One of the biggest problems with the F1 tent has been solved with the Desert version...but it's not perfect either. What are your thoughts on these tents? Friday : Beach Overnight Adventure! - Luke
TheOutdoorGearReview would love to see overnight and a seam and seal video for sure great job on all videos Luke get out enjoy life and camp on my friend
Loved the video! New subscriber as of a few days ago, really enjoy your videos and want to get into the outdoor camping scene up in the northern part of Michigan, not the Upper peninsula. I was wondering if you have done a review or looked at the REI Co-op Passage 2 Tent. Here is the link if your interested: www.rei.com/product/110837/rei-co-op-passage-2-tent
I was deployed to Djibouti and encountered the French frequently. One time I saw a French soldier set one of these up in the desert. Now I don't know about other countries in Africa, but Djiboutian dirt can get really hard packed (the roads almost shook our Humvee to pieces) so those stakes work perfectly out in the desert there. Its good to see someone in the US using one of these. It brings back some memories.
Hey Luke, at 10:10 you talked about how you sold your preivious F1 to a Viewer, well IM the viewer you sold that tent to and i use it ALOT, LOVE that tent. As for rain, i got caught out in it last summer during a pretty good thunderstorm were we recieved 3 or more inches of rain over night. Now id had warning that the storm was comming so was able to really stake it out tight and make sure the pitch was about as perfect as i could make it. I had very very little water make it inside and that was becouse id actually pulled it TO tight and a cpl corner seams spread a small bit, i was not dissapointed with the tent at all. I did however replace the stakes with the triangle light aluminum stakes walmart sells and that cut the weight alot , ive even set the tent up between 2 trees and not even used the poles cut some more weight but that was more an experiment then anything. Thank You for selling me you old one but im glad you replaced it in your own inventory. ANd i sure wish the F1 had bug screen on both ends lol.
I just got delivery of the F1 and I am testing it in storms around here. After a windy/stormy night there were puddles just inside the doors on the windward side. The doors cannot take wind-driven rain, so I have now turned the tent so that the wind will hit the side of the tent. Some F1's come with doors on just one end like the desert version. I would say that this would be a good thing as you can face the doorless end into the wind. The rest of the tent (everything not to the windward with zippers) was water tight without any treatment. A major fault of the F1 is lack of bug mesh on the doors as Luke pointed out. This would make it a Spring/Fall tent except that I will rig up some bug mesh on 1/2 of each door (on each end). Whatever is said, these tents are high quality, new, and have the usual weird French things about them, so they are a terrific value. (Must admit that I have not been in the tent at night--saving that for later or for Luke's next video on these.)
I must have the F2 then because it only leaks when rain is blown toward the separation at the bottom of the door where the 3 zippers come together. You could drive Luke's truck through that hole. The solution is my footprint, a cheap tarp that I always cut longer in front of the door to have a dry place for my knees to stay clean while I crawl into this type of tent. So the footprint is sticking out and it has grommets in it so I just bungee it up with the bungees clipped to the top of the tent pole over the door, and that effectively covers the Moose hole. I don't even want to tell you what a crummy bug screen I have over the door-- just a bunch of mesh with office clips to kind of keep it in place. Vieve la France!
For hot you need the desert version which comes with bug mesh on the one door. Actually there are better tents for real hot-- separate total mesh tent with rainfly you add if needed.
I have the desert tent.Spent a week in it .It did rain but I had a trap over it.It is for one person or two friendly people.The problem I found was condensation.I left the side vents open and the front door open a little.That seemed to solved the problem.Room for your gear and a low cot.
This is so crazy I was just at my local army surplus store and saw one just like it then you just posted this video. Keep on doing what your doing love your channel and your reviews.
Hey Luke, I had all three tents, the F1, French Army Troop tent (just like the Desert one only made out of the same material as the F1 with only one door, and the Desert Troop Tent. I sold the Desert one as I prefer the green. Here are my tips for them. First, if one wants to save the weight, switch the stakes out for the aluminum shepherds hook stakes. With a total of 16 stakes holding the tent down wind will not be an issue. Second, go to Walmart and pick up their 5 x 7 foot nylon tarp for a footprint. Yes, it's blue but no one will see it under the tent, but the size is perfect for a footprint and they are only 10 bucks and extremely light weight and protects the floor of the tents well. I got the weight down to 4.5 pounds for each tent, not a bad for a backpacking tent for the size. If one wanted to save a little more weight the poles could be easily made out in the field with a couple of sturdy sticks. I have been in the rain with the Troop tent, green, and had no issues with leaks, none. However, certain times of year, condensation can be an issue, even with the vents open. I have not tried the F1 tent, but the Desert and the Troop tent will have condensation when it is cooler out. They are awesome tents, great reviews on them. Take care man. I forgot to mention one other thing Luke, The grommet holes on the 5 x 7 tarp align up perfect with all the stake out points on the tent body.
Just a couple of things to point out for the construction of the Desert. The hardware on the stakeout points was likely changed to reduce static transfer. Blowing sand generates a LOT of static electricity, sometimes to levels that can be dangerous, and the rubberized tie-outs would be to minimize that. The single door, would also be because of sand. Desert sand is ultra fine grit that will jam up, and blow through most zippers, so the single door is meant to be positioned AWAY from the blowing sand so you have a solid wall to reduce sand infiltration inside the tent, and into your gear. Keep up the awesome work Luke! Love your channel, and if you ever want to sell that Desert, let me know ;) And YES, I want to see the waterproof testing on both of these.
Sean Prosser you are absolutely right in your observations, I would add that those who have already been to African deserts know how cold nights are, and that ventilation is not a problem at night. And as a former French soldier, I must tell you that these regulatory tents, are used mainly by mechanized regiments ? personally I was in a regiment where we used practically nothing "regulatory" !! only the weight counted, and the poncho or tarp served as shelters, and the bivy cover bag of sleeping bags .... in the best case
Weird Science Sincerely, I know absolutely nothing about this tent, except that it weighs in the 3.4 kgs and that is the reason why we never used it, same thing for the regulation sleeping bag which was too much bulky and not effective in cold weather !! this tent is something for a mechanized regiment, in the trunk of a car, or for civilians !! again, a good tarp, or a big poncho of the color of the place where one is, it is what it is necessary, and in the jungle, in addition to the tarp, a commando hammock with mosquito net, invest also in a lightweight and powerful sleeping bag and a good bivy cover bag, just my opinion
I bought four of those nylon tents ⛺️ and would jump on the opportunity to buy more! And I got them for $29.98 each with free shipping too. Please soak these tents!!!
You're the BEST Luke! Thanks for keeping it pure and real for us here man. I'm sure I speak for all of US here feeling the same way, we want you to keep it simple and honest. That's really it. Keep doing what you do, I personally think you're the BEST YT channel out here reviewing gear/tech in the outdoor world of camping/hiking/backpacking etc.
i used a waterproof coating on this tent a year ago. in august i used it in a storm and it was horrible... it leaked a horrible amount, most cheap tents held even better.
I got one from Major Surplus 6 years ago. 30.00 with S&H. Crap stakes, so I upgraded. I seam sealed it and used it on a 7 day road trip. 2 rains, no problems. Plenty of room for me and my stuff, and quite comfortable for early fall in North Alabama and South Tennessee. LOL, it's marketing. If you want to sell foreign gear, slap Commando or Foreign Legion on it. It's really just standard French issue. The only gear unique to the Legion is the Kepi Blanc.
I have a tent similar to both of these, called Minipack. Longer vents, only one door but with mesh, very good zipper, for 36 bucks. Comes in Coyote, Dark olive, and Woodland Camo. Had no complaints, I can also set it up with trekking poles and configure it with a tarp if need be (for heavy storm conditions). Weighs 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) with the heavy duty tarp, 900 grams (1.98 lbs) without it.
Hey Luke for 50 bucks and free delivery I gave it a chance not that I need another tent but can’t pass up a deal like this. Thanks for your honest reviews and fantastic channel. Have a blessed week .
Yay! So I'm not the only outdoorsperson who always strives not to cut up my cordage/rope and as a result has odd/messy looking lines running around (which get the job done, quite well)!
I have the F1 in green. It is a great tent and a little more roomy than other trail type A frames. It's about 6 pounds, which to me is a little on the heavy side for a backpacking tent. You have hit on the differences correctly-- the tan desert tent has no back door, but does have the netting on the front doors. My green F1 has no netting on the front doors, which to me... is the failing of the tent. Gotta have those mesh doors. Love the color; it will fit in well here in Dixie with the foliage we have. It will fit in well in the deep forests you camp in up there in North Carolina. You won't be able to see that tent from very far away. What ya get for the money factor is great.
Yep get them real wet. I have more uses for the winter tent. I'm up in the mountains of Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, Summer and Winter. For summer bug control I also carry a military insect bar. I can tie it inside my tent. Works great. Thanks (in advance) for testing the tents out. Cheers.
A big YES to that as a future video and would then be great to see how you take it to the next level when addresses any issues that transpire! Great work Luke as ever.
Would love to see the water proofing and rain test. Also loved the drone footage. Doing great things on the channel. Keep up the good videos but remember your family comes first and your fans know that. Take care.
Nice basic review, Brother ! I would LOVE to see how they fair in a heavy rain shower or thunderstorm (careful with the lightning with those metal tent poles). Keep up the great work !!!
Yes. Please storm test it and I do mean a real series of rainy, windy thunderstorms. It's OK if you setup a backup tent you have already tested in case the leakage is too much. Then make sure you show us the leaks and the repairs/ waterproofing.
Hey Luke, if you want to take the tent to the next level, beef up the waterproofing (although from comments it's pretty good as is) but how about adding bugproofing to the F1? Either by installing the panels or using a separate mesh inside of it.
I really like these simple A-frame tents, they're usually a bit primitive and heavier compared to modern dome style tents but they're dirt cheap and you don't need to fiddle with those silly folding tent poles. I have a mil-tec made version in flecktarn that I've used for over 10 years now and it's still holding up ok.
Come visit us in the Philippines during the rainy (typhoon) season. Now THAT would be a real test of water resistance!!! On a side note, if you have to need to cook up a batch of waterproofing solution, most homes here have "dirty kitchens." That is an outside of the main home place to prep and cook. Heat and nasty odours stay outside.
Keep up the great work Luke! Thanks for sharing. ATB from snowy Wisconsin where we just got socked with the second spring snow storm in the past 5 days. Yikes! : )
I think it would be great to take them out for a trial overnight or two. Maybe two at a time and switch to see and feel the difference right away. It might be a lot of work setting up but you could do a side by side comparison. Or one at a time since your the one carrying the pack. Love to watch your videos all the time. Every time I yawn I think of you saying “Did I get ya?” Answer “YES, every time”. Looking forward to the next video. Thank you for sharing!
Good work Luke. I think if you brush against the inside of the tent while wet, you will break it’s waterproofing capability. I normally have a fly. Good cheap tents. I’d need the bug mesh for Oz conditions, and plenty of ventilation.
I had to look up these tents to see if they're available here in New Zealand. The French Army Commando Tent is, and at a very affordable price, of only $39NZD. I really need an A-Frame tent, and although the dome tents are good in themselves, I 'grew up' having an A-Frame. Plus, it's very convenient to stretch a tarp over the top for extra protection against wind and rain!
Luke it depends were you buy them from on the doors with mesh. My green f1 has the screen doors and a very heavy rain fly. But I also bought mine years ago before they were advertised everywhere. Awesome video, keep up the great work
So right about the stakes at 5:44, Luke. I live in the desert (NV) and those stakes are no match for the ground here. They bend over with the first hit. I had to go get those stakes that look like long nails. Great vid on the 2 tents. I am interested in a rain-storm test.
Luke, please do a rainy night with the desert tent especially. I have to provide ALL of my own gear with the State Guard and the desert tent is what I picked up ($25). I'd love to see what to expect and how to improve it. Thanks for all you do!
That test would be great. I never saw the desert tent and yes it would be better to have another door. Thanks for all of your hard work. All the best to you and your family.
Yes, all tent reviews should show a decent rain test. Most tents are not really waterproof, only water resistant. Waterproof should mean it can take a downpour for weeks and be dry. I think this particular tent is a good design in terms of weight, if you use trek poles for the support. Make it from dyneema, and the rest mesh, and absent the poles, it could be under a pound.
Id like to see how these hold up in a heavy downpour. Id also like to see some mods to make them more lightweight. Like using trekking poles or other ways to pitch this. Either way, youre doing a great job.
Hey Luke love the channel brother, you and your family do a great job. I have the F-1 and a friend of mine has the desert commando. They will be great for back pack hunting and just camping. Set up is easy and quick. Not sure about yours but we have condensation issues. Haven't had them.out in a storm yet so yes it would be great to see a test done on these tents to see how water proof they really are. If they need treated what would your advice be on that. Thanks again brother for a great channel. Can't wait to see more.
One point you might take into account in the desert areas the day is very hot but the night in deserts is real cold it is not a surprise to find frost on everything even in summer.
Great video Luke thanks. I am guilty of cutting my cordage, I pre-measure out 25ft lengths and carry 4 hanks of it. But I do carry a 100 ft spool of #36 bankline
Oooh, guilty too! Got one, pristine unopened 100ft hank of 550, and another bag of assorted lengths from when I needed to cut. Good thing is the assorted bag comes in so handy, the pristine bag looks safe for quite some time :-)
engineeredlifeform and thats a good thing. You cant go through life never cutting cordage. Try cheap garden string. Its not bad cheap lasts a while and you dont hesitate to cut it lol. Depending on what I'm doing I'll use cheap poly string or biodegradable twine, say tieing a shelter together. Come pack up time no need to pull that cordage back off, and nature will sort things out in a few seasons maximum.
Yes to the rain test. One of my favorite aspects of your channel is that you test equipment. I don't see how the F1 is very usable without any bug mesh on the doors. It seems the only time you could really use the tent is in the winter when there are no bugs, or when it was cold enough out that you could keep both doors fully zipped up. Otherwise you would be miserable.
Hey Luke, how's it going buddy. These are cool. I have the same tent as the O.D. one except mine is canvas. It's a great tent but really heavy. I changed out all the stakes with plastic stakes. Plus mine has a rain fly that goes over it to. I put it to the test in the rain and it did great. Did not leak at all. Stayed dry the whole time. Pretty good deal.
I have a tent I bought 41 years ago, it's design is almost EXACTLY like the desert tent shown, except it has a large screen window in the back, but no screens on the sides, I have several tents, but this remains my favorite!!! With suck an inexpensive initial investment, I wonder if it would be worth putting a screen window in the rear panel of the desert tent? I'll check it out, and get back to you if it's feasible!!⛺
I just bought the green tent. Wish it had bug mesh front and back, then soooooo great, but great the way it is too. Main fault is the tent stakes. I will replace all 17 with lighter ones. The feel of the quality is very good. The groundsheet was very good on first inspection. Thanks for the review.
Interesting, I have a cheap PU coated ripstop nylon tent that is obviously based on these. It's made to work with trekking poles and comes to just over 3 lbs after seam sealing in it's stuff sack. It has doors and mesh doors on each end with a single zip running two of the three sides and mesh down the full length under the flaps. I picked it up as a lighter option for me and my two sons (5 and 8) to go camping in. Only downside is all the guy lines. I'd call those a palace for one person, then again I don't car camp much.
Test'em. Very similar to my 1970's JC Penny's mountain tent, which was a condensation monster, even with the side vents & very thin nylon, lightly coated with polyurethane. Wish I still had it, but I'd ditch the sectioned poles for hiking sticks & trade the HD pegs, for titanium shepherds "crooks".
I love my F1 but have concerns regarding its ability to shed rain water. I've also thought about some type of lightweight rain fly. Thanks for the video!
These would be good tents for kids and young scouts. Affordable and rugged with a military flair. Way better than the economy tents at the big box stores.
After watching your review here and then back to the original review on the F1 I thought of the extra weight issue with the heavy stakes and the poles. I was thinking maybe to replace the tent poles with trekking poles since I already have them and fashioning stakes on site out of green wood. Your thoughts?
When I bought my Desert Tent they stressed int he ad and email it was not waterproof and not for use in the rain. I just throw a hootchie over the top (tarp) as a rain fly and problem solved. The kids love it.
Ohh commented in the middle of the video. YES!!! I would like to see at least one of these tents in a rain storm and even snow storm too if possible. Thinking about buying one, so really cool if possible. :o)
I had seen this tent over on keepshooting, was wondering if it was any good, Looks pretty decent. I dont mind the lack of a back door.. The price is great. Would love to see them tested out in the storms
Luke, loving all the reviews. it would be great if you would do a rain/storm test on either tent. I would prefer to see the green F1 though. I would like to hear your opinions about them after a fairly hot summer weekend as well. If you have the time to do a head to head scenario, that sure wouldn’t hurt my feelings either.
A few years ago I was looking for one of these tents and couldn't find one in the United States. I ordered one from Britain. And it's much different. It's canvas and has a rainfly.
Coincidence. Just bought the desert version myself a few days ago. I got it basically for "casual" camping, where i prefer not to bring along an expensive hiking tent. I also prefer the front door only with the mesh. Atleast i can keep it open without bugs entering. Two doors open... yeah... If i wanted that kind of ventilation i would rather use a tarp. Hopefully this will be able to handle bad weather. So yes, go for the overnighter!
A simple trick to help you with the heat inside the desert tent. Use two emergency reflective blanket's lay them across the top of your tent and they will reflect the suns rays away from your tent !!!
About the rain test: I have the green one and used it during a three day trip and every night there was a lot of rain with a thunderstorm. The walls of the tent were quite wet, but still ok. But the roof ridge was a weak point: The rain startet dropping inside the tent - not much, but I had to put a rain coat over my sleeping bag. After checking the outside of the tent the next day I realised that there is some kind of cotton band along the roof ridge that was soaking wet. I put duckt tape on it and had no problems the next night. I'm still wondering what kind of impregantion agent I should use and if I have to use two different ones for the nylon part and for the cotton part as I do not have any experiences with impregnation. So I'm looking forward to your test and tips for impregnation! Keep up the good work, I like your channel very much!
Those who speak a bit of French can easily find out that this nylon tent is called F2. The first generation tent was called F1. That was made of canvas. Anyway a good video!
Thanks for the compliments! Unfortunately I've never seen a separate rain fly for this nylon version. I don't know if they ever produced one. Nylon itself is pretty rainproof.
Hi Ozzie friend, you might be in a better position than Luke to answer my question. Namely I have the Austrian Alpine Jaeger version (every oz counts) of the German tent and they are both v much like the F1/F2. F2, though, is still 2.6 kg - too heavy! - whereas the Austrian one is 2 kg - can't figure out, based on the video, where the difference comes from - any insights?
One of the biggest problems with the F1 tent has been solved with the Desert version...but it's not perfect either.
What are your thoughts on these tents?
Friday : Beach Overnight Adventure!
- Luke
TheOutdoorGearReview would love to see overnight and a seam and seal video for sure great job on all videos Luke get out enjoy life and camp on my friend
the rain test will be awesome to see!!!
Loved the video! New subscriber as of a few days ago, really enjoy your videos and want to get into the outdoor camping scene up in the northern part of Michigan, not the Upper peninsula. I was wondering if you have done a review or looked at the REI Co-op Passage 2 Tent. Here is the link if your interested: www.rei.com/product/110837/rei-co-op-passage-2-tent
sounds cool with the waterproofing and "testing"
Would be great to see a beach overnighter with the desert tent
I was deployed to Djibouti and encountered the French frequently. One time I saw a French soldier set one of these up in the desert. Now I don't know about other countries in Africa, but Djiboutian dirt can get really hard packed (the roads almost shook our Humvee to pieces) so those stakes work perfectly out in the desert there. Its good to see someone in the US using one of these. It brings back some memories.
Hey Luke, at 10:10 you talked about how you sold your preivious F1 to a Viewer, well IM the viewer you sold that tent to and i use it ALOT, LOVE that tent. As for rain, i got caught out in it last summer during a pretty good thunderstorm were we recieved 3 or more inches of rain over night. Now id had warning that the storm was comming so was able to really stake it out tight and make sure the pitch was about as perfect as i could make it. I had very very little water make it inside and that was becouse id actually pulled it TO tight and a cpl corner seams spread a small bit, i was not dissapointed with the tent at all. I did however replace the stakes with the triangle light aluminum stakes walmart sells and that cut the weight alot , ive even set the tent up between 2 trees and not even used the poles cut some more weight but that was more an experiment then anything. Thank You for selling me you old one but im glad you replaced it in your own inventory. ANd i sure wish the F1 had bug screen on both ends lol.
joseph brown a lot, it's 2 words not alot.. now call me a jerk, lol
+Matt Blackwood you are a jerk🤗😄😗
Would it bother you to measure how much the tent, sack, factory stakes weigh? I've only found that everything is about 3kg together.
I just got delivery of the F1 and I am testing it in storms around here. After a windy/stormy night there were puddles just inside the doors on the windward side. The doors cannot take wind-driven rain, so I have now turned the tent so that the wind will hit the side of the tent. Some F1's come with doors on just one end like the desert version. I would say that this would be a good thing as you can face the doorless end into the wind. The rest of the tent (everything not to the windward with zippers) was water tight without any treatment. A major fault of the F1 is lack of bug mesh on the doors as Luke pointed out. This would make it a Spring/Fall tent except that I will rig up some bug mesh on 1/2 of each door (on each end). Whatever is said, these tents are high quality, new, and have the usual weird French things about them, so they are a terrific value. (Must admit that I have not been in the tent at night--saving that for later or for Luke's next video on these.)
I must have the F2 then because it only leaks when rain is blown toward the separation at the bottom of the door where the 3 zippers come together. You could drive Luke's truck through that hole. The solution is my footprint, a cheap tarp that I always cut longer in front of the door to have a dry place for my knees to stay clean while I crawl into this type of tent. So the footprint is sticking out and it has grommets in it so I just bungee it up with the bungees clipped to the top of the tent pole over the door, and that effectively covers the Moose hole. I don't even want to tell you what a crummy bug screen I have over the door-- just a bunch of mesh with office clips to kind of keep it in place. Vieve la France!
For hot you need the desert version which comes with bug mesh on the one door. Actually there are better tents for real hot-- separate total mesh tent with rainfly you add if needed.
I have the desert tent.Spent a week in it .It did rain but I had a trap over it.It is for one person or two friendly people.The problem I found was condensation.I left the side vents open and the front door open a little.That seemed to solved the problem.Room for your gear and a low cot.
This is so crazy I was just at my local army surplus store and saw one just like it then you just posted this video. Keep on doing what your doing love your channel and your reviews.
Thanks Jason, take care! - Luke
Hey Luke, I had all three tents, the F1, French Army Troop tent (just like the Desert one only made out of the same material as the F1 with only one door, and the Desert Troop Tent. I sold the Desert one as I prefer the green. Here are my tips for them. First, if one wants to save the weight, switch the stakes out for the aluminum shepherds hook stakes. With a total of 16 stakes holding the tent down wind will not be an issue. Second, go to Walmart and pick up their 5 x 7 foot nylon tarp for a footprint. Yes, it's blue but no one will see it under the tent, but the size is perfect for a footprint and they are only 10 bucks and extremely light weight and protects the floor of the tents well. I got the weight down to 4.5 pounds for each tent, not a bad for a backpacking tent for the size. If one wanted to save a little more weight the poles could be easily made out in the field with a couple of sturdy sticks. I have been in the rain with the Troop tent, green, and had no issues with leaks, none. However, certain times of year, condensation can be an issue, even with the vents open. I have not tried the F1 tent, but the Desert and the Troop tent will have condensation when it is cooler out. They are awesome tents, great reviews on them. Take care man. I forgot to mention one other thing Luke, The grommet holes on the 5 x 7 tarp align up perfect with all the stake out points on the tent body.
Just a couple of things to point out for the construction of the Desert. The hardware on the stakeout points was likely changed to reduce static transfer. Blowing sand generates a LOT of static electricity, sometimes to levels that can be dangerous, and the rubberized tie-outs would be to minimize that.
The single door, would also be because of sand. Desert sand is ultra fine grit that will jam up, and blow through most zippers, so the single door is meant to be positioned AWAY from the blowing sand so you have a solid wall to reduce sand infiltration inside the tent, and into your gear.
Keep up the awesome work Luke!
Love your channel, and if you ever want to sell that Desert, let me know ;)
And YES, I want to see the waterproof testing on both of these.
Sean Prosser you are absolutely right in your observations, I would
add that those who have already been to African deserts know
how cold nights are, and that ventilation is not a problem
at night. And as a former French soldier, I must tell you
that these regulatory tents, are used mainly by mechanized
regiments ? personally I was in a regiment where we used
practically nothing "regulatory" !! only the weight counted,
and the poncho or tarp served as shelters, and the bivy cover
bag of sleeping bags .... in the best case
Weird Science Sincerely, I know absolutely nothing about this tent, except that it weighs in the 3.4 kgs and that is the reason why we never used it, same thing for the regulation sleeping bag which was too much bulky and not effective in cold weather !! this tent is something for a mechanized regiment, in the trunk of a car, or for civilians !! again, a good tarp, or a big poncho of the color of the place where one is, it is what it is necessary, and in the jungle, in addition to the tarp, a commando hammock with mosquito net, invest also in a lightweight and powerful sleeping bag and a good bivy cover bag, just my opinion
I bought four of those nylon tents ⛺️ and would jump on the opportunity to buy more! And I got them for $29.98 each with free shipping too.
Please soak these tents!!!
Admiral Preparedness where did you get them?
You're the BEST Luke! Thanks for keeping it pure and real for us here man. I'm sure I speak for all of US here feeling the same way, we want you to keep it simple and honest. That's really it. Keep doing what you do, I personally think you're the BEST YT channel out here reviewing gear/tech in the outdoor world of camping/hiking/backpacking etc.
I want to see how these do in a storm and what it takes to waterproof them.
I don't think you need to worry to much about rain in a dessert ......Insects and snakes are present in a dessert...
i used a waterproof coating on this tent a year ago. in august i used it in a storm and it was horrible... it leaked a horrible amount, most cheap tents held even better.
I got one from Major Surplus 6 years ago. 30.00 with S&H. Crap stakes, so I upgraded. I seam sealed it and used it on a 7 day road trip. 2 rains, no problems. Plenty of room for me and my stuff, and quite comfortable for early fall in North Alabama and South Tennessee. LOL, it's marketing. If you want to sell foreign gear, slap Commando or Foreign Legion on it. It's really just standard French issue. The only gear unique to the Legion is the Kepi Blanc.
I have a tent similar to both of these, called Minipack. Longer vents, only one door but with mesh, very good zipper, for 36 bucks. Comes in Coyote, Dark olive, and Woodland Camo. Had no complaints, I can also set it up with trekking poles and configure it with a tarp if need be (for heavy storm conditions). Weighs 1.6 kg (3.5 lbs) with the heavy duty tarp, 900 grams (1.98 lbs) without it.
I have been doing that for decades. Nothing new. It is nice to see others using the technique.
Yes, we need to see a proper storm test.
Hey Luke for 50 bucks and free delivery I gave it a chance not that I need another tent but can’t pass up a deal like this. Thanks for your honest reviews and fantastic channel. Have a blessed week .
I use this tent when I live in the woods for 5 years great tent it ave me
Would love to see the water proofing process.. Thanks
Consider it done Eric. - Luke
I agree. I think a how to would be an awesome video
definitly curious to see that too
Hi have u made a vid yet please sir.
Yay! So I'm not the only outdoorsperson who always strives not to cut up my cordage/rope and as a result has odd/messy looking lines running around (which get the job done, quite well)!
I have the F1 in green. It is a great tent and a little more roomy than other trail type A frames. It's about 6 pounds, which to me is a little on the heavy side for a backpacking tent. You have hit on the differences correctly-- the tan desert tent has no back door, but does have the netting on the front doors. My green F1 has no netting on the front doors, which to me... is the failing of the tent. Gotta have those mesh doors. Love the color; it will fit in well here in Dixie with the foliage we have. It will fit in well in the deep forests you camp in up there in North Carolina. You won't be able to see that tent from very far away. What ya get for the money factor is great.
Yes let's see how waterproof these two tents are and if they are not how to waterproof them professional semi-professional
Testing those tents in a rain storm would be awesome.
Yep get them real wet. I have more uses for the winter tent. I'm up in the mountains of Nevada, Oregon, Utah, Idaho, Montana and Alaska, Summer and Winter. For summer bug control I also carry a military insect bar. I can tie it inside my tent. Works great. Thanks (in advance) for testing the tents out. Cheers.
Yes I'm interested to see you in a rain storm with these tents
Yes Luke put them to the storm test! Swap out the stakes on the F1 for aluminum and compare the weight to the Commando.
A big YES to that as a future video and would then be great to see how you take it to the next level when addresses any issues that transpire! Great work Luke as ever.
Would love to see the water proofing and rain test. Also loved the drone footage. Doing great things on the channel. Keep up the good videos but remember your family comes first and your fans know that. Take care.
Yes, I would like to see both the testing and the waterproofing process. Thanks for the video!
I have been eying these for a bit now so yes I want to see how water proof it is/can be. Keep up the good work my friend.
P.S.
Ayuh...the channel here is getting classier, more professional all the time.
Great work!
The desert commando reminds me of my old 2man pup tent in so many ways.
Pretty hard to beat it, as long as its waterproof!!
Nice basic review, Brother !
I would LOVE to see how they fair in a heavy rain shower or thunderstorm (careful with the lightning with those metal tent poles).
Keep up the great work !!!
Thought the French would be back door friendly
Shut up LOL
C’est une force d’étrangers - pas de français - mais si vous vous rencontrez, demandez à nouveau en personne
I would like to see you say that to a guy of the foreign legion in his face.... just for the fun of the rest of us !
You really had to go there, how crass!
A man ahead of his time
Yes. Please storm test it and I do mean a real series of rainy, windy thunderstorms. It's OK if you setup a backup tent you have already tested in case the leakage is too much. Then make sure you show us the leaks and the repairs/ waterproofing.
Oh yeah, “verses” sounds good. I like the tan one. Like you said, if placed right you should have good ventilation even with the back wall.
Hey Luke, if you want to take the tent to the next level, beef up the waterproofing (although from comments it's pretty good as is) but how about adding bugproofing to the F1? Either by installing the panels or using a separate mesh inside of it.
I really like these simple A-frame tents, they're usually a bit primitive and heavier compared to modern dome style tents but they're dirt cheap and you don't need to fiddle with those silly folding tent poles. I have a mil-tec made version in flecktarn that I've used for over 10 years now and it's still holding up ok.
Come visit us in the Philippines during the rainy (typhoon) season. Now THAT would be a real test of water resistance!!! On a side note, if you have to need to cook up a batch of waterproofing solution, most homes here have "dirty kitchens." That is an outside of the main home place to prep and cook. Heat and nasty odours stay outside.
Keep up the great work Luke! Thanks for sharing. ATB from snowy Wisconsin where we just got socked with the second spring snow storm in the past 5 days. Yikes! : )
Hey Luke bring this tent down here to Florida and test it in a "real rain storm". Oh and be sure to wear your swim gear if you try this test.
I think it would be great to take them out for a trial overnight or two. Maybe two at a time and switch to see and feel the difference right away. It might be a lot of work setting up but you could do a side by side comparison. Or one at a time since your the one carrying the pack. Love to watch your videos all the time. Every time I yawn I think of you saying “Did I get ya?” Answer “YES, every time”. Looking forward to the next video. Thank you for sharing!
Good work Luke. I think if you brush against the inside of the tent while wet, you will break it’s waterproofing capability. I normally have a fly. Good cheap tents. I’d need the bug mesh for Oz conditions, and plenty of ventilation.
I had to look up these tents to see if they're available here in New Zealand. The French Army Commando Tent is, and at a very affordable price, of only $39NZD. I really need an A-Frame tent, and although the dome tents are good in themselves, I 'grew up' having an A-Frame. Plus, it's very convenient to stretch a tarp over the top for extra protection against wind and rain!
I would love to see how these tents hold up in heavy rainfall and also would be interested in seeing a waterproofing upgrade. Thanks
Luke it depends were you buy them from on the doors with mesh. My green f1 has the screen doors and a very heavy rain fly. But I also bought mine years ago before they were advertised everywhere. Awesome video, keep up the great work
So right about the stakes at 5:44, Luke. I live in the desert (NV) and those stakes are no match for the ground here. They bend over with the first hit. I had to go get those stakes that look like long nails. Great vid on the 2 tents. I am interested in a rain-storm test.
Luke, please do a rainy night with the desert tent especially. I have to provide ALL of my own gear with the State Guard and the desert tent is what I picked up ($25). I'd love to see what to expect and how to improve it. Thanks for all you do!
That test would be great. I never saw the desert tent and yes it would be better to have another door. Thanks for all of your hard work. All the best to you and your family.
Opal! I hope that you and yours are well too! - Luke
Yes, all tent reviews should show a decent rain test. Most tents are not really waterproof, only water resistant. Waterproof should mean it can take a downpour for weeks and be dry. I think this particular tent is a good design in terms of weight, if you use trek poles for the support. Make it from dyneema, and the rest mesh, and absent the poles, it could be under a pound.
Yes. Check the seams and water proofing . plus a rain fly.
Id like to see how these hold up in a heavy downpour. Id also like to see some mods to make them more lightweight. Like using trekking poles or other ways to pitch this. Either way, youre doing a great job.
def loose the tent pegs and replace for lighter weight ones 👍
Hey Luke love the channel brother, you and your family do a great job. I have the F-1 and a friend of mine has the desert commando. They will be great for back pack hunting and just camping. Set up is easy and quick. Not sure about yours but we have condensation issues. Haven't had them.out in a storm yet so yes it would be great to see a test done on these tents to see how water proof they really are. If they need treated what would your advice be on that. Thanks again brother for a great channel. Can't wait to see more.
One point you might take into account in the desert areas the day is very hot but the night in deserts is real cold it is not a surprise to find frost on everything even in summer.
Great video Luke thanks. I am guilty of cutting my cordage, I pre-measure out 25ft lengths and carry 4 hanks of it. But I do carry a 100 ft spool of #36 bankline
Eric Rosbottom
I am as guilty as you are with the same stuff I to carry 4 -6 Hanks and some Bank line and some Zing it
Oooh, guilty too! Got one, pristine unopened 100ft hank of 550, and another bag of assorted lengths from when I needed to cut. Good thing is the assorted bag comes in so handy, the pristine bag looks safe for quite some time :-)
engineeredlifeform and thats a good thing. You cant go through life never cutting cordage. Try cheap garden string. Its not bad cheap lasts a while and you dont hesitate to cut it lol. Depending on what I'm doing I'll use cheap poly string or biodegradable twine, say tieing a shelter together. Come pack up time no need to pull that cordage back off, and nature will sort things out in a few seasons maximum.
Yes to the rain test. One of my favorite aspects of your channel is that you test equipment. I don't see how the F1 is very usable without any bug mesh on the doors. It seems the only time you could really use the tent is in the winter when there are no bugs, or when it was cold enough out that you could keep both doors fully zipped up. Otherwise you would be miserable.
Hello Luke, yes try them out in a summer rain store, sounds like a couple of tents I would like to have. God bless always and forever.
I think my first pup tent (not first tent) was a K-Mart $35.00 thing. It worked. I would have LOVED to have had one of these instead.
I use to have the older canvas version of this tent, I got rid of it in the end as it was to dark inside. I do like the Desert coloured new version :)
Hey Luke, how's it going buddy. These are cool. I have the same tent as the O.D. one except mine is canvas. It's a great tent but really heavy. I changed out all the stakes with plastic stakes. Plus mine has a rain fly that goes over it to. I put it to the test in the rain and it did great. Did not leak at all. Stayed dry the whole time. Pretty good deal.
I have a tent I bought 41 years ago, it's design is almost EXACTLY like the desert tent shown, except it has a large screen window in the back, but no screens on the sides, I have several tents, but this remains my favorite!!! With suck an inexpensive initial investment, I wonder if it would be worth putting a screen window in the rear panel of the desert tent? I'll check it out, and get back to you if it's feasible!!⛺
I just bought the green tent. Wish it had bug mesh front and back, then soooooo great, but great the way it is too. Main fault is the tent stakes. I will replace all 17 with lighter ones. The feel of the quality is very good. The groundsheet was very good on first inspection. Thanks for the review.
Interesting, I have a cheap PU coated ripstop nylon tent that is obviously based on these. It's made to work with trekking poles and comes to just over 3 lbs after seam sealing in it's stuff sack. It has doors and mesh doors on each end with a single zip running two of the three sides and mesh down the full length under the flaps. I picked it up as a lighter option for me and my two sons (5 and 8) to go camping in. Only downside is all the guy lines.
I'd call those a palace for one person, then again I don't car camp much.
Absolutely! Let's see how they do in a heavy thunderstorm!
I love the F1.
You should bring it out to Oregon in the fall. Let's see how water proof it is.
I want this one...bug mesh door is a must. I just can't see abandoning my ICS though.
Great review! Strangely enough those look almost exactly like the pup tent I had as a kid 30 years ago
This tent reminds me of the Northface Sierra tent an A frame expedition tent which I owned in the 70s.
Can't wait to see another military surplus adventure! Also maybe another kayaking adventure? Cheers!
Test'em. Very similar to my 1970's JC Penny's mountain tent, which was a condensation monster, even with the side vents & very thin nylon, lightly coated with polyurethane. Wish I still had it, but I'd ditch the sectioned poles for hiking sticks & trade the HD pegs, for titanium shepherds "crooks".
I have this tent, green one, and I'll be out next week in it. And it's suppose to rain. I sent you my comments and let you know now it goes.
Yes rain test. Thanks for videos and tests/reviews.
I have this tent o.d. I ordered it in the UK last year. Mine has the rain fly. Also a canvas bag not nylon.Those stakes do bend though.
I love my F1 but have concerns regarding its ability to shed rain water. I've also thought about some type of lightweight rain fly. Thanks for the video!
I would definitely like to see the tents used and tested in a heavy rain.
These would be good tents for kids and young scouts. Affordable and rugged with a military flair. Way better than the economy tents at the big box stores.
After watching your review here and then back to the original review on the F1 I thought of the extra weight issue with the heavy stakes and the poles. I was thinking maybe to replace the tent poles with trekking poles since I already have them and fashioning stakes on site out of green wood. Your thoughts?
When I bought my Desert Tent they stressed int he ad and email it was not waterproof and not for use in the rain. I just throw a hootchie over the top (tarp) as a rain fly and problem solved. The kids love it.
Ohh commented in the middle of the video. YES!!! I would like to see at least one of these tents in a rain storm and even snow storm too if possible. Thinking about buying one, so really cool if possible. :o)
Totally would like to see a video on them in the rain.
Would definitely enjoy seeing them set up and tested out, TOGR style!
I had seen this tent over on keepshooting, was wondering if it was any good, Looks pretty decent. I dont mind the lack of a back door.. The price is great. Would love to see them tested out in the storms
Yes, please try them out in a mountain spring storm....and how and the cost foe total waterproofing...
I would like to see a military surplus overnight adventure, in a storm of coarse!
Yup, I deff want to see how these tents do in the rain.
Love mine, I have the green one, only one door with mesh on mine., they can get warm w/o much wind.
Luke, loving all the reviews. it would be great if you would do a rain/storm test on either tent. I would prefer to see the green F1 though. I would like to hear your opinions about them after a fairly hot summer weekend as well. If you have the time to do a head to head scenario, that sure wouldn’t hurt my feelings either.
Yes on both waterproof testing and military surplus overnighter!
Please do a review for both. I'd be very interested to see which one would come out on top
Luke yes by all means would like to see both tents the F 1 and the desert commando in a rain storm
Weather test, full blown! You’re the man Luke!
I like them both. Surplus adventure sounds good, its been a while ^^
A few years ago I was looking for one of these tents and couldn't find one in the United States. I ordered one from Britain. And it's much different. It's canvas and has a rainfly.
Coincidence. Just bought the desert version myself a few days ago. I got it basically for "casual" camping, where i prefer not to bring along an expensive hiking tent. I also prefer the front door only with the mesh. Atleast i can keep it open without bugs entering. Two doors open... yeah... If i wanted that kind of ventilation i would rather use a tarp. Hopefully this will be able to handle bad weather. So yes, go for the overnighter!
Also non of the zippers seem to have weather protection. So that's probably going to let some water in. Especially on the 2 door version.
Very cool vid. Pls do the rain test and mods to these tents. Thank you for all you do !
Stay clean friend. Not many unbiased outdoors RUclipsrs anymore
A simple trick to help you with the heat inside the desert tent. Use two emergency reflective blanket's lay them across the top of your tent and they will reflect the suns rays away from your tent !!!
I definitely like the a-frame style tent. And yes, do an overnight with the tent.
About the rain test: I have the green one and used it during a three day trip and every night there was a lot of rain with a thunderstorm. The walls of the tent were quite wet, but still ok. But the roof ridge was a weak point: The rain startet dropping inside the tent - not much, but I had to put a rain coat over my sleeping bag. After checking the outside of the tent the next day I realised that there is some kind of cotton band along the roof ridge that was soaking wet. I put duckt tape on it and had no problems the next night. I'm still wondering what kind of impregantion agent I should use and if I have to use two different ones for the nylon part and for the cotton part as I do not have any experiences with impregnation. So I'm looking forward to your test and tips for impregnation! Keep up the good work, I like your channel very much!
As a french man i am glad you like those products ;)
Those who speak a bit of French can easily find out that this nylon tent is called F2. The first generation tent was called F1. That was made of canvas. Anyway a good video!
Thanks for the compliments! Unfortunately I've never seen a separate rain fly for this nylon version. I don't know if they ever produced one. Nylon itself is pretty rainproof.
Hi Ozzie friend, you might be in a better position than Luke to answer my question. Namely I have the Austrian Alpine Jaeger version (every oz counts) of the German tent and they are both v much like the F1/F2. F2, though, is still 2.6 kg - too heavy! - whereas the Austrian one is 2 kg
- can't figure out, based on the video, where the difference comes from
- any insights?
Yes I would like to see how the 2 tents hold up in a storm