Small tents for tall people

Coyote Chris

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I am trying to not look like a refugee when I travel (so much). Time to loose some weight and volume.
If you are tall and maybe have a few physical issues, you might have trouble finding the right tent that lets you sort of stand up and is long enough for you, yet is fairly small.
I am testing two Quality tents I really like. No jamming zipper/bending breaking fiberglass pole cheepies for me any more.
Kelty Grand Mesa 4 person tent, $180ish Vs. Eureka Midori 3 person $200.

I really like both these tents, but for now, the Eureka comes out the winner.
Eureka Pack size. 600 cu. in. Kelty is 780.
Floor size. Kelty is 8ft 2 in by 6 ft. 8 in and 56 in high. Eureka is the bare minimum for someone 6 ft 2 in. tall at 7 ft. 4 in by 6 ft 2 in by 51 in high. These are manufacture's numbers and I would say they are a bit optomistic.

The big difference is the Eureka has two doors and two vestibules, meaning lots more ventilation with the fly on. And outdoor storage if you are into that. It also has a "loft" for light gear. I would not try to put two people in the Eureka, though.
Both tents go up easily and smack of quality. I like the fact that the Eureka has a color coded snap on the fly (to the coresponding snap on the tent) so that there is no head scratching. (You can to this with red electrical tape, BTW).
The Kelty gives you a bit more room at the expense of pack size. It would be easier to cook inside it. Two thumbs up for each.




 

Phil Tarman

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I started with an REI Halfdome 2 Plus. It was OK, but with my lousy knees it was a pain to get into and out of and almost impossible to sit in it and read. REI's "Satisfaction guaranteed" policy let me take it back for full credit and upgrade to a Halfdome 4 Plus. The difference in 40" height and 48" is huge and the bigger tent didn't pack much larger. I can put my Kermit chair with the leg extensions on and sit inside and read on rainy days. I haven't cooked in it (and won't).

P1050685.JPG
 

junglejim

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Halfdome 4 Plus. The difference in 40" height and 48" is huge and the bigger tent didn't pack much larger. I can put my Kermit chair with the leg extensions on and sit inside and read on rainy days.
And it also serves as a cell phone pouch.
 

Phil Tarman

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Well, to tell the truth, Jim, I think the Half-Dome 2 Plus would have served that purpose just as well as the 4 Plus.
 
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Coyote Chris

Coyote Chris

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I started with an REI Halfdome 2 Plus. It was OK, but with my lousy knees it was a pain to get into and out of and almost impossible to sit in it and read. REI's "Satisfaction guaranteed" policy let me take it back for full credit and upgrade to a Halfdome 4 Plus. The difference in 40" height and 48" is huge and the bigger tent didn't pack much larger. I can put my Kermit chair with the leg extensions on and sit inside and read on rainy days. I haven't cooked in it (and won't).

P1050685.JPG
That is a quality tent for sure...(I couldnt find any reference on the web to a half dome 4 PLUS...just a half dome. .the pack volume of 1200 cu inches and the 48" height make it a bit less desireable for me than the two I have. I bought one of the lightweight small packing chairs that Mellow was handing out for campsites and really love it. Better than a park service picknic table....
 
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junglejim

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Thanks, Chris, for a good tent report. Those tents are more comfortable for sure than the small one I have, but I want one that weighs around 5 pounds. I do like to keep up with the features they keep adding to tents. They are all so much better than the ones I grew up with.

The big factor in tents is the use. Both the way they are used and the frequency. I take several trips a year and only use my tent to sleep in. No cooking and no lounging in a chair. If I was set up and "camping" and maybe just doing day rides from camp I'd have a larger tent and carry more camping gear. So the ease of pitching and packing is a big factor for me. I really like two doors and a double vestibule, but it has been a while since I had a single vestiblue. I did find out this spring while riding in Louisana that there are some red ants that like the inside of my left boot which was in a vestibule outside the tent overnight. Always check for invading creatures before putting on your riding gear in the morning.
 
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