Anyone know of a 3 person single wall mountain tent?

Black Diamond Skylight (some debate potential here)

Nemo Moki

Really depends:
1) how big and intimate the 3 persons are
2) what you mean by 'mountain tent'

BD Bombshelter? Used one a lot, tight for 3 guys, bad frost buildup.
MH Evo 3? Never used one. Stories of bad condensation.

I've had 3 in a BD Tempest, but I wouldn't recommend it except for emergencies.

Brad Marshall wrote:

I have one of these...love it. Condensation hasn't been an issue for me when using it for mountaineering. I could imagine it being bad as a backpacking tent.

BCJ wrote:

Brad Marshall wrote:

I have one of these...love it. Condensation hasn't been an issue for me when using it for mountaineering. I could imagine it being bad as a backpacking tent.

What's the difference regarding condensation when it comes to mountaineering and backpacking?

lopgok wrote:Warmlite makes a single wall, 3 person tent. Not sure why anyone would want
a single wall tent though...

Weight

AsianBigfoot2 wrote:What's the difference regarding condensation when it comes to mountaineering and backpacking?

The materials used in most single-wall tents supposedly work better in cold, dry environments, like higher in the mountains, whereas for backpacking people may be using tents in hotter, more humid external conditions and these materials do not breathe so well in such conditions.

But personally I would only use double-wall tents on cold mountain expeditions. They're so much warmer and so much less frozen condensation inside. I've used several models of Bibler on various high mountains and always had frost build-up issues, no matter how much the doors are left open etc. And I don't think they're that light, given their limitations.

BD Firstlight / Lighthouse are a slightly different story, as they're just so much lighter than most other tents and generally weatherproof, that you can actually carry them on a hard route.

If you're real friendly and not big people, an MSR Dragontail might fit the bill. It's certainly not tight with two people. Ventilation is great, too.

AsianBigfoot2 wrote:

BCJ wrote:

Brad Marshall wrote:

I have one of these...love it. Condensation hasn't been an issue for me when using it for mountaineering. I could imagine it being bad as a backpacking tent.

What's the difference regarding condensation when it comes to mountaineering and backpacking?

The air knows the difference between a mountaineer and a backpacker and tends to condense easier in the backpackers tent as it has less respect for them.

lopgok wrote:A warmlite 3R is 52 square feet, and weighs 3lbs 12 oz.
Add endliners, which are a good idea if you don't have VBL sleeping bags, to minimize frost and add some warmth, about 6oz.
Add wind stablizers for over 60 mph winds at 2.5 oz.

So the tent weighs 4lbs 4.5 oz, good for well over 60mph winds, and is double walled.

Do you know of a lighter, 52 square foot tent?

On my recommendation, an acquaintance took a 2R (smaller 42 square feet and lighter) on a Denali solo trip. See http://www.terragalleria.com/mountain/info/ice/mk2.html and nice pictures at http://www.terragalleria.com/mountain/m ... i3330.html

True, it isn't freestanding. However freestanding is a joke when you are dealing with big winds. Any tent will have to be staked down. If you think the tent is too long, they make a shorter version, called the 'climber'.

So again, why get a single wall 3 person tent, when a double wall tent is 4lbs 4.5oz?

The Warmlite is a very interesting and apparently lightweight tent but isn't it just a single wall tent (3CX) that you can add a liner around the main body (3CR)? Not really a double-wall tent in the sense of having a tent body and a fly. If the tent is as good as they claim I'm curious to know why I haven't heard more about or seen more of them on Denali or Aco. As for "freestanding" yes this tent is and it's the same as every other "freestanding" tent. Just means the poles can keep the tent body upright by themselves but every has to be staked down otherwise they would all just blow away.

I own a 3R.

Weight of my 3R is 4 pounds, 7 ounces.

If I added the additional center pole, that would bring the weight up to about 5 pounds, I would guess. If you are going to use the tent in winter, you'd want the center pole, as it sags a lot under any sort of snowfall.

I've used my 3R in the winter, and don't really like it. In addition to sagging under snow load, the problem is the mesh at the front and rear of the tent. It's there to keep airflow going, and isn't a problem in summer.

However, I've found that in the winter, wind tends to blow a lot of snow through the mesh, and snow fills the tent. I've used the tent twice now in winter, and both times, I've had issues with lots of snow blowing into the tent and getting all over everything. There is no way to close off these mesh vents.

The 3R is my favorite big tent for 3 seasons, but I'm looking for something else for mountaineering.

There are a lot of Black Diamond Guiding Lights on close out right now. I may go with one of those.

BIBLER FITZROY: It's what I took to Denali (for 2 not 3)

lopgok wrote:So again, why get a single wall 3 person tent, when a double wall tent is 4lbs 4.5oz?

Cause all three people can use lighter sleeping bags, cause doubles are warmer, particularly with three people in it and for the guy laying on the windward side in a cramped tent like the EV3.
FWIW - I use a Hilleberg Kaitum and I am very happy with it (except the foot print caused by the design, but that comes with other advantages).

lopgok wrote:

Brad Marshall wrote:The Warmlite is a very interesting and apparently lightweight tent but isn't it just a single wall tent (3CX) that you can add a liner around the main body (3CR)? Not really a double-wall tent in the sense of having a tent body and a fly. If the tent is as good as they claim I'm curious to know why I haven't heard more about or seen more of them on Denali or Aco. As for "freestanding" yes this tent is and it's the same as every other "freestanding" tent. Just means the poles can keep the tent body upright by themselves but every has to be staked down otherwise they would all just blow away.

I have a 2R and a 3R. I included links to a solo climber who used it when he climbed Denali. Even included a link of photos of the tent on the mountain.

Mine are about 18 years old. I can close the mesh vents to keep snow from blowing in. On the bottom, there are velcro closures. On the top, there is a string that can close the top vent. I have found that any tent gets looser when it gets wet or snow on it. Fortunately, these tents can be tightened from inside, by quite a bit. They are basically tensioned structures, and are stronger when really tightened down. My old TNF VE-24 only has 2 grommets for the fly, depending on how tight you want it. Last time I was in it when it rained, I had to go outside, and swap 8 pole ends in the grommets to tighten it down. At least the warmlite tents can be tightened down from inside.

I don't know why you haven't heard of them. I heard of them around 1975...

Actually, I have heard of these tents. What I stated was that I was curious to know why I hadn't heard more about these tents if they are so good? Their website basically claims theye are the lightest and strongest tents on the market so I find it odd that there isn't a lot of talk about them here on SP (or other sites) and why I haven't see a ton of them on the mountains I referred to. Just curious that's all. Did we all miss out on something? Is the cost too prohibitive?

Also, I didn't catch your answer to my question about this tent being a single wall tent.

From the Stephenson site description of their 3 person tent:

$625 3CR Tent – R=Reflective liner for reduced condensation (Highly recommended)

$580 3CX Tent – X=Without the reflective liner, ie single wall tent.