L.L.Bean Mountain Light XT 3-Person Tent

We actually have a prior year's model (rust and light grey), which supposedly has been improved for this year's green model. Hard to imagine how they could improve it, but apparently it is a slightly stronger fabric, and is actually $50 less expensive! The design is the same, and so our review would be useful for this, or prior year's model.

This free-standing tent is easy to assemble, goes up quickly, and also can be taken down with ease. In our family, it is usually put up by one person, without any assistance required.

We use it primarily for canoe camping, and for the past three years (at least 30 nights use) it has served us well. We use it in temperatures from 40 degrees up to summer evenings of 60-70 degrees (it is a 3-season tent). When it is all closed up, it is warm for us, and our two dogs...in warmer temps, the fly can be opened up at the doors, and there is great air flow.

The zippers on the doors are easy to use, and seemed ergonomically designed. The tent is roomy (2 of us, gear, and 2 large dogs have quite adequate room), and has multiple inside storage pouches, and hook loops for gear inside. The outside "vestibule" area under the fly is not large, but that has only been an issue on pouring rain nights, when trying to get shoes on, or the such, without getting wet.

The floor of the tent has remained dry, even in torrential rains (we do use the suggested LL Bean footprint). The lightweight fabric, in light colors, means the tent does let in some light, which was appreciated on a recent morning when we spent 6 hours storm-bound in the tent with the dogs.

The tent, poles, fly, footprint, stakes...all pack up into a nice tight package, that fits easily in a 20-liter dry bag (for packing in the canoe). After a trip, it airs out well, and has not retained any of those "special" camping odors.

We certainly would recommend this tent to others, especially with the current reduced price!