Nadav Herman

i played today what the tent and discover that the leg pole is next to impossible to use
be aware of that problem
it was on the new 2012 spring model

1) no stuff pocket
and NO HAND POCKETS

I recently returned from a trip to Telluride.  I used the North Face Assault 2 tent.  It rained almost every day we were camping.  After five days, the tent was completely soaking wet on the inside.  I contacted the North Face warranty department to let them know about the tent defect.  I  received the below email back from them!

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Thank you for contacting The North Face.  Your tent was evaluated by our warranty technician and was determined that no material defects were found.  The tent is a single wall tent designed for high alititudes above 16,000 ft. where there is little to no precipitation in the air.  As a special service we can issue you a gift card for the full purchase price of the tent

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n2CJwAFFpLs&feature=youtube_gdata_player

I last wrote a review for the Mica 12 when i first got the tent. Since my last review i have ridden my bike 3,800 miles and spending some quality time with my tent in the process. Now I’m going to report back and try to give an honest review of the tent.
The mica 12 exceeded my expectations. All of the things that I was concerned with proved to be minor issues that you can live with so let’s start.
The most frequent question is concerning whether or not the mica is a free standing tent. Yes, it is. If you build it in your living room, it will look bad, but put in the sleeping pad and the tent will become more stable. I found out that if you slide the mattress to the back of the tent it helps the heft pole to stay in place (a pair of shoes can do it too). I prefer to stake down my tent when i can, and when you do, the tent can fit a 6 foot tall person and leave room so that they do not touch the wall.
The door on the tent is great- you can zip the zippers all the way with out snagging them.
The pockets are placed in a good way and I really love the top one- my headlamp can fit in it and i can work on my maps for the following day at night. If you love reading books you really should find a tent with this setup.
The rain fly, oohh the rain fly. It really keeps you dry even when Mississippi thunder storms are rolling over you. My biggest complaint is that at the point right above the door, the tent is flat, so water just sits above you and when you exit the tent in the morning you get all wet (well, maybe I’m exaggerating...). The good part about it is that you can leave a beer can on the top of the tent when you need to grab stuff out from the inside.
The vestibule is also great. I can fit my backpack or my four panniers and I’ve found that you can fit stuff on the other side too.
The glow in the dark zippers are a cool touch. One night in Kentucky, I slept without the rain fly and when I woke up in the middle of the night, it took me a minute to realize that it was not the stars above me, but the zippers.) 
The venting on the rain fly is great. I spent a couple of cold and muggy nights and a couple nights in Mississippi during the summer and the condcisn control was great.
I almost forgot the window. It’s great to have a window, the location is good and you can get a great look at the weather.
I hope I helped with you in finding tent. I can honestly say, that if I will need to buy a new tent sometime in the future, the mica 12 will be on top of my list.
 
  

I’ve spent a night or two in a tent. Typically, I go for a big one person tent and I’ve always been happy. On my last solo bike ride (New Orleans, LA to Philadelphia, PA) I carried my Big Agnes tent, the Emerald Mountain SL1. On one of my many climbs, I realized that I am using my tent for just one reason (sleeping) and therefore I do not need a tent that is a size of a boulder. So going compact was cool. I started to think about what I need from my next tent (it is kind of simple), a one person three-season tent- it must have a window (or two), be smaller and lighter than my previous tent, have enough room to fit all of my panniers, and be free standing. Two tents immediately came to mind, the Mountain Hardware GHISALLO 1 and the North Face MICA 12. At that time I got to the top of my climb and parked my bike for lunch. On a full belly of rice I decided on the MICA 12. Fast forward five months and I got my tent. Yes, it is a tiny tent- I need to cut my toenails so that I can fit in it (I am 6 feet tall) and when you don’t stick the tent down, it kind of looks like an 80 year old man’s face. Don’t get me started on the window. I love the small attention to details, but to wake up every morning to, "NEVER STOP EXPLORING," is annoying. I love the tent, it is not perfect, but neither am I on the other side, it is a light and fast set up. It’s got a stealthy look (if you are into stealth camping), I love the glow-in-the-dark zip pulls, multiple pockets (one above the head and on the side), and I like the venting system on the fly. The first night that I spent in the tent I lost my camera and all night I was laughing about it. For me, it is just what I am looking for in a solo touring cycling tent. BOTTOM LINE: if you are under 6 feet tall looking for a compact and fast tent, the MICA 12 is a damn good choice.