8/01/2011

Kelty Teton 2 Two-Person Tent Review

Kelty Teton 2 Two-Person Tent
Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)
I just returned from a 6-day/5-night camping trip and this is the tent I used. I did quite a bit of research before making my purchase and these were the requirements of what I was looking for in a tent:
1.) reasonably priced
2.) well made (duh--but you know what I'm talking about...something that doesn't rival one of those CHEAP 30-dollar wannabe-tents from Target and other places)
3.) easily assembled by one person--and quickly
4.) small and light
5.) could manage under high winds and torrential downpours.
Well, after whittling down my list of possible tents, this is the one that remained. Here's why I'm happy with my choice:
-At $100 (understandably, a steep price for some), for those that know that a cheap tent is nearly as bad as no tent at all, this was definitely a price that was reasonable.
-Many seams on the tent and rainfly had a pretty nice factory seal and the stitching seems tight and strong. The tent has excellent ventilation with much of the tent comprised of the fine, breathable mesh allowing air to easily come in and out.
-Excellent design for one man assembly. There are no annoying sleeves to slide the two press-fit poles through; they simply and sturdily attach to clips lining down to the four corners of the tent. I was able to set everything up within 5 minutes.
-While this can be used for two people, it would be cramped (31-sqft). It is perfect for one person and the extra gear (The previous reviewer's comment on the paltry vestibule was spot-on). The tent barely weighs over 4 lbs. which is outstanding!! In fact, on my final day right before tear-down, when I picked up the entire assembled tent to carry to another spot so it could dry in the sunlight, I was amazed at how virtually weightless it seemed to be.
-Two of the days and nights were clear with lots of sun of stars. The others were filled with a windy lightning storm--a slow, long and perpetually annoying drizzle--and a few unrelenting downpours. The tent held up extremely well allowing only a small amount of water in at the corners...which was entirely my fault (See below).
I'm very pleased with this purchase. For the purposes of my trip, viz., solo, weeklong camping--where weight, quality, and price were the major concerns--if there is a better tent out there, its existence must have snuck past me. I'm planning an anniversary backpacking trip for next spring for me and the wife, so a new tent will be necessary (for which price will become less of a factor and where ultimate quality will be of paramount importance); however, for everything else involving just me, this will definitely be my tent of choice.
A few suggestions if purchasing the Teton 2. I would strongly advise purchasing the special Kelty Teton 2 footprint along with the tent. While $30 may seem like a very expensive accessory (maybe this is why the previous reviewer opted not to purchase it), it was a tremendous improvement on other materials I've used in the past under previous tents. It will protect your tent floor against minor damage as well as keeping it dry--and because it is specially made for this tent, it is extremely light (easily packs with the rest of the tent) and you never see it when the tent is set up (as opposed to using annoying and heavy tarps). Finally, a word on seam sealing. While all of the seams on the rainfly are adequately sealed and a few on the actual tent, the seam connecting the floor to the rest of the tent MUST BE SEALED!! I recommend using Seam Grip made by McNett (others more experienced than me have spoken of simply using silicone mixed with mineral spirits)...but the one thing I ignorantly failed to do was completely seal the vertical seams of the four corners--which led to a little water seeping in at the corners during heavy rain. If one seals the tent properly, however, the first time, the tent should keep all water out.

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Lighten your load and not your wallet with the high-value Kelty Teton 2 two-person tent. The simple, easy-to-pitch three-season tent is made using Kelty's Water Tight Wall (WTW) construction, which keeps the doors and windows from leaking even in driving rain. In WTW tents, all exposed walls are constructed of coated fabrics with the seams shingled downward to shed water. In addition, the edges of all exposed windows and doors are covered with wide flaps, keeping water from leaking in at the zipper even in high winds. The Teton 2 enjoys further water resistance via the ArcEdge floor, which includes edges that rise a few inches up the sides before connecting with the tent walls. The ArcEdge floor is a superior waterproof design because none of the seams are in contact with the ground where water might seep in.
As with any good tent, the Teton 2 also keeps the interior tidy while you sleep, with mesh organizer walls, bookshelves, and storage pockets for your camping accessories. And to make setup easier, the tent includes DAC press-fit poles and color-coded clip construction. The DAC poles are used in all Kelty tents where strength is more critical than weight. The poles feature a ferrule that's pressed in rather than glued, with an extremely precise interference fit to hold it in place. This system ensures that the poles will be strong and reliable for many years to come, with no slippage or corrosion. The color-coded clip construction, meanwhile, provides great fly separation and increased air movement. The clips connecting the poles to the tent are color-matched with the poles themselves, making setup easier and quicker in low-light conditions. Other features include noiseless zipper pulls that resist jingling when it's windy; an aerodynamic venting system that regulates temperature and reduces condensation; and a side-release buckle tent-fly connection.
Specifications:
Seasons: 3
Capacity: 2 people
Minimum weight: 4 pounds 2 ounces
Packaged weight: 4 pounds 10 ounces
Floor area: 31 square feet
Vestibule area: 7 square feet
Dimensions: 88 x 40 x 54 inches (W x H x D)
Number of poles: 2
Pole type: 9mm DAC press-fit poles
Number of vestibules: 1
Number of doors: 1
Packaged diameter: 7 inches
Packaged length: 22 inches
Wall material: 68D 190T polyester taffeta
Floor material: 1800mm PU polyester taffeta
Fly material: 75D 190T, 1800mm PU polyester taffeta

About Kelty Kelty has been building affordable, reliable outdoor gear since 1952, helping everyone--from the first-time camper to the experienced mountaineer--embrace the outdoor experience with confidence. Dick Kelty launched the company after years of making backpacks in his home or garage for friends, hand forming and welding each of the frames while his wife sewed the pack bags. The original Kelty packs included aircraft-aluminum contoured frames, padded shoulder straps, waist belts, clevis-pin attachments, nylon pack cloth, zippered pockets, and hold-open frames. Dick Kelty quit his carpentry business in 1956 to focus full time on Kelty Packs, and turned an old Glendale, California, barbershop into his first retail store and factory. In the ensuing years, Kelty expanded its product line to include daypacks, luggage, waterproof clothing, child carriers, jogging strollers, and more.


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