Wondering about this tent...

Would you all take a look at this and tell me what you think:

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/ProductDisplay?productId=39196397&memberId=12500226

It's just me and my husband but based on what I've read here I figured 3-person for sure. I ride an F650GS and Doug's on a Dakar; we don't want anything too heavy or bulky. I've searched a bunch of tent threads but most of them pertained to solo camping. Thanks for any opinions/suggestions.

Sarah

The Eureka is a great tent. I have the older model Apex 2xta and it's been through a lot with shining colors. If there's two of you, get the "3 man" 3xta, you'll appreciate the extra space.

Hmmm... It looks okay but I would just get spend the extra money and get a Kelty. I sleep in mine about 50 days a year for the past five years and the damn thing is still like new.

You'll love two doors! I couldn't really tell just how much ventilation there is, but I've found that more is usually better- but then, I do most of my camping in Fla. where even winters can be "warm" to most folks. I've found that I can just snuggle deeper in my sleeping bag if I get chilly, but when I'm hot, all I want is more breeze/ventilation. It looks like you'll be happy with that tent.

No tent is big enough to adequately hold the number of people the brochure says it will hold. Lay out on the floor what the dimensions are, then use your sleeping bags inside that dimension, and use a floor lamp or a door frame to simulate the peak height of the tent. Chances are you will be cramped like sardines, the bags will be against the side walls which equates to capillary action leaks, and you will likely not be able to sit up to even put on your socks! If you can find a display somewhere of tents similar to what you are considering, go climb in side. Don't buy one based on anyone here claiming it is the best thing since canned beer!

Looks like a larger version of my REI Half-Dome 2.

2 doors are *very* nice and even more so with the vestibules. Gives you options for storing stuff and getting in and out, especially if you're sharing it with someone else. You can enter and exit without really disturbing the other person.

That's the one I've been thinking about getting. I've had a Walrus for 8 years & really like it, but it's time for a bigger and taller tent for me.

Hey Sarah!

Since you and your hubby are obviously lifers, you may want to consider investing in a good tent. Check out the 3-man tents by Stepheson's warmlite. Their website is http://www.warmlite.com

Their tents aren't cheap, but the quality is unbelievable. Back when I was still really into mountaineering in Alaska I spent a lot of time in one of their 6-man tents, as well as one of their 3 man. The 6-man is huge and packs smaller and is lighter than most decent quality 2-man tents.

The only downside that I've found is that they're good enough, and expensive enough that you really want to clean them up a bit, and dry them off before you pack them away for the days ride. I take the 3 man when there will be two of us, but when it's just me I take a Eureka Backcountry 2 man, which is cheap enough that I don't feel bad if it gets a little abused.

I have been eyeing the North Face Moraine 33. Really like the size and the quality. I currently use a Kelty 2 person Crestone2




TC

ha! that site is not work-safe. shows a chick with her top off in a sleeping bag.

Hi Sarah, I just checked out my 2007 backpacker magazine gear guide to see if this tent is reviewed in there...the 3XTA isn't but the 2XTA has a Reader Approved writeup - he gave the 2 person tent good marks for being roomy and having 2 vestibules and 2 stash pockets. Downsides: The positioning of the vestibule door lets rain in when you exit, and one seam sprang a leak during a 12-hour downpour.

the 3-person tents that the Backpacker gang tried out and gave high marks to, Big Agnes, MSR, REI...etc, all cost significantly more than the Eureka 3XTA. FYI.

Sorry Banshee, should have warned you! The entire family are nudists, and their catalogs and now website, have always had a few naked folks thrown in for good measure. I remember really liking to look at their catalog as a kid. They've been around a long time. What they now call the 5R used to be the 6-man. I've spent a month at a time with one other hunter in the mountains of Alaska, in 100mph+ winds and never had a problem. It's great stuff, and when you consider how long it lasts, it's not out of line price-wise.

Plus, they give you those great naked ladies!

ha! that site is not work-safe. shows a chick with her top off in a sleeping bag.

Yeah, and i'd like a closer look at her "seam construction"

I have that exact tent. Very, VERY roomy! and light/compact. I am able to pack it inside my touratech zega bag (with the poles!). Sets up in a flash, enough room for all the gear that 2 people and a large dog would need (either backpacking or motocamping). I could not be happier, please note that you may be able to find it for a little cheaper on ebay.
Good luck.

I didn't read thru all the posts but I've got a lot of experience motorcycle camping. I've had several. The basics are aluminum poles, free standing, take a footprint cover, and buy bigger than you need. I've got a 3 person and its nice to have the extra room inside for your gear, dry or wet. Look at the walls, if they take a steep slope to the peak you'll lose a lot of maneuverability room once you're inside. And finally, in the pic it didn't look like the Fly covered the entire exterior. That's an absolute Must, with buckle points on the tent. Mother Nature always finds the weakest point and exploits it.

Have a great time. Camping is the only way to go. But the older I get, an A/C and a shower about every 3rd or 4th night is nice too.

It'll be fine. Last for years and as good as any of the more premium brands. Personal experience and an eye witness to which tents withstood the hurricane at RA Rally '04. 3XTA is the ticket for size, strength, price/value ratio and satisfaction.

Eureka is good value - not the highest quality but very serviceable for the money. One thing about the one you're looking at - the 2 vestibules are tiny (!) for gear storage. They are just under 7 sq ft. I have a 7 sq ft vestibule on one of my tents - it fits by MX boots and my helmet and that's about it, if you want to be able to still get in and out. 2 doors is great for getting in and out without having to crawl over your tent mate and for ventilation. My 3 person tent has a 15 and a 25 sq ft vestibule (Marmot Swallow 3P) great storage, bomber tent.

You should have seen their earlier catalogs that came out in the late '60's and early '70's.

I would reiterate most of what's been said already. You definitely get what you pay for. For bike camping, overall weight isn't as much a consideration as it is when carrying it on your back. What might be more of a consideration is the length of the poles when broken down. Depending on where you tie them on, you don't want them sticking out too far. Definitely get a three person minimum for two people. Four person is even better if you are going to be bringing alot of your gear inside at night. I would stay away from single wall construction. (Works well at 7,000 meters, not so well in a campground). You will never go wrong with North Face, Mountain Hardware, REI, Kelty, Bibler, etc. Eureka has come a long way in their quality over the years and if you are on a tight budget, definitely consider one of their tents. Think about getting a 'footprint' with your tent to protect and extend the life of the floor. Tyvex also works and is cheap. Don't forget to waterproof the seams, particularly the floor seams. REI often has many of the tents they sell set up so you can get a better idea of how your 'stuff' will fit in them. If you do most of your riding in the summer months, consider getting a tent that has alot of mesh. It allows you to see the stars and keeps the bugs out. If it looks like rain, throw the rain fly on it.

Good luck.

Thanks everybody. I'll keep it on the list and check out the other tents you've listed. Anybody else?? Also---a footprint and a ground cloth are the same thing, right??

that's correct.

I have heard a lot of "you get what you paid for" but not much "you need what you got" OK when your talking a 35.00 Wally world special compared to a 175.00 Sports shop find then yes valid argument. But I don't buy it as much as the comparison between a 175.00 Eureka and a 400.00 Mountain Hardware, or a 700.00 Bibbler. My winter tent is a pretty expensive and heavy Quest Northern Designs, but my summer tent is a 25.00 Bivey Style from Sportsmans Guide. In winter I want protection from all kinds of wierd weather that can kill you, it is worth the 9 pounds to carry, in summer I want ventalation and bug protection, I get that in a 3 pound package. if it really gets nasty, I am fine sleeping in a little water or even wrapped up in my rain gear.

Here are features that set diferent tents apart.
Tent Body - Single wall tents are lighter and less complicated but tend to sweat in higher humidity or in cold when two people are breathing. this condensation can either drop on you in the night or make you wet when you touch side of tent (if your a flopper) it can also freeze into a sheet in cold winter conditions. Double wall tents have a rain fly that covers the tent body, this has two advantages first it allows the tent itself to be constructed of a looser more ventalated fabric such as no-see-um mesh. this gives a single tent more weather range. second it takes the layer that ends up with the condensation on it and puts it outside the body of the tent, very much like proper ventelation in your attic can make your house more livable, proper ventalation in your tent will do the same.

Poles - there are two considerations about poles, one is the way they attach to the tent, poles that clip on are faster to assemble but tend to be less stable in rough conditions, also consider with a clip you have a small single point to distribute force into the tent body. a poll sleave is slower more tedious to assemble but makes a much more stable rough weather platform, the question is how much rough weather you plan on doing. The second consideration is pole material, Aluminum or carbon fiber tends to be lighter and more stable, they are the poles of choice by most. Fiberglass poles tend to be cheaper and heavier, I have seen many a tent pole made of fiberglass crack or splinter.

Fly - Flys come in lots of configurations, and lots of materials. Consider when it gets rough the fly is your first line of defense. Pesonally I prefer a full fly, this is a fly that covers the entire tent. lets face it if you have one of those top fly's like on cheaper tents , you have a single wall tent. the material I prefer is coated nylon, this makes a heavier package but offers more rain protection, My winter tent is completely water proof with repect to the fly. also a full fly tends to make a warmer tent. a full fly blocks the wind off the main body of the tent and helps to create a dead air zone. One other advantage to full fly tents is they tend to have vestibles, large or small and better ventalation as they can put larger mesh panels in them.

Vestible - I find a vestible is a take it or leave it thing, I camped for so many years with out a vestible that I tend to buy a bigger then and use space for that third person as gear space. I tend not to leave my boots outside because I have had to evacuate too many critters from them in the morning. ( one solution is to stretch your socks over the top to close the opening. It can be nice in a rain to have a vestible to cook in and such so a roomier vestible will acomodate better.

Extras and Amenities - those little things that set a quality tent apart from a cheap tent.
1. water proofing, high end tents tend to be factory seam sealed and water proofed, it seems comercial grade fabric water-proofers tend to be higher quality than publkicly available. Still I have done a good job with Camp dri or NIx products, be sure to complately soak the fabric and allow to dry before putting away. also factory sealled seams, seams sre the biggest leaks in cheap tents, you can get seam sealer and do it yourself, in fact even with a factory sealed tent you will want to redo it over time. In the end all things being equal a factory sealed tent is not a deal breaker for me. 10.00 and 4 hours on a saturday is all it takes.
2. Connections - all those places that things go together, look at the quality of the material, and the quality of the parts, how does the fly attach to the tent body, is it a single elastic strap that can pull loose or is it a sprap and a fastex buckle, are they advustable, how do the poles attach to the fly, and to the body of the tent and to the base of the tent. How do the flaps store when rolled out of the way. How do the poles join together. Things like this make a tent last longer in rough use.
3. Windows and vents, does the tent have those plastic windows in the fly, nice when they are new but like plastic windows in a cars convertable top they will not last forever, However if they do tear or dry and crack, and you still want to use the tent they can be replaced or have a nylon panel put in place.
4. Pitching method - if you do rough weather camping, your going to at some point have to pitch your tent in the rain, can it be done and have tent dry. many european tunnel design tents can have the fly pitched by itself then the body of the tent pitched inside the fly nice and dry. how valuable is this to you.

With all this said, it has been my experiance there are three catagories of tent,
from 20.00 to 100.00 - ocasonal use, ussually a 3 yr investment and yes you get what you pay for, but many boy scouts live through all kinds of rough stuff in these.

From 100.00 to 250.00 - moderate to heavy use, these tents have more features and better quality. this is a 5 to 10 yr investment of regular use. this is where most commited adults should be in a tent, Brands like Kelty, Eureka, Siera designs MSR etc.

250.00 and up - these are serious tents, many times you are paying for the company and reputaion, Marmont for example, you rip thier tent and send it back they will fix it, question here is how rough are you on your toys, how serious are you about staying in the deadly weather. most campers simpley are not in this catagory and I would venture it is ego that buys most of this equiptment not need.

in close here are a couple links to some tent features sites

http://www.tentmanufacturers.net/choose-tent.html

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/gear/features/tents_winter2.htm

http://gorp.away.com/gorp/gear/knowhow/dry_tents.htm