tent

No doubt you already know that ALPS Mountaineering is one of the biggest brands on the outdoor market, so, I won’t bother you with the brand and I will jump into the comparison of ALPS Mountaineering Lynx vs Zephyr.

Both of the tents come with different sizes, but most famous ones are their one-person versions, therefore, I will be comparing one-person versions of the tents, but the only thing that changes between bigger sizes is the dimensions. So, feel free to use this guide if you are looking for a two-person or three-person version as well.

In summary, both tents offer great interior volume for a one-person tent, they are nearly the same when it comes to weight and packed size. The question you need to ask yourself is, in what season you’re going to need a tent. If you need a tent for summer, don’t hesitate, go with the ALPS Mountaineering Zephyr, If you need a tent for relatively colder conditions, go with the ALPS Mountaineering Lynx.

ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 1 vs Zephyr 1: Specs

Detailed Comparison of ALPS Mountaineering Lynx vs Zephyr

Capacity

Both tents are very similar when it comes to weight / interior volume / packed size.

• Lynx offers a 10 sq ft of vestibule area, whereas Zephyr only offers 5.5 sq ft.
• Zephyr offers a 23 sq ft of floor area, whereas Lynx offers 20 sq ft.

ALPS Mountaineering Lynx is longer but narrower compared to Zephyr. Here is a dimension comparison of ALPS Mountaineering Lynx vs Zephyr:

Season

Longevity & Weather Resistance

Both tents are equally the same when it comes to durability, they both are made of 75D Polyester taffeta which is considered a highly durable fabric for a one-person tent.

When it comes to weather resistance ALPS Mountaineering Lynx is the winner, it has a lesser mesh ratio to keep the heat inside, and it is the better option for rainy conditions, ALPS Mountaineering Zephyr tends to leak in hard rains.

One important thing to mention is, neither of the tents comes with a footprint, you need to buy it separately. And I strongly recommend getting one to increase the longevity of your tent.

Check out the latest prices of ALPS Mountaineering Lynx Footprint and ALPS Mountaineering Zephyr Footprint.

ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 1 Review

ALPS Mountaineering Lynx is one of the most efficient tents in the market, It has four sizes (one, two, three, and four-person).

It’s a freestanding tent that has one door and one vestibule, and it offers 20 ft² of floor area, 10 ft² of vestibule areas which is more than enough for one person.

It’s made of 75D polyester which is a highly durable material, and its floor and fly are respectively laminated with 2000 mm and 1500 mm coating (this is a waterproofness rating), it’s not much but it’s enough to keep you dry in 3 seasons.

The tent weighs 4 lbs 4 oz when packed, it’s a bit much for a one-person tent, but considering its price, and durability, this weight sacrifice would worth it. If you’re looking for a lighter tent, I would recommend Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL and Nemo Hornet (they are not as pocket friendly as ALPS mountaineering though).

The tent is rated as a 3-season tent, but due to its very denier material and low mesh ratio (compared to its other 3-season alternatives), it keeps the heat inside, therefore, I wouldn’t recommend this tent for hot summer camping, but it would be a perfect option for slightly colder conditions.

Overall the tent is excellent for its price, it probably has the highest Performance/Price ratio in the tent market. But as I’ve mentioned, only go for this tent if you’re going to use it in slightly colder days.

ALPS Mountaineering Zephyr 1 Review

ALPS Mountaineering Zephyr 1 is a freestanding, budget-friendly, 3-season tent that features one door and one vestibule. It has mesh all around the canopy, therefore, it offers great ventilation. It’s perfect for hot summer camps. If you’re into rainy, cold weather camping though I wouldn’t recommend this tent, it doesn’t perform very well in rainy conditions.

There are also two-person and three-person versions of Alps Mountaineering Zephyr.

One difference of this tent is, it has a different pole structure than its other alternatives in the market, therefore it offers a bigger interior volume.

Considering its price this tent also strikes the perfect Performance/Price ratio. There aren’t any tent except ALPS Mountaineering tents that feature aluminum poles, waterproof high denier material at this price.

When packed, the tent weighs 4 lbs 5 oz, it’s a little much for a one-person tent, but this weight sacrifice worth it, considering its price and features.

The downsides of this tent are, it has a small vestibule, and not great for relatively cold weather camping.

Struggling to decide between the Kelty Salida vs Grand Mesa? After comprehensive researches, we have collected what each model has to offer and laid it down for you.

Kelty is probably the best outdoor brand when it comes to providing good quality at a pocket-friendly price. Its finest models Salida and Grand Mesa are perfect for those who’re on a budget.

Both tents have different sizes, in this guide I’ve compared two-person versions of the tents but you can use this guide whether you’re looking for the four-person versions as well.

In summary, Kelty Grand Mesa 2 is a newer and improved model, it is the superior one for most of the features, it is more breathable, easier to set up, and packs down much smaller. On the other hand, Kelty Salida 2 is the better option for tall people and for those who seek a bigger vestibule area.

Go straight to the detailed comparison.

Kelty Salida 2 Review

Kelty Salida 2 is a 3-season, freestanding, cross-pole structured tent, and it offers great features at a relatively low price.

It has a tapered floor with the dimensions of 55″ at the head side and 45″ at the feet side. It’s 88″ long which can be considered proper for tall people. It provides 30.5 sq ft of floor area, and 10 sq ft vestibule area. Lastly, it 43″ tall (which is bigger than its alternatives on the market).

The great thing about Kelty Salida is, its floor and fly fabrics are respectively made of 68D nylon and 68D polyester which makes it more durable than most of the other backpacking tents in the market, and also it has 40D polyester mesh around the sidewalls to increase breathability.

It weighs 4 lbs 9 oz and packs down to 13″ x 15″. It’s not an ultralight tent, but 4 lbs 9 oz of weight is good enough considering its price & features.

The downsides of Kelty Salida are, it has only one door and one vestibule, therefore, you need to wake your partner up if you want to leave the tent, and since it has one vestibule there is not much room to keep gear of two people.

Check out the latest price of Kelty Salida on Amazon.

Kelty Grand Mesa 2 Review

Kelty Grand Mesa 2 is a pocket-friendly, durable, 3-season dome tent. It has a very high mesh ratio, almost all of the side canopy is with mesh, therefore it provides great breathability.

Its fabric and floor are made of 68D polyester 1800mm which is a very high denier for a backpacking tent. 1800mm waterproofness rating is a very good value considering its price, and it’s enough to keep you dry on rainy days (not in winter with hard rains though).

Grand Mesa offers a very wide floor, the dimensions are 57″/44″ (Head Side /Foot Side), it’s 85″ long which is a bit short, but if you’re not taller than 6 feet it shouldn’t be a problem. And lastly, it’s 43″ tall, therefore it provides a very liveable space.

The downsides of the tent are, unlike most of the backpacking tents, it has one door which is not a deal-breaker since it’s placed at the narrow wall, but still, it’s worth mentioning.

And the other downside is, it has a really small vestibule with the area 6 ft sq which is not enough for two people, you’ll most likely keep most of your gear inside the tent.

Check out the latest price of Kelty Grand Mesa.

Specs: Kelty Salida 2 vs Grand Mesa 2

Detailed Comparison

Interior Volume

Winner: Kelty Salida 2

Both tents offer a big interior volume. Since they are 43″ tall they provide decent headroom. The difference between Salida and Grand Mesa here is the floor dimensions, Salida is 88″ long whereas Grand Mesa is 85″, if you’re shorter than 6 feet, it shouldn’t cause any problem, you can go with either Grand Mesa or Salida. But if you’re taller than 6 feet though, I recommend going with the Salida.

Also, the floor dimensions of the tents are slightly different. Compared to Kelty Salida, Grand Mesa is wider at the head side but more narrow at the feet side. Here’re the dimensions:

If you want an even bigger tent with a close price, take a look at the article where I review Marmot Tungsten and Fortress.

Breathability

Winner: Kelty Grand Mesa 2

For breathability, Grand Mesa is the clear winner, it has a very high mesh ratio, almost all of its canopy is with mesh, Salida on the other hand, also provides a 360° mesh canopy, but it is not as breathable as Grand Mesa.

Weight & Packed Size

Winner: Kelty Grand Mesa 2

Although both tents are a bit heavier compared to their alternatives such as Big Agnes Copper Spur or Nemo Hornet, they are light enough for backpacking and big enough for car camping.

For the Kelty Salida vs Grand Mesa comparison, Grand Mesa weighs only 3 oz heavier than Kelty Salida, but it packs down much smaller. The packed dimension of Kelty Grand Mesa is Ø7″ x 16″ whereas Kelty Salida packs down to 13″ x 15″ x 4″.

Ease of Set Up

Winner: Kelty Grand Mesa 2

Even though both tents are very easy to set up, Kelty Grand Mesa is the winner here due to its clever design, when you place the poles of Kelty Grand Mesa to its quick corners it stands up hands-free, then pitching the tent takes only 2 minutes.

Quick Note: it’s very easy to setup Kelty Salida 2 as well, it only takes 5 minutes.

Durability and Weather Resistance

Winner: Tie

Both tents are made of the same high denier material, their fly and floor fabric are made of 68D polyester 1800 mm, and their canopy is a combination of 68D polyester / 40D polyester mesh. Therefore, one is not better than the other for durability and longevity.

The same goes for the waterproofness too, both are laminated and have 1800mm of waterproofness metric (which is around the industry average for a backpacking tent).

Here are some other backpacking tents and their materials so you can get the idea.

It’s also important to mention that the tents don’t come with a footprint, and I strongly suggest to get a footprint with your tent to increase longevity. Check out the latest price of the Kelty footprint.

Final Verdict

They have very similar features, but Kelty Grand Mesa is a new and improved model. Kelty Salida is the better option only if you’re a tall person, and if you want a bigger vestibule area, whereas Kelty Grand Mesa 2 is the superior one when it comes to ease of pitch, packed size, breathability, and every other feature.

Check out the latest prices of Kelty Salida and Kelty Grand Mesa.

Marmot is most of the backpackers’ favorite brand, it strikes the perfect balance between durability, interior volume, and weight. In this article, I’ll compare two of the finest tents in its line, Marmot Tungsten and Marmot Fortress.

Firstly, both tents have two-person and three-person versions. In this buying guide, I will be comparing two-person versions of the tents, but the idea is the same, even if you’re looking for a three-person tent you can use this guide. The only thing that changes between two-person and three-person versions is the dimensions.

In summary, the main difference is their season type, Marmot Tungsten is a 3-seasons tent which has a high mesh ratio. It offers better breathability, allows you to stargaze during the night, and it’s lighter, therefore, it’s the better option for summer camping. Marmot Fortress, on the other hand, is a more robust tent that has a full fabric canopy to keep you warm in the winter, therefore it’s heavier. Another big difference is, Marmot Tungsten comes with a footprint, but Marmot Fortress doesn’t, you need to buy the footprint separately.

Go straight to the detailed comparison.

Marmot Tungsten Review

Marmot Tungsten is a 3-pole structured, three-season tent that has two-person and three-person versions. It has a great mesh ratio, therefore, it offers excellent breathability.

Tungsten has two doors and two vestibules for each person, it offers enough floor and vestibule area for two people, and it has pre-bent poles that increase the interior volume.

One thing I like about Marmot Tungsten is the footprint comes with the tent, you don’t need to purchase it separately.

Lastly, it features two decent size pockets for each person to keep their belongings, and it has two light-diffusing pockets to use your headlamp as a lantern at nights.

Check out the latest price of Marmot Tungsten.

Marmot Fortress Review

Marmot Fortress is a 4-season, 3-pole structured tent that has a full fabric canopy to provide protection against cold, it has two-person and three-person versions.

Fortress features pre-bent poles that offer great interior volume. It has two doors that have mesh so you can open them without thinking about bugs coming in. Each door has vestibules so you can keep your gear outside to have more space inside.

The tent has two vents to get a nice breeze rolling through on sunny days. Just like the doors, the lower vent also has a mesh but the upper vent doesn’t.

Note: I don’t recommend this tent if you generally camp in sunny weather, Marmot Tungsten or Marmot Limelight is a better option in that case.

It has two big storage pockets to hold your gear and it features two transparent corner pockets to lighten the tent with your headlamp at nights.

Unlike Marmot Tungsten, Marmot Fortress doesn’t come with a footprint, you need to purchase it separately. Check out the latest prices of Marmot Fortress 2P footprint and 3P footprint.

Check out the latest price of Marmot Fortress.

Marmot Tungsten 2P vs Fortress 2P

Detailed Comparison of Tungsten vs Fortress

Seasons

The big difference between the two tents is their season types. Marmot Tungsten is a 3-season tent it has a canopy with a mesh top. It provides great breathability, and clear stargazing at summer nights.

Marmot Fortress, on the other hand, is a 4-season tent that has a full fabric canopy that provides weather protection for winter camping.

Tungsten‘s top and %70 of its sidewall are with mesh to provide breathability, while Fortress only has 2 small vents and mesh doors for ventilation.

Interior Volume

Both tents have the same design and dimensions, the floor area of the tents is 30.6 sq ft (slightly over average). The vestibule areas of the tents are 17.6 sq ft (9.8 sq ft at the front door, 7.8 sq ft at the back door) which is also not below as average. Below you can see the dimensions of the tents.

And lastly, the peak heights of the tents are 42″ which is above average compare to the alternatives.

Below, you can compare Marmot Tungsten & Fortress to their alternatives on the market.

Durability & Waterproofness

Just like the interior volume, Marmot Tungsten and Fortress are nearly the same when it comes to durability. They’re both made of high denier fabric (68d 100% Polyester Taffeta F/R) and mesh (40d 100% Polyester No-See-Um Mesh) to offer better durability than other alternatives at the market.

A tent’s waterproofness is measured by a test called Hydrostatic Head, and the results are in mm metrics, the higher the hydrostatic head result (mm) the greater the waterproofness.

With that being said, the fly and the floor of the tents respectively made of 1500mm and 2000mm fabrics (which are good enough to keep you dry).

For the durability comparison of Marmot Tungsten vs Fortress:

Although the specs are the same, I must say that Marmot Fortress is the better option for longevity and durability. Since it has a full fabric canopy it’s more likely not to be ripped in the long term.

Also, Marmot Tungsten comes with a footprint but Marmot Fortress doesn’t, you need to buy it separately. You can always camp without the footprint as well but for your tent’s longevity, I strongly recommend a footprint.

Check out the latest prices of Marmot Fortress 2P footprint and 3P footprint.

Weight & Packed Size

For the higher durability and interior volume compared to alternatives on the market the trade-off here is that they’re a bit heavier and bulkier.

For the weight comparison of Marmot Tungsten vs Fortress, Fortress (5lbs 15.5oz) is even heavier than Tungsten (5 lbs 4oz), their packed dimensions are the same though (Ø7.5″ x 21″ / Ø17.8 x 53.3cm).

Verdict: Tungsten or Fortress

They both are highly durable and roomy tents. But If you’re a fellow who likes to camp during winter, I’d recommend Marmot Tungsten, it is a 3-season tent, it’s lighter and has a higher mesh ratio, therefore, it offers better ventilation. But if you’re into cold weather camping, I’d recommend Marmot Fortress, it is a 4-season tent that has a full fabric canopy to provide better weather protection and durability.

Check the latest prices of Marmot Tungsten and Marmot Fortress.

Nemo Dagger vs Copper Spur, both tents are the best selling models of Nemo and Big Agnes which are two of the well-known brands on the outdoor market.

In this article, I will cover every factor you need to consider before buying an ultralight backpacking tent, such as weight, packed size, interior volume, durability, divisibility of the stuff sack, and more.

Firstly Nemo Dagger has two sizes, one-person, and two-person. Big Agnes Copper Spur, on the other hand, has three sizes, one-person, two-person, and three-person. This article will focus on Nemo Dagger 2 vs Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL 2, their two-person models, BUT you can use this article if you are thinking of buying a three-person tent as well. The only thing that changes between two-person and three-person models is the dimensions.

In summary, if you’re willing to sacrifice some weight and durability, Nemo Dagger offers a better liveable place, larger vestibule area, and more durability, it also features white No-See-um-mesh for privacy, black mesh top for stargazing. On the other hand, Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 is smaller, but it provides a good balance between weight, packed size, and liveable place.

But if you’re camping with a partner or a buddy, Nemo Dagger features a Divvy Sack which allows you to divide the load with a partner. If that is the case, weight and pack size shouldn’t be the first priority.

Nemo Dagger 2P VS Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2: Specs

Overview of Nemo Dagger and Big Agnes Copper Spur

Capacity: Nemo Dagger or Copper Spur

Floor Area

Nemo Dagger has a rectangular floor with the dimensions of 90″ x 50″, Big Agnes Copper Spur, on the other hand, has a tapered floor which is wider at the head area and gets narrow through the feet area, its dimensions are 88″ x 52″ (Head Side) x 42″ (Feet Side).

Nemo Dagger 2P offers 31.2 sq ft of floor area, while Big Copper Spur HV UL2 offers only 29 sq ft.

If you are a tall person, you might be more comfortable in Nemo Dagger, it’s 90″ long, while Copper Spur is 88″ long.

Vestibule Area

Just like the floor area, Nemo Dagger is the superior one when it comes to the vestibule area.

Nemo Dagger has a vestibule area of 11.2 sq ft on each door while Big Agnes offers only 9 sq ft for each.

Interior Volume

The interior volume of a tent depends on several factors; its strategic clip placement to widen the canopy, its peak height of the and floor area.

Nemo Dagger is the superior one for each of those factors I pointed out above. It has more clips to widen the canopy and it has a better clip distribution, it’s taller and has a bigger floor.

Here is a picture I’ve created to demonstrate the clip placement.

To be honest, Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 offers good interior volume as well, it is much better compared to other backpacking tents on the market, but for the sake of comparison, it’s fair to say Nemo Dagger is much roomier than Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2.

Breathability

Both tents are highly breathable due to their high mesh ratio, so breathability-wise it wouldn’t be fair to say one is better than the other.

And, for the condensation, Both Dagger and Copper Spur features protected strut vents to decrease condensation.

Durability & Waterproofness of Dagger and Copper Spur

Big Agnes doesn’t provide any information on how denier its fabric is, therefore, it’s not possible to compare the specification of the fabrics but I can say that durability wise both tents are excellent.

But when it comes to waterproofness, Nemo Dagger is better, its floor is laminated with 3000mm PU, while floor fabric of Big Agnes Copper Spur is laminated with 1200mm PU.

If you want to learn more about fabrics of tents check out my article where I explain what are tents made of.

Weight & Packed Size Comparison

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 weighs 3 lb 2 oz when packed, on the other hand, Nemo Dagger 2 weighs 3 lb 2 oz. Big Agnes clearly the winner of the weight department.

BUT, If you are camping with a partner, Nemo Dagger offers you the versatility of dividing the tent pack into 2 pieces. So if you are camping with a partner or a buddy of yours, weight and pack size shouldn’t be your biggest concern.

And lastly the pack size, Big Agnes Copper Spur is smaller when packed, the difference is not big though, it’s only 0.5″. Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL2 and Nemo Dagger 2 respectively packs down to Ø 6″ x 19.5″ and Ø 6.5″ x 19.5″.

Features of Big Agnes Copper SPUR HV UL and Nemo Dagger

Although they have several differences, they share some similar features as well.

Both tents feature:

• Door holders on both sides provide easy access during the daytime.
• Light pockets
• Gear pockets
• Protected strut vents
• Pre-bent poles to increase the liveable place

Nemo Dagger also features:

• Color-coded poles for easy setup
• White No-see-um mesh at sides to increase privacy during the day
• Black mesh top for clear stargazing during the night

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL also features:

• Fast-fly setup if you also purchase the foot print

• Tiplok Tent Buckle to simplify the tent set up

See the Customer Reviews of Nemo Dagger and Big Agnes Copper Spur.

Nemo Dagger

Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL