Tents for setting up in a storm

Litehiker

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Mojave Desert, Nevada
There are a lot of very nice tents on the market.

BUT... here is one way to narrow your search for a one or two person backpacking tent.

When setting a tent up in a storm you MUST have a tent that keeps the inner tent and the fly together before the poles go on.
This keeps the inner tent nice and dry.

Any tent that requires you to set it up inner tent 1st, then poles, THEN fly means the inner tent will get soaked in a storm. Yeah, food for thought, especially if you own one of these beauties.

P.S. And a final word on "storm-worthy tents". Any tent whose opened fly door lets rain or snow fall directly onto the floor is not a good design. Most of these are the so-called "wedge" shape tents. Been there, done that. :eek:(

You need a tent that has a decent vestibule to store your pack and boots and even to cook in during nasty storms.

SUGGESTION: Yes, I'm a supporter of Tarptents and I recommend them for their storm-worthy designs. They have a big line of one and two person tents. AND they are all "Made in USA".

Eric B.
 
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Kuiu has a couple nice ultralight tents with the built in fly. I haven't had my hands on one but they look nice and the good quality of the kuiu gear that I own makes me think they are well made also.
 
I've had a Shires tarptent destroyed by winds in a mountain storm (and before it was destroyed, water was getting blown in.) One of the less "storm worthy" tents I've owned.
 
The old single wall tents by Todd Bibler (now made by Black Diamond) had the poles inside the tent.
In a storm you could lay the tent on the ground, unzip, climb inside and set your poles up. The I-tent was a great single person tent. There was atechnique for venting to prevent condensation though.
 
ssssnake, what Tarptent did you have that was shredded?
How did the water get blown in? Was the hem of the fly staked down? TT now provides those hem stake loops. You likely had an earlier model.

I've had my TT Moment DW in very high gusts (steady 40 mph with 60 mph gusts according to two weather reports) and no problems B/C it was guyed out. And I used it in a few Rocky Mountain downpours with no leaks. Once I had to stay in that tent in Nevada's northeastern mountains (8,500 ft.) for a 10 hour rain! Still no leaks. Same with my 2 person Tarptent Scarp 2. Never a rain leak in all day rain.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I seam sealed all my TT tents instead of paying a bit extra for factory seam sealing.

brightwhite, Those Hilleberg tents are about the most durable tents on the planet.
But, ya gotta guy tents out for high winds or any make, including Hilleberg, can be destroyed.

Eric B.
 
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Tarptent Contrail.

Water got blown in from the rear of the tent. (Before the winds separated the guylines from the tent.)



ssssnake, what Tarptent did you have that was shredded?
How did the water get blown in? Was the hem of the fly staked down? TT now provides those hem stake loops. You likely had an earlier model.

I've had my TT Moment DW in very high gusts (steady 40 mph with 60 mph gusts according to two weather reports) and no problems B/C it was guyed out. And I used it in a few Rocky Mountain downpours with no leaks. Once I had to stay in that tent in Nevada's northeastern mountains (8,500 ft.) for a 10 hour rain! Still no leaks. Same with my 2 person Tarptent Scarp 2. Never a rain leak in all day rain.
FULL DISCLOSURE: I seam sealed all my TT tents instead of paying a bit extra for factory seam sealing.

brightwhite, Those Hilleberg tents are about the most durable tents on the planet.
But, ya gotta guy tents out for high winds or any make, including Hilleberg, can be destroyed.

Eric B.
 
big sky international makes tents that have the inner tent connected to the fly and goes up with exterior poles (exoskeleton). I have their Chinook 2 man with solid breathable inner tent. you can choose a lot of the options you want with it. It is a 4 season tent. I rate it as better strength and durability than the 3 season tents i have had before from marmot, golite, big agnes copper spur, but not as tough/capable as the hilliberg akto I had, but close. I love setting it all up and keeping a dry interior in the weather!
 
sssnake,
Yep, my first Tarptent was a Contrail. It was roomy for a solo tent but only good as a "forest tent", not in the wind. That's why I sold it.

But my Moment DW and Scarp 2 have withstood very high winds (steady 40 mph with gusts to 65). Guying them is the key, plus staking down the fly to prevent flapping.

Rockchuck, Big Sky tents are well designed and storm-worthy.
Eric B.
 
I'm a Hilleberg fan! Bath tub floor on inner tent plus a footprint also help out.
 
My tenting days are over. I have a North Face Expedition 25 I would sell.
Three person four season tent with fly & vestibule.
PM if interested.
 
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