richfax940427

I highly recommend this tent for ultralight and lightweight hikers in summer, spring and fall. I do not recommend this tent for hikers that tend to bring the kitchen sink. i.e. 40, 50, and 60+ pound pack loads. Do not buy this tent if you want one with tons of room, multple doors, mutiple vestibules and 6 pockets. This is not a tent for "car camper" types.
I've completed the 220 mile John Muir Trail and the 165 mile Tahoe Rim Trail in this tent and I can say this is truly a great tent.

Pros:
1. Lightweight and packs small
2. Freestanding (need to stake 2 sides to get full width but not required to make it freestanding)
3. True double-wall tent with full bug netting. (Minimal interior moisture and no bugs!)
4. Fast setup
5. Fly only option

Cons:
1. Not as light as a Henry Shires tarptent or Silnylon tarp/bivy combo (but I prefer the double-walls, which tarptents don't offer, and I certainly prefer bug protection, which true tarps don't have.
2. The interior of this tent is all mesh, which is great for ventilation, but has two drawbacks. First, dust and debris can travel into the tent with every breeze and gust of wind. Secondly, which is not as important for me could be for others, is the mesh walls don't provide any shielding when changing or for other modesty purposes. That means you have to have the fly on if you want to change, but this is only an issue when camping in groups or near other hikers, or maybe you don't care (like me). It appears this was corrected in the newer and lighter and more expensive Fly Creek model.
3. This 3 pole design is structurally poor against serious lateral wind loads. The one pole which goes along the spine of the tent, to the rear of the tent, has no way of resisting lateral loads other than guying out the fly. Heavy winds can be an issue at higher elevations so you have to use care to point the tail of the tent into the wind during windy, gusty conditions. If there's no heavy winds then you may never notice this.

My recommendation:
If you're an experienced lightweight hiker and you already own 4 tents but want a lighter solo one, then you won't regret buying this one. Excellent!!!

Perfect for ultralight backpacking. The MSR's .85L capacity is perfect for boiling enough water for two Mountain House Propaks meals. I don't bring the lid, but instead use a small piece of aluminum foil, which is lighter than the lid. The metal handles get scorching hot so be sure to use gloves or your bandana when grabbing the handles. MSR gas canisters store perfectly into this pot. The only con is the steep price.

First of all, there is no perfect stove for every situation, but for only $39 and weighing a mere 3 oz., this is a great buy. I've used it extensively on long trips such as the John Muir Trail for 13 days. I've had zero issues.

Do not buy this stove if: 1) you will be using it near or below freezing. Propane/butane fuels do not work well at that temperature so you really should be buying a white-gas stove such as a MSR Whisperlite. 2) you are hiking in other countries where it is hard to find and purchase fuel canisters. Again, choose the white gas stoves. 3)If you plan to cook grand gourmet meals on the trail and require perfect heat regulation. I just boil water and add it to a Mountain House freeze dried meal so temp regulation is not needed. 4) you must have a piezo electric starter. Folks those things are a gimmick to charge you more and are just waiting to break. You should have a lighter and/or matches anyway. 5) Your primary use is for car camping or tailgaiting. Get a Coleman dual burner propane stove. 6) You are an ultralightweight hiker. Although this stove is lightweight it may be too heavy for some, but not all, ultralightweight hikers. Yes, the Snowpeaks are lighter (and more expensive) but ultralightweight hikers typically choose homemade white gas beer can stoves, Esbit fuel stoves, and woodburners. They typically weigh less than an ounce. 7)You must have the most efficient, fastest stove and you will be camping in windy adverse conditions. You may want to consider a MSR Reactor or Jetboil. 8)You tend to cook with cast-iron skillets. Again, gourmet campers should look elsewhere. A 3 oz stove doesn't make sense when you are bringing a 10 pound skillet and a rolling cooler of food. 9) Your base packweight is 60 pounds or more. It is apparent that weight is not a consideration for you so why are you buying a 3oz stove? 10) You want one stove that can do everything all the time and isn't affected by temperature or wind, is superlight, supercheap, superstable, superfast and you live in a fantasy world. Understand the limits of the various types of stoves and figure out what type of backpacking you will be doing, and want type of backpacker you are, before selecting one. This is a great stove and hopefully it work out for you!