Exped Sirius Extreme Tent - 2-Person 4-Season - 2007 BCS

as a full time, professional guide (www.alpineworldascents.com), i have very high expectations of the equipment i use. after always stayed with traditional tent systems, the sirius exped is my ist tunnel-style tent.
before buying it, i have seen it in action (very windy) on an ascent of mt rainier's liberty ridge. the tent impresses with its light weight but still performs solidly and holds up to the abuse by the elements, ease to set it up even when its blowing hard or precipitating, well thought out and quality accessories (tie-downs, pegs), very good ventilation (3 guys in sub-zero conditions with less than normal snow-dew build up) and with its efficient roominess. i used it on mt hunter (alaska) as the sole shelter for us 3 grown men. the height lets a 6ft person easily sit up. the apex is big enough to stash big packs and still fit a cooking stove.
ok, for the nit picky: 1) under extreme winds and heavy snows, it would probably be essential to have even more tie-down options to secure the tent. 2) it would be nice if you could see out the tent without having to unzip- but then again, you'd add weight and possibly sturdiness.
use this 2-3-4 season tent for road trips, trekking, mountaineering, expeditions - this tent rules!

I have really enjoyed the Sirius Extreme, so it has earned my positive writing. It's very lightweight for a 4-season tent yet could hold three people in a pinch, plenty of room for gear. It ventilates well in the snow and is certainly waterproof. The waterproofing (and windproofing) was well tested during a harsh 10,300ft altitude Utah late summer storm which began with a couple hours of downpour rain so as the tent sat in a 3 inch deep puddle ( no I didn't set up in a rain basin). Contrary to my nervous expectations the water which the tent sat in (3 inches submerged) never entered inside, nor did water collect inside due to condensation. The rain eventually turned to sleet and sleet to snow with a beautiful 8 inch snow blanket covering the landscape by morning. I like the way the tent sets up with an innovative pole sleeve design that allows one to set up while wearing gloves. Quick tightening devices are also included on the guy-lines, thus it's unnecesary to tie them in the cold, another innovative plus. Winter camping with two (total) keeps the interior moderately warm, especially if the edges of the tent are lined with snow as to seal the gap between ground and tent. The vestibule is large enough for a couple large backpacks, though if only sleeping two, there's plenty of room for gear inside as well. Due to this tent's very packable weight and big comfort it will replace my 3-season Big Agnes SL2 and REI Hallfdome 2 for any excursion with storms in the forecast.

This tent exceeded our expectations in performance - we backpacked in the Canadian Rockies in spring and had to pitch in heavy wet snow. Two people and one wet dog soon had moisture running down the walls but as soon as we opened the vents it ventilated beautifully and we stayed dry all night.
Initial set-up did not go well - we were used to a freestanding tent and it took putting this up a few times in the backyard to get it right. It doesn't come with any set-up instructions and there weren't any on the Exped website. The body of the tent is suspended from the fly so you have to get the fly tightened onto the poles first or nothing else fits properly. Pitching only takes a few minutes but I would encourage anyone using this tent for the first time to practice before taking it into the back country.
I gave this tent 5 stars in spite of the initial problems with setting it up because it performs so well. It is lightweight and roomy and yes, easy to set-up!