Tents

[91Bravo]

For what it's worth to you all I lived for 32 nights in a Black Diamond Lighthouse. Weighs 2.5 lbs after stripping off the superfluous buckles and line tighteners etc. It held two big guys comfortably but not our packs. It will survive four seasons and be quite warm given it's small volume. Body heat from two guys warmed it's small volume quite nicely. Negatives, it will not hold two guys and their full size backpacks. We solved that by leaving the packs outside under their rain covers. Also it's bright yellow. Not tactikool at all.

I've said this before, if your gear becomes part of ones daily burden then light weight really matters.

If you're car camping then all of the above is irrelevant.

[Iraq Ninja]

The military has been buying some really good tents over the past 10 years.

You can often find good deals on Ebay, such as this USMC Diamond Brand 1-2 Man Combat Tent-

http://cgi.ebay.com/USMC-Diamond-Bra...item3a5fb2fbca

Or, get this big 4 season Northface surplus tent...

http://cgi.ebay.com/North-Face-ECWS-...item19c06005ee

Here are two Catoma brand military tents that I bought on Ebay, brand new, and at half the retail price.

[rburris]

Can't go wrong with the Eureka Timberline.

+1

I love mine.

[91Bravo]

Iraq are the two tents you have shown, the Army's ICT (Improved Combat Tent) a one man light weight tent?

Has anyone out there tried the ICT? Waterproof, condensation durability??

[Iraq Ninja]

91B,

The brown tent is the USMC bed net for cots, with the addition of the waterproof fly.

The camo tent is a one man Stealth tent. Both are made by Catoma.

The stealth is very similar to the ITC, but the fly gives you more living space for cooking or storing kit.

The ITC I have seen is made by ORC industries and comes in Army camo. It retails for 289 bucks, and goes for $150 on Ebay.

ITC:

[Nav195]

I have a Kelty Gunnison 3.2 2010 model. Its perfect for my wife, myself and my lab. It light enough 5lbs I believe for a 3person tent not bad. square design. double vesties and gear loft. earth tone color for the main body too. lets in good light and not bright red or yellow. My current favorite that I like for myself and lab on weekend backback trips is the REI quarter Dome t 2. 3lbs I believe.

[Bighead]

Hilleberg...I have the Staika 2-person 4-season tent. A bit spendy but I figure it might actually be the last tent I buy. Also take a look at Nemo Tents.

[LonghunterCO]

Not knowing how and for what you are using it for, and adding to that the fact I have not been to your neck of the woods: I can not speak to your specifics. The typical 4 season tent is different (than a 3 season) in that it is designed for carry a snow load (so more poles and associated laching points= increased weight) and the abiliaty to close off the windows (maximizing your heat retention). This resultes in a heavier more expensive tent that often does not pack as well as 2-3 season tents.
I have done alot of camping in a lighter three season tent, and in snow too. The done type tents shed show well. You might get with hikers in your area and see what they are using. You might be able to get a good three season, for less money, and less weight.

YMMV

[BenBru]

I've been doing a lot of back country camping in the last year. I'm a big fan of 3 season tents. Some nights are a little chillier than others but I have not hit a night where I absolutely needed a 4 season tent.

That being said I never got myself in a situation where I needed to set up under some significant snow fall.

[Tom Swift]

So the Eureka Aurora 1 looks basically like the exact same as the ICS except the Aurora 1 is from the civilian line.