Lightweight 2man tent for tropics

Hi,

I searched around, and while there were a few posts with some good information on tents, I thought I might still benefit from posting a direct question.

I am planning a backpacking/camping trip through some areas that are warm, humid and will probably have frequent rain. I've decided my old tent is not going to get the job done, and am in the market for a new one.

I would really like suggestions on what people have found to be the best all around tents for warm-weather camping. Ie. good ventilation, water-proofing etc.

It may go without saying, but in addition to my concerns about ventilation and weatherproofing, I would like to get the smallest (when packed) and lightest *two man* tent I can find.

Ideally I would like to spend $300~ or less, but if there's something than seems to be head and shoulders above the rest, I would consider spending more.

Thanks for your input!

Take a look at the MSR Hubba Hubba or, if you can find a really good sale, the Carbon Reflex 2. They are all-mesh tents, which means that in hot, humid weather you can leave the fly off when you pitch it, and have 100% ventilation. When it rains, you'll be well-protected, though condensation may be an issue.

Another good set of tents are the Big Agnes UL and SL series.

You'll probably get some recommendations for TarpTents, and should give them a serious look. I had a Rainbow, and liked it except for one thing: you can't pitch it without the fly (since the fly is 3 walls of the tent.) As a result, in August in Ohio (very hot, very very humid) the tent tended to heat up when you crawled in, and took a long time to cool down in the evening. They're great, light, well-made, affordable tents, though.

I'll stop now - you're going to have about 80 more posts to read.

I really like the weight of those mentioned tents, but I'm a little worried that none of them have vents in the rainflies.

Condensation and ventilation are a big concern for me. Due to frequent rains the tent fly will most likely be on every single night, and only taken off during the day if I feel like drying it out.

During my previous tropical weather camptrip, my tent got really warm inside and I woke up countless times drenched in sweat. The fly also got soaked to the point of drooping down and touching the inner tent, which in turn made the inner layer wet...now that tent is about ~10 years old at this point, so I'm sure any modern tent I could get would be a significant improvement, but I'm hoping the next one I purchase will hold me over for another decade, so I want to make sure it's really going to perform.

I don't have first hand experience to say how crucial a vent(s) in the rain fly may or may not be. Maybe the better made tents have good ventilation even without a specific Rain-fly vent...?

The Carbon Reflex seems to be more condensation-resistant than the Hubba (a near clone, but freestanding with aluminum poles.) I have had condensation form in the Hubba, but I've been using the Carbon Reflex since it first came out, in the fairly humid Ohio Valley, and haven't had any problems with condensation in it, even with the vestibule zipped shut. I've spent one night in it with some fairly heavy rain in warm weather, and had no real problems. I was just out this weekend, in 70-degree weather with moderately high humidity, slept with the vestibule half open, and again no problems. That's not to say that I don't expect condensation under those conditions, just that it hasn't happened so far.

The Hubba and CR1 series tents feature a two-way zipper on the vestibule, that allow you to create a high vent if you need to. The vestibule is built such that having the top of the zipper open a few inches doesn't let rain fall straight into the tent (a weakness of the BA Fly Creek/Seedhouse vestibules), though a blowing rain would find its way in.

I think the Copper Spur and Emerald Mountain tents from Big Agnes appear to have ceiling vents in them; most of the TarpTent offerings do, too. I only used my Rainbow once or twice, at most, but had condensation develop with the vestibule fully open and the roof vent deployed. (The "used once or twice" may be critical: I may simply have not had enough experience with the tent's design to be using the vents properly, so don't take my experience with the Rainbow as typical.)

I'm only experienced in the Ohio River Valley/lower Midwest area - if you'd be willing to be more specific about the tropical region you're going to visit, there may be some folks here who are familiar with it and can give you some much more relevant recommendations.

I personally don't think any relatively small and light tent I have seen will be a perfect fit for the tropics. In my experience you are going to have a hard time with ventilation unless you bring some sort of battery powered fan. You may want to try a tent minus the rain fly with a large tarp set up over it for the rain. This would maximize ventilation and still give you good rain protection. Even with this setup...when the rain stops and the area heats up with no wind...you are talking 100% humidity in 90 degree (F) plus temps. It can be challenge to get your mind wrapped around that situation.

It is all in your mind...good luck sK

PS If you are use to the area you are going...then No Worries. Took me about a month to get mentally dialed in to the 95-100% humidity and 95 degree F temps. After that, no problem.

I'd take a nice big tarp and a hammock.

Never been wet in a hammock, never had condensation either.

A couple other people have suggested the idea of using a tent without the rainfly and pitching a large tarp over it to direct rain. I think that may be the best option, even the most well-ventilated rainflies won't be able to cope with high temperatures and humidity.

That makes my choice much easier, since there are several sub-5lb two man tents out there that look good. The tarp will probably be cumbersome, but should be worth the trouble if it works like I think it will.

Thanks everyone for your input!

For the inner, you might want to look at the REI Bug Hut 2 - it's an all-mesh 2-person tent, with no rainfly; currently $89, but if you're a member you can knock 20% off right now with their anniversary sale coupon.

+1 what Lori says. Hammock and tarp looks ideal for the tropics. Re. tents, look at REI 1/2 and 1/4 domes. They have mainly mesh and have some ventilation flaps at the peak of their flysheets. All 30% off at the moment. Maybe a bit heavy for this forum though.

Aren't hammocks a tropical invention? Sounds like a good idea. Certainly there are plenty of trees.

Not trying to rain on the hammock parade (pun intended), but I did want to bring up one question: since the OP indicated it must be a two-person tent, I assumed that there would be two people sharing this shelter. Wouldn't that require two hammocks, and if so, would there be any additional considerations to using hammocks (i.e., finding enough trees in the right spots to share the tarp, a larger size tarp, etc.)?

I'll admit that I've not tried hammocks, and know little to nothing about how they work. I'm not trying to talk the OP out of a hammock, just putting out a couple of questions that struck me right off.

Three trees, two hammocks, huge tarp and then you have cooking and living space in between.

South American natives use permanent structures and hammocks. Many hammock campers use Mayan style hammocks.

One of the really nice things about the setup is the flexibility - with the right suspension you can get things done with trees 15-20 feet apart, and since the tarp goes up first nothing ever gets wet. And bugnets are built in to most camping hammocks, or separate and easily configured over them.

And, the tropics tend to have a ton of ground dwelling, night crawling, little friends who aren't all that friendly. A hammock gets you up off the ground and out of traffic.

Words make a difference. There is no such thing as a 2 man tent. Maybe 2 person tent. Men do not share shelters.

REAL men, anyhow! (They scoff at the extra weight.)

Practical not macho. Synchronized bladders? It is a matter of sleeping well.

In boy scouts it did not bother me, but now I have trouble sleeping when I share a tent. My wife and I have an agreement that a person having a restless night will go to the guest room.

Just jerking your chain a bit - I don't even own a two-person tent anymore; just my solo tent. Like you, I don't really like sharing a tent anymore, partly because of the "nature hikes" and partly because, well, I just prefer it that way. The friends I hike with are the same way - we treat all trips as solo trips taken together, and each carries a fully self-sufficient load, including his own tent, stove, pot, and water filter.

Mostly, it's that we like to play with our toys when we get the chance. But partly, we find it gives us some flexibility - if I decide I'd like to sleep by the creek, and one of the others spies a spot up on the ridge, we just split up for the night and meet up somewhere the next morning. We don't split up often, but it's nice to have the option.

One aspect of hammocking that some hammockers overlook is that not everyone finds sleeping inside a hammock as comfortable as they do.
I for one can have an afternoon nap (very nice...) but cannot spend a full night in one.
Franco

And why would I have overlooked that? It was a suggestion.

And possibly you were in the wrong hammock... we don't camp in backyard hammocks. I find it much easier to achieve flatness in a hammock than in a tent, simply because I cannot adjust the slope of the ground.

Many of the camping hammocks I find in the outdoor retail stores are not that great at sleeping in, for me. They are too short (I am 5'11'') and I end up in a banana position, even on the diagonal. However, I made my own, and can sleep very flat and more comfortable. So, in other words, like all gear, not every hammock was created equally.