Bibler Eldorado or Fitzroy or...

[HikingBryan]

Hi Guys,

After spending a lot of time using my currrent stash of gear, and avoiding gear shops and hence spending, I'm thinking it is time for a purchase.

I've been in the market for a new 4-season mountaineering tent for a long while, and I would finally like to make a purchase.

After reading threads, talking to friends, and kicking a few tires I have narrowed my search down to a single wall tent, possibly a Bibler???

My requirements are weight, as I will solo pack this tent. Strength, as I will want it to hold up to the whites in winter above treeline. Ease of set-up, as I want to avoid cold fingers and wasted time fooling around during set up (I'd rather be melting water and drinking soup). Quality, as I want this tent to last a LONG time considering the prices. Reliability, for obvious reasons....

With dividends here, I have about $200 to spend at REI. That in combination with a 20% sale could get me the Eldorado for about $275.

While this is appealing, I also like the looks of the Fitzroy. I hear many good things about the Fitzroy, though it is a bit heavier than the Eldorado... Twice the poles and some additional strength...

I would like to ask anyone their opinion on the above tents, and what they might suggest as an alternative. Keep in mind, being able to shop at REI would be a benefit, as I have the credit.

So, if it were your money, where would you spend it and on what?

Thanks Guys,

Bryan

 

[NYBRAD]

Bryan, I own the original "I'tent (same as Eldorado but shorter) made by NorthFace called the summit before Todd Bibler joined Black Diamond and came out with TODD-TEX fabric. It's an awesome tent for cold weather. It remains almost unchanged for at least 10 years for that reason. Unless your uses will include camping in areas extremely exposed to very high winds, the Eldorado will suit you just fine. The simplicity is what is great about the tent. The only downside of the tent is that it can become quite balmy if the humidity and temps start to rise. It works great at higher altitudes. It does require a guy line on either side to really strengthen it up. After that it's a bomb shelter

 

[Aviarome]

I really like the Eldorado, and initially I considered the Fitzroy, but the Fitzroy is quite expensive. The footprint of the Eldorado is awesome, you don't need much space or level ground in order to setup the tent. The inside is quite spacious, it has very steep walls which gives you a lot of usable space, and for a 4.5 lb 4-season tent, you can't get too much lighter than that. The Fitzroy would not be fun to carry if you're going solo. I haven't had any problems with strength, and the one time when there was mild 20-30mph wind, it was quite stable without even guying it out. It will definitely suit you just fine unless you want to do all your hiking in Alaska, Himalayas, etc. It's very easy to setup. I've once set it up in whiteout conditions by throwing it on the ground, diasppearing into the tent with the poles and, voila, it was up before you knew it. Then I staked it out when I finally felt like going back out.

I also own a first generation SD Tiros AST tent which is actually quite awesome too. It's double-walled, and condensation is less compared to the Bibler. If you add up the weight totals with the Fitzroy and the optional vestibule, it's about the same weight as the Tiros, and I believe the Tiros is just as strong. But, the nice thing is, because it is double-walled, you can divide the weight by having one person carry the fly and another the tent body, so it's much more manageable in weight between two people. I would recommend giving this tent a strong consideration.

That said, I have used the Bibler tent the most in the winter, but now use the SD tent quite often as I now usually travel with a companion and a dog. The Bibler is way too cramped when the dog travels along. In my opinion, go light with the Eldorado instead of the heavier Fitzroy.

Hope this helps.