Edit: The tent was used in Verliga, so I am here to make some additional observations for those interested.
- Moisture management is very good. The floor (in combination with the company's tarp) was completely dry even in demanding terrain such as wet Verliga grass (due to high humidity). I also did not notice any moisture inside, so the ventilation of the tent is very effective.
- In light rain, it obviously had no issues, but it has not been tested in heavy rain or strong wind.
- The ropes inside are reflective and slightly glow in the dark (very useful to avoid tripping over them and to distinguish your tent).
- The space outside the tent comfortably fits a 65-liter backpack.
- The downside is that there is no elastic fabric piece in the center of the side parts of the rain fly (not at the entrances) to stretch the fly and keep the rain further away from the tent floor, and to increase airflow.
In conclusion, I consider it a great value for the price, at least in the Greek market I have not found anything more value for money in a 3-season tent. Obviously, it lacks some features that would elevate it in the competition, but you can't have it all in this price range.
I will provide an update when it is used in strong wind/rain to inform about that aspect.
The tent has been used in Taygetus and I have not yet tested it in rain or strong wind, so I definitely do not have a complete opinion. I will write some initial impressions to give potential buyers an idea
(disclaimer: I have not used a winter/waterproof tent or a much more expensive one to have an objective comparison).
I will start by saying that the tent is a 3-season tent. It should not be considered a winter tent, as almost 50% of its interior surface is mesh.
Positive points:
- Easy to set up. The aluminum poles easily connect as if magnetized. Even one person can set it up comfortably.
- The stakes are of high quality and made of aluminum.
- I consider the size ideal. It is truly a 2-person tent, two large adults can sleep inside with some gear, and there is extra storage space outside the tent for medium-sized backpacks.
- It is incredibly convenient to have 2 entrances, the tent literally becomes a deluxe suite with an inflatable mattress.
- The zippers are of high quality, slide effortlessly, and there are several pockets/compartments inside to store small items.
- Pre-mounted ropes are included for extra wind resistance.
- It is quite lightweight for its size and materials.
Negatives/Concerns:
- The tent does not mention having a PU coating or silicone treatment on its polyester fabric (it simply states that it has a flame retardant coating), which makes the 5000mm rating unreliable, as polyester tents usually gain their waterproofing through such treatments. There are winter tents with lower ratings (3000/4000) that are truly waterproof.
-The floor is excessively thin, so I consider using the tent without a groundsheet to be prohibitive, especially in the mountains.
-The poles are only 7.9mm when most competitor tents have 8.5++.
-The welded seams (internally) are made with a transparent thin material that is borderline like sellotape, it didn't give me a very high-quality vibe.
-When packing up, the tent is difficult because it doesn't have standard buckles, so it's always borderline in its case.
In conclusion: for its price, it might be the best one can get in a 3+ season tent. If it is indeed as waterproof as the company claims and its poles perform well in strong winds, then I will come back and give it a 5/5 rating.
As an alternative, the only similar one I have found is the Keumer Season. So if your budget doesn't allow for something more well-known in the 200+++ category, then I think you will be satisfied with something around 150.
