Phantom

 

Page Type Gear Review
Object Title Phantom
Manufacturer MSR
Page By Viator
Page Type Aug 28, 2003 / Aug 28, 2003
Object ID 803
Hits 7935
Vote
A full-featured, expedition tent with a patented design that offers unmatched strength.

Features:

Strong Compression Tension Design™
Unique pole design works like a spring against the rainfly.Wide vaulted ceiling maximizes head & floor space.

X-Clip/Sleeve Combination
For more strength, quicker set-up & better air circulation between tent & fly.

Two Doors, Two Vestibules
For gear storage and easy access.

UVX Window
In rainfly for 180º skyline viewing.

EASY SETUP
Four identical poles for easy setup.

ZIPGATE™
World’s first field repairable zipper.

ADJUSTABLE STAKE LOOPS
Ultimate adjustability backed up against failure by second webbing loop. Large enough to accept skis.

DAC FEATHERLITE POLES
Made of super strong extruded aluminum, 26% stronger & 16% lighter than other aluminum poles.

DRYTIES™
These door ties are faster, dryer and lighter than toggle/bungy systems. Glove-friendly. Won't absorb water, like webbing.

POLYESTER RAINFLY & MICROMESH™
Won’t absorb water or sag with exposure to water like nylon. More UV resistant and 10% stronger than nylon when exposed to moisture.

DRYGUY™ SYSTEM
Won’t wick, freeze or hold water like webbing guy-outs. Reflective for finding at night. Use up to 10mm climbing rope.

PROTECTED DOORS & VESTIBULES
Rainfly doors have zipper flaps and water repellent zippers to keep water out.

GEAR LOFT, INTERIOR POCKETS & STOWAWAY DOOR POCKETS
Keep your house organized and gear accessible.

REFLECTIVE MATERIALS
Door strip, peak vent, DryGuys, guylines, & zipper pulls are reflective for finding at night.

RAPIDROLL™ TENT BAG
Generously sized & easy to use - just pile tent on tarp, roll & compress. Side loading for quick, easy packing.

Package includes 11 GroundHog Stakes, 1 pole repair tube, 8 guyline cords, 8 cord tensioners

(excerpted from www.msrcorp.com)

Reviews


Viewing: 1-1 of 1

Viator - Aug 28, 2003 11:16 pm - Voted 5/5

Untitled Review
Basically, the MSR Phantom is a cross between the Moss Superdome and Thunderdome GT (thunderdome was just a clip version of superdome), in that it uses both sleeves and clips. In fact, the clips on my tent still read "Moss." In all other respects, it is very much a Superdome with a new label on it. MSR moved production out country, but QC still seems to be very good. It's also 160 smackers cheaper than the Superdome was, but I would've been willing to pay the difference to keep the production here. All seam tapes were clean, stitching is well done and appears very strong. Everything sets up taught, and notes about layout are exactly the same as the legendary Superdome - they share exactly the same dimensions.

I've only been able to use it lightly, and I'll adjust my review with use. As it stands, the tent seems to be a stellar performer. It's certainly heavy, but it's very solid and roomy. It's listed as a 2-3 person, but I don't see how anyone who'd be using such a tent would have a problem sleeping three. Vestibule is quite roomy, though I prefer the door opening in the front rather than the side of the vestibule. I'm not a big fan of these UVX windows either, but I don't think it's anything to complain about. These are just preferences, not complaints.

The stuff sack seems a bit large, I find it doesn't compress the tent enough, but it's easily rectified. As on the other MSR tents, guy points and other areas are highlighted with reflective material, a nice touch. Guy points are adequate in number and well placed, and fully guyed the tent seems like it could handle quite a blow. Circulation is really good for a four season tent, especially in one as heavily built as this. The clips are humungous, as I said, Moss leftovers. In turn for their size, they're easy to use, even with gloved hands.

Overall the tent looks really good. Does it live up to its Moss heritage? That remains to be seen, but so far so good. Tentatively I'm assigning a 5 star, because my gripes are based solely on preference. The tent fills its niche perfectly, and I wouldn't have a problem putting it up against most of the tents I've used in the past.


Viewing: 1-1 of 1