Good tent for backpackers?

[Radical Activist]

I want to ask for a tent for Christmas from my family, and I'd like some advice on what specific tent to ask for.

I'm looking for something lightweight that I can take backpacking. It only needs to be big enough to fit me and one other person I don't mind sleeping close to. If I ever use this tent with another person it will probably be a girlfriend so it doesn't have to be large. I don't backpack often, so I want it to be multi-use for backpacking and regular camping.
I probably won't use it in the winter, so three season is fine.
It should be easy to assemble.

So, does anyone have advice on good camping/trail tents to buy? Are there some trustworthy buying guides?

Thanks!

-Rad the tree hugging Activist

[Cerridwen]

1. My first thought is REI - here's a link

http://www.rei.com/

I'm sure you'll get plenty more. Enjoy.

:hi:

edited to add their "tent finder" link; which I then edited to fix, sheesh. http://tinyurl.com/6rt3t

[Radical Activist]

2. Very useful site

thank you

[Radical Activist]

3. There has to be more than one backpacker here!

They must all be out drinking.

[central scrutinizer]

12. REI Quarter Dome

Weighs around 4 pounds and is easy to set up - it is the lightest free standing tent I've seen. REI claims it sleeps two, but they better be really good friends. Costs around $229, more if you get the footprint ground tarp, which I recommend. I do a lot of backpacking in the southwest where you want to camp on slickrock to avoid damaging the cryptogrammic soil so a free standing is the only way to go. You can go lighter if you pick a non-free standing model. I also like my Marmot Equinox but it weighs over 6 pounds. It is considerably roomier. One of the features I like best about the REI tent are the large doors on each side. I can kneel inside the tent with my sleeping bag pushed down, with my head and shoulders outside, and being male, can pee (downslope side, of course) without leaving the tent. Much better than all of the middle of the night hassle of getting out of the sleeping bag, finding your Tevas, crawling out of the tent, peeing, crawling back in while trying to shake all of the fir needles and dirt off, then getting back into your bag.

[petronius]

4. I've been pretty happy with my Kelty Zen...

Check out outdoor reviews for some pretty helpful gear reviews. Some things you might want to think about are whether you want it to be free standing or not, if there's a vestibule, and length and headroom (especially if you're tall).

[Radical Activist]

6. I'm looking at the site now. Thanks!

[mattclearing]

5. I dig my swiss army tent I got at Costco.

It worked great at Coachella. I'll find a link and edit to add.

Here it is: http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=5132215829&category=36119#ebayphotohosting

[sbj405]

7. Pretty heavy for backpacking

11 lbs, yikes!

We have the North Face Tadpole (I think) which is nice because it's free standing.

Check out campmor.com, rei-outlet.com, and sirretradingpost.com for good deals on last years makes and models. It all depends on how much you want to spend. The REI brand is solid and they guarentee everything. I'd recommend a 3 season with removable rainfly for the most versatility. Also check out backpacker magazine for gear reviews http://www.gearfinder.com/ss.asp?FAM=Tents

[Radical Activist]

10. sounds like REI

is very popular. Thanks for the links.

[sbj405]

13. If you decide to get it from REI

Look at joining the co-op. I think it's $15 and you get a dividend (in store credit) based on what you spend each year. Essentially if you are spending a bit on a tent, it will pay for itself. You also get coupons a few times a year for 20% off one item, which can be a large savings on a big ticket item.

[bikebloke]

8. Sierra Design's Meteor Light

I used that for my bike trekking. Lived in it most of the year I was in the saddle, plus a couple other shorter journeys. It was comfortable for one person and gear. Two might be a squeeze. Depends waht you're lugging.

Check REI. Or Campmor for better prices.

[CrownPrinceBandar]

9. Check Campmor......................

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?categoryId=250&catalogId=40000000226&storeId=226

Good products and really good prices.

[NervousRex]

14. Campmor rules!

Find out what you want at REI, then order it from Campmor...saves a bundle.

[Radical Activist]

11. As a random side note

One disadvantage of living in a large city in the midwest is that you meet less women who love to backpack and have their own gear. I've backpacked on occasion for a few years now. Most of the time I went with a woman who worked for an environmental non-profit that had lots of gear. I also went backpacking with a national park back country ranger who had plenty of extra packs and a good tent. I suppose my other option would be to try and find another woman to date that has plenty of gear for me to use when we go camping, but that may be harder to find where I'm living now. I kind of feel like it's time for me to stop mooching off others and get my own damn gear.

[eyepaddle]

15. Where will you be going?

If its Desert hiking, or just for a few days--look over your options and go with the lightest you can afford. If you plan on canoe camping in the BWCA or Quetico (and IMHO you really should) :) You might have to accept a little more weight for more water resistance. I've never bumped into anything that'll beat a Wenzel tent. You can get at FleetFarm or places like that for about 30 bucks. They have a tub-style tarp bottom, and I've been in storms where it flooded to the point that my tent was in a pool of water--none of it seeped through. (It was a small campsite and there were a few other tents so I got the bad spot--in case any of you were wondering! )

The down side is the tarp bottom makes it fairly bulky, but I just hang it off the bottom of my pack so it's really not that big a deal.

Have Fun!

[Radical Activist]

16. All over

I want to use this in different places, but I'll probably spend the most time in Southern Illinois and similar forested areas.
Thanks for the ideas.