Nothing fancy, but nothing bad!
I've been living in this tent full-time for a 2-3 months in the desert. While there are better ones I prefer for size and luxury, this thing is a surprisingly good tent for the money. As someone who has lived in a few different tents while doing outdoor work, here are my thoughts: Assembly: Ridiculously easy to assemble. Almost too easy. It feels overly simplistic at first, but fortunately my worries were put to rest over time. Packed Size: This is where it shines. I've lived in larger, more comfortable tents that took up 4 times as much space as this one when packed up. The tent case is effectively a small duffle bag, an almost negligible concern regarding volume it takes up in a car or closet. Waterproofing: It's taken a few pretty solid storms without any leaks. I trust it in thunderstorms no problem. Windproofing: This is where the desert truly tests it! Sustained 30mph winds are not uncommon. I am very impressed with how well it holds up, although it does keep me on edge at times. **With proper assembly and ALL rainfly reinforcement lines tightened down tight. Without all of these variables being perfect, it will not hold up (as with all tents of this shape/design)** Size: I decided to opt for a 6-person instead of an 8-person this time, and regret it. It feels a lot smaller than the floor dimensions suggest. For sustained use, consider a larger size. Durability: It sits in the sun all day, gets pounded by dirt, and I haven't even managed to put a hole in the floor yet. I'm admittedly pleasantly surprised Downsides: Simplicity. This tent is aggressively simple. You are getting no added luxury (but you're not paying for it either) Lack of windows. This is arguably the biggest drawback. You have the door which doubles as a window, and that's it. No options for additional airflow Door cover. While the tent overall is solid, the piece that hangs out horizontally over the door is not. This is a minor inconvenience more than anything, but with how flimsy it is it feels unnecessary. Stakes. The included tent stakes are pretty poor. That being said, that's standard for a lot of tents, and to be expected. Rainfly connection. Every now and then the velcro connection points on the rainfly come undone. Not a big issue, just be aware of it if using for more than a few days. Light penetration. This is not a blockout tent. Despite the dark color, the sun will pound you in the morning. Again, not a problem that is limited to just this tent, but something to be aware of. **A couple items of note, on general tent use** With all tents, I spray the exterior seams, rainfly, and various surfaces with waterproofing material. Similarly, I tarp the bottom and use aftermarket tent stakes for the type of soil (corkscrews for loose sand, higher end straight stakes for packed dirt) as opposed to the included stakes. This review (and how I consider it fully waterpoof and highly windproof) is written with both of these assumptions. Overall deal for the money? Stellar! One of the best deals out there. Would I buy it again? Probably not, but I'd still recommend it in a heartbeat to anybody for weekend use, or long-term use for a smaller person. Read more






















