Difference btw Firstlight and Itent?

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Kai

 
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by Kai » Mon Sep 20, 2010 5:56 am

blazin wrote:So this seems to be an interesting option. For the same weight (53oz) and costing only a little more, the Rab Superlite seems to provide a little more burliness and weatherproofness than the Firstlight. Does anyone else have any experience with it?


I own the Rab Superlite and the Firstlight.

Some of my thoughts on both tents on my blog, here:

http://www.larsonweb.com/shelter/index.html

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MRoyer4

 
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by MRoyer4 » Mon Sep 20, 2010 4:03 pm

Kai wrote:
blazin wrote:So this seems to be an interesting option. For the same weight (53oz) and costing only a little more, the Rab Superlite seems to provide a little more burliness and weatherproofness than the Firstlight. Does anyone else have any experience with it?


I own the Rab Superlite and the Firstlight.

Some of my thoughts on both tents on my blog, here:

http://www.larsonweb.com/shelter/index.html


What version of the Rab tents are you using? Your description and photos don't match the most recent version of the Superlite that I've used and is shown on the Rab webpage. The photos show your tent with a mesh door and you describe two tie-in points and four interior pockets, as well as a weight far greater than the current Superlite. You also label it as the Summit Extreme, while Rab now sell the Summit Superlite (53 oz, no vestibule, smaller) and Summit Mountain (71 oz, optional vestibule, larger). Just trying to avoid confusion for the OP.

Regardless, I generally agree with your review. The tent is definitely bombproof, but it is fairly small. I think it's perfectly reasonably sized for an alpine assault. I wouldn't want to share it for three weeks in basecamp, though I did wait out an 18 hour storm in it without wanting to kill my partner. It's hard for two people to move around at the same time (e.g. changing clothes, packing/unpacking) but it works if you take turns.

The Superlite, which I used this summer, has one tie-in point at the apex, 7 guy-line attachments (+6 loops at the ground for pegs/ice axes/poles), no mesh door, and only one interior pocket. I thought there was ample length. I'm 5'9" and had at least 6" extra. The one I used was actually purchased by someone who is 6'3".

Having used both the Firstlight and the Superlite, but currently owning neither, I would buy the Superlite (or Mountain) before the Firstlight without hesitation. If you're planning to hang out in your tent, maybe you want something bigger, but I typically use a tent to crash in between climbing or as an emergency shelter from the weather. If I really need a shelter to stand up to nasty weather, I'd trust the Rab far more than the Firstlight. The factory seam sealing and general construction methods makes me think the Rab will last much longer as well.

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Kai

 
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by Kai » Mon Sep 20, 2010 11:30 pm

MRoyer4 wrote:What version of the Rab tents are you using? Your description and photos don't match the most recent version of the Superlite that I've used and is shown on the Rab webpage. The photos show your tent with a mesh door and you describe two tie-in points and four interior pockets, as well as a weight far greater than the current Superlite. You also label it as the Summit Extreme, while Rab now sell the Summit Superlite (53 oz, no vestibule, smaller) and Summit Mountain (71 oz, optional vestibule, larger). Just trying to avoid confusion for the OP.



I guess Rab has changed their design since I bought mine. Looks like the new tent is 9 ounces lighter.

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Brad Marshall

 
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by Brad Marshall » Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:23 am

A while back someone was promoting the advantages of the Stephenson Warmlite tents. Stephenson claims them to be the "the lightest most storm resistant tents you can find in the world".

Anyone have any experience with them they could share with the poster? Would these be worth considering?

http://warmlite.com/warmlite-climbers-two-person-tent

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Kai

 
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by Kai » Tue Sep 21, 2010 1:58 am

Brad Marshall wrote:A while back someone was promoting the advantages of the Stephenson Warmlite tents. Stephenson claims them to be the "the lightest most storm resistant tents you can find in the world".

Anyone have any experience with them they could share with the poster? Would these be worth considering?

http://warmlite.com/warmlite-climbers-two-person-tent


I have one of their 3 man tents. Don't have any experience with their 2 man tents.

Snow loading is not great. A 3rd pole option is needed, and even then it sags. Snow comes into the tent through the mesh vents at front and rear. It's difficult on anything other than completely flat ground to get a taut pitch. I don't use my 3R in winter any more.

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albanberg

 
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by albanberg » Tue Sep 21, 2010 6:35 am

Does anyone have experience with carbon poles for either the Itent or the Firstlight?

I think this company has them or can make them:

http://www.fibraplex.com/tentpoles.htm

I think they tend to save around .5lbs.

We have a Bibler...it's the larger 2 man tent...can't remember what it's called. Only used it once on Shasta and it seemed good but it's heavy. I would be inclined to get the light Firstlight or the Rab version and then get carbon poles for it.

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rhyang

 
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by rhyang » Tue Sep 21, 2010 8:21 pm

Never tried those carbon fiber poles with my firstlight, but I did look into it .. after reading this thread on BPL I decided not to bother.

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