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WTB Tent, camping stuff

T

tiagosantos

Paddler
Joined
Jul 31, 2014
Messages
323
Location
Port Coquitlam BC
Looking for a decent 2 (possibly 3..) person tent, hoping to save a bit of money over buying new. Hoping for something a step above the typical coleman stuff, but hopefully in the less than $200 range :)

Also looking for camping stuff in general, good sleeping pads, maybe a stove?

I fear a trip to MEC next week is gonna get expensive, so let me know if you've got anything taking up room I could grab ;)
 
Thanks, I did check it.. It's unfortunately pretty light in the BC region, there's a nice Tarn 3 but it's from a batch that had trouble with windows falling apart at the seams, it's not really worth saving $30 over a new one.

edit: I had skipped right over the super fancy North Face tent as TNF didn't register as any of the recognizable brands from my bits of research.. So thanks again for making me check! Seems like a really nice tent, perhaps a bit bulkier and heavier than idea, but.. I might go check it out as it's fairly close to me.
 
I haven't done a lot of kayak camping, but I've noticed that where the heavy hand of 'Parks' has landed, you may be expected to put your tent on a wooden platform (generally without any hooks or provision for guying the tent floor, so you need to have a hank of cord and some creativity), or even worse, a bed of pea gravel (river stone) surrounded by a 4x4 frame. And, most are not overly large.
The ones I've seen/used do not suit a longer 'tunnel'-style tent very well - I know I could never have gotten my old Stephenson 3 on any of them.
So I'd advise looking for something not too long - probably a '3-person' or larger 2-person - in a 'boxy' self-supporting style.
The best IMO are the 'Euro-style' self supporting tents where the fly doesn't need guys to perform adequately....but they tend to be expensive.

As Dave says, packing bulk does matter. IMO, weight is not such a big issue.
With your Mariner Express, your boat can swallow a lot of gear.
 
Astoriadave said:
Tiago,

This the TNF tent?

http://www.mec.ca/Apps/outdoorGearSwap/ ... easonTents

It is huge. Pretty bulky for sticking into a hatch. OTOH, be a great basecamp shelter for four, shared amongst a couple three boats.

TNF makes good tents, albeit mostly for the mountains. Owned a couple. Very strong.
Click to expand...

Hey Dave,

Yeah, that was the one. Kinda confusing, I agree the picture makes it look huge, so I'm betting the description is incorrect. The Mountain 25 is a 2 person tent, albeit a pretty stout and fairly heavy expedition type tent. From the pictures on the website, it doesn't really look like exactly the same model - here's the current Mountain 25 and dimensions:

tnf_mtn_25.jpg



Either way, even if the picture is slightly misleading and it is indeed a Mountain 25, it's still much more tent than I need and I'm only attracted by the price - it's usually 600+ and should last me the rest of my life at my current camping rate of a few nights a year!

Like John said, the Mariner feels downright cavernous and given that we're unlikely to go on trips longer than the eventual long weekend (on the kayaks, at least) I'm not terribly concerned with packing. It's possible I'll regret this later :)

Good point on fitting the wooden BC Parks platforms. I'm fairly confident the Mountain 25 would fit, from the dimensions in the image, what do you think?

If this doesn't pan out, and if nothing else pops up here/craigslist/MEC the next few days, my choice will probably be the MEC Tarn 2 or the Wanderer. Maybe the Tarn 3 if it feels too tight - we'd like to take our dog camping in the Summer as well ;)

edit: although, it would be nice to own the tent named after me! Hehe.. Wish it was $100 cheaper. http://www.mec.ca/product/5035-566/bore ... as%2Btiago
 
tiagosantos said:
Good point on fitting the wooden BC Parks platforms. I'm fairly confident the Mountain 25 would fit, from the dimensions in the image, what do you think?
Click to expand...
Yes, probably. On one of the gravel and 4x4 pads I had to use (Wallace Is) that tent would fit but the fly vestibule would probably have been beyond the pad - not a big deal.

BTW, you needn't restrict yourself to MEC when looking for tents. In Victoria there are a couple of other outlets that are very competitive with MEC (though perhaps not with the MEC warranty) and they carry some brands and models that MEC doesn't.

A couple of thoughts that I'll inject here (as an 'oldster' :D ): Even cheaper tents nowadays are much more 'user friendly' and capable than the ones available in the 60s/70s - and lots of 'big trips' were done with those tents.
Also, your first tent won't likely be your last, so don't be too afraid of 'making a mistake' (assuming not a lot of $$ is involved)- you'll probably decide after more camping that some features are more important than others.
 
Tiago,

That is not the tent I was thinking of. One I had in mind was an expedition 4 person tent. Much larger.

I agree with John, that you might be a bit cramped on a Parks platform, but the vestibule could run off the edge. This one appears to have snow flaps on the vestibule, to seal it off when on snow. Also, John's second post, yeah, get something that will work for now and later you will know what tent is ideal.

Last thought: we spend little time in the tent, even when it is raining. Hate being cramped in a tent, so it is mostly for sleeping for us. Consider a 10 ft x 10 ft tarp, grommetted edges, with a reinforced tab in the center with a haul loop to lift the center, for two. Bigger, for 3 or 4. Use it to cover the kitchen area, which becomes the lounging and reading area if the weather is inclement.

Boggles me it would run 600 CDN new.
 
JohnAbercrombie said:
BTW, you needn't restrict yourself to MEC when looking for tents.
Click to expand...

I might spend a couple hours this weekend touring the local outdoors retailers, but.. I have to admit MEC is just too darn convenient. They have a great website that makes it easy to research stuff, check stock and I can just head to either of the two local stores and grab things, with great costumer service and support.. I do hate that I'm somewhat responsible for reducing competition and thus the availability of alternatives ;)

JohnAbercrombie said:
A couple of thoughts that I'll inject here (as an 'oldster' :D ): Even cheaper tents nowadays are much more 'user friendly' and capable than the ones available in the 60s/70s - and lots of 'big trips' were done with those tents.
Also, your first tent won't likely be your last, so don't be too afraid of 'making a mistake' (assuming not a lot of $$ is involved)- you'll probably decide after more camping that some features are more important than others.
Click to expand...

Definitely! I have had cheap tents before, but never what I'd call a decent one. I'm willing to pay a bit more for something that will last me some good long years without falling apart at the seams (eh..) but also realize that I'm a man of simple tastes and will be happy with just about anything :p Any of the tents we're considering or pretty much anything in the $100-300 range is already way above what we've ever camped with. Of course, camping in 20-30 degree weather in Portugal/Spain/France is slightly different than camping in the Pacific NorthWet.
 
tiagosantos said:
If this doesn't pan out, and if nothing else pops up here/craigslist/MEC the next few days, my choice will probably be the MEC Tarn 2 or the Wanderer. Maybe the Tarn 3 if it feels too tight - we'd like to take our dog camping in the Summer as well ;)
Click to expand...

Tiago, forget the Tarn 2. Too small for you and your wife. Actually, forget the Tarn 3 as well, as it only has one door: restricted airflow and problems when you or your wife need to answer nature's call in the night.

The Wanderer 2 is MEC's best 2-man tent for paddle trips, balancing design, space, and price. It is the tent I use with my students on our trips and the tent I use with my own kids on family paddle outings.

Cheers,
Andrew
 
I thought I'd chime in with a few pros and cons of the Mountain 25. We have one in the family and it's our go-to winter tent when we're anywhere near our car, we have a lighter one for longer ski/backpacking trips. It's a bit heavy (which generally doesn't matter in a kayak) but completely bombproof, we've been covered in snow 12" thick with heavy winds and slept fine. When you stake out all the guys I'm sure this tent could withstand any winds you may encounter. Because it's a 4 season tent, there's no mesh walls so ventilation could be a problem in warm wet weather although we have another NF 3person winter tent that we use as our main kayaking tent and it's not too bad ventilation wise, basically the same constuction slightly different design. One nice thing (if you like such things) is the storage in the 25. Unless they've changed it (ours is 10+ years old) it has mesh pockets running down both sides of the tent so you have ample space to stick stuff that might get lost on the floor of the tent. this is much nicer than the standard one little pocket per side. One con for this tent is that it's kinda short and the long hooped vestibule makes it a bit claustraphobic feeling. not too bad, but for a summer tent it's noticable.

Oh and I wouldn't worry about fitting it in your boat. Separate the poles (mine go in the stern next to the skeg box, one of the few things that easily fit there) from the tent body and you shouldn't have a problem, our bigger tent fits easily, that's one of the cool things about boating vs. backpacking.

and one last thought, for that price you could probably use it for a year and still resell it for the same price.
 
Thanks for the review, it really helps! I think it may well be sold, as the seller isn't getting back to me.. But if he does, it's a serious contender :)

Andrew, thanks for letting me know about the tarn, that saves me some wasted time! Also a really good endorsement for the wanderer if you're using it.

I'm gonna swing by Atmosphere tomorrow as they supposedly have a 40% last season's camping gear sale. Kinda doubtful they'll have much stuff, but fingers crossed.. Also thinking of checking out the Vancouver Outdoor show this weekend, at least it'll be a good way to waste a bit of time ;)
 
Tiago, for comparison, check out the North Face Talus 2. Maybe a little small for your needs, but I believe it is also available in a size 3, ostensibly for three sleepers. New, it runs less than the Mountain 25 you are looking at. And, it has extensive mesh, for better ventilation. The M 25 would likely be very warm on hot nights. Unfortunately, its single door is a side door, mandating the farther sleeper must crawl over the sleeper nearer to the door for a midnight pee break. Vestibule area is a bit small, but OK. We use vestibules for muddy boots, etc. They stay out of the rain there, yet do not track mud into the tent. For us, two doors are important. A second door usually has a same size vestibule as the other one. Handy in a serious rainstorm.

http://www.rei.com/product/864016/the-n ... ab-reviews

REI makes it easy to compare tents, and does a better job than the NF web site of displaying features. Not recommended for purchase if you live in Canada unless you happen to be in Bellingham at the store. Shipping and other fees make it crazy to purchase a tent in the US, for Canadians. Better to purchase over the counter.
 
Tiago, I found some images of the NF Cirrus tent, ours now retired after 10 years of use, which show the advantages of a side door, and what I regard as an adequate vestibule. Because the side door is typically set in a nearly vertical wall, with an adequate vestibule, entry and exit in rain can be achieved with minimal wetness inside the tent. Not so with end doors, because tent ends are typically not at all vertical. The Cirrus is long out of production, heavy, and has little mesh for ventilation. Further, its mesh is in the top surface, a haven for condensation drops off the fly. We shifted to a tent with about 50 per cent mesh, all in the side walls and door (when needed). Works much better in our climate. The newer tent is also light in color, reducing tent gloom, per third photo which is not a Cirrus, but a similar model.
 
Thanks Dave! Yeah, looks like side wall doors are an advantage - some of the tunnel style tents with long vestibules are really nice, but like John mentioned, I'm bound to have the vestibule stick out of the pad at some camp sites.

Off topic (heh..) but what's the deal with the pads anyway? And say I'm backpacking on some multi-day hike, is it technically illegal to pitch my tent anywhere that isn't an "official" camp site? I guess the same question applies for kayaking, is it ever legal to camp anywhere but on those pads?
 
Re: camping rules: if the pads are there, you are supposed to pitch on them. Sometimes there will be a gravel patch for pitching. Check the signs at the site. Otherwise, camp where it is safe and you are not on private property. Not an issue when you are a long ways from civilization. If in doubt, ask the locals if you can find some.

Finally, some backpacking areas stipulate that you can only camp overnight in designated campgrounds. This should be obvious when you check on the rules on entry, e.g. , national parks, when you need a permit. Google the area ahead of time and check the regulations.
 
tiagosantos said:
And say I'm backpacking on some multi-day hike, is it technically illegal to pitch my tent anywhere that isn't an "official" camp site? I guess the same question applies for kayaking, is it ever legal to camp anywhere but on those pads?
Click to expand...

Tiago, just picking up from your point that you are thinking of both backpacking and paddle-camping? If so, I would change my tent recommendation to you. The Wanderer 2 is a great paddle-camping tent, but it's size/weight makes it a less than ideal backpacking tent.
 
I'm still not sure.. For now the main goal is kayak camping - really this all started cause we're so lazy. Packing all our gear and getting the boats on and off the racks is so much work for a single day of paddling, adding an overnight somewhere would seem to make it all more worthwhile!

The backpacking thing - we love hiking but usually limit ourselves to hikes we can easily do in a day. We're not all that excited about "car camping" or camping at terribly busy, big campsites (I think our dog would go nuts and keep everyone awake) but hiking somewhere a bit more remote and camping somewhere where the dog is less likely to be startled during the night (or where if he does, he's not gonna keep anyone else but us awake) is a bit more exciting.

Anyway, lots to think about, I really appreciate all the advice!
 
Looks like I found my gear - there's a guy out in Alberta that, as far as I can tell, buys outdoor gear from places like steep & cheap (crazy sales) in bulk then resells in Canada. His prices are pretty fair and he's got a fair bit of gear! In the end, I went with the Easton Rimrock 2 - light enough that if we ever decide to go backpacking for a couple of days we'll be fine, but still a fairly big 2 person tent with 2 doors, vertical walls and decent sized vestibules on either side. The few reviews that I found seemed pretty positive, so I think it'll work well.

Thanks for all your help - in two days, I went from not having a clue what I was looking for, to knowing far more about tents than I ever thought I would! :p
 
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