Gossamer Gear’s “The Two” is a single-wall, two-person ultralight trekking pole tent that weighs 23.5 oz and prices $320. It has two doorways and two vestibules, making it splendid for {couples} (or a palace for 1), with all-mesh inside sidewalls that present good airflow and three-season consolation. Inside livability is great with ample vestibule storage and beneficiant dimensions that might be appreciated by taller backpackers. However the factor I like probably the most about The Two is how small it packs up in comparison with very related tents just like the Dyneema Zpacks Duplex which value twice as a lot however solely weigh a couple of ounces much less.
Specs at a Look
- Weight: 23.5 oz / 667 g (contains guylines)
- Inside Dimensions (bathtub flooring) – Size (84″), Head Width (48″), Foot Width (42″). Top (43″)
- Exterior Dimensions: Width of Ridgeline (64″); Size (135″), Width (115″)
- Required Pole Top to Pitch: 49″ (125 cm)
- Packed dimensions: 11″ x 5″ (you don’t must roll it, it can be stuffed)
- Minimal variety of stakes required: 6; Really useful 8
- Supplies:
- Fly and Flooring: 10D Nylon Ripstop SIL/PU cloth waterproof to not less than 1800mm
- Vestibule zippers: #3, waterproof
- Tensioners: lineloc 3s on all major tie-outs
- For full particulars, go to Gossamer Gear
Tent Design
Gossamer Gear’s “The Two” is a single-wall ultralight tent with two peaks and two vestibules. Being a single-wall tent, the ground is connected to the fly by mesh, permitting the fly to overhang the perimeters of the ground to boost airflow. The mesh additionally lets the ground float independently of the partitions and ceiling making it simpler to set the tent up on uneven tent websites. The ground plan is barely wider on the head finish (48″) in comparison with the foot finish (42″), but it surely has enough inside room to carry two 25″ sleeping pads facet by facet.
The vestibule doorways have a YKK #3 zipper operating down the center with dowel and loop tiebacks so you’ll be able to roll the doorways up and out of the way in which. The tent requires a minimal of 6 stakes to pitch, 4 within the corners and a pair of for the vestibule that are staked out perpendicular to the sidewalls. Because of this, the tent could be very straightforward to arrange. As a result of it’s a single-wall tent, the inside will keep dry if it’s a must to set it up within the rain.
In a break with conference, the vestibule guylines run contained in the vestibule when it’s zipped shut, reasonably than over it, with one-half of the vestibule clipped to the bottom of the guyline with a buckle. (Sadly, there aren’t any guyline anchors on high of the peaks to additional anchor the tent in very windy climate – it’s a must to belief the vestibule guyline as a substitute.) The opposite half of the vestibule door doesn’t join on to the guyline however is held in place by the zipper connecting the 2 halves of the vestibule.
This has quite a few ramifications value contemplating: First, you’ll be able to solely clip one-half of the vestibule to the guyline with the buckle. Because you in all probability wish to have the closed door dealing with and blocking the wind, this makes the setup of the tent “directional” versus bi-directional, forcing you to “suppose” concerning the path of the pitch, doubtlessly at midnight. Sadly, the 2 ends (head and foot) will not be color-coded, though this may be a straightforward modification to make with coloured twine or tape.
When pitched, the deal with of your trekking poles suits into the peaks whereas a grommet alongside the tent flooring holds your pole ideas. The tent is designed so the trekking pole handles are angled away from the sidewalls of the interior tent and create an overhang to guard you from gentle precipitation when one or each vestibule doorways are rolled again. The result’s a spacious inside with a ceiling ridgeline (64″) that’s wider than the interior tent flooring is extensive (48″). The Two can be supposed to return with an inside clothesline that spans the 2 peaks and is beneficial for drying moist gear. Sadly, this characteristic was lacking from the tent that Gossamer Gear despatched me.
The inside of the tent is 84″ lengthy and has loads of inside room to stretch out, even for tall hikers. Extra exterior man out factors on the massive ceiling panels are good for creating much more inside area contained in the tent, though they don’t seem to be strictly vital to make use of.
The sidewalls of the tent, contained in the vestibules, are made with tremendous mesh for insect and creepy crawler safety. L-shaped zippers open into the vestibules, that are well-sized to carry gear. You’ll be able to retailer fairly a big pack in a single half of the vestibule and nonetheless get out and in of the tent fairly simply.
When packed in its stuff sack, The Two measures 11″ x 5″, which makes it very straightforward to pack in a smaller quantity backpack. It’s the tent I carry on backpacking journeys when area concerns are paramount. I really don’t use the stuff sack that it is available in, however repack it individually in a shorter and rounder stuff stack that matches higher with the remainder of my packing scheme. Compared, I personal quite a few Dyneema Tents, which whereas light-weight, a a lot bulkier to pack and much much less compressible.
Outfitting and Care
The Two is properly made and comes with pre-cut reflective guyline and linelocs on the 4 corners, strengthened panel pullouts, seam-taped seams, and immaculate stitching. The tent comes with 8 light-weight aluminum tent stakes and further cordage, and storage sacks for the tent and stakes. So long as you could have a pair of trekking poles that may prolong to 49″ (125 cm), you should utilize The Two out of the field.
That mentioned, The Two is lean and imply by design, so that you’ll wish to deal with it kindly and keep it after every use. As an illustration, the ten denier flooring could be very skinny and I’d suggest utilizing a light-weight footprint with this tent in case you camp one on the packed-earth or rock mud tent websites generally discovered on ready tent websites. Gossamer Gear sells a plastic sheeting referred to as polycryo for footprints that’s tremendous light-weight however extraordinarily robust.
Advice
The Gossamer Gear “The Two” is an progressive two-person, single-wall, trekking pole tent that’s nice for 2 folks and light-weight sufficient to be a spot for one. Whereas fairly light-weight (23.5 oz), it’s well-sized for taller hikers with a protracted bathtub flooring and loads of overhead area above your face and toes. Its two vestibules present good exterior gear storage whereas its facet mesh partitions present glorious air flow when you’ll be able to roll again the vestibule doorways for cross-ventilation. The Two can be a flexible shelter to make use of within the rain since you’ll be able to pitch it with out getting the interior tent moist for the reason that fly and flooring are totally built-in reasonably than being separate elements.
Disclosure: Gossamer Gear donated a tent for evaluation
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