GEAR | EXPERT TIP | CAMPCRAFT | FOOD | TECHNIQUE | CANOE TREE Know How [ IN THE PACK ]
OPTIMIZING LIVING SPACE IN THE BACKCOUNTRY WITH THREE ROOMY TENTS
MAXIMUM HEADROOM
BIG AGNE S
Gore Pass 3
www.bigagnes.com • $340 US
The Gore Pass 3 offers incredible livability in a tent we wouldn’t mind getting stuck in for a rainy or wind bound day. Its four corner fly vents combined with mesh walls and ceiling offer superior ventilation and limit condensation build-up. Vertical walls provide plenty of room for a comfortable game of cards or sharing a sheltered meal. Large vestibules at both doors are roomy enough to stand up your packs and are configured to give you the option of tarp-style awnings. The Gore Pass 3 is spacious enough to sleep three adults and airy enough to keep everyone breathing freely even days after your last encounter with a hot shower.
T HE NOR T H FA C E
Minibus 23
www.thenortheface.com • $360 US; $450 CDN Of the tents we tested, the Minibus is the easiest to set up with its color-coded poles and webbing pitch system. It’s more than big enough for two with two huge vestibules to swallow your gear. Interior side wall mesh pockets have innovative zippered access allowing campers to fetch items from inside or outside the tent without opening one of its two doors. The full fly offers excellent coverage and protection from cold and wet, while all-mesh walls provide ample ventilation. With five pole crossings and a unique, low profile ventilation system that will not flap in the wind, this tent provides comfort even in the most adverse elements.
LEARN FROM THE PROS «»
WWW.CANOEROOTSMAG.COM
CAPACITY POLES DOORS
VESTIBULES WEIGHT AREA
HEIGHT
GORE PASS 3 3 3 2 2
7 lbs 4 oz 44 sq. feet 42”
MSR
Holler
www.cascadedesigns.com/msr $400 US/CDN
The Holler is the lightest tent we tested. It also has the most floor space—room for three full-sized sleeping pads and then some. There’s also no shortage of headroom, giving three campers the ability to sit comfortably and move around easily. A built-in gear loft stores fragile items overhead so they won’t get crushed. With a door at the head and the foot, midnight calls of nature don’t require the middle sleeper wake up tent-mates to make her exit. Two sizeable vestibules offer plenty of external storage, though taller items may touch the fly. Like all the tents tested here, the Holler has a fully coated and taped fly and bathtub floor to keep you dry.
MINIBUS 2 4 2 2
6 lbs 12 oz 35 sq. feet 42.5”
HOLLER 3 2 2 2
6 lbs 9 oz 47 sq. feet 45”
DIGITAL EXTRA: Click here for a virtual tour of these tents
20 SUMMER/FALL 2011
—Michael Mechan
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