From: martin@morticia.princeton.edu (Carlos Martin)
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles,rec.backcountry
Subject: Summary : Touring equipment : tents
Date: 15 Apr 92 17:56:36 GMT
Followup-To: rec.bicycles
Organization: Princeton University
Originator: news@ernie.Princeton.EDU

Here's a summary of tent information I received.  It is a combination
of replies I received by e-mail and to rec.bicycles.  The summary also
includes some relevant posts in rec.backcountry.  In retrospect, I 
should have cross-posted my request to that group.

First, my own comments.  I drove to Campmor (a large outdoor outfitting
store located in Paramus, NJ) this weekend (4/11).  They have many tents 
set up on display inside the store.  I crawled into the Sierra Designs
Clip Flashlight, one of tents I had requested comments on.  Lying down 
inside the tent, my feet reached the far end and my head was right at the
doorway (I'm 5'9", and was not in a sleeping bag).  So this tent seemed
too short, as well as being a "cozy" fit widthwise, for two people. 
(Actually, the tent ceiling was sagging slightly, indicating the tent
may not have been fully "staked out" in the store.) 

I wound up buying the Sierra Designs Clear Light.  It is a free-standing
tent (unlike the Clip Flashlight), and has plenty of room inside (5'x8').
It uses three poles and is fairly easy to set up.  The "disadvantage" to
this tent is that it has no windows - it is ventilated through the sides.
The side panels are "no-see-um" mesh, and the rainfly must be staked out
to allow air flow.  It is also a little heavier than the Clip Flashlight
(5#5oz vs. 3#13oz), but still acceptably light, and lighter than any 
comparable Eureka tent that I saw.  The clincher - they had the 
Clear Light marked down from $245 to $170 (in-store price only, the $245
price still applies to mail orders).  Also, EMS has a tent sale through 
Saturday 4/18 - they marked the Clip Flashlight down from $165 to $140.

Thanks to those whose comments I'm summarizing below.  For the 
humor-impaired, add a smiley to the comment from helebust@phoenix.

Carlos

=============================================================================

Article: 32818 of rec.backcountry
Newsgroups: rec.backcountry
From: miles@ms.uky.edu (Stephen D. Grant)
Subject: Re: clip flashlight

mich@aci_1.aci.ns.ca writes:
>I'm about to buy a sierra designs clip flashlight, I think.  Does anyone 
>have any reasons why I shouldn't?  Like it leaks or falls apart or is it
>generally a piece of junk?  Any good or bad expierances with this model 
>would be gratefully apreciated. 

I have had one for over 7 years now, and its STILL in excellent shape!
It has seen torrential downpours and has never leaked a drop.
I now also own a Sierra Designs "Stretch Dome", and my brother owns a
"Meteor-Light". All perform great! I prefer Sierra Designs!
You should be quite happy with it if it meets your type of camping needs.


=============================================================================

Article: 32831 of rec.backcountry
From: mich@aci_1.aci.ns.ca
Newsgroups: rec.backcountry
Subject: re: Clip Flashlight - ** Summary **

In regards to my request, for informaation on the clip flashlight yesterday 
I got several replies, and one request for a summary, so here it is.  
Apparantly this model has been around since forever, so some people have had 
them for a longtime and feel that the flashlight is very durable tent.  (One 
person's had a flashlight seven years and it is still going).  No complaints 
on leaks, condensation, or reliabilty in a storm.  One word of warning 
though, it's a bit cramped for two.  However as a couples tent it could be 
considered "cozy".  The Clip 3 may be the solution to the cramping problem, 
but as a bigger tent has obvious weight drawbacks.  One personal peeve with 
the design is the small vestibule, the TNF tadpole and mayfly have much 
larger vestibules.  However one of those big orange garbage bags are always 
handy to have along on any hike and make a lightweight alternative to  a 
large vestibule.  
  	The price is also much nicer than that of the 
competition.  In Canada the Flashlight is anywhere from $70 to $100(CAN) 
than any comperabe TNF tent.  Sombody said that REI has a "clipless version" 
on sale for $100(US) I'm expecting to buy the clip for $155(CAN) or the clip 
3 for $177(CAN), but this is a one time deal.

	I've decided to go with the flashlight beacause most of my time in 
the tent will be solo or with my girlfriend, and the price right now is 
right.  The tent is extremely light.

-thanx for all the input
-M. Himmelman
-Halifax, Canada 

=============================================================================

From: gt3930b@prism.gatech.edu (NICHOLS,STEVEN MALCOLM)
To: martin@icecream
Subject: Re: Touring equipment: tents
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles

In rec.bicycles you write:

>Additionally, I would appreciate any info/feedback on the
>Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight and Eureka (?) Cirrus 2 

Check out rec.backcountry; someone just posted a summary
of responses on this very question (re Clip Flashlight).

Steve.
---
Steve Nichols					gt3930b@hydra.gatech.edu

=============================================================================

From ejk0@Lehigh.EDU Thu Apr  9 08:25:48 1992
From: ejk0@Lehigh.EDU (EDWIN J. KAY)
Subject: Re: Touring equipment: tents
To: martin@icecream (Carlos Martin)

Last summer, when crossing the US, my daughter used a Eureka Rising Sun (for
privacy).  It is light (<4 lbs), strong, quick to set up, free standing, and
dry.
     Ed
----------------------
Edwin J. Kay, 117 Packard Lab, Lehigh U, Bethlehem, PA 18015
(215) 758-3623      EJK0@NS.CC.LEHIGH.EDU

=============================================================================

Article: 41605 of rec.bicycles
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles
From: jeffw2@cfsmo.honeywell.com (Jeff Walberg)
Subject: Re: Touring equipment: tents

I shopped around a great deal last summer and settled on a Clip-3 
which is the three-man version of the Clip Flashlight.  My main
considerations were that it be light enough and small enough to
tour with, but also be roomy enough to sleep two COMFORTABLY.  I
think the key is to actually try out the tents on the display floor
prior to purchase.

I found that many of the two-man tents (the Clip Flashlight and all of
the North Face models in particular) were so confining as to be
undesirable.  The Clip-3 is wider and taller than the Flashlight, yet
still weighs in under 5 lbs (4 lbs, 14 oz I believe) and packs
surprisingly compactly.  It also has "no seeum" mesh panels in the roof,
entry, and foot which are great for ventilation.  I really have nothing
but good things to say about it and am very happy with my purchase. 

If small size and light weight are a bigger consideration for you,
the Flashlight is a great choice.  North Face makes some incredibly
small tents, but I think they are a little heavier than the Sierra
Designs models.  I don't have any experience with Eureka, but I was
told by REI and other quality stores that they are somewhat inferior
to SD, NF, etc, especially in regards to the floor leaking.

Jeff

=============================================================================

Article: 32848 of rec.backcountry
Newsgroups: rec.backcountry
From: scarlett@bnr.ca (Michael Dorotich)
Subject: Re: clip flashlight

In article <mich.4@aci_1.aci.ns.ca>, mich@aci_1.aci.ns.ca writes:
|> I'm about to buy a sierra designs clip flashlight, I think.  Does anyone 
|> have any reasons why I shouldn't?  Like it leaks or falls apart or is it
|> generally a piece of junk?  Any good or bad expierances with this model 
|> would be gratefully apreciated. 
|> 
|> -thanx
|>    -M. Himmelman

Are you intending to share your tent with anyone? If so, you'll have a problem
as this tent is absolutely wee. Another thing to bear in mind is that is it not
free standing, having only two poles.  I've given up on this sort of system
after having the Devil's own time trying to get a two-pole tent to stay up on
snow or hard-packed earth (read "rock"). You might look at a North Face Tadpole.
This tent is free standing, holds two people (just barely), and weighs but 4 lbs.

=============================================================================

Article: 32858 of rec.backcountry
From: ecologycntr@igc.org (Ecology Center Fund)
Newsgroups: rec.backcountry
Subject: Re: clip flashlight

I have a Clip Flashlight and i like it a lot.  It IS small: two people much
bigger than 160 lbs each using the tent better be GOOD friends.  And there
isn't much room to sit up, unless you're real short: not a good tent for 
a five day rainstorm.

But I like mine.  It vents well, which allows you to stay pretty dry.  Unless
your tentmate inexplicably sleeps with his head at the foot end, which happened
once in my tent, condensation is not a problem.  It sheds rain nicely.  And
though it is not freestanding, this means your unstaked tent will never blow 
away in the wind. :)
chris

=============================================================================

From jeannine@skyline.wpd.sgi.com Fri Apr 10 15:04:06 1992
From: jeannine@skyline.wpd.sgi.com (Jeannine Smith)
To: martin@icecream (Carlos Martin)
Subject: Re: Touring equipment: tents

In article <1992Apr8.190950.28443@Princeton.EDU>, you write:
|> Additionally, I would appreciate any info/feedback on the
|> Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight and Eureka (?) Cirrus 2 
|> tents from anyone who has used them.  

I've used the Clip Flashlight extensively for bike touring. It's a pretty
good choice; light enough (about 4 lbs) that I can use it on solo trips,
large enough for two people (as long as they get along well), durable
and cheap.

It's disadvantages include the requirement for stakes (hard to use in on
beaches) and the fact that the fly doesn't go all the way to the ground,
but just to the top of the bathtub-like coated nylon floor. Which means
that in a hard rain, it leaks. I spent 2 weeks touring New Zealand,
and it rained an average of one inch PER DAY. Camping in the Clip Flashlight
was like camping in a not-quite-drained bathtub.

So if you tend to camp bad weather and tour mostly with some other person
who will share the tent weight with you, I'd recommend a 3-season tent.

But if you head for a motel when the rain starts, and/or do a lot of solo
touring, the Clip Flashlight is a great choice.

	- jeannine

=============================================================================

From helebust@phoenix Sat Apr 11 20:58:34 1992
From: "Andrew J. Hellebust" <helebust@phoenix>
To: martin@icecream
Subject: Re: Touring equipment: tents
Newsgroups: rec.bicycles

Get the fuck off rec.motorcycles asshole.  What's this tent shit. Get a
house.Z
Z

=============================================================================



-- 
Carlos Martin     martin@morticia.Princeton.edu         =(:-) 
                  martin@icecream.Princeton.edu         <smiley with a mohawk>
                  disclaimer: don't believe everything you are told.