I sooo wish Kelty would make the Windfoil Ultralight tent again. I have had this tent since 1997 and spent weeks at a time in frigid temps as well as lukewarm nights. This tent just keeps going and going. I actually just snow sealed it today prepping for a trip next week. If you can find one buy one. Perfect for backpacking, light weight, very packable, and an all out rock star! If I had to find a con, it would be lack of ventilation with the rain fly on. But with some velcro or a small stick you can open up the top vent and help some. Kelty please make the Windfoil Ultralight again. I will buy five!
Sincerely,
Hump

Customer Service

No need, but the folks at Kelty are a joy to talk to. The one time I did call about a replacement rainfly, the nice lady I spoke with helped me with info on great snow sealants. Never gave a sales pitch, just wanted to help me out.

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Kelty Coyote backpack. Bought it in 97' when I got the tent and have used it to pack all over the Southeast. Not a big pack, but what a work horse!

This tent has lasted YEARS of hard camping. My brother and I bought it when we were in Boy Scouts MANY years ago (I'm now 28) and it's still my primary tent (I don't need another one until this wears out, which won't be any time soon). I'm amazing at the amount of abuse this tent goes though and it still preforms like the day we bought it.

With the ease of set up, lightweight, great for the strong wind at altitude, good ventilation, and amount of room, this tent will be hard to replace. Thanks Ketly for making a terrific product.

I actually got this tent as a gift, so I'm not sure how much it cost, but I'm guessing it was around (but not much over) $100. To be quite honest, this tent surprised me. I'm a minimalist backpacker, taking only the bare essentials, so I was excited when I got this 2-pole ultralite. I'm fairly tall (6'6") so it's hard to find a tent that will accomodate me. For that purpose, this tent was fantastic; i have enough room for all my gear, PLUS I can stretch out my arms above my head! A couple of years ago (when I first got the tent) I went on a trip to Maine with a friend. We had plenty of room in the tent with most of our gear. One night it started raining. BAD. I mean, torrential downpour, people. We were parked at a campsite near a town, so we decided to take a drive and pray that we could find the reminants of the tent after the storm. A few hours later we crossed our fingers and drove back to the campsite. Not only was the tent still there, but it was standing taut. The inside was bone dry. I was amazed. Folks, when you read these reviews and they say "bombproof" they're not kidding.

Customer Service

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This tent is great for most kinds of camping. I have been in snow, rain and 80 mph winds and my windfoil doesnt have a scratch on it. Also it ways a good 5 pounds which is very light for a nearly 12 feet long 2 man tent. This tent is the greatest.

Customer Service

None

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Kelty Dart 2 Kelty Zen

This tent is great for most kinds of camping. I have been in snow, rain and 80 mph winds and my windfoil doesnt have a scratch on it. Also it ways a good 5 pounds which is very light for a naerly 12 feet long 2 man tent. This tent is the greatest.

Customer Service

None

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Kelty Dart 2 Kelty Zen

Great tent all-around. Best feature is the ease that one can pack it back up, wet or dry. Also has a great overall weight. Bad points are: That it could use another ventilation vent. I used it mainly solo and it was awesome. I got a girlfriend and the front vestibule became a problem for covering packs/shoes and the inside person climbing out. Still worth it though!

Overall nice tent. Cheap, light weight and seems to be well made. I havent used it in summer yet but have taken it out twice in winter. I know this is not a 4 season tent, but the conditions were quite spring-like with temps down to -3 to -16. I noticed a lot of condensation on the inside of the fly. On the cold night the INSIDE of the tent was raining on my from so much condensation and on the milder night, there were some visible droplets on the inside as well. This despite the fact that I had the vent open and even the fly partly unzipped. I even had the tent guyed. I will also echo a previous coment about the vestibule. It is cut funny and always has one side that is not taught. I have used similar tents such as the Quest Preying Mantis and the fly has an adjustment point. This is what the Windfoil needs. For weight to price ratio tho, it is a winner.

Customer Service

not needed

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Quest Preying Mantis

None

Bought this tent in the mid-90''s and have used it throughout the state of Washington. From the coast where it has seen storm force winds, to the cascades where it has been through several surpsise snowstorms. It ventilates exceptionally well. Once on a 4 day trip on the coast, saw 4 straight days of rain and the tent remained dry the entire time. Its a bit tricky to set up at first, but with a little practice, setup is easy. Its best to guy the tent in windy and rainy weather which prevents the rainfly from touching the main body. The best features on the tent I think are the vestibule and the length of the tent. The vestibule is just large enough for the stove and your boots and maybe a small pack. However since the tent is soo long, there is plenty of space in the tent to store 2 full sized packs. Hardly any condensation, but some on the inside of the rain-fly. Setup the lower end of the tent into the wind and the tent can handle 50mph+ winds when guyed out. Have been very impressed with the tent over the past 6-7 years. No signs of stress and tearing anywhere. A very durable tent!

Customer Service

No complaints.

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Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight (lighter but much smaller)

I bought this tent last November after reviewing tons of comments on this and other tents (here and other sources). I have used this tent in the mountains of the East coast, from NC to WV, also a 1 week trip to the Flattops of CO. I purchased this tent because I got sick of getting out of my bivy on winter trips to get dressed in chill factors well below comfortable! This is a great tent for just about any condition. Have been in snow, hot humid weather, pouring rain, all with no problems.
The fly does get condensation, it's to be expected with a waterproof fly, but the moisture runs down to the ground and not into the tent. Heck, my friends Hilleberg Akto does that too and it costs more than twice as much.
The room in this tent is incredible! Me, my wife and daughter can all sleep in this thing! My daughter is 7 she sleeps at the foot, my wife sleeps with her feet at the front, her head towards the middle, and I get the door side! When the little one gets any bigger we're in trouble, but all I bought it for was a one person/gear! Have been through some real down pours with no water entering, but after reading the reviews I make sure to stake it out very tight.
I wasn't sure how it would be in the winter with all that screen, but the fly seems to block all wind. Blocks the breezes in warm weather too. If you roll back the fly at the foot and the front it's quite comfortable and if it rains you just roll them back down and clip it back on, easy. There's plenty of room in the vestibule for 2-3 pairs of boots plus a stove, what more can you ask for?
I managed to knock the weight down to 5.25 lbs by getiing the Kelty Nobendium stakes and thier "trip tease lightline".
The stakes are great, haven't bent one yet, and the lightline really does light at night. No more tripping over tent lines.
If the tent is faced into driving rain be sure to close the vent in the fly (at least partially), or rain can come in and get you.
My biggest con with this tent is the entrance. The door to the tent is fine, but the fly's opening is not cut the same size. I usually leave out the stake next to the zipper on the fly and that seems to ease getting in and out. Also at times the footprint can be a little large, but when your used to a bivy anything is.
All in all a great tent, would get one again.

Customer Service

Haven't needed customer service.

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Mountain Hardware, Room with a View 3
Outdoor Research Advanced Bivy
Eureka Umbrella
Old White Stag mountain tent

I have had one of the early versions of this tent for 8 years. I slept in it for 2 months in Eastern Tibet. I have been comfortable and dry in gusting winds, snow, hail, and driving rains. The tent could be better ventilated, and my walls on this early model tend to sag in the middle. The vestibule is only a few square feet in area...who cares. It is not free standing but even in the desert you can find some dirt.
I wouldn't buy it again because of the sagging walls and I would prefer something freestanding. But it is cheap and it gets the job done. And it is lightweight. So there.

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None