The North Face Vario 23 Tent 2-Person 3-Season

Easy Set-up with clips. Very sturdy in weather. I used mine in minus 20 degrees with no problems. Two considerations: 1. There is only one door, and you can't get to the rear vestibule from inside. 2. The tent is mostly single wall,and even the double wall parts are sewn into one piece, so you won't be stargazing without a rainfly in this one. Also don't forget to open the roof vents if you want ventilation. I woke up to snow in the tent due to condensation when I left the vents shut....

I have owned a few tents, none really as expensive as this before, but the money is well worth it. It is so very easy to handle, even in the cold or rainy weather because you don't have to worry about the poles going in some silly sleeve, it all just clips together. Set up is a breeze and tear down is even easier. 'Flight' (fast and light) is the perfect description. Built in is a raised roof that allows air flow, and the front and back vestibule continue the ventilation. This tent is kind of built around the idea of stakes, if you don't stake it down, you can't extend the vestibules and wont get much ventilation, but if you had to sleep in it the inside would be just fine. the poles are fantastic. I like to pack the poles separately in my back and the tent packs down to the size of a football, no joke. it's tiny. usually the only thing I have to actually put on the outside of my pack is a my Thermarest. the stakes are also very very strong. I slightly bent one (barely) after hitting it repeatedly with a brick when i was pitching in rocky soil. Only a couple of drawbacks, if you do not pitch in the open or towards the wind your ventilation will go to heck and your breath will condensate on the inside of your tent as you sleep. But that is with any waterproof tent. also, it says 2 man, but i only use it for one. Its GREAT for one and all your gear, but 2 and 2 people's gear would be a tight fit. I have the 2007 version, and it only has one door...i'm not sure if this other guy has a 2008 or something, but a two door would just add weight which is why TNF doesn't have 2 doors on it - it's a flight series tent.

This tent is under rated by most. The site has it wrong in the description, the new version has two doors - a big improvement from the one described in the previous review. Two doors, two vestibules, and two vents so air can move through. Because of the extra ceiling that extends from the top, you can leave your door part way open to let even more air through on a humid night. A real bonus is that it comes with a compression sack, a rare thing with tents. If you take the poles out you can pack it down to the size of some 15 degree down sleeping bags. Perfect for fastpacking and climbing. Contrary to what you might read, it does have two doors! I promise!!

I've used this tent twice. Once at Mt. Laguna in calm wind with 18 degree temps. Another time in Joshua Tree with 40-50 degree temps and very strong winds. The Vario 23 held up to the wind great at jtree. This tent was definitely moving around some, but there was minimal noise, and the walls weren't bumping into us while we slept. When we came out the next morning several of the other tents had been tossed around, ripping out stakes. One of the people had to get out in the middle of the night and hammer them back in and put rocks on top to keep them in place. This is a snug fit for 2 people, but not uncomfortably so. I'm 6', and I've shared it with campers that were 5'4 and 5'10 without problems. There really isn't much room for gear inside, but the wing that pulls out on the back side of the tent and the front vestibule would give you enough room for 2 packs and some gear. I also like the attention to detail. For example, the cords that attach the tent to the stakes have reflective material in them so you don't trip over them at night.