UL Tent for 2 Men

jeg9792

Lil-Rokslider
Joined
Apr 20, 2017
Location
Sabinal, Texas
I'm looking for an ultralight tent that I can put in my pack and leave from a base camp to spike out for two or three nights at a time. Will need to sleep myself and my hunting partner so will need to be a two person at least. Looking for something around two pounds that will compress down pretty small. I'm open to a tarp but will need to have a nest or bug net and floor as we will be in Colorado last two weeks of September and I hate bugs crawling on me while I try to sleep. So far the best I've found is a Tarptent Motrail...room for two, 34 ounces, and $259. Does anyone know of anything that would fit my description better than the Motrail? Anyone use a Motrail that can tell me how you like it? I appreciate any info you guys can give.
 
I really like my Tarptent Stratospire 2. Lots of headroom and 2 doors with large vestibules. I'm not familiar with the Motrail so you might compare the numbers.

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I just looked up the Stratospire 2. You could have a party in that thing, it's much bigger than the Motrail. Also about 12 ounces heavier and about $100 more expensive. Looks really nice though, just morevtent than what I need.
 
How close are you to your hunting partner?
Most 2 man tents will keep things awful cozy. Is he/she going to split weight? One could carry fly and stakes and the rest for the other.
 
Tarptent Cloudburst 3. It is a little heavier and more expensive than what you are looking at like the Stratospire. I use it for myself backpacking. It is huge on the inside with 2 vestibules. I don't think you can go wrong with any of the TarpTent products. They make great tents that will handle the weather and last.
 
The new REI Quarter dome 3 is 4lbs and 4 ounces....split between 2 guys it's 2.2lbs each. Tons of room for two, plus your gear. Getting stellar reviews.....this is the redisigned 2017 model.
 
I use the SS2 as well, it's the tallest of the tarptents. Nice to have two doors and two big vestibules, especially if one of you gets up to pee at night.
 
I use the SS2 as well, it's the tallest of the tarptents. Nice to have two doors and two big vestibules, especially if one of you gets up to pee at night.

3rd on the Stratospire 2. I don't know how people stuff 2 dudes in less roomy tents and keep their sanity.
 
Skip the floor and get a Kifaru Tut- much bigger... A two person tent is just too darn small for two guys. I have a two person and its tight with my 13 year old son...
 
Mountainsmith Mountain Shelter LT. Solid, about the same weight once you add in the stakes and over 100 bucks cheaper than the tarptent MoTrail
 
If you are camping at a fairly high elevation I wouldn't be too worried about bugs, but im sure you could rig some mosquito netting or a nest up in it and still come out cheaper
 
If you're open to a tarp. . maybe a Seek Outside DST + Sea to Summit Nano Mosquito pyramid in dual?

19 oz for Tarp. 5 Oz for Nano. Call it another 5 oz in additional stakes and accessories? 29oz all in for a shelter with bug protection and floor (for the area of sleeping).

Or if you want to go ultralight. . maybe just a polycro groundsheet (2 oz for a huge one) and just enough netting to secure above your head and drape down to say waist length? All under an 8x10 or perhaps 10x10 tarp (Sil or Cuben). I'm not sure you're gonna get much lighter than doing that!

Seek Outside DST Tarp

SeatoSummit Nano
 
Skip the floor and get a Kifaru Tut- much bigger... A two person tent is just too darn small for two guys. I have a two person and its tight with my 13 year old son...

First of all, this guy's FN nuts. AZ is filled with things you don't want to wake up to...rattlers, coral snakes, scorpions and all kinds of rodentia and inserts. Secondly, IF (and it's a big if) you wanna save weight and go floorless in such an area...you can remove the nest of the SS2. Very versatile tent.

ss2-4.jpg


ss2-12.jpg


Some have installed stove jacks in the vestibule doors:

hot-tent.jpg


I would never go floorless in AZ. I want my nest. Go ahead, call me a p*ssy. Everything in AZ stings, bites or pokes ya. The second wall is nice during monsoon season when most single wall tents will rain on you with condensation. I prefer to stay dry.

ss2-11.jpg


ss2-1.jpg


Upside to the Tut is you can stand-up.
 
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Bruce- Never had anything sting me while camping in AZ but I can understand why a city slicker would be nervous... :) Of course now I will probably step on a rattler this afternoon...

As for the OP- he is talking about a trip to CO. In the high country of CO there is little chance of anything stinging you outside of maybe a porcupine...

Tape out the floorpan of whatever you think you want and then make sure you are comfortable in that space for a day or two if weather turns on you... I like a little space. Bruce offered a great suggestion in the SS2- which I have no experience with but which looks to be perfect!

As I get older a successful hunt is less and less about a harvest and more and more about the overall experience. I want to be a little uncomfortable, I want to be sore, I want to be tired... but I also want to look back and remember an enjoyable experience. A comfortable camp/sleep is key to me achieving that and coming back for more...
 
First of all, this guy's FN nuts. AZ is filled with things you don't want to wake up to...rattlers, coral snakes, scorpions and all kinds of rodentia and inserts. Secondly, IF (and it's a big if) you wanna save weight and go floorless in such an area...you can remove the nest of the SS2. Very versatile tent.

ss2-4.jpg


ss2-12.jpg


Some have installed stove jacks in the vestibule doors:

hot-tent.jpg


I would never go floorless in AZ. I want my nest. Go ahead, call me a p*ssy. Everything in AZ stings, bites or pokes ya. The second wall is nice during monsoon season when most single wall tents will rain on you with condensation. I prefer to stay dry.

ss2-11.jpg


ss2-1.jpg


Upside to the Tut is you can stand-up.

I have 106 floorless nights in Arizona during the 15 years I lived in Phoenix. . .from the Coronado NF on the Mexico border to the Grand Canyon and many places in between. My thought the threat of the animals and insects you describe (and your potential interaction with them at night) is grossly over exaggerated.

But to each his or her own!
 
Whatever. Been bit once, that was enough. Still keeping my nest. Small weight penalty.

[video=youtube;avtZJKydB-E]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=avtZJKydB-E[/video]
 
No...happened at a boys camp when I was a kid. Musta been warming itself at dawn. Never rattled, was invisible in the pine needles, never saw it until the second (missed) strike. Very dry strike luckily for me. Left a scar on my leg and psyche though.
 
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