Snowing inside again?

By Nick Stadie Ranked #84 - 4-Season Tents February 3, 2011

Waterproof/breathable tent fabric is inherently an oxymoron. With outerwear, we make a compromise toward one or the other because we know that both can't perfectly exist (hard shells for more waterproof, soft shells for more breathable, etc.). In a tent, during a mixed weather trip (as is common in the high Sierra), we would like to stay dry and not overheat or create condensation inside the tent. This problem is often solved with 2-layer tents, and I have had great experiences with them.

The EV2 tries to solve this with a single layer of fabric between you and the weather, and frankly, it fails. Even with the vents open, this tent does not breathe worth a penny. It snows inside the tent heavier than it does outside. Sure it's light, but it's miserable. Rain seeped in during a heavy storm at lower elevation.

Secondly, the craftsmanship inside is brutal. After a few trips, all the pockets were unglued from the tent wall and useless. This appears to be a result of cold weather (-20 C) use where the glue just does not work anymore. The lack of vestibule is very inconvenient.

With care to tie it down, it holds well in very strong winds and is sufficiently large to accommodate 2 normal sized dudes, so there are the pluses, besides the very low weight.

Despite the other really positive reviews, I personally think MH blew it on this one.

View Details: Mountain Hardwear EV 2 Tent 2-Person 4-Season

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