Black Diamond Eldorado Tent: 2-Person 4-Season

I really like this tent. I bought it in 2005 and use it both for backpacking and mountaineering. Summer and winter.

The fabric, ToddTex, performs really well in all conditions I've used it in. I've used it in temps from about +20 to -20 degree C. The inside stays nice and dry at all time in rain and snow. Just be sure to vent well at least when cooking inside in the winter. Else the inside might freeze and block the membrane. I've heard the fabric has problems in very humid environments but have'nt tried that.

Setup is super easy and fast, just takes a little bit of practice. The footprint is small, but the inside is quite roomy imo, steep walls and quite good headroom. Large enough place for 2 (185 cm, with essential gear) in the winter with room to spare for cooking. I've even spent a few nights with 3 in this, but then one of us was just 2-3 months old :) Obviously it isnt too roomy in the latter two conditions but it did the job very well.

It performs well in winds as far as i've experienced, but I have'nt tested it in wind speeds above 70 km/h. Just be sure to use the guy-lines and keep in mind the wind direction. The fabric seems really solid but its a bit stiff and a bit difficult to pack down small.

This is a great tent as far as the todtex materials its made out of.. very comfortable and very light.. with that said.. the really tiny metal zippers make it difficult to open with gloves on and this tent is a real pain in the a#@ setting up.. the inside pole design really sucks... tried setting this tent up at 12,000 ft with 60mph winds.. the pole design had the tent flapping wildly in the wind, which is no surprise with the conditions, but when the pole finally popped out of the snap in the corner while i was setting it up, it shot right through the floor and tore a nice little hole.. huge dissapointment.. prob would not have a problem like this with an external pole setup.. the snaps that hold the poles in place on the inside are cheap to say the least and shattered while closing at temps of -20F.. I guess you can say that i might of pushed the limits of this tent but this gear def. failed me when i needed it the most..

This is the SAME tent as the Bibler I just a little longer, one of the top choices for cold weather. There's no fly to hassle with and the strength weight ratio is awesome. I'm just not a fan of bright tent colors, I prefer more covert ones for my nocturnal proclivities.

A few months ago a friend and I ventured into the White Mountains of New Hampshire for a multi-day backpacking and snowshoeing trip. I consider myself an experienced backpacker, but most of my experience comes from trekking in the spring, summer, and fall. So I decided to brush up on winter survival skills before the trip. I read a few guidebooks and spoke with experienced winter adventurers at my school’s mountaineering club. The more I learned about the harsh winds and subzero temperatures of the White Mountains, the more I became convinced: I needed a new tent. Enter the Eldorado—a well-known and well-tested mountaineering tent from the Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd. Overall, I liked the tent. It was light, strong, and simple to setup. Despite my praises I have one caveat: the tent walls collect a lot of condensation at sub-zero temperatures. I’ll discuss this problem in more detail below.

The Eldorado uses no rainfly because of its single-wall design. Its walls are made from a windproof and waterproof material, called ToddTex. ToddTex weighs only slightly more than traditional tent material, so removing the rainfly leaves the tent several pounds lighter than rival mountaineering tents. This design offers other benefits as well. Setup time is minimal with no rainfly. I set it up in two minutes on my first try (not counting the time to stake and guy out the tent). The instruction manual says setup should take less than two minutes—with some practice. Black Diamond also constructed ToddTex to breath like the popular Gore-Tex material: the tent walls absorb and transport water vapor to the outside, minimizing condensation buildup on the inside.

The ToddTex material unfortunately failed to live up to its reputation during our trip. Nightly temperatures fell between ten and fifteen degrees below zero, and in this range the tent’s inside walls collected water vapor from our breath. The vapor froze, and throughout the night it fell like snowflakes onto our sleeping bags. We awoke in the morning to find the outside of our sleeping bags wet to the touch. Wet sleeping bags do not work well.

Given the Eldorado’s stellar reputation, recommendations, and otherwise impressive design, I suspected (and hoped) that someone had already solved the condensation problem. When I arrived home I put Google to work. Several online backpacking forums explained that no four-season tent, including the Eldorado, will effectively transport moisture when the temperature falls far below zero. Proper ventilation, however, will evacuate water vapor and prevent buildup inside the tent. The tent must face the wind, with the door slightly unzipped, allowing a light breeze to carry moisture out before it freezes.

This solution seemed strange to me, however, because I understood the tent was meant for four season use; so why wouldn’t the ToddTex material function in the cold of winter? Also, my friend and I read the instruction manual beforehand and thought we had set up the tent to achieve proper ventilation. It’s possible we missed something, of course. I haven’t had a chance to experiment with proper ventilation in subzero temperatures since this trip. If anyone has any experiences with this problem, or any other ideas or solutions, please let me know.

This is the last 2 person 4-season tent you will ever buy. Super light, very tough. Holds up to really strong wind and snowfall. You set it up from inside, so when setting up during a storm you are protected. The yellow fabric will brighten your mood even during the darkest storm bound days.

I've had my Eldorado for years and I love it. You can't beat this tent for simplicity and ease of set-up, strength-to-weight ratio, and versatility. The small footprint give you lots of options, and I appreciate that you can set the tent up from the inside -- a great feature in foul weather. There's a good amount of space for two plus essential gear... If you don't quite need a tent this sturdy and weatherproof, check out Black Diamond's Firstlight -- the same tent design, but with lighter (and less waterproof) fabric and fewer ventilation options. The Firstlight is cheaper, too... If you're looking for a tent you can use year-round and in the harshest conditions, though, you can't go wrong with the Eldorado... Well worth the price!

Finally dropped the money on a single wall after dragging The North Face VE-25 into the hills all the time. At 4-5 pounds lighter, my wife and I were expecting it to be a snug fit, but the Eldorado's wide footprint and steep sidewalls give plenty of space for two, with packs outside or in the vestibule. If I could change one thing, I'd have gotten the two-door option, if only for a little extra venting at the far end of the tent. It comes well sealed with good stakes and extra seam-grip for the exterior seams. Also comes with guyline, but it's surprising that you pay $600 for a tent and they only give you enough cord for half of the stake points. An inconvenience, but not a big deal. We slept warmer in very cold weather and had more space in the packs -- perfect.

I bought the Bibler Eldorado in 2000, the two door version with vestibule. It has been incredibly reliable companion for years in all four seasons. I'm not sure that this will be the last tent you ever buy, but I've enjoyed a decade of use and it's still the best tent I've ever owned.

We tested our new Bibler in the early winter Canadian Rockies. It made a snow storm with gusting winds seem like nothing. It's super light, easy to pack, and really quiet. Single wall construction makes set up simple (done from the inside) and fast. It's all-weather resistant and ventilation is customizable. No rain fly hassle here. If we ever need another tent, it will definitely be a Bibler!

This is my second Bibler Eldorado, replacing its sun and wind ravaged predecessor, now serving as a car camping and fair weather tent. The Eldorado can be a might moist and stuffy in terms of ventilation, but is light, sets up in a few minutes, is very wind and snow weight tolerant, has a small footprint and I love the cooking and storage vestibule--so many memories of rainy days and ramen cooked in the vestibule. I also like the attic, a hammock-like storage area at the top of the tent. The Eldorado costs a king's ransom, of course, but I know of no other 4 season tent I'd trust.
Jonathan P., Seattle, Wash.

Wish they made an attached vestibule edition. Otherwise, kinda perfect.

the bibler eldorado is the lightest, dryest, simplest tent you can buy. If you can afford the price, it will be the best tent you ever own.

Awesome tent. Simple set up. Easily fits with a weeks work of gear IN your pack, not lashed to the outside.

I just returned from 5 days in the North Cascades and we had everything from a snowstorm, very cold conditions and some sunny bright weather. This tent weathered it all, and it was a snap to set up. There was minimal wind noise even during the worst of the storm we rode out in the tent. It packs down small and was a real treat to pack something so solid yet light.
Well worth the money.
-r

What a pain in the butt to set up. The 'twist ties' broke as I was attempting to set it up. If it is cold it's extremely difficult to even grab hold of the pole to get the twist ties on them.
Wouldn't recomend this tent to anyone.

I recently purchased the tent and returned it. It was very difficult to set up. The material seems fragile and looks like it could tear easily. I think its very overpriced.