Re: [pct-l] Tents

[Tom Hopkins <java2@ix.netcom.com>]

mark dixon wrote:
> 
> >I finally narrowed down my tent choice to the Eureka Gossamer.
> 
> Tom,
> 
> My hiking partner Jim and I both used the Eureka Gossamer tent on our thru
> hike last year. The aluminum poles are worth the extra $$. Someone else had
> the fiberglass pole model that failed within a month. The tent is quite
> long. I am 6'1" tall and use a long sleeping bag and have plenty of room to
> spare lengthwise. I can tell you from experience that this tent will feel a
> bit cramped at first, but after a while it will feel like a palace. I
> usually slept with the rain fly rolled up unless it was raining or I was
> certain it would rain. Last year it didn't rain once during the night in
> the whole of California, that was almost 3 months. We had a bit of rain in
> Oregon and a bunch in Washington along with some good snow storms. The
> Gossamer did quite well under all circumstances. The tent is still in great
> shape even after having put it through as much use as a tent should get in
> a lifetime. AND its less than $100 !!!
> 
> I do have a bit of a problem with the tent design as far as how the poles
> attach to the tent with that clumsy metal ring and pin. This is an old
> Eureka design that could have been changed to reduce tent weight even
> further. I wish the fly was separate. If it were you could pack it
> separately from the tent body when wet. I plan to cut the fly off the tent,
> then sew the two pieces back together having a separate fly. You might
> consider doing this yourself. The other problem with this tent is with the
> stake loops. For some reason they are twisted and it is almost impossible
> to get your tent stake through them. I ended up solving the problem by
> tying a small loop of paracord to each of the four loops and staking
> through these instead. If you do this you'll save yourself some frustration
> while trying to set up your tent in the dark.
> 
> Any other questions about this tent let me know.
> 
> Mark Dixon

Mark- Thanks for the input. Eureka solved some of these problems this
winter. I got the "new" Gossamer. It is $130 now. I paid $110 for mine.
It comes with aluminum poles now.
Yea, I got in it and it felt kind of small. But, it beats carrying my
5lb 2 person tent. What did you do for a footprint? Does Eureka make
one? I got some 4 mil plastic at a hardware store and cut it to size. It
only weighs 5 oz.
Tom in Sacramento
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