Description
Trekking Pole Tent 1-Person
The Trekker Tent 1V is the ultimate one-person tent for your next outdoor adventure. Designed with your comfort in mind, this feature-packed tent boasts a smaller footprint than its Trekker Tent 2V counterpart, yet it is still roomy enough to accommodate you and all your gear.
With its attachable rain fly, the Trekker Tent 1V has a spacious vestibule, perfect for storing your backpack and additional gear. The taller front door also makes it easy to enter and exit the tent.
This tent can be set up without the included rain-fly, making it perfect for warm summer camping.
The Trekker Tent 1V is lightweight and compact, making it ideal for backpacking and hiking. Its taped seams ensure that you stay dry even in the heaviest rain, while the mesh walls provide good air flow and reduce condensation.
Included in the package are all the necessary stakes, guy-lines, and a carrying bag. You can also choose between RCP carbon fiber reinforced aluminum poles or no trekking poles, depending on your preference.
Don’t let your next outdoor adventure be compromised by subpar gear. Invest in the Trekker Tent 1V, and enjoy the comfort and convenience of a top-of-the-line one-person tent.
Trekking Pole Details
- Easy to use lever lock system
- Lightweight, just 10oz each
- Primary cork handle, secondary foam handle
- Extend up to 52”
- Includes rubber tips and baskets
- Carbon Reinforced Aluminum is much stronger and lighter than 100% aluminum poles.
- Product link
- Ultralight, just 6oz each saving weight in your pack.
- Durable carbon fiber construction
- Extend up to 53” (135cm)
- Includes rubber tips and baskets
- Comfortable foam handles with extended choke grip
- These poles will not work with our extension piece or either of our 4 person tents (Trekker Tent 3 or 4)
- Product link
- Ultralight, just 7.4oz each
- Folding design makes them compact and convenient to carry
- Folded length: 15in
- Adjustable from 110 – 130cm
- Durable carbon fiber construction
- Includes rubber tips and baskets
- Comfortable foam handles with extended choke grip
- These poles will not work with either of our 4 person tents (Trekker Tent 3 or 4)
- Product link
- Weigh 10oz each
- Expands from 66cm – 135cm (26” – 53”)
- Baskets and rubber tips included
- Rubber handle
- Integrated anti-shock system
- Product link
Todd Hill –
This is a great one person light weight backpacking tent I did seam seal it and the exterior and also sprayed it with camp try to waterproof it better before even testing it I would do this even with an expensive tent. The 1v did good with a water test with hose and sprinkler . I did get I slight amount of water splash from under rain fly but after contacting river county’s second to none service department . The issue seems to be fixed with a slight adjustment with my set up and a river county poncho if needed for sever driving rain . I also slept in this tent with 50 mile an hour winds and it hardly moved . I’m so glad there’s a company like river country that makes light weight hiking gear for someone that doesn’t want to break the bank for gear and that they care enough to listen when there is an issue . River country thank you for making hiking equipment that’s Quality and an expensive for the backpacker who wants to do it on a budget.
JimK (verified owner) –
I had purchased this tent back in Spring 2020. Unbenownst to me, I had version 1.0 ot this tent. RiverCountry listened to the reviews from customers and improved the rain cover for this tent. The cover now is longer on the sides and sits flatter on the tent. The opening, originally was in the center and the zipper ran along the same guy line as what was needed to support the tent. Now, the front opening zipper is to the side and no longer competes with the support guy line. The new opening makes it easier to get in/out of the tent.
I know this because RiverCountry customer service sent me the new rain cover at no cost to me. That is exceptional customer service!
I set up the tent in the yard, and tested out both rain covers. I love the adjustments RiverCountry made to the new rain cover. It is now much easier to obtain a taut roofline and my concern of the sides being too short is no longer a concern. Entrance in/out is much easier, too. While I have not tested this in rain, I am eager to take it back out to the backcountry and give it a full test. I’ll keep the original rain cover as a backup.
My kudos to RiverCountry for their exceptional customer service!!
Erin (verified owner) –
I ordered the Trekker Tent 2 first and as soon as I got back from my first backpacking trip with that tent, ordered the 1V tent. The 2 was much more room than I needed and I knew it would be hot in the summer – so wanted something smaller and with more ventilation. I haven’t used the 1V on a trip yet, but love how it sets up and that it has a vestibule! I am super excited about both of my RCP tent purchases!
Matt Smith (verified owner) –
Another great tent from River Country! I also own the Trekker 2.2 and the Trekker 1. I’ve been eyeing the 1V ever since it came out and finally bought one. It came today and I am very pleased. It set up easily and is a good bit roomier than the Trekker 1, for just about the same weight.
And River Country’s customer service continues to be incredible. I am leader of a charity auction and asked if they would donate to the auction. They provided more than I requested/expected. I’ll be singing their praise at the charity event, that’s for sure!
First trip with the new tent will be in a few weeks. Can’t wait!
Jim Kiesling –
Overall I was impressed with the Trekker Tent 1V tent, but it was too small for my needs. I had too much stuff for the floor space, with the River Country Sleeping system (large size sleeping Bag) and my 70 Liter Backpack. After setting up the tent, I decided to return the tent back to Amazon. I was very impressed with how easy it was to ship back the tent and receive funding reimbursement. After I sent back the V1 tent, I ordered the Trekker Tent 2V. I will discuss 2V, under that order.
Overall the RiverCountryProducts, Customer Service was very helpful.
Thank you!
Harold S Siiling –
Fantastic Tent! Great size for one person and all your gear. Love the tapered roof so I can sit up in it. Quality material and seam taped! Can not beat the price for the quality of this product. God bless!
Allen A. Smith (verified owner) –
I didn’t like the original version. I love the new version. The new version of the Trekker 1V has a 4 inch longer rainfly. This version stays dry in the shifting winds of a Florida thunderstorm. The mesh prevents condensation. In really nasty weather one can open the vestibule halfway and cook a freeze-dried dinner on an isobutane or alcohol stove. (This would not be safe with kerosene, gasoline, or metaldehyde.)
Colin (verified owner) –
Great light packing tent value for the price. Light and packable, easy up and re-pack. Good air flow, had in rain and no leaks or condensation. Enjoy the star views with rain fly off.
David –
Well folks you finally got it right, I have the latest upgrade of the 1V and I tested it in the backyard. I slept great in the cold and although I am 56 and have a hard time getting out of it, I love it. Also after I was done testing it I left it in the backyard for three days of brutal cold winter rain. It stayed dry as a bone. I have not treated it and it kept the water out. Thank you.
Daniel –
I was was very pleased with the quality of the product for the affordable price. It is fairly durable and could be used multiple times. The trekking poles are light weight and very durable. Would buy it again.
Dustin Broste –
A friend got this for me for Christmas and it seems to be a great tent looks like there is plenty of room for one person and I am super impressed this is the first and only tent that not only is there instructions on how to set it up but you have to fold it to put it back in a bag
Scott –
I have no complaints so far. I bought 2 Trekker Tent IV’s. They could not be more simple to use for this style tent. I did not buy poles as my trekking poles work fine for this tent. We did 2 nights in Ozette rainforest at Yellow Banks. We had a midnight rainforest rain-soaking on the first night. No leaks, No condensation, No complaints — we are (were) happy campers.
steven (verified owner) –
While I love the design, ease of setup and the weight, this is not as water proof as I would have liked. I sprayed the entire tent with water proofing and left it out in a light misty rain that came and went in an hour to find that a small amount of water got in from the front corner and from the seem at the foot of the tent. I then decided to seem seal it on the inside and sleep in it last night. This did help but there is still a little water getting in and not sure if I am getting condensation or if the tent is so soaked that the rain is simply seeping in through the walls as it did poor rain last night for a few hours and the inside walls were wet to the touch, not enough to drip on me while I slept but enough that if I touched it at all I would get wet. All that being said, I do love this tent but will have to use a tarp over it for fall and winter camping. If you arent going to be camping in any rain then this tent is for you. I live in the northwest (only 3 ish hours from where this company is located) and this tent just doesn’t cut it as a tent to use for anything other that summer camping in my opinion.
JW (verified owner) –
Super happy with my purchase. Wow such a great deal for such cool tent. Good for including a friend on a trip that needs a tent at the last minute. No one can complain about $33 for this light weight backpacking tent. Thx RC. 🙂
Linda –
Set up this tent in my backyard in less than 10 minutes. I’m very pleased. The mesh house interior is esthetically pleasing and spacious. I like how light the tent is, only 30 oz. without the fly. When I read the entrance was 50 inches wide I thought this tent must be large enough for 2. And it definitely is, 7 ft long also! It is really perfect and beyond a good buy for the money.
Keith –
I was supposed to go on a 12 day trek with my son’s Scout crew to Philmont this August. Unfortunately, due to the pandemic, our trek was canceled. Thankfully, we were able to secure a new date for next August – fingers crossed! After purchasing all new two person tents for our training hikes last year, we were looking for one person tents to maintain safe camping during our upcoming training hikes, but needed to do so on a budget. I was excited when I saw the River Country Trekker Tent 1 V, but at $33 when other lightweight, one person tents sell for $125 or more – I was also skeptical, but decided that even if it fails after 2-3 training hikes, it’s not like a wasted a lot of money.
My tent arrived today. I’m happy to report that the weight is accurate. The directions are written in clear simple, and accurate language. It set up easily with my two trekking poles that I already had. The rainfly was also easy to attach as well. The seams appear to be well stitched and all attachments and straps also appear to be well stitched. My only design complaint has to do with the zippers to get in. Rather than zippering like an upside down “T”, I think it would be easier and cleaner for it to zipper along one side and the bottom, but if that’s my biggest complaint. For $33 – I’m done complaining!
It is roomy for one person plus gear, and unlike other 1 person tents I’ve tried( for three times the amount of money), there was plenty of headroom and I didn’t feel the least bit claustrophobic. The rainfly rests a few inches off the tent to hopefully minimize condensation buildup. While stated as “waterproof”, they also recommend spraying all seams with additional waterproof spray. For an additional $5-$8 I will follow up on this recommendation.
I’m leaving it set up over night (rain is in the forecast) to see how it fares. While too early to tell, I am excited to use it on our first raining hike in late September and do plan to revisit the reviews to let you all know how it holds up over time. It looks like a quality product for a great price. I’m hoping this is the answer to our pandemic camping needs.
I will recommend to others on the crew and may consider buying 15 more of these for the Troop if it holds up.
Allen A. Smith (verified owner) –
In its present form the tent leaks at the front and rear during thunderstorms. The mesh panel needs to be 4 inches narrower. The leak in front would have been worse if I had not added extra guy lines to the front corners of the fly.
Kevin –
The short version: the Trekker Tent 1V is a great design and a tremendous value and I’m very happy to have found it.
The slightly longer version: I wanted a small tent for occasional one night hikes in the wilderness. My requirements were packable, lightweight, and a simple, no fuss setup. Waterproofing was also important for the random unexpected storm. The 1V is all of these.
It shipped and arrived promptly. Setup is indeed simple. I had initial concerns with the rainfly, as others have noted, but after tweaking the pole heights and guy lines it fit rather nicely and appeared completely adequate.
After seam sealing and spraying it with silicone I left it set up to dry. After 24 hours the aforementioned unexpected storm arrived. After 20 minutes of steady rain I checked inside and was pleased to find it completely dry. But the storm wasn’t over. What followed next was half an hour of heavy rain, the kind your windshield wipers can’t keep up with when driving. When it was over I checked the tent again, fully expecting it to be wet inside. To my surprise and delight it was completely dry inside. In such conditions I would still strongly advise hanging a tarp over it but this performance convinced me it was a great find and worth every penny.
Sara Misrati –
Awesome tent… found a youtube video on how to fix the rain fly issue. Add another grommet on both side and adjust the elastic cords makes it secure and keeps water out.
Bought this for a overnight back packing trip in the whites hope I get to star gaze.
Claine Burt (verified owner) –
Severe Storm tested…
After the initial setup I knew I would have to make some modifications to decrease the sagginess of the fly. And, I wanted to not have to stake the vestibule to the ground to increase airflow in damp conditions.
Borrowing from a design of another tent I have, I changed the front guyline with one a couple feet longer. I added a prussic knot and small D ring near the stake end and use that to clip to the rainfly’s left loop (as you’re looking at it).
I also added two small guylines that can be attached to the shockcord hooks on the sides of the vestibule to pull the fly away from the netting instead of attaching it saggily to the tent body (about 1 inch of the screen corner on each side remained exposed to the weather) so that it could be taught giving better protection from the weather.
At the sides of the fly that attach to the tent body guyouts, about 50 percent of the shockcord on each side needed to be removed
Finally I changed the way the rear end of the tent fly attaches as it was way too loose. My temporary fix is to remove the hook from the shockcord, and knot the cord into a 1 inch inside diameter loop. I then remove the rear guyline from its stake, run it through new small shockcord loop along with the webbing up to but not past the grommet, then insert the rear trekking pole into the grommet, tensioning the shockcord. This method is only temporary as further research is needed to invent a simpler way to keep the rear of the fly tensioned.
The storm…
I live in an area completely void of natural cover, perfect environment for storm testing tents.
I was looking at the radar image for my area and watched as a severe summer thunderstorm was going to hit for sure but only for about 10 minutes worth of rain. I quickly grabbed my modified Trekker1V for its storm test and set it up. The storm was producing 40 MPH winds with gusts greater than that. I wondered if the tent would rip apart.
The tent was flapping and straining against the wind, pushing the wind side inward to the point I thought It was going to be shredded. The rains were nearly sideways as it hit. The flapping of the tent fly and nearly collapsing sides made significant gaps for rain to get in, but only in as mist.
After the short summer evening storm passed myself and the inside floor of the tent were slightly damp. I expected to be soaked due to the severity of the storm but was surprised at how little damp it was inside the tent. had I used a synthetic or water resistant down sleeping bag inside, it would have been dry soon after from body heat and the winds that calmed down but continued all night.
My opinion…
its a neat design, I like it a lot. I will use it often. I wont use it in exposed areas that get sustained severe storms. But in areas that have cover from extreme winds where the rain is likely to fall straight down or at slight angles, this tent will do very well.
I did sleep in it after I first modified it with my sprinkler system hitting it from all directions all night. absolutely no leaks. Condensation is normal for a tent like this. Keep a thin 100 percent cotton bandana to soak it up, it works great. My modifications create excellent ventilation when all closed up. I always keep everything in drysacks inside my tents and my pack with raincover, sits upright against the trekking pole of this tent.
Remember that this tent is a new design and improvements/ modifications can be made by River Country Products as they determine.
Stephen A King (verified owner) –
Very nice back pack tent. Light weight and easy to set up and to put back into the bag. Guy lines are already attached to tie off points, nice.
Nate (verified owner) –
I recently acquired the backpacking bug and was looking for an affordable tent I could carry in my pack. I decided to purchase the River Country Products 1V after much research. After some uses I am very happy with my purchase. The tent is super packable and very easy to set up. It is a great tent for a newcomer as well as a seasoned veteran. I will most definitely be looking to purchase more products in the future.
JimK (verified owner) –
Where can you get a brand new, lightweight, spacious, backpack capable tent for under $50? I’ve searched and searched and unless you get lucky and find a late model discontinued tent on ebay, tents that meet lightweight backpackable tent requirements typically cost at least $80 and typically well over $100.
Somehow, River Country has managed to provide a lightweight backpack capable tent for under $50.
Here is my review of their Trekker 1V tent.
My order arrived 2 days early, and just in time for rain that was forecast for later that evening.
I quickly reviewed the packing and took the tent, rainfly, stakes and my trekking poles out to the yard. I didn’t notice much in the way of instructions but quickly figured out how to set up the base tent – 4 stakes to the corners and adjust the trekking poles to the appropriate height(s), using the guy lines to support the trekking poles. The rainfly was a little more challenging but after laying it out, it was clear how to lay it on the tent. I had to adjust the front guy line because the zipper of the vestibule portion of the rainfly has to encompass the guy line. That one fact makes this configuration a bit challenging.
Initially, how the rear of the rainfly sat on the trekking pole appeared to leave too little covering between the mesh of the tent body and the rainfly. I then used the elasticord on the rainfly to sit under the strap where the tip of the trekking pole was inserted. This allowed the rainfly to sit closer to the tent body and better covered
the mesh of the tent.
I staked out the side guy lines to the side and attached the elasticord hooks to guy line loop on each side. This completed the tent configuration.
The tent itself is very spacious. I am 5’9″ 150lb and had plenty of ceiling to sit up and stretch out. I was able to place my backpack directly at the top of the tent and still lay out comfortably. I think there is sufficient room to also place my backpack to the side of me as well.
We had forecast of light rain all evening and well into Sunday so I exited the tent, zipped up the mesh and closed and zipped the vestibule. While there are sufficient stakes for the tent (8), I would have preferred 1 additional J shaped stake for the vestibule. It would be easier to attach the vestibule loops on a J shaped hook.
I eventually retrieved one of those J shaped stakes from another tent I have. This allowed me to fully extend the vestibule out and make it taut, regardless of the front guy line. Note, the front guy line does have to be inside the vestibule area.
Checking on the tent in the morning, there was a small puddle of water near the entryway of the tent and a little more water near the back wall. After crawling into the tent, I observed the interior (it was still raining) and I did not see any drips or obvious leaks. I did notice that the edges of the bathtub were touching and that there was moisture around some of the interior of the bathtub areas. The coverage of the rainfly over the mesh appears to be a little short and perhaps with wind and rain some water managed to get underneath the rainfly and drip into the tent via the mesh.
While I was in the tent, I could feel the outside breeze so ventilation is great. I would expect on a hot summer day, ventilation would not be a problem.
Some additional observations of the tent itself.
The tent and rainfly looks to sag too much in the middle. After attempting to adjust the trekking poles and the guy lines, I didn’t see much improvement. The documentation that came with the tent is very sparse. It has limited directions and no guidance on how to adjust to reduce sag.
The vestibule is large enough to house your boots but because of the trekking pole, I feel that it would be too small to store a large backpack. I did note earlier that there is sufficient interior capacity for me to store my backpack (65l) inside. By including an additional J stake, the vestibule can be fully extended and pulled taut. Without it you have a single stake for the trekking pole guy line and the vestibule; adjusting it would be a challenge as you would have to adjust the guy line holding up the front trekking pole, too. I used one of the included stakes for the front guy line and my J stake for the two vestibule loops.
Both the tent and the rainfly are seam sealed and the tent and rainfly are water proofed. Looking further, the mesh seams on the tent don’t appear to be seam sealed. I went ahead and seam sealed the lower mesh seams on the tent as body as a precaution.
Overall, the Trekker 1V is a nice tent; for the price, it’s outstanding! At 2lb 11oz it is light. It packs down well (into a size of about a standard football) and it appears to be durable and well made. The stuff sack that comes with the tent is large and it’s easy to pack the tent and rainfly back into the stuff sack. To take up less space in your backpack, you can easily compress the tent into a smaller compression sack or just stuff the tent and rainfly loosely into your backpack. If rain is not forecast, you can forego the rainfly and save some additional weight.
My only concern is the unorthodox way that the rainfly fits over the tent body and this may lead to some water in the tent, as I experienced.
I gave it 4 stars because of the water concern and the issue of the tent sagging.
Alanna Urie (verified owner) –
Finally got a chance to set up this tent, and I am so impressed! It arrived really quickly, and after getting it set up I’m feeling like $33 was a steal. From my experience with it so far, it is on par with (or better than!) a lot of more expensive tents.
The craftsmanship is great, and all of the seam taping looks solid. I did add a little more waterproofing spray as suggested, but that was mostly me being paranoid as the tent seemed totally fine out of the box.
It is super easy to set up – I have encountered plenty of tents that are confusing and annoying the first few times until you figure it out, but that was definitely not the case here! I think I got it just about perfect on the first try, and it only took a few minutes. The stakes are also nice quality. It feels stable once all of the guy lines and stakes are adjusted, and barring weird soil conditions or some other unusual factor, I feel like it will hold up well against wind.
As for once it’s set up, it is extremely roomy! I’m 5’5”, and it felt like a castle compared to other one-person tents. My brother is over 6’, and he even had plenty of room. I plan to take my dog on some overnight trips, and we’ll have no problem sharing the tent – and she’s 65lbs, so she needs a good bit of space!
In terms of other features, the vestibule is a decent size – I try not to carry a huge pack, so it should work out perfectly. I really like the removable rainfly, so I can see the stars on clear nights, or even just be able to leave the fly to dry on the outside of my pack if I do get rained on. The tent is pretty lightweight, and packs down small. The ventilation is nice, and I don’t foresee condensation being a problem in most situations.
The only real “cons” I have run into so far are: I wish it came with one more stake, so that I could stake out the tent body/trekking pole and the rainfly separately in the front to pull the rainfly taught more easily; and as other reviewers have said, I am a little nervous about the overlap between the rainfly and the mesh on the tent body. I can see how rain could get in if the conditions were right and everything wasn’t staked out just so. It’s also a little awkward having a trekking pole in the middle of the door, but I’m pretty small so it’s not a dealbreaker, that’s pretty normal for trekking pole tents, and for the amount of headroom it provides I think it’s totally worth it.
Overall I am really excited to take this on all kinds of adventures this summer! After seeing my tent when it arrived, my brother is impressed with it as well and decided that he is going to have to get one for himself. Great job, River Country Products!
Nate Wengert –
I found it quit easy to set up for the first time. Just stake down the 4 corners, place the trekking poles, then add guy lines and tighten them while lengthening poles until walls are taut. Rain fly also easy to attach/remove. I love that the rain fly is detachable, definitely an improvement over the Trekker 1 – because a lot of my nights are spent not seeking shelter from rain, but from bugs! So this 1V allows one to be under the stars and away from the bugs, but easily protected from rain if needed.
The tapered shape is great! It seems that they were concerned with optimizing the interior space to give you room where it’s most needed.
Sizing: So I’m just under 6′, and if I lie down with my head just touching the middle of the entrance, so right on the pole, then my feet will be a foot and maybe a little more from the end of the tent, and my shoulders will be about 9″ from the sides. The roof is plenty high enough to move around inside comfortably.
Ventilation is great! But you are still protected from cold breezes. I imagine it would take some strong winds to get any water under the fly and through the roof webbing to get inside.
After doing some seam sealing after first setup, I left the tent in my yard. It got snowed and rained on. It didn’t hold the weight of 4″ snow, but that was probably due to stakes being in soft ground. After both though the interior was dry.
I’ve found it more compatible than a 5 degree sleeping bag.
I intend to spend many more nights in this tent, and planning to take in on the AZ trail soon,
Camie (verified owner) –
I set this up in my backyard to see how it works and to compare it to the River Country Products Trekker Tent 1 I have. I felt like the 1V had more room inside the tent, and I love that it comes in two pieces, so that in good weather I can keep the fly off to enjoy the starry night, mountain breeze, etc. The tent was easy to set up and the fly seemed to fit okay. It seemed like it was just barely covering the mesh areas on the sides and back, so if it became really stormy, rain might be able to enter the tent, but I don’t know for sure yet. If I get an opportunity to test it in the wind and rain, I’ll update my review.
When compared to the Trekker 1, here are my pros and cons:
1V PROS
1. the 1V is overall lighter when accounting for stakes, bag and guide lines
2. roomier inside the tent, I’m 6’1″ and had plenty of room to stretch out or curl up
3. option to add or remove rain fly is great!
4. only requires 8 stakes vs. 9
5. better ventilation in the 1V, even with the fly on
1V CONS
1. potential for rain fly to allow water in during a bad storm
2. requires 2 trekking poles instead of 1, not a show-stopper since I hike with two poles
3. vestibule is smaller than the Trekker 1, but still had room for my pack and shoes
Overall, both tents are probably the lightest tents you can find for the price. Like the Trekker 1, the 1V is well-made, sturdy, and comfortable. I didn’t have any issues folding it into a compact roll to pack away. I am really happy with my purchase and as always, I am confident that if any issues arise, River Country Products will provide fast and friendly customer service!
Chad Ball (verified owner) –
Let me say, I am a gear junkie. I Motorcycle camp, Cub Scout camp and recently decided to give backpacking a go. My first River Country tent was a Trekker Tent 1. I LOVE that little tent, the cavernous space under the vestibule is great as I can fit both my motorcycle panniers and gear underneath with room to spare but I like just a little more space inside. My 9 year old Cub Scout has pretty much taken possession of my Trekker 1, he can just throw his pack or duffel full of clothes at his feet and still have room to spare. I was ok with that as it gave me an excuse to order a Trekker 2.2 . I like that tent, with a full 5×7 floor I can comfortably bring my pack or duffel inside with plenty of room to sleep on a wide/long sleeping pad. The only caveat being, I found myself missing that utility of a vestibule. After a couple weeks of having my 2.2, and a Cup Scout camp out, I found the Trekker 1V. At the super introductory beta price I couldn’t help myself. I had to have one!
The Trekker 1V is a relatively easy tent to set up. Stake the corners, extend the trekking poles and guy out. The first time I set it up in the back yard it took a little fiddling and adjusting of the poles to figure out how to get the fly to fit the way I liked it. I like the way the rain fly attaches. I gave it a once over with some water proofing spray and aired it out for a day then I packed it up and threw it in my pack and took it out for a test run.
The extra width at the front end is just what the doctor ordered when compared to the Trekker 1. I can keep my stuff sack of clothes and a few incidentals inside the tent with me without sleeping on top of them. The vestibule is narrow, I could stand my pack up against the trekking pole at the front and make it work but that made for an interesting wiggle for entry and exit of the tent. I quickly realized that was the only thing I don’t like about this tent. Everything else is aces. Maybe for a 9 year old, or a petite framed person the door configuration will be acceptable, but for my 6’0-200lb frame the squeeze through the a-frame door around my pack and over my boots was more work than I’d like. Product description says “Tall Door” and it is, but it also narrow and has a trekking pole right up the middle. Not really a fault of the product, more of a personal preference type thing.
Overall, I think it’s a great little tent. Under 3 lbs, packs small, comes with nice stakes , guy lines and easily packs back in it’s carrying bag. It has great zippers, no-see-um mesh, heavy duty bath tub floor. Absolutely can not be beat dollar per dollar for value with anything else I have seen around, and ask my wife… I have looked at a lot of tents!
All that said….
2 things I’d love to see happen.
1) Add about 2″-3″ of nylon strap to the loop up in the corner to hang the lantern, would just make it soooo much easier to work with (same on the Trekker 1 and 2.2)
2) Can the door in the front, make it a large D shaped door in the side and re-design the fly to accommodate side entry and you will have created my unicorn tent. (I’ll be happy to test out your side entry/vestibule version of this tent when you have it ready!!)