GoLite Utopia 2+ Shelter 2-3 Person - 2008 BCS

very happy with purchase. a good tent under 3 lbs under $200 is hard to find. will keep you bone dry in a downpour and looks to be warm in the winter (ive heard no condensation if you keep a candle lantern burning). Now that I have a single wall tent, don't think i will ever go back to double wall. Vents are great on three sides and you can vent the door also for 4 side venting. The bucket floor is also a great addition at 1 pound and I can just sleep on that in the summer. quality is great with details like reflective guide lines. all around a great emergency bombproof shelter and you wont even feel it in your pack!

I do enjoy the pack size for the amount of space. The only issues I have are with condensation, and the floor addition does not have any straps on the front nor the back, only on the sides and corners which alow an updraft into the tent as well as kritters getting in, which i will modify myself to improve the design. Other than that it is a great shelter over all. I was especialy impressed with how much room there was inside, and how light it packs for the space it provides. I still need to try it in rougher weather other than rain.

I should start off by saying that I am impressed with the shelter for its packed size and weight, even when coupled with a floor. Unfortunately, this comes at the cost of a flimsier tent.

A recent trip into the mountains highlighted its weaknesses. When using with a floor, wind resistance is especially poor. The fabric itself is decent, however wind still finds its way under/into the tent unless there is adequate snow to seal it. The guy line attachment points are fairly low on the shelter and allow it to move a scary amount in high winds. Additionally, there is only a single tie-down point on each side. The mesh vents are large enough to let in snow/spindrift, but if closed make for a very humid tent that is largely frozen in the morning.

In spite of all this, it makes an excellent shelter in fairer conditions.