Outdoor Vitals Cirq Trekking Pole Tent

[AKmatt]

Has anyone (@B_Reynolds_AK , @ExoMtnGear ) had their hands on this tent? Just released today. How does it compare to other pole tents in terms of weight, ease of use, space, ventilation, and most importantly durability to the elements?

 

[B_Reynolds_AK]

Has anyone (@B_Reynolds_AK , @ExoMtnGear ) had their hands on this tent? Just released today. How does it compare to other pole tents in terms of weight, ease of use, space, ventilation, and most importantly durability to the elements?

No I have not. All those things remain to be seen.

 

[campbluejeans3]

I don't have my hands on one, but I have been shopping for a 1P tent and compared its specs against the Argali Owyhee 1P and Durston X-Mid 1. The Cirq weighs 29 ounces, compared to Owyhee at 31.8 (fly + insert) and X-Mid at 25.3 (fly + insert). The floor dimensions of the Cirq seem tight at 91.3" x 28" (length x width). X-Mid has 93" x 33" and Owyhee at 106" x 35". Granted, the dimensions of the X-Mid and Owyhee are not rectangular, so anyone with floor specs by square feet would have a better comparison. With the Cirq's shorter length and the departure angle being steeper since the trekking poles would be in the center of the tent, in contrast to the X-Mid, with the trekking poles offset length-wise closer to the head and foot of the tent, I am concerned that my head and feet may touch the walls similar to the 1P tent I have been using for years, which is 90" in length and 48" tall.

However, the Outdoor Vitals site says that it fits most up to 6' 6" comfortably without brushing their head or feet against the tent wall fabric. That must be due to their peak height of 53"/44" since the front trekking pole is set up to be taller than the rear pole. Hopefully, the reviews will help clarify this.

I prefer to save weight by leaving the inner portion of the tent setup at home when conditions allow, which would bring the X-Mid's weight to 15.3oz and the Owyhee's to 14oz. Since the Cirq is a single-wall design, we wouldn't have the modularity that double-wall tents offer.

The larger full-width ridge vents are impressive, and I would be excited to read reviews of how this impacts condensation build-up. Also, this is the first time I've heard of NP Shield Fabric. I'm not an expert on fabrics, but we can compare the HH ratings: 2,000mm for the Cirq, 2,500mm for the Owyhee, and 3,500mm for the X-Mid. Outdoor Vitals doesn't specify that the nylon portion is only for the bathtub floor. I've read that comparing the denier of the fabric isn't as straightforward, since durability is highly influenced by the manufacturing process and fabric design, both of which can vary widely.

 

[Brigham @ Outdoor Vitals]

I'll be happy to answer any questions about the Cirq.

As was mentioned above, the Cirq is a single wall tent. So the peak height of 53" at the front pole is actually what you get inside the tent. Same applies to the rear pole at 44". We don't lose any of that internal headroom to a mesh inner tent.

The Cirq is prioritized for ventilation, minimizing condensation, and headroom, in a straightforward and easy to pitch format, while being a bit more accommodating for people over 6 feet tall.

NP shield fabric is a bi-component fabric - meaning it is made from nylon and polyester. It is a 3x2 ripstop, so the space between the ripstop yarns is 15D nylon, and the ripstop yarns are 50D polyester. 3 polyester ripstop yarns intersecting 2 polyester ripstop yarns. Nylon is used because it's a little more abrasion, puncture, and tear resistant that polyester. The thicker polyester ripstop yarns are used because they absorbs less water than nylon, and when applied to a ripstop it significantly restricts the fabric from sagging or stretching when it gets wet.

Quick lesson on what Denier is. Denier = the density weight in grams of a single fiber 9000 meters long, divided by 9000. So a fiber that weights 270,000 grams is 30D. 270,000 / 9,000. This is the technical calculation for Denier, but it is generally and commonly used to quickly refer to the thickness of a fiber or yarn, and thereby the thickness or weight of a fabric.

The 2,000mm HH is what we have found to be way more than adequate in waterproofing. The outer surface is coated with silicone, and the inner surface is coated with PolyeEther urethane. There really isn't any natural precipitation event that would compromise a 2,000mm HH that would not compromise a 3,500mm HH.

The floor and fly fabric are the same, just different color.