I bought this exact tent back in May of this year. It had just released and had zero reviews but I gambled. I’ve taken it on 2 trips in the eastern sierras me solo and one with my wife. This is an awesome lightweight 2 person tent. 100% Dan is correct it’s a great true 2 person tent. The only issue I had is setting it up. It is pretty tricky. It’s a semi-stand alone and can be a pain in the butt to get snug and tight on the corners. But overall I love it and am very pleased. Temps got down in the 20’s and I had a thermometer in the tent it was in the 40’s in the tent. I can fit two 25”x 75” pads no problem. Good review Dan thanks !
I had a Mountain Hardware tent many years ago which ended up falling apart and Mountain Hardware replaced it free of charge. What I like about this tent is it has a nearly white tent fly. I discovered a white fly is a great way to reduce the temperature inside if you are pitching the tent while the sun is still.
I had one too , the bathtub fell completely out , and they replaced it for free , they sent me the shifter tent 2person , the one that fell apart , cant remember the name , it was a small backpacking tent
Just as a counterpoint, I had one that completely fell apart, and MH told me the best they could do was a small discount on a new one, If I bought a new one within a few weeks. The bonded seams on mine literally disintegrated, guys outs and zippers just falling off.
This is truly my favorite tent. Some of those little things that annoy you initially are actually huge benefits. Like the loops on the poles. I've had the snaps crack in cold weather. There's no need to take extra stakes for the fly because of the loop points on the tent body, but you can if you want. This thing is ridiculously light for the space. And the technical features are all well thought out. It's bomb proof. I've had my excited puppy in this with me and my wife, and 2 25" pads. This f'n thing only weighs just over 2 lbs! That's ridiculous!
I have a Mountain Hardwear Aspect 3 tent for two people and two dogs and loved it so much, I bought an Aspect 2 for solo trips with a dog or two. The Aspect 2 also has 50 inches of floor space and all around has more head room than the Strato. This makes for a more comfortable space inside of the tent, as it is the same height at the foot as it is the head. Also, I love the G-Hooks for connecting the tent to the poles, and use two fingers spread apart to open the loop and slip the cord loops right onto the G-Hooks (yes I can do this with light gloves as well).
I've got the tent, there's some interesting design choices - lots of weight saving all round, yet the double zip both adds unnecessary weight, and leaves a little hole for insects to find their way in (very small sandflies at times where I live). Just wanted to mention however I think you're using the top pole up-side-down, I use the top pole above the center pole to add structural support and a few videos I've seen show people doing the same. Give it a go
Love your videos. They seem very honest and I greatly appreciate that given our marketing mad world. I’m older and have been away from camping for a few years…aches and pains ……but with a grandson I want to encourage to camp your vid’s are certainly pushing me to get back out there. Please keep it up.
I like your tent reviews, even though I'm a hammock guy. I have a huge DCF tarp paired with a Hummingbird hammock single, and I can choose an ul bug net or a palace sized one from Sierra Madre, depending on the season and terrain. Finding the right trees to use hasn't been an issue (except for the summit of Max Patch this past spring). No crawling in the mud and looking for the perfect spot. Weight of tarp, hammock, suspension, and (small) bugnet, 2 lbs. including guy lines but not stakes. I might need a tent some day if I leave the land of the trees, so, thanks, Dan! Such a nice name! 😊✌
Going to have to say that’s a big selling point having that tent 54 inches wide, I have a Z-Paks duplex and a big Agnes Copper spur UL2 and both of those tents fall short in that department.
At least this tent has a way to adjust the length / tension of the stake-out loops, with those funky blue aluminum plates. My biggest peeve about BA’s lighter tents is the lack of adjustment on where you can place stakes. (I own the Copper Spur UL2 and had to hitch some LineLoc adjusters to all the stake-out points!). I’m not talking about guylines either - even the necessary stakes at the peaks of the vestibules aren’t even adjustable!
Ha, I was wondering what you thought of this one DB. I bought it for the same reason: I wanted lightweight, semi-freestanding, and I refused to give up my long-wide NEMO!!! I only wish the cross bar was bit longer to cover the door and better prevent rainfall inside the tent. FWIW, the MSR freelite 2 fit two wide pads and weighs in only a couple ounces heavier ($500 though). It wasn't available when I bought the MH, but I'm hoping it's part of a wider (hehe) trend.
Your review was the final push i needed to order this today! On sale with 15% off code for $244!! Killer price for the size and weight. Thank you for the great pros and cons list on it. Love the content, keep it up and be safe out there! 🤙
There's an ultralight version of it, but I think it's been discontinued. Probably still heavier than this since it's fully freestanding, but it's also way less fiddly to set up
My favourite tent is the MEC Wanderer 2. It has SO much room for a 2 person tent. Sadly it isn’t made anymore. It’s freestanding and heavier but still my favourite for canoe trips.
Hi Dan, i'm a big fan of your reviews, but i don't agree with you for this one. Please read my own review... For the dimensions, I just measured them carefully, and found that except for the interior height of 39 inches which is compliant, 5 inches are missing from the length, 4 on the largest width (head side), and 4 also on the smallest (foot side)! Just that ! As the ridge crosspole is too short, the walls of the inner tent are too sloped, which further reduces the living space, too bad! Big design error, while all current tents now offer almost vertical walls. The seams are not sealed, and I spent 4 hours applying silicone waterproofing to both sides of the flysheet. I used Vaude Silicone Seam Sealer 42.5 ml, because the Silnet brand tube contains only 28 gr of gel, which is insufficient if you want to treat both sides. The tent includes 9 main anchoring points, plus a small one intended to separate the flysheet from the inner tent, placed at the base of the flat face. Well Mountain Hardwear royally supplies 7 stakes, not very long, and 2 guy ropes, no more ... For a tent of this price, it is unacceptable !!! The stakes have a single small hole of such a ridiculous diameter that it is difficult to pass a cord through it. The flysheet has only three Velcro fasteners to center the flysheet on the hoops. It would take two more on the main hoop for the geometry of the tent to be respected, because the only existing tie on this main hoop is located too close to the ground (1/2 yard) while more than 2 yards on the arch do not have any! Plus, these ties are so short that it's hard to pull them together without repeating them over and over because they slip off your fingers. I do not understand why this tent has only one anchor point ( located too low) on the main arch on the side of the tent which is in the shape of a ship's bow, while at the obviously it is this side which is the best profiled to resist the wind. A nonsense! I just tested the tent two weeks ago. I slept there alone, luckily, as two 25-inch-wide mattresses wouldn't fit in the narrowest part of the room, towards the feet. However, the tent behaved well during heavy gusts, but it moved a lot, due to the lack of additional guy lines. The rain then invited, and no drop crossed the flysheet. Fortunately, I had sealed all the seams before! On the other hand, once wet, the flysheet relaxes strongly and dangles which reduces the space in the apses. Here again, an additional loop for each apse in order to pull the canvas firmly towards the ground would have been very useful … But a wider crosspole would have solved the problem straight away. Finally, the storage bag is ridiculous, because it is too short to accommodate the poles. We therefore have a pocket that looks like those where we store a sleeping bag, and another where we house the poles, which therefore travel outside. This is not practical at all, as a single, tubular bag attaches more easily to your backpack. Anyway, I'm pretty disappointed, and MH should read reviews like mine to improve this tent, and sting less on essentials. Thanks for reading my comments! Laurent, Bordeaux, France PS :I used the tent again last Saturday. The night started with fog, then the sky became clear and the temperature dropped rapidly. At the end of the night, all the condensation of my breathing (I was alone in the tent) was frozen under the flysheet. Under the weight of the film of ice, the flysheet touched the inner chamber, because the space between the two walls was not sufficient, because of the too small width of the crosspole, as said before...
Lol. I can't even imagine how you think these things about this tent. Steep sloped sides??? They are near vertical. Yeah the poles go into their own bag... which can attach by loops to the tent bag if you want or separate like most do when carrying. It's probably one of the best features Dan didn't mention. All nylon tents stretch when wet. This one barely does. It's super wind stable. I can't even imagine what tent you might be comparing this to to think these are issues. This is a 2.5 lb tent!
Respectfully how do 2 25" pads not fit when Dan expressly demonstrated them fitting in the tent on camera in this vid. I read your entire comment and it's hard to take anything you say as truthful when you contradict something that was proven right on camera in this vid.
Great review thank you. Nice to know the little issues. You might want to set your camera on a tripod, this was probably just a quick last min video shoot, but it's a little hard to watch with all the camera moving around left to right and zoom in and out. Distracting.
I ended up buying a Nemo 2P Aurora tent, and at 52 inches wide it feels like sleeping in a mansion as far as backpacking tents go, lol! But this tent has the Aurora beat for weight, since the sucker weighs 5 lb, 7 oz (or 2.47 kg ). Thanks for the great reviews, always enjoy your content!
I would prefer a tent with numbers on each corner to match up with the rain fly 1,2,3,4. To me there is always a guessing game when throwing the rain fly on and color matching is not efficient.
@@ZachBrimhall I think you're making this a bigger issue than it really is. I've never had major problems matching up two poles with a color and matching it to the straps it matches on the other side. even if it could prove it adds 5 more seconds, it's hardly the end of the world. and I'm of the inclination neither would be harder. so why change it.
That's super cool. Something I hate about my sleep system is my mat tapers at bottom and my husband's is rectangular. So my sleep pad moves around in tent. Looks like the way those pads fit they won't move around.
We have a Big Agnes Manzanares HV SL4 mtnGLO Tent and we love, love, love it…but for the zippers that snag on the vestibule doors. It has room for our queen bed, plus room for gear and a little potty.
I bought this tent last spring to Bikepack the CO trail in July. Largest criteria was weight/packed sized vs livable space. I felt like every time I set up the tent I had to experiment with adjustments. But, I get it the fact you need to learn your gear. The biggest issue for me was the lack of venting.
Looks like a great tent. I too hate the way the tent attaches to the poles. I have the Aspect 3 and it attaches the same way. A couple poles came disconnected in a minor wind storm.
I don't see how this tent can be more spacious and have thicker fabric than the tiger wall ul2 while being slightly lighter 😯 I love my tiger wall but it is indeed slightly narrow. But above all, the big downside for me is that the fabrics are too thin... 15 D for both the floor and the fly is not worth the weight gain imo (I am a weight freak) Floor under 20 D is almost always unusable without a ground sheet. 15 D fly is okay but it sags quite a bit... I wonder why I have not bought this mountain hardwear instead... It's quite a relief to know it's a pain to pitch 😂
I think this tent does it by using more mesh on the inner. Not 100% sure but I believe that is the case. Plus all the loops and pulls cordage and hooks are just more minimalist than the BA tent.
I just found your site and it's a snowy day here (Tahoe) so I'll be binge watching. I'm in the process of upgrading much of my gear in order to shave maybe 3-4 lbs off my base weight. Shopping for tents right now and will check out your Nemo video if you have one. Thanks for the good insights
My marmot limelight2 is perfect for fitting 2 rectangle pads! 2 doors ,freestanding, double wall ...there are tons of features and under 300! Weight is a little heavy but it is well worth it especially if split between 2 people sharing it.
I can fit two 25” rectangular pads in our Fjallraven abisko view 2, I really like this tent, but you probably would not because it is much heavier at almost 6 pounds. Also it was over $700. I like it because of quality, spacious bilateral vestibules, and the view design allows for breathtaking stargazing and/or sunrises.
Hey Dan . i realize this video is older now, but I just purchased the tent and hope you can answer a question for me. I've seen that mountain Hard Wear has footprints for this tent and there are less expensive versions. In all the videos that I've seen, there has been no mention of a footprint. So , here's the question. is there an advantage to the dedicated MHW over others?
Great video - informativ and entertaining. Thanks. Does the Mountain Hardwear Strato 2 equal the Mountain Hardwear Aspect 2? (are there different names in North America and in Europe?)
So what I'm hearing you say is "No, you cannot use a thin bendy stick instead of those tent poles you forgot cuz they fell between the couch cushions." Good to know!
Why no love for cottage companies Dan? My Lightheart Gear Duo tent is 55” wide, under $400, under 3lbs. But it’s also a trekking pole single wall tent.
Our hubba Hubba fits 2 people well and the two sleep pads. I love my Nemo tensor. Would be interested in trying this though seeing that it’s lighter then the hubba hubba.
NEMO Aurora 2p. Fits 2 Nemo wide tensors. Costs $250. 68d bottom. Comes with an excellent footprint. It weights about 4lbs though. Max weight is 5lbs ish.
My new Zpacks Duplex with the free standing kit turned up. Expensive, especially in Australian $$$, but so very simple to set up. Prior to that my budget OneTigris TipiNova was good and simple. But not that great for large sleeping pads. I have a Companion Prohiker 2 which is massive inside...but heavy.
Serious design shortcomings imho eith the clips on the poles for reasons you mentioned. MH did that to a few models one year (worked for them) and they were terrible to setup. Probably why nobody else does that! Lol MSR Freelite is similar, better made albeit shorter at 36” peak height
Dan, I'm really curious how you'd compare this tent to the MSR Freelight 2. Basically the same tent, but the MSR is a bit lighter and doesn't have those "finicky" setup traits. The MSR Freelight 2 and MT Hardware Strato 2P are so comparable.
I'd say find a Nemo Dagger on sale. 50 inches wide 90 inches long ( which is great for tall people). Fits two wide pads and just seems better all around.
While it's a touch over the $400 budget you suggested, the SlingFin Crossbow (which is also resold by Stone Glacier as their Skyscraper 2p) is another option that would have been able to fit the two mats in, and of course is specifically designed for use in extreme weather and cold.
I was hunting a tw ul2 when I found a floor demo for a tw ul3 for $280. so....yeah i'm happily using that unless im alone, I which I usually pitch a tarp.
I'm not sure if you've used Mountain Hardware's repair/warranty, but it's second to none within the outdoor community. On par with Leatherman; which makes me wonder if part of their design is in part designed to be repaired in the main break areas.
Totally depends on the area. If there’s a good chance you might see one it’s probably a good idea. Better to not need it and have it than to need it and not have it. If you’re in grizzly country.. definitely take it.
MSr Freelite 2 is also 50” wide on the floor. Exactly why I bought it. Too bad MH designs have faltered. Those hooks on the poles were the reason I ditched two other models they have but I kept the MH SMUL2. Come on MH, break free of Columbia and regain your foothold in cool, functional gear again!!! Please…
That amount of plastic it's probably 1 gram difference so yeah actually 3 grams total difference is a pretty good guess. Add the through loops it's gonna be 5-7 grams.
Sure have! I haven’t actually used it though. Didn’t want to fork out the $600 or $700 for the dyneema version! looks like an awesome tent though! Oh and I have nothing against cottage vendors! I love them!
I was on their site a month or so a go and they were sold out of pretty much everything. I am not sure if that is still the case. They must make a beautiful tent. I looked into their tents after talking to a through hiker who loved her Tent tarp.b
The seam running right across the floor concerns me. Sure it's seam taped but I would expect that to fail before the tent would otherwise be unserviceable
Thank you Dan. I’ve been looking for a good tent. There are so many out there. My CDO (OCD in alphabetical order) is making it hard to make a decision. I have been camping almost every weekend since the beginning of October in a $30 tent from Academy Sports. Don’t get me wrong, this tent has been through sun, high wind, heavy rain storms and still staying strong. My girlfriend even fell on it (funny story for later) and it bounced right back up! But eventually it’s going to fall apart.
I’ve had this in at least four different storms. No problems with it wetting through at all. I think the hydrostatic head rating combined with 20D nylon is enough to keep you dry all night. Of course, only time will tell and eventually all nylon needs a new DWR coating at some point
400$ for a true 2 person tent ? I've taken my 80$(Canadian mind you) 2 person tent from Amazon on crazy storm strips never had it soak through, fitting me and my gf's pad comfortably. I will never understand how people pay so much money for some waterproof Nilon and bug screen. If you're scared you can always rewaterproof and seem seal your cheap tent and it'll still cost a fraction of a mountain hardware or Zpack or Nemo tent
Just wondering how much your 80.00 tent weighs? If it weighs more than 19 oz. that is why some of us spend the extra money on a Zpacks tent. If I was young and in the prime of my life I would not spend that kind of money on tent but I am no longer the person I once was. I do whatever I have to stay on the trail.
@@mr.perfect5303 4lb 6oz rounding up to 5lb is a bit of a stretch, and that’s including everything. Without the footprint and all the stakes (you don’t need to bring all 12) you can easily get it under 4lbs
@@tomosego Well, this tent is just over 2 lbs and uses no bad chemicals, including dyes, can fit a person over 6'3", and is full of technical features that make the tent work in torrential weather, whereas the pile of horse hockey you're comparing it to is barely better than what's sold at walmart and can only fit a dwarf and only has one door and one small vestibule.
I have a question about this Tent. On the Mountain Hardware website under "measurements" it says that this tent has ONE vestibule that measures in at 14.7 sq ft. Obviously it has TWO vestibules but I'd like to know if each vestibule is 14.7 sq ft or if each vestibule is 7.4 sq ft for a TOTAL of 14.7 sq ft. Hope someone can help... thanks!
Looks like it may be back in stock as of the time I made this comment! Find the tent here 👉 bit.ly/3rTAK33
I bought this exact tent back in May of this year. It had just released and had zero reviews but I gambled. I’ve taken it on 2 trips in the eastern sierras me solo and one with my wife. This is an awesome lightweight 2 person tent. 100% Dan is correct it’s a great true 2 person tent.
The only issue I had is setting it up. It is pretty tricky. It’s a semi-stand alone and can be a pain in the butt to get snug and tight on the corners. But overall I love it and am very pleased. Temps got down in the 20’s and I had a thermometer in the tent it was in the 40’s in the tent. I can fit two 25”x 75” pads no problem. Good review Dan thanks !
Double the price because of supply shortages, lol k
I read a review that the seams on the fly are not sealed? Is this correct?
but not in Germany -
@DanBecker what's better, MH Strato for $300 or BA Copper Spur HV UL2 for $350?
I had a Mountain Hardware tent many years ago which ended up falling apart and Mountain Hardware replaced it free of charge. What I like about this tent is it has a nearly white tent fly. I discovered a white fly is a great way to reduce the temperature inside if you are pitching the tent while the sun is still.
I had one too , the bathtub fell completely out , and they replaced it for free , they sent me the shifter tent 2person , the one that fell apart , cant remember the name , it was a small backpacking tent
Just as a counterpoint, I had one that completely fell apart, and MH told me the best they could do was a small discount on a new one, If I bought a new one within a few weeks. The bonded seams on mine literally disintegrated, guys outs and zippers just falling off.
This is truly my favorite tent. Some of those little things that annoy you initially are actually huge benefits. Like the loops on the poles. I've had the snaps crack in cold weather. There's no need to take extra stakes for the fly because of the loop points on the tent body, but you can if you want. This thing is ridiculously light for the space. And the technical features are all well thought out. It's bomb proof. I've had my excited puppy in this with me and my wife, and 2 25" pads. This f'n thing only weighs just over 2 lbs! That's ridiculous!
Nice! Curious, what would you say the packed size is? Website says 6"x12", is that right with all included? Thanks!
One other thing I think worth mentioning is the waterproof coating is strictly silicone... no nasty chemicals in this one.
I have a Mountain Hardwear Aspect 3 tent for two people and two dogs and loved it so much, I bought an Aspect 2 for solo trips with a dog or two. The Aspect 2 also has 50 inches of floor space and all around has more head room than the Strato. This makes for a more comfortable space inside of the tent, as it is the same height at the foot as it is the head. Also, I love the G-Hooks for connecting the tent to the poles, and use two fingers spread apart to open the loop and slip the cord loops right onto the G-Hooks (yes I can do this with light gloves as well).
great review! Yes! All true two person tents should be rectangular 50-52" wide to fit two large rectangular pads!
Durston X-Mid 2P Floor is 50”X92” Yes, it’s a trekking pole tent, but I use trekking poles. Price closer to $300. Love to see you review it!
Yes! I would love for you to review a X-mid. Such a great tent.
If only it is purchaseable!
I knew this tent would show up in the comments ;)
@@tzd We'll have a new batch on sale in a couple weeks.
Yeah but the footprint of that tent is huge!
I've got the tent, there's some interesting design choices - lots of weight saving all round, yet the double zip both adds unnecessary weight, and leaves a little hole for insects to find their way in (very small sandflies at times where I live).
Just wanted to mention however I think you're using the top pole up-side-down, I use the top pole above the center pole to add structural support and a few videos I've seen show people doing the same. Give it a go
Love your videos. They seem very honest and I greatly appreciate that given our marketing mad world. I’m older and have been away from camping for a few years…aches and pains ……but with a grandson I want to encourage to camp your vid’s are certainly pushing me to get back out there. Please keep it up.
I like your tent reviews, even though I'm a hammock guy. I have a huge DCF tarp paired with a Hummingbird hammock single, and I can choose an ul bug net or a palace sized one from Sierra Madre, depending on the season and terrain. Finding the right trees to use hasn't been an issue (except for the summit of Max Patch this past spring). No crawling in the mud and looking for the perfect spot. Weight of tarp, hammock, suspension, and (small) bugnet, 2 lbs. including guy lines but not stakes. I might need a tent some day if I leave the land of the trees, so, thanks, Dan! Such a nice name! 😊✌
I wish more 2 person tents could fit 2 long wide pads! Not that many can! Would be a great episode :)
Can u please show the size of the tent when packed? Would be a great help.
Thank u for another great review.
Just a bit bigger than a standard Nalgene bottle.
Going to have to say that’s a big selling point having that tent 54 inches wide, I have a Z-Paks duplex and a big Agnes Copper spur UL2 and both of those tents fall short in that department.
At least this tent has a way to adjust the length / tension of the stake-out loops, with those funky blue aluminum plates. My biggest peeve about BA’s lighter tents is the lack of adjustment on where you can place stakes. (I own the Copper Spur UL2 and had to hitch some LineLoc adjusters to all the stake-out points!). I’m not talking about guylines either - even the necessary stakes at the peaks of the vestibules aren’t even adjustable!
Ha, I was wondering what you thought of this one DB. I bought it for the same reason: I wanted lightweight, semi-freestanding, and I refused to give up my long-wide NEMO!!! I only wish the cross bar was bit longer to cover the door and better prevent rainfall inside the tent. FWIW, the MSR freelite 2 fit two wide pads and weighs in only a couple ounces heavier ($500 though). It wasn't available when I bought the MH, but I'm hoping it's part of a wider (hehe) trend.
Your review was the final push i needed to order this today! On sale with 15% off code for $244!! Killer price for the size and weight. Thank you for the great pros and cons list on it. Love the content, keep it up and be safe out there! 🤙
Im almost certain the Marmot Tungsten 2P will fit your requirements Dan. Its a little on the heavy side, but its very spacious.
There's an ultralight version of it, but I think it's been discontinued. Probably still heavier than this since it's fully freestanding, but it's also way less fiddly to set up
My favourite tent is the MEC Wanderer 2. It has SO much room for a 2 person tent. Sadly it isn’t made anymore. It’s freestanding and heavier but still my favourite for canoe trips.
Hi Dan, i'm a big fan of your reviews, but i don't agree with you for this one.
Please read my own review...
For the dimensions, I just measured them carefully, and found that except for the interior height of 39 inches which is compliant, 5 inches are missing from the length,
4 on the largest width (head side), and 4 also on the smallest (foot side)!
Just that !
As the ridge crosspole is too short, the walls of the inner tent are too sloped, which further reduces the living space, too bad!
Big design error, while all current tents now offer almost vertical walls.
The seams are not sealed, and I spent 4 hours applying silicone waterproofing to both sides of the flysheet. I used Vaude Silicone Seam Sealer 42.5 ml, because the Silnet brand tube contains only 28 gr of gel, which is insufficient if you want to treat both sides.
The tent includes 9 main anchoring points, plus a small one intended to separate the flysheet from the inner tent, placed at the base of the flat face.
Well Mountain Hardwear royally supplies 7 stakes, not very long, and 2 guy ropes, no more ...
For a tent of this price, it is unacceptable !!!
The stakes have a single small hole of such a ridiculous diameter
that it is difficult to pass a cord through it.
The flysheet has only three Velcro fasteners to center the flysheet on
the hoops. It would take two more on the main hoop for the geometry of the tent to be respected, because the only existing tie on this main hoop is located too close to the ground (1/2 yard) while more than 2 yards on the arch do not have any!
Plus, these ties are so short that it's hard to pull them together without repeating them over and over because they slip off your fingers.
I do not understand why this tent has only one anchor point ( located too low) on the main arch on the side of the tent which is in the shape of a ship's bow, while at the obviously it is this side which is the best profiled to resist the wind. A nonsense!
I just tested the tent two weeks ago.
I slept there alone, luckily, as two 25-inch-wide mattresses wouldn't fit in the narrowest part of the room, towards the feet.
However, the tent behaved well during heavy gusts, but it moved a lot, due to the lack of additional guy lines.
The rain then invited, and no drop crossed the flysheet. Fortunately, I had sealed all the seams before!
On the other hand, once wet, the flysheet relaxes strongly and dangles which reduces the space in the apses.
Here again, an additional loop for each apse in order to pull the canvas firmly towards the ground would have been very useful … But a wider crosspole would have solved the problem straight away.
Finally, the storage bag is ridiculous, because it is too short to accommodate the poles.
We therefore have a pocket that looks like those where we store a sleeping bag, and another where we house the poles, which therefore travel outside.
This is not practical at all, as a single, tubular bag attaches more easily to your backpack.
Anyway, I'm pretty disappointed, and MH should read reviews like mine to improve this tent, and sting less on essentials.
Thanks for reading my comments!
Laurent, Bordeaux, France
PS :I used the tent again last Saturday. The night started with fog, then the sky became clear and the temperature dropped rapidly.
At the end of the night, all the condensation of my breathing (I was alone in the tent) was frozen under the flysheet. Under the weight of the film of ice, the flysheet touched the inner chamber, because the space between the two walls was not sufficient, because of the too small width of the crosspole, as said before...
I appreciated your review on this. I almost pull the trigger when MHW went on sales last month but I can't find any review out there. Thank you.
Lol. I can't even imagine how you think these things about this tent. Steep sloped sides??? They are near vertical. Yeah the poles go into their own bag... which can attach by loops to the tent bag if you want or separate like most do when carrying. It's probably one of the best features Dan didn't mention. All nylon tents stretch when wet. This one barely does. It's super wind stable. I can't even imagine what tent you might be comparing this to to think these are issues. This is a 2.5 lb tent!
Respectfully how do 2 25" pads not fit when Dan expressly demonstrated them fitting in the tent on camera in this vid. I read your entire comment and it's hard to take anything you say as truthful when you contradict something that was proven right on camera in this vid.
@@duncdunc76 I'm not sure @laurentepervier even owns this tent.
Great review thank you. Nice to know the little issues. You might want to set your camera on a tripod, this was probably just a quick last min video shoot, but it's a little hard to watch with all the camera moving around left to right and zoom in and out. Distracting.
I ended up buying a Nemo 2P Aurora tent, and at 52 inches wide it feels like sleeping in a mansion as far as backpacking tents go, lol! But this tent has the Aurora beat for weight, since the sucker weighs 5 lb, 7 oz (or 2.47 kg ). Thanks for the great reviews, always enjoy your content!
Wow - love that space at the feet. My Hornet is a little frustrating on that end.
I would prefer a tent with numbers on each corner to match up with the rain fly 1,2,3,4. To me there is always a guessing game when throwing the rain fly on and color matching is not efficient.
usually one side is one color and the other is another color based on top and bottom. how hard is it to mess that up?
@@SeraphX2 How much simpler would it be to just take #1 to #1? Instead of guessing the color game.
@@ZachBrimhall I think you're making this a bigger issue than it really is. I've never had major problems matching up two poles with a color and matching it to the straps it matches on the other side. even if it could prove it adds 5 more seconds, it's hardly the end of the world. and I'm of the inclination neither would be harder. so why change it.
That's super cool. Something I hate about my sleep system is my mat tapers at bottom and my husband's is rectangular. So my sleep pad moves around in tent. Looks like the way those pads fit they won't move around.
We have a Big Agnes Manzanares HV SL4 mtnGLO Tent and we love, love, love it…but for the zippers that snag on the vestibule doors. It has room for our queen bed, plus room for gear and a little potty.
Love my copper spur, you are right about the zipper though.
I bought this tent last spring to Bikepack the CO trail in July. Largest criteria was weight/packed sized vs livable space. I felt like every time I set up the tent I had to experiment with adjustments. But, I get it the fact you need to learn your gear. The biggest issue for me was the lack of venting.
Nature Hike Star River 2 - Also nice square inner for 2 full size pads. Have used with my daughter. Love your channel !
I have this tent and love it! Mountain hardwear makes the best gear
Looks like a great tent. I too hate the way the tent attaches to the poles. I have the Aspect 3 and it attaches the same way. A couple poles came disconnected in a minor wind storm.
I don't see how this tent can be more spacious and have thicker fabric than the tiger wall ul2 while being slightly lighter 😯
I love my tiger wall but it is indeed slightly narrow. But above all, the big downside for me is that the fabrics are too thin...
15 D for both the floor and the fly is not worth the weight gain imo (I am a weight freak)
Floor under 20 D is almost always unusable without a ground sheet.
15 D fly is okay but it sags quite a bit...
I wonder why I have not bought this mountain hardwear instead... It's quite a relief to know it's a pain to pitch 😂
I think this tent does it by using more mesh on the inner. Not 100% sure but I believe that is the case. Plus all the loops and pulls cordage and hooks are just more minimalist than the BA tent.
Win on both pads fitting. My tent tapers at the bottom.
I just found your site and it's a snowy day here (Tahoe) so I'll be binge watching. I'm in the process of upgrading much of my gear in order to shave maybe 3-4 lbs off my base weight. Shopping for tents right now and will check out your Nemo video if you have one.
Thanks for the good insights
My marmot limelight2 is perfect for fitting 2 rectangle pads! 2 doors ,freestanding, double wall
...there are tons of features and under 300! Weight is a little heavy but it is well worth it especially if split between 2 people sharing it.
I can fit two 25” rectangular pads in our Fjallraven abisko view 2, I really like this tent, but you probably would not because it is much heavier at almost 6 pounds. Also it was over $700. I like it because of quality, spacious bilateral vestibules, and the view design allows for breathtaking stargazing and/or sunrises.
I do have experienced a delay on their shippment. Two sleeping bags. Waiting. This tent looks awesome!
Hey Dan . i realize this video is older now, but I just purchased the tent and hope you can answer a question for me. I've seen that mountain Hard Wear has footprints for this tent and there are less expensive versions. In all the videos that I've seen, there has been no mention of a footprint.
So , here's the question. is there an advantage to the dedicated MHW over others?
Great video - informativ and entertaining. Thanks.
Does the Mountain Hardwear Strato 2 equal the Mountain Hardwear Aspect 2? (are there different names in North America and in Europe?)
So what I'm hearing you say is "No, you cannot use a thin bendy stick instead of those tent poles you forgot cuz they fell between the couch cushions." Good to know!
This was a great review, thanks Gordon!. Oh, you did pretty good to Dan. Have a great day. God Bless
God Bless as well Warren!!
Why no love for cottage companies Dan? My Lightheart Gear Duo tent is 55” wide, under $400, under 3lbs. But it’s also a trekking pole single wall tent.
Our hubba Hubba fits 2 people well and the two sleep pads. I love my Nemo tensor. Would be interested in trying this though seeing that it’s lighter then the hubba hubba.
NEMO Aurora 2p. Fits 2 Nemo wide tensors. Costs $250. 68d bottom. Comes with an excellent footprint. It weights about 4lbs though. Max weight is 5lbs ish.
2 25 inch pads in one tent is awesome, might pick this up for me and my wife
I believe the Hubba Hubba NX2 has a true 50 inch wide floor all the way through and is a dream to set up.
So how do you put it up in the rain? I'm guessing the yellow loops and inner tent connection to the poles make it tricky to do fly first
The Sierra Designs Sweet Suite 2 and the Sierra Designs Meteor 2 and Meteor 2 lite are 50 inches wide and all three are less than $400.00
My Sweet Suite 2 tapers at the foot and this won't take two 25 inch rectangular pads but will fit two 25 inch mummy style pads.
@@robertclark8044 I stand corrected on the Sweet Suite but the Meteor does work. Thanks for the feedback!
My new Zpacks Duplex with the free standing kit turned up. Expensive, especially in Australian $$$, but so very simple to set up. Prior to that my budget OneTigris TipiNova was good and simple. But not that great for large sleeping pads.
I have a Companion Prohiker 2 which is massive inside...but heavy.
Serious design shortcomings imho eith the clips on the poles for reasons you mentioned. MH did that to a few models one year (worked for them) and they were terrible to setup. Probably why nobody else does that! Lol
MSR Freelite is similar, better made albeit shorter at 36” peak height
Love it!!....Color coded...yes.
Thanks for this review Dan!!! As far as I've seen, this is the only detailed review of this tent on the internet!!!
Did you notice any weird leaks during rainstorms? I just bought this tent and am wondering if I should seam seal the rain fly!
Dan, I'm really curious how you'd compare this tent to the MSR Freelight 2. Basically the same tent, but the MSR is a bit lighter and doesn't have those "finicky" setup traits. The MSR Freelight 2 and MT Hardware Strato 2P are so comparable.
I'd say find a Nemo Dagger on sale. 50 inches wide 90 inches long ( which is great for tall people). Fits two wide pads and just seems better all around.
While it's a touch over the $400 budget you suggested, the SlingFin Crossbow (which is also resold by Stone Glacier as their Skyscraper 2p) is another option that would have been able to fit the two mats in, and of course is specifically designed for use in extreme weather and cold.
I’ve recently heard about those! Definitely on the list to check out. Thanks!
Can get 15 percent off right now at Backcountry if it's your first order.
If you can still find a NF Talus 2, it is slightly bigger and a great backpacking tent for cheap!
I have a MSR Hubba Hubba, and I'm pretty sure it fits two wide sleeping pads, just like this tent.
I was hunting a tw ul2 when I found a floor demo for a tw ul3 for $280. so....yeah i'm happily using that unless im alone, I which I usually pitch a tarp.
id love to know the temp difference inside a 3 season vs 4 season tent in 30 degree weather.. like this tent vs a Trango..
I'm not sure if you've used Mountain Hardware's repair/warranty, but it's second to none within the outdoor community. On par with Leatherman; which makes me wonder if part of their design is in part designed to be repaired in the main break areas.
Dan I get inspired by your videos ... I remember you saying you don't have many
bears ... what is your idea about bear spray ?
Totally depends on the area. If there’s a good chance you might see one it’s probably a good idea. Better to not need it and have it than to need it and not have it. If you’re in grizzly country.. definitely take it.
And also I haven't understand which the better one to MSR Freelite, Nemo hornet elite OSMO, Big Agnes UL2 and this tend
The suspense is killing me! Why?!!! Lol
MSr Freelite 2 is also 50” wide on the floor. Exactly why I bought it. Too bad MH designs have faltered. Those hooks on the poles were the reason I ditched two other models they have but I kept the MH SMUL2. Come on MH, break free of Columbia and regain your foothold in cool, functional gear again!!! Please…
Dan! Kelty late start 2 has a width of 54 inches, at only $160 bucks! BOOM! 💥
But the foot end only has 45” 😢
It's also 2x the weight.
Is the footprint on the website compatible with the strato ul 2?
Does it not get wet inside if you set it up while its raining? It seems unpractical to first set up the "inner tent" and then the "outer tent"
It can be set up outer first.
what about ventilation and condensation?
Buuuut Daaaannnnnn! Those plastic pole clips add like 3 grams to the weight of a tent compared to the mini hook and hair tie system this tent uses. 😄
That amount of plastic it's probably 1 gram difference so yeah actually 3 grams total difference is a pretty good guess. Add the through loops it's gonna be 5-7 grams.
@@Raumance I've had the plastic clips crack in cold weather. This loop design is genius for that problem.
Technically a cottage vendor but have you checked out the tarptent double rainbow? I think youd like it a lot
Sure have! I haven’t actually used it though. Didn’t want to fork out the $600 or $700 for the dyneema version! looks like an awesome tent though! Oh and I have nothing against cottage vendors! I love them!
I was going to say the same. I just got their new Double Wall version but hadn't had a chance to use it yet.
I own the Silnylon version of the Double Rainbow. It is a great tent with a 50 inch wide floor.
I was on their site a month or so a go and they were sold out of pretty much everything. I am not sure if that is still the case. They must make a beautiful tent. I looked into their tents after talking to a through hiker who loved her Tent tarp.b
@@mtadams2009 theyre back in stock :)
Looks like the cross poles smaller than some other tents making the side walls angle in more. Am I right or is it just the way the video makes it look
The mountainsmith morrison Evo 2 person tent is 56 inches wide. I think it goes for under 200. At least I got it for under 200 about a year ago.
its also over 3.5lbs heavier than the strato lol
Can you maby check out the high peak sparrow 2 person tent?
Any experience with the MH aspect tent?
The seam running right across the floor concerns me. Sure it's seam taped but I would expect that to fail before the tent would otherwise be unserviceable
Thank you Dan. I’ve been looking for a good tent. There are so many out there. My CDO (OCD in alphabetical order) is making it hard to make a decision. I have been camping almost every weekend since the beginning of October in a $30 tent from Academy Sports. Don’t get me wrong, this tent has been through sun, high wind, heavy rain storms and still staying strong. My girlfriend even fell on it (funny story for later) and it bounced right back up! But eventually it’s going to fall apart.
This is not a good tent though. With a 1200mm fly and 1500mm floor you can't expect this to remain waterproof for very long.
How close is this to the nimbus? There are literally no nimbus reviews so I'm hoping the Strato is almost identical
It appears the main difference is only one door and vestibule at the head instead of the 2 on both sides.
You should check out Nemo Aurora 2 is pretty badass
Have you tried the Decathlon tent
Not yet!
No space for gear?
Anyone any thoughts on the waterproofing??
I’ve had this in at least four different storms. No problems with it wetting through at all. I think the hydrostatic head rating combined with 20D nylon is enough to keep you dry all night. Of course, only time will tell and eventually all nylon needs a new DWR coating at some point
Come on Dan!
Your just nick-picking
Oh, & I appreciate your channel
“Meh, I don’t really like this tent, BUT, I bought another one…” Someone got paid by Mountain Hardware to plug their tent huh? 😂
Nope. Not one dime. I ALWAYS make it clear if I am doing a sponsored video.
REI Co-op Half Dome SL 2+ Tent with Footprint
$280 90*54 🤷♂️
400$ for a true 2 person tent ? I've taken my 80$(Canadian mind you) 2 person tent from Amazon on crazy storm strips never had it soak through, fitting me and my gf's pad comfortably. I will never understand how people pay so much money for some waterproof Nilon and bug screen. If you're scared you can always rewaterproof and seem seal your cheap tent and it'll still cost a fraction of a mountain hardware or Zpack or Nemo tent
It's the weight difference for light weight backpacking that makes these types of tents desirable and expensive.
Just wondering how much your 80.00 tent weighs? If it weighs more than 19 oz. that is why some of us spend the extra money on a Zpacks tent. If I was young and in the prime of my life I would not spend that kind of money on tent but I am no longer the person I once was. I do whatever I have to stay on the trail.
@@mtadams2009 I just dropped 240 on the zpack tarp w doors- 6 oz!!! im so excited...and so is my lower back.
@@nicksam5518 Six oz is crazy light and yes your back is going to love you. Enjoy
@@mtadams2009 yeah maybe I shouldn't have thrown Zpack in there since it's made with that super expensive material. The tent weighs 5 pounds total
The link for your battery bank doesn’t work.
I had a msr huba huba that was 50 inch wide
I'm curious as to why you don't use any trekking poles tents since you carry trekking poles
I do sometimes. But honestly I test out so much gear that it’s not always possible.
My US Army shelter half was five pounds.
Have those same hooks on my Helsport Fjellheimen ultralight. Drives me crazy too.
Unsubscribed (jk). Can’t believe you said something negative about the Cooper Spur 🥵😂
The Paria Bryce 2P Tent is $160 and 53 inches wide!
It also weighs 5 lbs
@@mr.perfect5303 4lb 6oz rounding up to 5lb is a bit of a stretch, and that’s including everything. Without the footprint and all the stakes (you don’t need to bring all 12) you can easily get it under 4lbs
@@tomosego Well, this tent is just over 2 lbs and uses no bad chemicals, including dyes, can fit a person over 6'3", and is full of technical features that make the tent work in torrential weather, whereas the pile of horse hockey you're comparing it to is barely better than what's sold at walmart and can only fit a dwarf and only has one door and one small vestibule.
I have a question about this Tent. On the Mountain Hardware website under "measurements" it says that this tent has ONE vestibule that measures in at 14.7 sq ft.
Obviously it has TWO vestibules but I'd like to know if each vestibule is 14.7 sq ft or if each vestibule is 7.4 sq ft for a TOTAL of 14.7 sq ft.
Hope someone can help... thanks!
Another great job
Thanks mom
1200 mm silicone coating.... lololol... and then 1500 mm coating.... 1200 mm is 12 cm!
Really, who whant to have a white tent in the bush?????
I like thus tent brother
Mountain Hardware design team are the kind of people who will take off their pants to fart, then put it back on.
I bought the Paria Bryce 1p based on your suggestion.
Haven't used it yet.
This better not suck, Becker.
😳
✌️👊