Thinking Out Loud
This morning I happened to go back to the Gearjunkie article about TentPak to see if there were any new comments. I found a great one from Mike Copeland that I thought I'd share.
Posted by Mike Copeland - 01/05/2010 10:04 AM
I have a tentpak (Alpine 70 E) and love it. I have used it a bunch both together and separate. The Pack has some great adjustment features that will help balance the load to where it needs to be on your body as well as great padding where it’s needed. Very durable make up and probably the favorite pack i own. (i own several inc N. Face, Mammot). For me though, the tent is where the product shines. It is a 4 season tent so of course it is a little heavier than a 3 season tent. But it is very dry and extremly rugged. I have used the tent on solo multi-day kayaking missions in extreme cold and wind as well as heavy rain and i have absolutely no complaints. It is a bomber tent. The quality is very good for the construction of the tent, i have had absolutely no issues with anything. (zippers, seams, material all are A+)
I think that the review is a little off and yeah, the set up might be a few pounds heavier than the competitor’s 3-season set up. But compare it to the 4 season set ups, and its pretty comparable. You can also lighten the tent by changing the stakes which is SOP for any tent you buy if you’re trying to conserve weight. And the pack, if you want to lighten, find the adjustments that work well for you and trim the excess straps and remove the extra pack if you don't need it and are trying to go light.
Both you and your checkbook will be very glad you went with the tent pak. The quality is unsurpassed and the price is where camping gear SHOULD be.
