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Post by cweston on Sept 16, 2020 20:04:19 GMT -8
I just finished my first trip (4 nights) with this new tent. My thoughts...
Overall, I'm extremely pleased with it. I did not have any true storms, but did have some pretty high winds, and it seemed pretty bombproof.
I love the two big vestibules: I use whichever side is more convenient for entry and exit, storing only boots and camp shoes in that vestibule. Everything else goes in the other side. (This is an especially easy arrangement to manage in September when bugs are not an issue and the inner nest doors can be left unzipped.)
I had no problems with the pitch--by about the second time, I had it pretty-well dialed in. It does take a couple times to get your mind wrapped around the angle of the actual nest inside the overall tent, and getting it where you want it with respect to any slope.
I added a "clothes line" outside the nest, with enough slack that it could hang to either side of the nest. This was very handy, and I may try to adopt this to my other tents. (Usually, I put a clothesline inside the nest, but no one likes getting a face full of underwear when you sit up: outside the nest is better.)
It was cold on my recent trip, so I put a foil blanket under the bathtub floor.
My only (very small) complaints:
The pocket at the top of the nest is great for pocket knife, lip balm, or glasses. But anything heavier pulls the netting down and might dump out of the pocket. (no headlamp, camera, phone, etc)
The toggles for tying back the doors seem very fiddly to me and my sausage fingers.
The tensioners sometime slip, especially if not under constant tension, like the ones at the bottom of the door zippers. I guess that's a result of using such light line for the tensioners. Maybe it would be worth a couple extra grams to have used heavier line?
The stuff sack is actually quite a tight fit: I suspect it might be hard/impossible to get a soaking wet tent in there.
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I'm 5-11. I suspect this tent would be OK up to about 6-2, maybe 6-3. Sorry, texasbb.
Overall, my impression when I bought it is only magnified--I think it's a lot of tent for $200.
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texasbb
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Post by texasbb on Sept 17, 2020 6:56:16 GMT -8
Thanks for the report, cweston. I've seen a lot of reports of slipping tensioners, and it seems you can switch to heavier line without changing the hardware. I haven't had any slippage myself, but the thin line does occasionally get wedged wrong and hard to grab and pull, so I many size up eventually. I switched to a different stuff sack for my 2P. It just wasn't worth the fight to get it in there. I also prefer a long skinny form factor so I can put the tent in my Circuit's (or Catalyst's) front mesh pocket. I agree the tie-back toggles are a little fiddly, but they're a ton better than the stretchy ties on my TT Notch, which won't stay tied unless I cinch them REALLY tight, after which they defy all efforts to untie them. Finally, I'm not understanding how you deploy a clothesline outside the nest. You tie one end to a pole and the other to...what? |
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Post by cweston on Sept 17, 2020 7:46:31 GMT -8
Finally, I'm not understanding how you deploy a clothesline outside the nest. You tie one end to a pole and the other to...what? There's a clip, or something, on the under side of the fly at each trekking pole apex. I don't remember the exact details. (I'll look when I unstuff the tent next week--or if I get bored sooner.) I tied the line to each of those clips, so that it hangs between the fly and the nest. |
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Post by cweston on Sept 17, 2020 14:55:06 GMT -8
texasbb This is one of the peaks, turned inside out:  The orange "clothes line" is tied into the loop in the webbing that holds the side-release buckle that attaches the nest to the tent. Hopefully, that helps.
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texasbb
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Post by texasbb on Sept 17, 2020 16:08:53 GMT -8
I see what you're doing now, cweston, you're letting the wet clothes drape down on top of the mesh. I was trying to envision a line that hung the clothes in one of the vestibules. Thanks. |
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Post by cweston on Sept 17, 2020 16:18:51 GMT -8
Yep--on top of, along side of...
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toejam
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Post by toejam on Sept 18, 2020 10:09:04 GMT -8
I got to use mine 7 nights in the Sierra recently and my observations are similar. Overall it's light and takes little room in my pack like my SMD Lunar Solo (I didn't use a stuff sack - just mashed it in the bottom of my pack. If it would have been wet I'd have stuffed it in the outside pocket.). But the headroom and not having wet tent fabric on my feet and face was great. Ventilation was great.
I ended up zipping up the netting at night so I wouldn't roll out of it onto the dirt in my sleep. That hadn't happened with any other tent. The tent floor is barely wider than my pad. I may look for a wider ground cloth.
I can attest to stuff falling out of the high pocket. I liked the door ties and found them easier to use than those on my other tents. Heavier cord on the stake ties is a good idea, but mine never slipped.
It's a great tent.
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rebeccad
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Post by rebeccad on Sept 18, 2020 12:17:41 GMT -8
This discusion of tie-backs reminds me that maybe the single thing I love the most on the new TT Protrail Li is the little magnetic tie-backs. Totally easy to fasten or unfasten with gloves on, in the dark, whatever!
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Post by cweston on Sept 18, 2020 16:41:17 GMT -8
This discusion of tie-backs reminds me that maybe the single thing I love the most on the new TT Protrail Li is the little magnetic tie-backs. Totally easy to fasten or unfasten with gloves on, in the dark, whatever! That sounds awesome. |
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