I’m soon going to need a 4 season tent either a 1 or 2 person one. I really have no clue what is out there and what design has been used, abused, and tested to the max. Something in multicam is guaranteed cool :D. I DO NOT want a bright colour tent something earth toned will do. If anyone has any particular experience with tents please feel free to share.
Thanks,
MikeH
I used one of these for years. It survived rain, snow, sun, heat, cold, etc. I frequently split it up into two loads: the tent body, rain fly and vestibule in one pack, and the poles/stakes in another.
It’s not high-speed, it’s not low-drag, and I never used it for any kind of black-ops ninja stuff, but it survived over a decade of abuse from boy scouts, teenagers and drunken medieval recreationists.
Visit your local REI store, they have loads of great tents. Locate one or two you like and then surf the net for reviews.
REI is an American thing we have MEC.ca up here.
Can’t go wrong with the Eureka Timberline.
LOL, just noted your location.
Also agree with ‘sammage’ about the Timberline, had one for over 30 years. It is rated as a two man tent, but really great for one and gear. Broke the door zipper and shipped it back to Eureka, they installed a new one for minimal monies.
I dunno… A good 4-season tent and subdued colors don’t seem to be ‘two great tastes that taste great together’ in the tent realm. The only thing that comes to mind is the US Marine tent, similar to the one seen here: http://www.armygear.net/ag/store/00204.html. I think the real-deal Marine Combat tents are crazy-expensive, if I remember correctly.
Edit: Eureka! makes (or is one of the makers) of the USMC Combat tent I was thinking of. However, that is billed as a 3-season tent. They do make a 4-person Extreme Cold Weather Tent, but that one is really crazy-insane-expensive - and heavy!
Eureka! military tents: http://www.eurekamilitarytents.com/tents.html
If you can handle some colors, take a look at teh MEC Nantak and Lightfield tents. The Nanatak and Lightfield are similar in design to The North Face VE-25, and The North Face Mountain 24, respectively. However, I didn’t directly compare the specs of each to the TNF tents. Anyways, the TNF tents have proven to be pretty bombproof over the years, and theirs designs have endured with little changes. I have had a TNF VE-25 since 1995, and it is still rocking. I haven’t climbed K2 with it or anything, but it has seen it’s fair share of 4-season camping. With two people, the VE-25 is pretty comfy. With three people, it’s a little tight. The Mountain 24 and Lightfield are smaller tents, and would be more suited for 1-2 people. Be advised that 4-season tents are heftier than their 3-season counterparts.
If you want to go lighter and maybe a little more 4-season hardcore, get a good bivvy.
I have the eureka tent thing is awesome. A bit heavy I use it for car camping and have a mountian hardware for backpacker. Super strong well vented if you want to open it up. Best 4 season tent in opinion.
I have about a dozen different tents. Everything from my issue Veitnam era ponchco that I have used as a shelter, up to canvas outfitter type tents. My two Eureka Timberline series tents are probably the most used/carried of all of them. The Timberline 2 is in my plane most of the time and used the most. Excelent tent for one guy, it’ll handle two reasonably easy but then there is NO extra room for any gear storage unless you are short in stature. I also used the Timberline Outfitter 6 anytime I need more room. It has been on several archery Elk hunts and has never let me down. Sure, it states it is a six-man tent but in my case it makes a great 2-3 man outfiting type tent. 2 guys and all our gear for 3 weeks in the backcountry leaves enough room to store everything inside the tent and being able to camp fairly comfortably. It has withstood pouring rain, snow storms and very high winds that destroyed several guys camps.
I realize you were asking about a 1-2 man tent but when a tent manufacturer states 2 man they mean 2 people and NOTHING else. Always nice to hace a place to store your gear. Basically what I am saying is to buy double what you need so you can have some extra room to store your gear.
Good Luck,
WW
Just like WWHunter said above. If you are looking for a 1 man tent get a 2-3 person tent so you have room for your gear inside. The size ratings are for people only no gear. The Eureka Timberline is a great tent. It has enough room for me and most of my gear on a short outing. It’s lightweight and fairly tough. I bought mine in 1988 while stationed in Germany and it’s still in good shape. I just re-waterproof it every other year or so.
For what it’s worth to you all I lived for 32 nights in a Black Diamond Lighthouse. Weighs 2.5 lbs after stripping off the superfluous buckles and line tighteners etc. It held two big guys comfortably but not our packs. It will survive four seasons and be quite warm given it’s small volume. Body heat from two guys warmed it’s small volume quite nicely. Negatives, it will not hold two guys and their full size backpacks. We solved that by leaving the packs outside under their rain covers. Also it’s bright yellow. Not tactikool at all.
I’ve said this before, if your gear becomes part of ones daily burden then light weight really matters.
If you’re car camping then all of the above is irrelevant.
The military has been buying some really good tents over the past 10 years.
You can often find good deals on Ebay, such as this USMC Diamond Brand 1-2 Man Combat Tent-
Or, get this big 4 season Northface surplus tent…
Here are two Catoma brand military tents that I bought on Ebay, brand new, and at half the retail price.
+1
I love mine.
Iraq are the two tents you have shown, the Army’s ICT (Improved Combat Tent) a one man light weight tent?
Has anyone out there tried the ICT? Waterproof, condensation durability??
91B,
The brown tent is the USMC bed net for cots, with the addition of the waterproof fly.
The camo tent is a one man Stealth tent. Both are made by Catoma.
The stealth is very similar to the ITC, but the fly gives you more living space for cooking or storing kit.
The ITC I have seen is made by ORC industries and comes in Army camo. It retails for 289 bucks, and goes for $150 on Ebay.
ITC:
I have a Kelty Gunnison 3.2 2010 model. Its perfect for my wife, myself and my lab. It light enough 5lbs I believe for a 3person tent not bad. square design. double vesties and gear loft. earth tone color for the main body too. lets in good light and not bright red or yellow. My current favorite that I like for myself and lab on weekend backback trips is the REI quarter Dome t 2. 3lbs I believe.
Hilleberg…I have the Staika 2-person 4-season tent. A bit spendy but I figure it might actually be the last tent I buy. Also take a look at Nemo Tents.
Not knowing how and for what you are using it for, and adding to that the fact I have not been to your neck of the woods: I can not speak to your specifics. The typical 4 season tent is different (than a 3 season) in that it is designed for carry a snow load (so more poles and associated laching points= increased weight) and the abiliaty to close off the windows (maximizing your heat retention). This resultes in a heavier more expensive tent that often does not pack as well as 2-3 season tents.
I have done alot of camping in a lighter three season tent, and in snow too. The done type tents shed show well. You might get with hikers in your area and see what they are using. You might be able to get a good three season, for less money, and less weight.
YMMV
I’ve been doing a lot of back country camping in the last year. I’m a big fan of 3 season tents. Some nights are a little chillier than others but I have not hit a night where I absolutely needed a 4 season tent.
That being said I never got myself in a situation where I needed to set up under some significant snow fall.
So the Eureka Aurora 1 looks basically like the exact same as the ICS except the Aurora 1 is from the civilian line.