Solid Freestanding Rainfly/footprint options

[swat8888]

I love my Golite SL5 but and am sold on floorless, at least for Alaska where I hunt. I am looking to pick up a freestanding tent since the SL5 can be a bit of a pain to pop up and guy our properly when the weather turns to crap fast. I don't intend to use the inner tent/next very frequently but I know some "freestanding" tents can be difficult to pitch with only the rainfly.

Anyhow have any suggestions for light weight (sub-3lbs) fly/footprint tents that are easily set up? Tent must be able to have the fly reach all the way to the ground without a whole lot of effort/guying. Also, prefer 2 doors w/ vestibule on each side as I hate cramming all the gear in the entryway for two guys and I like cooking breakfast in bed.

I am open to 4 season options as well. As I intend to use this on Adak and Kodiak w/ higher potential for very windy, soggy, and possible winter conditions.

Oh and sub-$400. Would prefer something from MH, Marmot, BD, BA as I can get good discounts w/ prodeals on those. Really like the Big Agnes ultralight's but not sure how well they pitch sans inner tent.

Thanks

 

[Where's Bruce?]

I would be looking at Hilleberg for that region but the cost and weights you seek are (IMHO) unrealistic. Your tent may keep you alive there if you buy right but if you go cheap, well I wouldn't wanna be you in a typical Kodiak winter storm. How many people will be in it? In a storm a solo tent gets tiny real fast, i prefer 2 or even 3 man tents for prolonged treks just in case I'm shut in by weather. The Allak would be a good tent and protect your gear. But it's more than double your price range and weight limit. Oh and make sure there aren't a bunch of marmots where you camp, they are not always this amicable.

Those little guys will eat anything you might bring.

[video=youtube;TBJw87pC6Xs]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TBJw87pC6Xs[/video]

 

[swat8888]

Yeah Hilleberg is outta my price range. I think there are quite a few options at sub 3lbs when you don't count the weight of the actual interior tent. Many are sub $400 tents I just don't know how hard any of them are to pitch without it.

 

[colonel00]

Doesn't the Big Agnes Copper Spur have this option? Just speaking out of vague memory but might be worth checking out.

Yeah, they call it Fast Fly. Not sure what size you are looking at though. Not gonna find anything the size of the SL5 or within your budget with a lot of space.

 

[luke moffat]

I have found pitching mids (like the SL-5) in windy situations that guying out all 9 guy out points along the bottom of the tipi prior to putting the pole in it makes it much easier to pitch in the wind.

Regardless,

If you are wanting to go with a free standing tent with just fly, poles, and floor than I would look hard at the MSR elixir 2. 3 pounds 8 oz and if you can rig up cordage to elminate the need for the floor you could be very close to 3 pounds even with just cordage, poles, and fly. $200-$250 for them depending where you shop. I like it cause the pole design allows for poles to intersect at 4 different places on the tent making them much stronger in the wind that the above linked Big Agnes models.

Anyways worth a look:

http://www.rei.com/product/865346/msr-elixir-2-tent#tab-specs

 

[Where's Bruce?]

Find something that'll stay rigid, sleeping in a wind tunnel is hard when the sides ripple. <g>

[video=youtube;-SKawxq3p_M]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-SKawxq3p_M[/video]

 

[luke moffat]

Correct! But if he was preparing for 85 mph winds on an exposed ridgeline then he wouldn't be looking at 3 season shelters.

 

[swat8888]

Haha, yeah I don't plan on sleeping on the top of the mountain....especially not in a damn near hurricane. I should have said 2 person shelters. I know I won't get anywhere close to the space of the big tipi's. Thanks for the feedback, I'll check out the elixir.

 

[castandblast]

Seems like all the free standers I've seen leave the fly short of reaching the ground for ventilation. Without poles that adjust in height (like the SL5) how do you lower the fly to the ground in "fast fly" pitch mode (without the inner tent)?

 

[swat8888]

You nailed my concern c&b. All the pictures online of tents in fast fly look like there is a good 3 or more inches of open space that I have no idea if you can cinch down to the ground or not like the tipis.

 

[luke moffat]

Personally I would want 2-3 off the ground in "fast pitch" mode. As a small single wall shelter will get smaller real quick in high humidity situations if the ventilation is limited.