't think you will find a better offer this season!!
Seriously I think it is a great value and it comes with REI's guarantee/warranty. I wish I could have gotten this at this price when I was looking for a lightweight tent. (and it fits all of your needs. )

Big Agnes -- Hands Down!

4check....

You will likely be upset with the price.....but you really do "get what you pay for" -- especially when you need to have reliable, trustworthy backcountry housing. Consider it an investment.

IMO....Big Agnes makes the finest lightweight tent on the market. You really can't go wrong....and the extra cost is well worth it and realy becomes a trivial point with the years of dependable service.

I have a SL1 and have never had any problems with it. Check out the SL2 if you want: http://www.bigagnes.com/str_tents.php?id=sh2sl

The missus and I have the Sierra Designs lightning, and we love it. We hiked with more than a couple folks this summer on the AT that loved their MSR Hubba Hubba. Both are good for two "not too big" people, lightweight, pack small.

Rick said:

Run, RUN and get this tent before it is gone!!!! I don't think you will find a better offer this season!!
Seriously I think it is a great value and it comes with REI's guarantee/warranty. I wish I could have gotten this at this price when I was looking for a lightweight tent. (and it fits all of your needs. )

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I second the motion! The REI Quarter Dome is a great lightweight, 3-season, 2-person tent. I have one in my arsenal and am pleased with it. Also, it 'breathes' well (ie. has a lot of mesh screen rather than nylon wall), which makes it a bit more tolerable on sticky summer evenings.

It's a bit over the $200 mark but I'm quite fond of the Mountain Hardwear AirJet 2. Great construction, relatively light, very comfy.

I picked up the MSR Hubba Hubba this past fall (on a great deal at the time) after seeing how popular it was (weight, size, roominess, easy to set up) It's a great tent, but a bit out of price range for what you are looking for, unless you can find it on sale somewhere.

Looks like Rick found you a great tent at a great price!!

I picked up a hubba hubba also, used it packing in the daks for a week, snug fit for myself, wife and 5 year old daughter and for a 10 day canoe trip out to Hudson Bay, great light weight tent. 4lb is sweat.

I would not push it too far into snow or high wind though. However we survived a storm out on an exposed sand point wind gusts must have been well over 70 mph, but we had it tied off to several anchors.

Thanks for the responses. As to some of the questions. I probably won't have someone to share the load - at least not until my 5 year old son gets a bit larger. I definitely will not be using it in winter. I think I'll work my way up to that even though years of coaching hockey have gotten me used to hanging around in cold places.

I did RUN and order the 1/4 dome and footprint from REI. I've seen where some don't use footprints, but it was on sale for about $15 and I have "that kind" of luck sometimes.

Thanks again - can't wait to use get it and use it.

I have the REI Half Dome (great tent) and have used the footprint along with the rainfly as a tarp setup, thus leaving the tent at home. This setup definitely saves some weight (over a pound). It has worked very well for me, as long as it isn't heavy mosquito season. Not sure if the Quarter Dome rain fly and footprint will also allow this setup, but you might want to check it out.

Regards, Marty

just picked up a big agnes sl2 (on sale i believe at backcountry.com) in the search for a tent that could work solo and with a partner. i have only set it up in the yard to date and i liked what i saw. it isn't roomy, but should handle two people fine assuming they like each other. and it comes in at under 3 pounds and is free standing. will make a fine luxury solo tent as well. may not be great for cold weather as the body is almost all mesh, but the weight exchange is worth it for me. set up was pretty easy the first time with the one piece pole design.

bryan

LL Bean

ADacKR and I have the LL Bean Light Stuff3. We purchased it last year and absolutely love it. We went with the 3 person b/c we have a 5 year old choc. lab and she needs some room to stretch out at the end of a long hike. We split the poles, tent & fly and love the room it provides as well as the weight. We hiked the NPT last summer and had some extremely stormy nights. We were dry as could be, and didn't suffocate. Does anybody else have this tent??

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/st...00105&cat4=1096&shop_method=pp&feat=ssdpa1096

Sara said:

ADacKR and I have the LL Bean Light Stuff3. We purchased it last year and absolutely love it. We went with the 3 person b/c we have a 5 year old choc. lab and she needs some room to stretch out at the end of a long hike. We split the poles, tent & fly and love the room it provides as well as the weight. We hiked the NPT last summer and had some extremely stormy nights. We were dry as could be, and didn't suffocate. Does anybody else have this tent??

http://www.llbean.com/webapp/wcs/st...00105&cat4=1096&shop_method=pp&feat=ssdpa1096

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The 2 person version looks to be almost an exact clone of the NorthFace's Tadpole tent. I had a Tadpole (2 person) some years ago and loved it as a spacious 1 person tent that could sleep two when needed (nice vestibule space too). I agree, get the 3 person if you need the extra room, the 2 person is tight for two plus gear.

Chas.

I have 2 of the Light Stuff 3's and love them. It's the tent I choose to bring in the summer when hiking with someone else. Can't say enough good about it.