Hello

I'm looking for a lightweight double wall tent for 1+ (ie normally one but some extra room for gear, two at a squeeze). Conditions range from hot & dry through to cold & probably wet but unlikely to see any significant snow. Bugs could be a big problem on some trips. I'd like the extra size as the tent will see dual purpose usage at camp as well as 1-2 night hike-in trips. I've considered tarps, single wall and bivys and have excluded them from further consideration for various reasons.

The tent that I am contemplating is the Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight, it seems a good combination of size, reasonable weight, reasonable cost, flexible (fly + floor pitch option) and the reviews I've managed to find have been generally positive.

http://www.sierradesigns.com/tents.display.php?id=14

Does anyone have experience with this tent and any comments? Are there any alternative tents that meet my above requirements that you would recommend?

Thanks in advance

Ian

Also posted on 24hCampfire

Mountain Hardware



http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Produc...68&memberId=12500226

But I prefer a tent with more headroom. It sucks to get out of the bag and get wet with condensation from the tent ceiling. Like this:

http://www.campmor.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/Produc...02&memberId=12500226

I have an older 3-pole version of this tent that is rated as a 4 season. I have been very happy with the tent. As you suggested, I use it as a 1 person with gear, or a two person if necessary. It has been a great tent, and when you factor in the price, it is even better.

Thanks for the comments. 500 grains - I had a good look at the Hubba Hubba but it is noticeably heavier than the Clip Flashlight. The Mountain Hardware tent your referred to is single wall so that is out of the equation for me.

How good is the floor in the Clip Flashlight? Is the footprint worth getting?

Ian

The floor in mine has held up just fine, but I would get a footprint. What I use is a piece of plastic that is unquestionably waterproof. Reason being that, perhaps due to the age of my tent, after spending 12 hours in a steady rain two hunting seasons ago, water started coming up through the floor where ever there was weight on the floor, like under me! I wasn't using a footprint at that time, and previous to that never had.

My clip-flashlight is 20 yrs old and still in use! Mostly used as a gear tent at the airstrip(ha ha) these days but I have used it on solo hunts and it is a dry and warm tent.

I have the clip flashlight tent. My wife and I use it as our Bivy tent on weekend high country mule deer hunts. It ties handily behind the saddle. It is a great tent. It is easy to put up-take down, has some head room when you sit up and has a rain fly that does its job. My only sugggestion is to also take a space blanket and use it underneath the tent to keep it clean and puncture free.

Great tent for the price. Take care of it & it will take care of you. Good hiking & hunting!

I just posted this in another thread...

Posted 12 October 2006 20:23

For the last 4 years or so I have been using a 2 man Sierra Design Clip Flashlite as my back packing tent. It weighs appr. 4lbs but gives me a little extra room for those less than perfect days that I experience so much here in BC.

I also always have my Cheasapeake Bay Retriever with me and have the room for her to be inside this tent with me as well. She alerts me to anything out of the ordinary at night.

I sleep very well knowing that she is there beside me. I can deal with almost any situation if or when she wakes me up. I have lost count of all the animals that she has scared off or alerted me too now.
Posts: 268 | Location: B.C. Canada | Registered: 20 November 2003

You also might want to look into the Big Agnes SL tents. I replaced my ClipFlashlight with one of these because its freestanding and lighter than the CF.

Seeing my thread has come back to the top again I will post an update. I ended up purchasing a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 as it is lighter and freestanding. I've only used it a couple of nights but so far it is up to my expectations - it seems to be good quality, is big enough for me plus some gear, weight is as advertised, is easy to erect & collapse, ....

I also purchased a Big Agnes sleeping bag and insulated air core pad and a Kifaru Siwash. Happy with them as well.

Thanks for the advice.

Ian

D*mn if this one is better than a Clip Flashlite I had better go take a look at it as well.

Just when a fellow has what he is happy with something better has to come along.

Wouldn't be a problem if a fellow had more money and a wife that wasn't pregnant.

my clip flashlight is over 20 years old and when with the scouts I used it a whole lot it has been a good tent and I just pulled it out when you wrote this and checked it is good to go still. we used the fly floor option in the summer in bear country so as not to be trapped when it was colapsed suddenly,or that was the bsa plan anyway. I dont think you can go wrong if you are going to use it as you described