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The North Face designed the Vector 22 2-Person 3-Season Tent for fast and light backpacking in nasty weather. The Vector 22 gives you and your partner ample room for camping comfort and card games when need to sit out a storm. With a total weight of under four pounds, the Vector 22 weighs less than many single-wall tents, but it has none of the drawbacks in breathability or condensation. The silicon flysheet reduces weight and provides excellent weather protection. The North Face Vector 22 Tent also has a free-standing design with continuous pole sleeves for easy setup when you're camping solo.
Bottom Line: Lose the weight, keep the space, and stay protected from horrible weather in The North Face Vector 22 Tent.
While TNF remains the king of bombproof tents, this one's not in that great tradition. It is as flimsy as its impossibly-light weight would suggest. It is susceptible to side winds, requires full guying in the lightest breezes to feel secure, and for all the weight-saving mesh in its sides, it is not at all well-ventilated. Its top-tier price makes it all the more disappointing. Good wall verticality and large size for the "two-man" (one with elbows) category are the lone positives.
I disagree completely. This tent has stood up to some high winds while I solo hiked the Continental Divide Trail in Colorado. I had to use the guylines b/c of the high winds but that's what they are there for.
So every review I've read gives me the impression that this tent can stand up and stay dry in light and heavy rains. I backpack 3 times a year from Grand Canyon to Olympic -- week long trips. Looking for a tent that WILL stay dry. Currently have Zeus 2 great for dry weather and very light and packs tight but not good in rain -- single wall of course. Any suggestions comments. I want rectangular tent tired of wide to narrow construction. Thanks!
A single-walled tent in a rainy, humid environment is bad news. I have an older TNF Roadrunner 23, and the mesh canopy + fly combination does a good job of reducing condensation and shielding body parts from beaded water inside the tent. The Vector design is very similar though considerably lighter.
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I've taken this tent out a couple times, and so far I have been extremely satisfied with it. Not only is it light-weight, but warm as well! I can't imagine taking the whole tent out in the summer when you have the option for fly-only pitching, but if you did, it would only be a small addition to your total weight. It's cutting it close with two people, but if you sleep opposite ends there is tons of room. IMO, it's worth every penny.
I purchased this tent in 2006 I believe and have used it ever since. It is a great tent but has one main drawback: small interior floor space.
Pros: Rock solid design - very stable in high winds, lightweight yet very strong material. While not a 4 season tent, I have taken her out in the winter around 9,000' in Colorado with snow on the ground it was fine - that has more to do with what sleeping bag you have but if we got dumped on with snow I think the tent would have held up fine.
Super easy setup - poles glide seamlessly through sleeves
Lightweight - for it's size, it's pretty damn light.
Cool features - glow-in-the-dark zipper pulls, color coordinated poll ends and tent & rainfly attachments, reflective guylines and zipper pulls, two big internal pockets, stuff sack included!
Cons: Small interior space - fitting two people is possible and okay as long as they are not big folks and sleep "head to foot". If you are over 6' I wouldn't recommend this tent if you plan on using it with other people.
The North Face could have come up with a better way to attach the rainfly to the tent's pole attachments once the tent has been set up (I set up the tent and then as I put on the rainfly, I have to pull out each pole from their respected eye-hole (attachment at the base of the tent) and feed the rainfly in and then attach the tent again -- I know this sounds confusing but it seems to offer the best stability and seems to be a little backward).
Overall it's a great tent that could use a few extra inches in length. I certainly recommend it to anyone as a solo tent, a solo tent + a dog, or two small people.
I researched quite a bit before I purchased this tent. Many hours spent at REI setting up theirs' on the floor and checking out each model. I'm 6'3", so I need a tent that's not going to hang over my face and suffocate me while I sleep. Unless you prefer sleeping in the fetal position, in which case it doesn't matter. This tent is great all around and especially if you are fairly tall. If you're taller than me, you may need to continue the search.
Ive only used the tent on one bike tour. Size was right for my Burley Nomad for transport. Set up was easy. It is good for one person, two if you're newly wed. Ventilation is also good. Didn't encounter adverse weather so no comment, yet. Product quality is good. The stuff sack is big enough to get the tent back in without a fight.
I have the 2005 model. The main difference is that the door is located on the wide size. In my opinion this is a major advantage as it gives you a bigger vestibule and it is easier to get in and out. I really like my Vector 22. It is very roomy for a 2 man tent. Maybe a bit short if you are over 6'4", but it can comfortably sleep 2 men. The fly has been very water resistant. I have had to reseal the seams along the door twice (to be expected with use). The tent packs down pretty small and is really light. The dome shape is pretty strong in rain and wind. The maroon color is surprisingly bright inside when outdoors. I bent my poles in a windstorm on a mountain (not intended conditions). It has stood up to a foot of snow on top of it overnight. CONS: flimsy stock pegs, I find the ventilation is not great, would prefer guys in middle of fly walls to keep fly and canopy apart. OVERALL: I love my tent and would buy it again in a heartbeat. Perfect for its intended uses, I probably use mine too hard and it has withstood it all.
So far so good with this tent. It is nice and light, making it great for fair weather, 3-season duty. I doubt it would hold up in a blizzard, but then again, thats not what it was made for. The rain fly material does a good job at beading off moisture. If you are looking for a good overnight/weekend hiking tent, the Vector 22 is a great choice. Setup and takedown is a breeze, and the floor plan is enough for my 6'1" length. Perfect tent for the casual outdoor venturer.
This tent is an overall good tent. It is easy to set up, a breeze with two poles, has multiple guy outs, and a moderately large vestibule. This tent performed very well in punishing conditions on Roan Mountain, Tennessee. It could also use better ventilation, but with the fly 3/4 unzipped, its not that bad. This tent gives you your bang for your buck!
So far, I have only used my Vector 22 once. However, on the one overnighter I used it, it rained hard most of the night, starting at 7pm and ending about 5am. During many times, the rain was a torrential downpour, complete with lots of lightning and thunder. I didn't sleep well because of the intensity of the weather (and sounds of large tree limbs crashing down), but the tent stayed pretty dry. I use the term "pretty dry" because the rain fly did drip a few times, but it only dripped (very slowly) during the most intense part of the rain storm. When the rain was not intense, the fly did not seem water at all. Maybe some additional seam sealer will fix that. Please note that a few other campers got absolutely soaked during this trip, some due to ground-level water flows. The ground water did not affect my tent (with the footprint). Thank goodness! Room for two is a little cramped, but not too bad. I would not recommend this tent for use by two large-sized people or with wide sleeping bags. For a couple, it would be pretty nice, though! The positives: The bottom of the tent remained dry throughout the very rainy night. This tent is pretty light, especially for the price. It was very easy to set up. It cleaned up very easily (red clay and other mud in abundance). Quality appears to be excellent. Glow-in-the-dark zippers are cool. It is versatile in that you can use the fly with the footprint for real ultralight backpacking. Important note: Buy the footprint, if you are buying any good quality tent if you want it to last!! Overall, this is a very good tent!
While TNF remains the king of bombproof tents, this one's not in that great tradition. It is as flimsy as its impossibly-light weight would suggest. more...