Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)I have been using a North Face Starfire (tunnel-dome style) tent for 12 years on backpacking and a few car-camping trips with zero complaints - at least until my wife and I got a black lab dog. Quarters were cozy for the two of us, but for the three of us it was downright cramped. So we purchased this Sierra Designs Lightning XT tent for our backpacking outings to have extra room for our dog and gear. We like to hike, camp, and backpack year round in Idaho, so we get everything from 100 degree heat (for a few weeks, anyways) to wet and rainy Spring and Fall seasons, to 10 or 12 feet of snow. It is all usually accompanied by wind of some form or another. We haven't put three people in it, so I can't speak for whether or not it is a roomy 3 person tent, but it sure is a comfy and spacious 2 man tent, even with the dog.
The tent is super light weight; it packs down to the same size and weighs about the same as my North Face 2 man tent. Splitting it between two people makes even better and not at all bulky or heavy in a pack. The tent is almost entirely mesh, which my wife really likes on starry nights, with a bathtub style waterproof bottom. The rainfly is coated nylon and comes down just an inch or two shy of the ground with two vestibules, since there are two doors on the tent. It hooks in to the tent corners where the tent poles hook in, as well clips on to the poles for added stability. Setting the poles up is different than other tents I've used, but seems like it will hold up well in sub-hurricane winds. It is easier to do with two people, but it can be set up by one person if needs be. The tent doesn't have sleeves for the poles, there are just clips every foot or so which seems a little less bomb-proof than my North Face tent, but I haven't had any problems. The poles are hubbed, which also seems a bit less bomb-proof, but the major loads and stresses placed on the poles doesn't go through the hubs so I don't think it will be an issue in the future. The third less bomb-proof item is the fabric - its a little lighter and thinner than my North Face tent to save on weight and bulk. However, the poles, fabric, and clips are all very high quality, so I seriously doubt that I will have any issues with reliability or durability with this tent.
The idea to use Jake's Feet connectors, hubbed poles, and a full mesh top aren't brand new, and most of the big manufacturers buil tents this way. So I figure I won't knock the design unless I really do have a problem. Hence, it still get's 5 stars because it is a high quality, spacious, and VERY light and packable tent. Overall, I'm very pleased with the tent and expect years of service out of it without any issues.
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Sierra Designs Lightning XT 3 Three-Person Ultralight TentNeed a spacious three-person tent but don't want to be weighed down on the trail? Turn to the Sierra Lightning XT three-person ultralight tent, which offers a new pole configuration that dramatically expands the interior space, but weighs a mere 5 pounds 10 ounces. The tent is plenty roomy, with 42 square feet of sleeping space and two small vestibules. It's also tough enough to hold up to year-round use thanks to its 20-denier nylon body material and 40-denier HT nylon fly material.
Features:
Ball cap connector: The ball cap eliminates the tip and grommet at the end of ridge poles. The cap's unique shape allows the ball cap to pivot and rotate without release.
SQ ring: The SQ ring attaches to the inside of the tent fly, where it easily connects to the ridge pole and tent fly without requiring Velcro or a pole end pocket.
SuperSeal Floor: Combining the benefits of catenary and bathtub floors, the SuperSeal Floor is equipped with a raised, taped, perimeter seam that keeps water safely outside. The floor also maintains a tighter pitch with a better wind line than other floors to prevent flapping.
Quick Pitch Swivel Hub: With an increased angle of rotation, the Quick Pitch Swivel Hub helps reduce the possibility of pitching errors and makes setup faster. The tent body features an H-Clip, which easily connects to the bottom of the hub to create tension up to the peak of the tent.
DAC Featherlite NSL poles: Offering the best strength-to-weight ratio of any tent pole available, the thick-diameter DAC Featherlite NSL poles are a Sierra staple. The poles boast a thick diameter but a thin wall, increasing strength at the connection points while simultaneously saving weight. The poles' unique joining insert also allows for a cleaner, smoother transition when setting up tents with Reverse Combi Technology.
Tunnel Dome: This innovative Sierra architecture combines the strengths of both dome and tunnel tents in a single unified design. Tunnel Dome tents borrow the freestanding ease of setup and large doors from dome tents, and the steep walls, covered doors, and spacious interiors of tunnel tents.
Specifications:
Trail weight: 5 pounds 10 ounces
Fastpack weight: N/A
Packed weight: 6 pounds 2 ounces
Packed size: 21 by 6 inches
Number of doors: 2
Interior area: 42 square feet
Vestibule area: 15.5 + 8 square feet
Peak height: 46 inches
Floor material: 70-denier nylon, 3000mm
Body material: 20-denier nylon
Fly material: 40-denier HT nylon, 1500mm
Number of poles: 4 hubbed
Poles: DAC Featherlite NSL, 9.0/9.6mm
About Sierra Designs Since 1965, innovative products have helped Sierra Designs to become one of the most renowned outdoor brands in the outdoor industry. With over 40 years of experience and an intense passion for the outdoors Sierra Designs has been able to create some of the best performance products. Not only are their products reliable enough to help thrill seekers like Eric Larsen summit Mount Everest and journey to both the North and South poles, but they promote a harmonious relationship with the environment we play in as well. If that's not enough; just ask the editors of Outside Magazine, National Geographic, and Backpacker Magazine. All of whom have presented Sierra Designs with numerous gear awards.
Amazon.com Tent Guide Selecting a Tent Fortunately, there are all kinds of tents for weekend car campers, Everest expeditions, and everything in-between. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Expect the Worst In general, it's wise to choose a tent that's designed to withstand the worst possible conditions you think you'll face. For instance, if you're a summer car camper in a region where weather is predictable, an inexpensive family or all purpose tent will likely do the trick--especially if a vehicle is nearby and you can make a mad dash for safety when bad weather swoops in! If you're a backpacker, alpine climber or bike explorer, or if you like to car camp in all seasons, you'll want to take something designed to handle more adversity.
Three- and Four-Season Tents For summer, early fall and late spring outings, choose a three-season tent. At minimum, a quality three season tent will have lightweight aluminum poles, a reinforced floor, durable stitching, and a quality rain-fly. Some three-season tents offer more open-air netting and are more specifically designed for summer backpacking and other activities. Many premium tents will feature pre-sealed, taped seams and a silicone-impregnated rain-fly for enhanced waterproofness.
For winter camping or alpine travel, go with a four season model. Because they typically feature more durable fabric coatings, as well as more poles, four-season tents are designed to handle heavy snowfall and high winds without collapsing. Of course, four-season tents exact a weight penalty of about 10 to 20 percent in trade for their strength and durability. They also tend to be more expensive.
Domes and Tunnels Tents are broadly categorized into two types, freestanding, which can stand up on their own, and those that must be staked down in order to stand upright. Freestanding tents often incorporate a dome-shaped design, and most four-season tents are constructed this way because a dome leaves no flat spots on the outer surface where snow can collect. Domes are also inherently stronger than any other design. Meanwhile, many three-season models employ a modified dome configuration called a tunnel. These are still freestanding, but they require fewer poles than a dome, use less fabric, and typically have a rectangular floor-plan that offers less storage space than a dome configuration. Many one and two-person tents are not freestanding, but they make up for it by being more lightweight. Because they use fewer poles, they can also be quicker to set up than a dome.
Size Matters Ask yourself how many people you'd like to fit in your fabric hotel now and in the future. For soloists and minimalists, check out one-person tents. If you're a mega-minimalist, or if you have your eye on doing some big wall climbs, a waterproof-breathable bivy sack is the ticket. Some bivy sacks feature poles and stake points to give you a little more breathing room. Also, if you don't need bug protection and you want to save weight, check out open-air shelters.
Families who plan on car camping in good weather can choose from a wide range of jumbo-sized tents that will accommodate all your little ones with room to spare. A wide range of capacities is also available for three- and four-season backpacking and expedition tents. Remember, though, the bigger the tent you buy, the heavier it will be, although it's easy to break up the tent components among several people in your group. It's also helpful to compare the volume and floor-space measurements of models you're considering.
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