Mine was pretty uneventful this time around, except for the presents I bought myself.
I got some red and green lenses for my Petzl Tikka Plus headlamp, and really excited to run in green light on early Saturday morning. I also bought myself a stronger headlamp (Black Diamond ICON) which should help on my 4+ hour night runs since the Tikka just couldn't compete against other's lamps and was getting drowned out.
Finally, I bought myself a tent. I already own a 4person tent, but it's just way too big for one person on a quick overnight sleep. I know friends would have no problems lending me their 2 person tents for the next few months, specifically the weekends of October 4th, October 31, December 12th, and Jan 9th, when I'm either trail racing or away on a long training run outing. However, sometimes it's just nicer to have your own. As such, for xmas 2009, Santa was kind enough to bring me a tent!
My criteria was as follows:
1) A 2 person tent. (I'd tried a 1 person in Colorado, and it was just too tight, claustrophobic and no room to put anything but your body in there.)
2) Very Easy to put up. (My use for this tent is to sleep after a long trail run. So i'll be very tired, and last thing I want to do, potentially even in the dark, is struggle to put up a tent.)
3) Light weight, but not expensively light. (Some tents out there are 3lbs, but are very expensive. Since I'm not looking to go hiking with a tent on my back for a week, and instead will simply be carrying it from Car to Ground, super extra light is not necessary.)
4) Tall. (The one man i borrowed was like a taco, and was less than waist high. I want one where I can actually sit up, turn around, and walk around on all fours without touching the ceiling, and feel like there's air i can breathe)
And with all that information, I went to REI and settled on the "1/2 Dome 2HC" for $169.
I told the guy, that a friend had recommended the 1/4 Dome. REI guy agreed that the 1/4 was a great tent,(and I must admit that it looks very cool and modern) but when he heard my criteria, he quickly told me to look at the 1/2 Dome as the 1/4 is apparently a little cumbersome("kind of a pain in the ass") to put up on your own, when compared to the ridiculously easy 1/2 dome. The 1/4 is 3.4-4.1lbs, while the 1/2 is 5.1-5.9lbs, but that's irrelevant when you're not backpacking and lugging your gear. I mean, many laptops are heavier than 5lbs!
In addition, the 1/4 was $269, while the 1/2 was $169, so it was really a no brainer.
After I woke up and unwrapped my presents, I just had to try putting up the tent to test it out. I'm glad to report that for my very first time of putting down the footprint, and raising the tent, it took me 5mins and 4 seconds. (yes I timed it). This INCLUDES 3 photo breaks that easily added 30 seconds. It then took another 90 seconds to put the Rain Fly over it.
First step is to spread out the footprint, and then spread out the tent on the footprint.
Second step is to put together the poles, which are all just one big piece all folded up. (Just with a cross thingy at the top to make it a criss cross.)
Step 3 is to hang the hooks of the tent onto the poles and your DONE!
Concerned about rain? Throwing over the Fly and securing took 90 more seconds.
I guess you'd then add maybe 5 more minutes to hammer down the stakes in the ground, but overall, it really can't get much easier than this. At least not for the price I paid!
(FYI - This is the tent that is on the ground in the tent section at the REI by bookpeople in downtown Austin.)
4 comments:
Mine is still faster. 2 seconds to "throw" and maybe 20 seconds to pack up.
You seriously have way too much time on your hands.
you seriously are a wuss for saying that anonymously
oh, any by the way, look who's talking. You're the one sitting there reading a blog of someone "who has too much time on his hands".
sounds like we're two peas in a pod.
ha!
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