Tell me why this "2 season" tent will kill me this fall

[ChrisAU]

Got this on sale for $100 a couple weeks ago from Campsaver to play around with, me and a buddy are thinking about taking it for our 1st rifle CO elk hunt. Barring a blizzard or abnormally high wind, why would temperature be a concern when so many are going with floorless shelters these days? Feel like we are missing something.

https://mountainsmith.com/bear-creek-3.html

 

[PathFinder]

Temperature is really never the concern, I've camped in snowstorms in my Paratarp and temps down to 5°. Full on double wall shelters stay a bit warmers inside, but most conditions don't require a 4 season tent. Wet snow and heavy winds tend to kill off 3 season free standing tents, but for the most part that should work just fine.

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[jspradley]

A lot of folks using floorless in really old weather also use stoves...so theres is that to consider.

 

[chops24]

You arent missing anything man, glad to see you are taking the route of using what you have instead of making excuses for what might happen if you dont have the "right" gear.

shelter is shelter. A ton of people i know and myself have hunted under random cheap tents/shelters. there are many more important things to be concerned with on an elk hunt.

hope you enjoy your elk hunt, good luck!

 

[ChrisAU]

A lot of folks using floorless in really old weather also use stoves...so theres is that to consider.

That is a good point

 

[JD619er]

The specs on the website say it's a three season tent?

 

[ChrisAU]

The specs on the website say it's a three season tent?

Yeah the website says that, but the tent itself says two season on it and thats what it says elsewhere. I'm really not sure what the implications would be when classifying a tent as a two season vs a three season. Here is the campsaver page:

https://www.campsaver.com/mountainsmith-bear-creek-3-3-person-2-season-tent.html

 

[dutch_henry]

Sweet deal. It should be GTG. Just bring extra cord to make use of all the guy points in case of wind or wet snow. Worth tossing in some extra stakes too.

Floorless saves weight and has some other advantages, but it can also create condensation problems due to all the ground moisture. Not a big issue if you have a stove to dry things out, but can otherwise feel a little dreary.

 

[EastMT]

I hope you updated your will........

Looks fine. If you get 2’ of snow, just get out and sweep it away. Problem solved. Life saved.


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[JG358]

Only concern would be snow load... if it snows just keep the snow knocked off it

 

[dutch_henry]

It's a 3 season tent in my book. I think campsaver got the specs wrong or they consider the fast fly setup 2 season only?

If it's well-staked and guyed out, it should work really well for you. Essentially it's the same basic design of a 4-season tent, with the most notable differences being thinner diameter poles and more mesh on the inner tent. Some people actually prefer 3 season tents in winter b/c they're lighter and vent better. Might have to be pickier on choosing a good spot, but everything's a tradeoff

 

[ChrisAU]

It's a 3 season tent in my book. I think campsaver got the specs wrong or they consider the fast fly setup 2 season only?

If it's well-staked and guyed out, it should work really well for you. Essentially it's the same basic design of a 4-season tent, with the most notable differences being thinner diameter poles and more mesh on the inner tent. Some people actually prefer 3 season tents in winter b/c they're lighter and vent better. Might have to be pickier on choosing a good spot, but everything's a tradeoff

The tent itself has 2 season printed on the inner body. I emailed MountainSmith to ask what was up with that, haven't heard back yet.

One reason we decided to give it a shot is how much mesh it is and how well it should breath, we had minor but annoying condensation issues last year with a cheap Alps Lynx "3 season" tent. This Mountain Smith has a cool little vent at the top of the rain fly that we didn't have on the Alps Lynx.

 

[dutch_henry]

The tent itself has 2 season printed on the inner body. I emailed MountainSmith to ask what was up with that, haven't heard back yet.

My bad. That's funny--I noticed some places have it as a 3 season, some a 2-season. Wonder what gives/ Condensation can be a real bummer. Sometimes I'll carry one or two of those little candle lanterns if the weather looks really wet. Not a perfect solution and will cost you a few ounces, but for cold-tenting it at least provides a little light and heat.

 

[jspradley]

First dibs on your gear when you freeze to death

 

[Runningwater]

You should be just fine. Having had a few economy domes, your risks with two poles are wind and snow load. Thoughtful campsite selection and fully utilize all your guying options will help a lot. Worse case you end up with a smashed tent flapping you in the face and you have to pack out early the next day. But IMO that not a very high risk in most locations in CO for 1st season elk. You may be hunting in shorts and a tank top! Have fun and good luck!

 

[ChrisAU]

First dibs on your gear when you freeze to death

Caveat is you have to take the tent too

I've been contemplating an MLD Duomid for us for some time now, but that won't be in the budget until next year.

 

[ChrisAU]

From Mountain Smith:

“Yeah that is an unfortunate typo that went out on a huge batch of tents. I don’t think we caught it until someone like yourself messaged us asking. The Bear Creek 3 is a 3 season tent.”

 

[JD619er]

Two season makes absolutely no sense imo what's the difference between spring and fall?

 

[Frank Grimes]

I’ve got a mountainsmith mountain dome2. Got it cheap a few years ago when it was discontinued I think. Seems to work pretty good, lots of mesh which is nice in warmer temps. I haven’t had any snow on it yet, but it’s been in some pretty good wind. I’m still alive. Only complaint is it’s abit bulky and heavyish.

 

[joes3]

Biggest risk is snow. With that there are 2 modes of failure:
1) piling on top and collapsing tent (unlikely)
2) blowing under the fly, collecting on the mesh inner tent and melting. This will soak everything in your tent, and you will have a bad time. it doesn't even take a blizzard for this to get unpleasant.

Probably not enough to discourage you from taking it out on a 1st season CO hunt, plenty of people use 3 season tents that time of year. Just be smart if the weather takes a turn. You don't want to be cold and wet out in the backcounty.

~5 years ago I tried the same thing, and sure enough got caught in a snow storm. Ended up wet, in a foot of snow, and packed up. Next year I went with a canvas wall tent a wood stove.