I don't know which forum to post this in but here goes:
Looking for advice on 2 man(just me in the tent) tents that are easily packable, light, small, durable, and as weather resistant as possible. Please give me your reviews on your experience please.
I've been looking at everything from $23 from Walmart to $250 Sierra Designs tents, though $200 would be my absolute highest I want to pay.

 

What ever you buy 3 bits of hard won advice , your $200 limit thats fine if you don't mind sleeping in the water when you get caught in a sudden downpour to each their own .


I've had excellent luck with the mid range Eureka tents , they have been work horses for me in the younger broke days when a tent was the only option . Otherwise heres the 3

#1 , never buy one you haven't seen set up so you can inspect things like seams and how well are they stitched , the bottom of the tent is the material heavier and water proof not just " resistant " , zippers good heavy duty and well stitched in or cheesy cheap crap that'll fail you 3 rd time you use them , how is it put together ? look sturdy and have enough room for you and gear in a good blow ?

#2 get one that is WATER PROOF not just water resistant and the outer storm fly covers the complete tent exterior down to the ground not just 1/3 or 1/2 way like most , those will get you soaked in any kind of real rain they are useless .

# 3 *** Walmart , Kmart , and all the big box store crap those are all 2 season throw aways tops you'll be spending the money again after you've spent a couple miserable nights wet .

Think this is over stating things a bit ask anybody who did the $69 wally world specials in Sturgis during a a few of the typical ripper storms that come through regular how well they faired , nothing is as long or cold as a wet night in a leaking tent in a driving rain storm .

 

I have a Eureka Apex 2, which has worked out pretty good for me.
It's large enough to fit a queen size blow up mattress in, and has a vestibule
to store your boots and other things in.
I've never had it in a rainstorm, but it stands up to high winds pretty good.

 

Subscribed... also looking for a good 2 or 3 person tent.

 

$200 is fine. My Sierra Designs 2-man dome cost less than that (a long time ago). But a bivy sack packs smaller, is lighter, and is far quicker to setup. Mine is the 3-wire Big Agnes. I roll up my bivy, air mattress and sleeping bag all-in-one. 'Course it's not something to live in, just to keep the rain and bugs off you overnight.

 

I have 3 tents I've used camping with the bike...

1st is a Eureka BackCountry 1 tent, but it's strictly a 1 person tent (24sq ft). It however has no full rainfly, so no vestibule.....everything is either in the tent...or it's outside.
My buddy has a BackCountry 2....same tent but bigger (37.5 sq ft)
The Eureka is a nice tent, but wanting a bit more room, I next got...

2nd is a Marmot Limelite 2 (32 sq ft) and a full rainfly and 1 vestibule which is nice for not bringing dirty boots in the tent...lots of mesh, so good ventilation..
It's a good tent, but since I'm never satisfied, I just got...

3rd is a North Face Phoenix 2 (30.7 sq ft) It is a single wall tent, so no rainfly, which gets it put up and taken down quicker. Dual vestibules and doors for gear. It has not been used on a road trip yet....it's turn is coming up....

However your $200 limit eliminates the Marmot and North Face tent.....The Eureka BackCountry 2 will come under that tho...

 

REI Half Dome 2 Plus- http://www.rei.com/product/794296/re...t#ReviewHeader

Plenty of room for me and all the gear I hauled to Sturgis this year. Fits easily in the Tour Pak, and goes up in 5 minutes. Top quality.

My .02

 

This $29 three man tent from Walmart has served me well for three seasons so far. It does not leak. It folds to a very small size.

This year. The red top one.



Last year.



It is a three man tent. I find that if you want to have an air mattress, a three man is as small as you want to go and still have room for the gear inside the tent.

 

REI..... I have a 3 person... 4 lbs... never been wet...

They have money off for signin up with them and good campin equipment too..

 

How about one just big enough for you and the bike?