Choosing a hiking tent....

[FNM]

I have found a few threads on this topic, but there is such an insane range out there, that it's all very confusing for a newbie!

I live in sub-tropical climate, warm, humid, quite a bit of rain (northern coastal NSW). I can't imagine that I'll head out hiking when heavy rain is forecast, but would like to be prepared for the unexpected regardless. I'd prefer to have a little extra space so am looking at the slightly larger 2p tents or 3p tents (there will be 2 of us).

Next month, I head to NZ for a couple of weeks and will be doing a couple of hikes in the Nat Parks that it will need to withstand. Apart from that, I suspect it'll be used predominantly around here and then south through Vic and Tassie. Nothing too extreme - 3 seasons.

Currently, I'm looking at:

The Zempire Zeus: https://www.snowys.com.au/zeus-hiking-tent#details . The Zeus appeals for its waterproof-ness .. Is there a downside to that? Breathability in a humid climate like where I live??

The REI half dome 2 Plus: https://www.rei.com/product/878520/rei- ... -plus-tent .. Stories of poles breaking is a concern..

Black Wolf Grasshopper UL 3 : https://www.snowys.com.au/grasshopper-u ... nt#related

Marmot Catalyst 3p: https://www.backcountryedge.com/marmot-catalyst-3p.html

Mountain Designs Kaon 3p: https://www.mountaindesigns.com/store/p ... on-3p-tent



I'm open to others. These just seem the best match from my research thus far.

If anyone has any suggestions about which way I should go, I'm all ears.

Thanks

[RonK]

To me, a 3p tent only makes sense if there are two sharing the space (and the load).
There are plenty of 2p tents available which are lighter, cheaper and offer plenty of space for the solo walker.

[FNM]

Yep, forgot to include that the tent will be for 2 people. Have added the clarification.

[Lophophaps]

FNM, welcome to the forum. It's indeed very confusing, as I recently discovered buying a sleeping mat. It may assist to go to first principles.

First, the tent should be such that the fly is pitched first. If the inner is pitched first and there's precipitation, the inner get wet. Too much mesh on the inner will be colder than solid walls, but will be better for hot conditions. Make sure there's adequate storm guy tabs.

There are three sort of floor designs. One has the vestibule at the end, near the head. The other has the vestibule – often two of them – at the side. I prefer the latter as I can sit up and the gear is to hand. Vestibules at the side are generally bigger than one at the top. The third is a single pole tent or similar. Some people use this, perhaps with just a fly, and are happy with it. There will be a compromise as you are going to a wide range of condirions. You need to decide what suits you. If you advise what suits you we can narrow the range.

Think about a footprint, a sheet of nylon or the like that goes under the floor. This protects the tub floor.

If you intend to cook in the tent then you will need good clearance in the middle.

A two person tent should suffice.

[weeds]

Gotta agree it’s a bit of a mind field....

We deliberated for months, went to every store in Brisbane that stocked tents....and when we could we asked them to erect and pack up the tent (after all they should know the products, not the case with some shops).

Given its one of the big four and a considerable investment make sure you physically see, feel, touch, erect, pack up the tent.

After much research we decided on self supporting and ended up purchasing One Planet, a Goondie 2 and a Goondie 3.

We have slept two nights in the Goondie 2 which we was cosy and spent 8 nights in the Goondie 3 on the Overland Track, the size was just right. Had snow one night and it help up perfect. The 3 will he our main go to tent when hiking together.

Once we use them a bit more the other benefit is getting different inners and outers if needed. The Goondie 2 is set up for cooler weather and the 3 for warmer weather.

Sorry cannot help you with the ones you have linked as we only used the one planet tents.

If you lived in Brisbane or dropping in you’re more than welcome to check them out.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[emma_melbourne]

I would have a look at the Sierra Designs Flash tent.

It comes in a 2 person, 3 person, in both regular fabrication or an ultralight version which has an "FL" at the end of the model for "Feather Light".

The lightest - the Sierra Designs Flash 2 FL is under 2 kg. The heaviest - the Sierra Designs Flash 3 (the regular non feather light model) is around 3 kg.

You pitch it all in one, so it doesn't get rain in it.

It's very "liveable", if you are spending time in your tent when it is raining - because it has an awning so you can have the windows open in rain. In the unlikely instance that the rain is actually coming sideways, you can zip up the windows as far up as you want.

While some of the other Sierra Designs models have some issues with condensation, the Flash model doesn't as it has great cross-ventilation with the windows / doors at either end.

It's been reviewed very well. A lot of long-time reviewers who've reviewed tents for 20 years say that this is their "go to" tent for casual backpacking and hiking trips.

It's not the most ultralight tent, or the most packable. It doesn't "win" on any such metric. But for liveability, for pitching in rain, for enjoying in rain, it's great.

The only negative is they're not good for really cold weather. The reason being that all that ventilation means that it doesn't keep in heat so well in really cold conditions. It's designed to be a relatively breezy ventilated tent. You can zip up the windows to make it less so, but it's not for example the tent I'd take if I was doing Winter Tasmania or doing Winter New Zealand hikes.

The other tents you might want to look at are:

- Tarptent Double Rainbow (a well-loved tent by serious hikers, versatile, pitches all-in-one, single wall so only negative is it can get some condensation, and you can order a liner to prevent that, very light at around 1.2 kg.)

- Mont Moondance 2 or Mont Moondance EX (an Australian brand tent that's very good quality, huge waterhead level so almost bomb proof, good for a range of conditions, around 2 kg for the 2 person.)

[legend]

Over the past 45 years of bushwalking and having lived in many different tents in many weathers, I have now turned to the Tarptent.

There are many different styles, but all are quite air. Most can survive big winds, and torrential downpours, and the airiness is very useful when camped above the tree-line under crystal blue (hot) skies.
I like the tarptent due to its lightweight design (all under 2Kg) for two person tents.
The ones I have owned and used are:
Notch - around 0.7Kg - strictly one person but lots of room (suits longer person). Two vestibules.
Stratospire 1 - 1Kg - Very roomy for 1, a bit tight for two - two BIG vesibules - very stable in bad weather
Stratospire 2 - 1.3Kg - very roomy for two, two BIG vesibules - very stable in bad weather
Double Rainbow - 1.2Kg - good for two people, vestibules a little small, but very good for 1
Double Moment - no longer produced, but very long tent for longer people. I modified mine to be a four season tent and copes with extreme winds.
I now have the Cloudburst 3 (A great tent for camping long periods in rain). Lots of room for 2, very easy tent to set up. I use the extra inner and middle pole when high winds, heavy rain are forecast.
1.5Kg, great vestibules can be completely folded back for extra air, the bottom edges can be rolled up to for those hot nights.
My tents normally last me around 3-5 years before I update them and are used approximately 40 - 50 nights a year.

Note: High winds - up to 80kph Heavy rain - 150mm in 24 hours (These have been measured by me)

[FNM]

Thanks for the input, everyone. I have looked at all the suggestions and it has helped narrow the field and bring a bit more clarity to what I should be looking for! I'll let you know when I make a decision! Exciting times.

[FNM]

Lophophaps, thank you. Can you clarify what is meant by pitching the fly first? In my limited experience with dome tents, the tent is attached to the poles with clips and setup, the fly is then attached to the same poles with velcro. How does the alternative setup?

I am looking at dual vestibule at the side or a single near the head. Don't want to have to crawl over each other to get out. As a novice, I will start with a 2-wall tent for ease of use and comfort levels. I will add a footprint. I should add that I am hoping to spend around the $350 mark (could go higher if a big step-up in quality for not a whole lot more $). Happy to purchase secondhand but haven't seen a lot on offer - Gear Freak Australia/Gumtree/Ebay.

I see it mostly being used in this subtropical climate and/or Sept-May in Vic/Tassie.

Ideally we will be cooking outside as I don't think we'll ever choose to head off in poor weather (rain/storm).

I prefer space when I sleep - even sharing a Queen bed is a struggle sometimes Partly to do with sleeping 'hot', partly used to having my own space for so long!!

[FNM]

Emma_melbourne, thanks for this. I am looking at the SD's Flash 3. Can see a good price in US. Trying to figure out if I can have it shipped to Aus.

[Lophophaps]

FNM, some tents are pitched inner first. Typically this means peg or lay out the floor, clip the poles to the inner, then drape the fly over the inner and make it secure. Nearly all tents have the inner and fly separate, but fixed together when pitched. My current tent is pitched with the fly and inner together, and can be pitched with the fly only. All my tents have been pitch fly first.

I'm unclear about what you mean by two wall. Do you mean two vestibules, each with an inner wall? If so, make sure that there is good access from the inner. Some inners only have half an opening, which makes it hard to get gear.

For $350 you are looking at second-hand. If you are serious about BW pay what is necessary to get quality. Good gear lasts and lasts. There's a cartoon that shows a cheap tent falling apart in bad weather and quotes Shakespeare: "Now is the winter of our discount tent."

The weather may be fine when you start, but the mountains make their own weather. I cook outside when I can, but have cooked inside many times.

[Lophophaps]

I looked at Gumtree and was underwhelmed. Many of the tents on sale have no name, some are too heavy and some might be okay. There's a lot of tents selling for under about $150, suggesting that they are el-cheapo or the vendor has no idea of the value. When buying a second-hand tent it's important to do so from a known person or see the tent before paying.

[FNM]

Yeah, ppl mustn't give up their hiking tents easily! Excuse my ignorance, but what is BW?

As it stands, I have emailed the US regarding the SD Flash 3 (2.9kg) and with a bit of luck, I may be able to have it at my door for ~$350. My brother (who will use it occasionally and possibly in NZ, is concerned about the open mesh being too exposed to rain/cold. The reviews seem to say that it holds up in the rain. Not a whole lot of mention of the cold. We have good sleeping bags, so I assume that combined with a closed fly does enough?)

My brain feels fried from all the time spent reading about tents!

I can't shake my desire for the Nemo Dagger 3p (1.7kg) but the best price I can see, would have it in my hands at ~$650 ... Don't think I can stretch my budget that far. If I really felt that the extra $$ was worth it, I guess I would. If anyone reading this truly believes it's worth the extra $300 perhaps say so, and I may go for it

[weeds]

The SD3 okey for the price, a couple of minor comments.....for me I would prefer the vestibules to be fully inclosed as this is where we left muddy wet boots, cooking in windy/wet weather etc and when I was researching I didn’t like the idea of threading the poles through sleeves.....

Dagger 3P ticks my boxes as it’s pretty much the same as the One Planet Goondie which I think I mentioned earlier, similar price......

Yeah tough choice.......I don’t have enough experience to advise if there is $300 better value between the two.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[FNM]

I do like the look of the Goondie 3 but it's another $100+ again, from what I can see, and unfortunately that is moving beyond stretching my budget. Thanks for the offer to check the tent if I'm visiting Brissie. Very kind. I appreciate the feedback.

Re the vestibules on the SD3, it does have the protected area for gear on the sides of the tent, which can be accessed by a zippered opening in the mesh from the inside. I checked to see if their was an attachment to create a closed vestibule at the front and rear but didn't seem to be anything specific for the model, more just a generic option.

[weeds]

Maybe I got pretty good pricing on the tents as we did drop quite a bit in one purchase


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk Pro

[emma_melbourne]

@FNM We have the Sierra Designs Flash 3 (regular model not the featherlight), and got it on Amazon USA.

You could see if Backcountry Edge will shop Internationally to Australia for you, as I see they have the tent for US $199 on Amazon, and they are a major stockist of Sierra Designs.

Campsaver have all 3 models except the Flash 3 regular. (They have the Flash 2, Flash 2 FL, and Flash 3 FL). See: https://www.campsaver.com/s/sierra-designs-flash
They do definitely send to Australia, and in fact I believe they do free postage if you spend over US $400.

The Feather Light versions (which weigh less, using lower denier fabrics to save weight) have exterior pole structure with clips. The regular version have the pole sleeves and the ability to pull up the 2 sides for star gazing.

The reason I personally went with the Flash 3 regular was A) It was cheaper, B) I have a toddler so wanted the more durable tent, C) I liked the ability to pull back the sides for star gazing and extra ventilation during hot weather, D) We're using it mainly for short hikes in. We find it an immensely liveable pleasant tent to be in. It really enhances our camping experience. It's got great headroom throughout the tent, not just the centre. You can easily have 4 people playing cards in it, etc.

We are looking at potentially getting the Flash 2 FL for more hiking-based trips as well. And apparently we're not the first to have both the Flash 3 regular (for car camping / short hikes with camping) and Flash 2 FL (for lighter pack hiking trips). Although I am also looking at the Tarptent Double Rainbow for lighter hikes as it's only 1.2 kg for 2 person.

I agree with your brother regarding the Flash 3 being a colder less insulated tent in cold weather. It's fine in the rain - in fact it's GREAT in the rain, because you can have the option of watching the rain through the window, or zipping up the windows as much as you want if you were getting really sideways rain on one side. However if you are doing really cold weather regularly, I'd go for something more enclosed. (I'd probably go the Mont Moondance EX, or a Tarptent model like the Double Rainbow or Cloudburst 3.)

Have heard good things about the One Planet Goondie also, so I'm sure this would be good too.

If you're comparing, do note the waterhead rating and fabrics of the tents also. Not just the weight. (Unless you're doing big distances / up mountains and weight is really the major factor.)

Good luck - all the advice you've received here is good. I think you're going to end up with better tent than the ones you were initially looking at, regardless which of the options recommended by others you pick. They're all giving you good recommendations.

[emma_melbourne]

I'd also probably go the Sierra Designs Flash 2 FL model for hiking for 2 people. It's 1.87 kg full weight. (1.64 kg tent and poles only)

The Sierra Designs Flash 3 FL is 2.44 kg.

There's the wind tunnel test of the Flash 3 FL in this video (watch part-way in, the whole video is only 1 min long): https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MQMG83I2c0

There's also a review of the Flash 3 (regular) tent here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mJ1ydB-qOc4

Best,

Emma

[FNM]

Thanks again Emma. Further food for thought. It feels a little like 2 steps forward, one step backwards when purchasing a hiking tent!! .. I haven't made weight a priority, but perhaps that's a rookie error? .. When I look at camping mats, sleeping bags, tents, I kind of assess the difference in weight and shrug my shoulders as though it's not important, but I'm starting to think I'm underestimating its importance. In saying that, overnight that I have done in the past (years ago - Wilsons Prom) I carried tents and sleeping mats that were not designed for hiking at all and protruded the top of my pack. I was younger and fitter then though!

I do like the idea of the star gazing in the Flash 3 - one of the main appealing factors .. I've also found an 'as new' Flash 3 FL that I could have in my hand for $450 from the US. It was more appealing before I realised that the sides don't roll up.

Perhaps I can follow suit and purchase the Flash 3 for now and save for a Flash 2 FL in the future.... I dunno!! haha

Something else I just thought about - I don't know what counts as 'really cold'.. Winter nights up here get down to around 6 degrees at its coldest. Spring through Autumn in VIc/Tassie - would that include really cold?? ... OR is really cold considered sub-zero alpine environments?

[Lophophaps]

Weight is very important. Save a bit here, a bit there, and the base weight can drop by 4-6 kilograms. One trade-off is durability; light weight may mean not very durable. Volume is also important. My old sleeping mat is rectangular and 122 cm long, a good brand, Thermarest, about 460 grams, rolls to about 50 cm wide by 10 cm diameter, more or less. The new one is 355 grams and rolls to 17 by 7 cm. This is a 183 cm long mat, so it's 100 grams lighter and 50% longer.

You need to work out what your priorities are. Star gazing is nice but it adds to the weight, complexity and price. How much time would you spend in a tent star gazing? Is this worth the extra cost and weight? You are inside star gazing and fall asleep as clouds then rain arrives. Dash outside to stop the rain coming in the window.

I looked at the Flash 3 and advise against it. Where does the wet gear go? The big window is extra weight. The Goondie 3 is too heavy for my liking, and I cannot be sure if the innner entry is big enough. Nemo Dagger does not meet my most important aspect of having the fly pitched first. Imagine it's raining hard and you have to put up the Dagger. The Dagger inner would be like a bucket. My sleeping mat floats, so take that ...

A possible option. Get a basic fly, single skin, one pole. Add a groundsheet. If the weather is mild have the edges off the ground a little. If it's windy and/or wet, lower the pole and watch the condensation. There's plenty of clearance for cooking inside. The fly would be a light and budget remedy that would work in most places, perhaps not ideal but viable if you need a shelter ASAP.

Cold is a personal thing, with many variables: air temperature, what has been eaten recently, energy exerted during the day, being away from the wind, ground insulation and the quality of the sleeping bag, state of mind, how friendly the person you are sharing a tent with is. Only after you have done a number of trips will you know what cold is for you. Loose night clothing, a thermal hat, out of the wind, good ground insulation and a good sleeping bag go a long way to keeping warm. I've had sub-zero nights in summer in the Australian and NZ alps, including a few nights without a tent. Usually it will stay above about zero at in Australia on a cold summer's night in a low place. Camping high in shelter greatly assists - cold air sinks.

[emma_melbourne]

@FNM No you're absolutely right that weight is definitely important. The more you're actually "hiking" - as opposed to camping, the more important a low weight is.

However that said, some of the ultralight tents are made from materials which are not as durable in order to save weight.

So for example, the Mont Moondance 2 tent - is really good waterhead rating and fabrics, and just under 2 kg. It's possible to get a lighter tent in a similar design, but then you'll typically see the waterhead rating is less and the durability is less. So it's about balancing those factors up.

I'd personally go with a Flash 2 FL ideally for hiking. You get your windows and the wings with gear lockers and good head height and liveability. The advantage of not having the sides go up (as on the Flash tent regular 2 person tent) is that it means you've got external poles to clip it onto which is quicker to set up, as opposed to pole sleeves on the regular models to enable the wings going up. You still get great breathability and views out the windows at either end.

As mentioned, we use the Flash 3 (regular) for only short hikes, or car camping, as it weighs 3 kg and is bulkier than a 2 person tent.

Mind you, I guess what you have going potentially is you're splitting the weight amongst 2 adult people, which helps as you're sharing the load.

What percentage are you hiking, and what percentage camping?

Hiking pushes the priorities to lighter weight. Camping pushes the priorities to greater liveability and comfort. So it's about working out where on that continuum you are.

Regards Sierra Designs Flash tents, and the main negative of cold weather, I'm talking Winter hiking, freezing temperatures, sub zero.

By way of context, I am a New Zealander, living in Melbourne. Sierra Designs Flash is fine for 3 season camping. And it does GREAT in hot weather because you can get so much ventilation through it. And I love that if you are stuck in your tent in rain, you can still really enjoy it with the windows and awning, rather than having to shut yourself in and seal it up so you're stuck in a claustrophobic tent with no windows.

You do also get that function with some of the Tarptents though. So I'd also really consider the Tarptent as a good compromise as you can actually get a 3 person Tarptent which is under 2 kg. As a brand, it's very tried and tested by hikers, and people have their tents for years from Tarptent with good feedback and reviews. So that could be another option to get your 3 person desired tent but at a low hiking weight. If you look at those 3 person tents they have - the Cloudburst 3 and the Rainshadow 2.

Are you using trekking poles? Many of the lighter tents can be pitched using trekking poles in place of tent poles to save weight.

[Neo]

Hey FNM I can offer you one of these to get you going:
https://www.exploreplanetearth.com.au/e ... dome-tent/

It's a nice little 2p tent about 2.5kg all up. Good design and well made, just not the high quality materials to last a long time.

It was my first tent for overnighters so happy to pass it on cheap then you can figure out what you want and get a better one later

Send me a PM if interested. Cheers, Neo

[FNM]

Emma, thinking of the continuum is a handy way to assess it. I would think more hiking, less camping, which means I should aim for low weight. I think for the alternative, I'd get by with a cheapie.

As I'm inexperienced, I feel that the Tarptent is a risky approach - seems to take some knowledge to figure out how best to set it up etc, whereas the SD are more straightforward in that sense. I could be wrong.

I do not have trekking poles. I don't imagine my hiking in the foreseeable future will be anything extreme (weather-wise or terrain).

I'm from Melbs, living in northern NSW Most of my minimal camping/hiking was done down that way but limited to the Prom, Grampians, Cathedral Ranges - none of this was ever in winter. So I know cold at that standard (which I never found esp cold), but nothing beyond.

Lophophaps - you make a good point when weighing up shaving a few hundred grams here and there and what that can equate to. Re the fly, I feel that's beyond my level of experience and probably not supported by my companion who I suspect would like a little more comfort!

[FNM]

Thanks for the offer, Neo.

I will run it by my other half and see what she thinks. We are off to NZ in exactly one month, and were hoping to have a solid tent to take with us then, so it may be that we just take the plunge.

[Neo]

As I'm inexperienced, I feel that the Tarptent is a risky approach - seems to take some knowledge to figure out how best to set it up etc, whereas the SD are more straightforward in that sense. I could be wrong.

I do not have trekking poles.

Nah any Tarptent will become second nature to pitch and hold it's ground in NZ and beyond. Usually you can order a light pole set to suit the tent. Go for it. Great simple designs by Henry... I love my Protrail which was my second solo tent after much deliberation and have now downsized/upsized to a plain tarp for other occasions

[Neo]

#franco

Check out some TT on YouTube to help decide

[Gadgetgeek]

Hopefully this will help your decision making process and not hurt it. When most outdoor gear makers start talking about cold, they really mean -20C. In the "cold" we get here in south east queensland and coastal northern NSW, its only cold enough to create condensation in your tent, so a mesh tent, set up well will be an advantage. It will also feel better around the temps where its just a little hot out, but you know the temp is going to drop off.

I love my tarptent notch, but I fly solo when walking. My main two-man is from a canadian company, and is very roomy for it size (designed for canoe touring) but still not quite as much mesh as I'd like.

Last thought.... I've noticed that north american tents don't handle the UV as well as good aussie made tents like Mont and One planet. (WE is up for debate, the one's I've used have held up pretty well, after a couple years of student use, but they are transitional, and WE has some reputation ground to make up now that they are an S2S company and made offshore)

As far as buying used, I'd only bother with looking here. I've bought two, and sold one on again as I was finding what I wanted. Might take some time, but as needs change, many of us clear out the gear cupboard, and here is a good place to get a good tent for a reasonable price.

[emma_melbourne]

@FNM

Weight
Given that you're thinking you're doing more hiking than camping, I'd be aiming for under 2 kg. You can go up to around 2.5 kg given you're splitting it between 2 people, but I wouldn't go above that personally.

Partner happiness
You want your "other half" to be happy too. Call me sexist, but you want to make sure she's got a really comfortable sleeping pad, and that she likes the tent. "Happy wife, happy life", as the saying goes. Top reasons partners don't like camping are insects, sunburn, uncomfortable pad, claustrophobic tent. So ensure you've got insect repellant, sunscreen, comfy pad, and a tent which can be opened up.

Your Tarptent concerns - are a non-concern
Regards your concern about Tarptent, they're actually fine to pitch, and there are videos on their site showing how to pitch each style of tent.

Whatever tent you get, you want to practice out at home before you go. It's always just the first time that's the most intimidating. I remember when I first started, I was completely intimidated. Even more so as I was doing it alone.

But actually backpacking tents are a helluva lot easier than the big car camping tents.

And all the options that you're considering are "all-in-one" pitch. What I mean is you're not having to first pitch the tent body to the poles, and then separately the fly. As both with Sierra Designs Flash tents AND the Tarptents, they're completely integrated. This speeds up pitch time enormously. So it's literally only a few minutes to pitch a Sierra Designs Flash tent or a Tarptent.

So don't let the unknown of pitching a Tarptent put you off, as you'll get the handle of it the first time you pitch it in your backyard.

As is I see it:
Sierra Designs Flash 2 FL - much-loved tent which a lot of backpackers rate as their go-to tent, including those who've been testing tents professionally for gear reviews for 20 years. Very liveable, great to be in in the rain. Good balance of weight, durability, livability. Stable in the wind. Freestanding other than 2 pegs to hold out the side wings (gear lockers) - which means you can make this tent work on almost any surface at all. And added bonus of great style. Great if you're spending evenings in your tent socializing playing cards or anything (assuming you're not buggered from hiking), or if you're staying in the tent while it's raining really hard.

Tarptents - Really respectable hiking tents. Simple. Durable. Very lightweight. Nothing that's not essential. 2 person tents like Rainbow are just 1.2 kg, and 3 person tents at 1.5 kg. So you get very low weight for the space. They're a cottage industry company so you can only buy Tarptent from Tarptent (as far as I know). Made in the USA. There's an Aussie rep named Franco. So you get good customer support. They last for years. If you ever want to sell one, you get a good amount back of your original price paid compared to most other mainstream tents. Given you're not using trekking poles, I'd be looking at the Double Rainbow 2 person tent (1.2 kg), the Scarp 2 tent (1.7 kg - but will be good in really cold weather), or the Cloudburst 3 tent (1.48 kg). Of these, given what you've shared, I think the Cloudburst 3 would work best as it's a 3 person tent and will gain you the space you're after, and you can to a degree enjoy the door open in rain, as the interior is inset from the dripline.

The other factor is budget. I hear you on the $350 budget. It's one of those things which I think you ideally want to push out the budget just a wee bit more to get a really good tent. Or else in the alternative yes you could buy a 2nd hand cheapie while you get more used to hiking and camping and get greater clarity on what you want. I did that myself with a Naturehike Star River 2 tent which was a great little cheap tent, under 2 kg from China. It got me used to camping while working out what my style was and what I wanted. I worked out that my while my daughter is a toddler, she can't walk very far and she's getting too heavy to carry huge distances with a full load of everything else. And camping in wet weather and staying in the tent is always made more pleasant by a bigger tent. Hence why the Flash 3 suits my needs for camping where we hike in a short distance and do day hikes out. And as she gets older and we can do more hiking, I'll get either the Sierra Designs Flash 2 FL or the Tarptent Double Rainbow, so I'm carrying less weight and bulk on more hiking-based trips. Both of which are great tents, and I know we'll love either one of those tents.

However all the tent models people on here are suggesting are good, and would be on my top 10 list of tents Internationally if I made up a list of my favourites.

[FNM]

Neo - watching TT YouTubes now .. Currently watching one by Franco Darioli? They are interesting tents. Has opened my mind to the idea of one.

Gadgetgeek - thanks for the info. Makes me lean towards the SD2 FL again, but wondering about the UV now...

[FNM]

Wow! Thanks so much Emma. It looks like I will have to stretch my budget further and I've come to terms with that. Thinking $450-500 now.. (although, I've just found a SD Flash 2 FL that I could have in my hands for $360)

The more I think about it, the more unsure I am about whether it will be more hiking/less camping or more hiking to a location and then staying put a couple of nights! Seems like that is what I need to figure out first and then a decision can work its way from there.

Still find the the SDs most appealing, though I take note of Lophophaps point about where to store wet gear. I did just watch the YouTube by Franco for the Cloudburst 3 and it's on the radar now at least