Mountain Hardwear PCT 1

I've been in this probably twenty nights or more. My wife and I used it on a weeklong hike of the PCT. I know it's supposed to be a one man, however, the design makes it acceptable for two if you don't mind being cozy. Your feet are close, but there is plenty of space between mid-section to head because the spread at the top. I love it.

I have also used it with my son (age 10). We play chess and there is enough space between us at the top between our chest/head area to put a game...

Of course I've used it solo too. I can even sit up when I pull my therm-a-rest into a chair with the headroom at the top.

As far as rain - no problem. I was also in a 70mph wind/snowstorm and it held up fine too!!! The low profile is ideal for high winds as the fly goes to the ground and it doesn't become a "kite" like I've actualy seen on a few occasions! I've watched people run after their tents in the rain as they are getting blown away! I did have to get out and clear snow off one side during the night and of course it was guyed out pretty well as I dug to ground level and used the blocks of snow as a small 2' wind wall. There have been other times I've set it up with only five stakes and it holds up great without guying.

Anyway, I do like it a lot. It has done very well for me. The vestibules are just the right size to put boots on one side, packs on the other, and raise the door to cook. I've done this many times. It doesn't condensate too badly, and what does slides down the fly onto the ground, not inside the tent! I had two tents that condensation rolled down onto the floor and soaked the sleeping bags even though rain didn't get in!

The only cons I know of are it is not free standing and it is a bit cramped to get dressed in. Oh, I don't know how the first reviewer does it, but I think the windows are too small, it's a trick to even get into a position to see out.

I like the freestanding feature in my other "bigger" tent. It makes it easy to sweep out when I can just lift it up and turn it upside down.

Anyway, if you want rainproof, well designed, lightweight shelter and don't mind being a bit cramped - this is it.

SUMMARY:
As with all tents, this one is better for a specific task, than it is for allround situations. If you are looking for a solo tent that will function solely as a sleeping shelter at the end of a day spent hiking from sunrise to sunset, this tent is a sound choice. It is not a good choice if you like to spend more time in the tent, or with a day or two between trail sections.

PROS:
The tent is very sturdy and I have spent nights in it where the mountain winds have howled during gusts. During rain it has never sprung a leak, although as with all tents that have a tight-fitting fly, condensation will occur inside the fly but seldom drip down through the mesh. The tightfitting fly makes for warm sleeping, and sometimes I won’t even take a sleepingbag in fall. The tent is obviously lightweight. The tent is long enough to be comfortable lengthwise.

CONS:
The vestibule is too small for packs over 50 liters, unless you don’t mind it lying onto the mesh section of the tent body. The tent door is small and since it is on the side, makes for awkward and uncomfortable entering. When it is raining, the tent will get wet inside when you have to crawl on all fours hunkering down through the unsheltered door. Getting out will be difficult if you are tall. For shorter hikers, the tent should be more comfortable. Sitting up and dressing is uncomfortable and with the added loft of a sleeping pad, becomes almost impossible to draw up your knees when sitting up. That also makes getting out very difficult.

BOTTOMLINE:
I bought this tent before others like the MSR Hubba and SD Iota came out. Back in the day, this tent was the best solo tent in the game, in my opinion. In recent years, new technology and tent designs have pushed more roomy solo tents below the weight of this one, and more roomy two man tents like the MSR Hubba Hubba and SD Lightning have been pushed down into the weight range of the PCT 1. Although it is a good tent for the purpose I stated in the beginning, I would buy a different tent today, simply for more living/vestibule space, adding maybe a few ounces to the weight. The SD Iota costs about the same as the PCT 1, and is a more versatile tent…if that is what you are looking for.

Still superb after all these years. If you can find a used one, buy it.

I've now been using this tent for motorcycle touring for nearly 7 years and its still going strong. It has coped flawlessly in all weather and despite the march of time and progress made in newer fabrics etc I still cant justify replacing it.

Used examples are now hard to come by, as owners love them and keep hold of them ( I know because I keep looking on eBay for another one...…….).

Newer designs from MSR, Robens etc (let alone some of the crazy stuff from the likes of Terra Nova at higher price points), certainly date this tent but given its age it still performs admirably. 

If you can find one, if you don't mind the slightly cumbersome side entry point, if absolute featherweight isn't an issue, and if you don't need/want 'the latest thing: buy one. This remains a superb tent in every regard. 

Background

Around 20 years backpacking, adventure touring, motorcycle touring (Europe).

Only used once so far on a cold windy starlit night at Ben Alder, Scotland...easy to pitch though MH don't give you enough pegs so rocks made up the shortfall...room at the shoulders where you need it with enough storage for gear and a candle, two windows make for great stargazing and nowhere near as claustrophobic as a bivi yet just a tad heavier..mesh inner means you're colder but certainly no direct breezes felt and no condensation that night...more bad weather req to see how it performs but an excellent specced feature packed tent for the money...one suggestion would be to put a loop on the fly at the base of the zip so you can attach it to a walking pole and give yourself a roof to cooke under without getting out your sleeping bag...highly recommended so far.

This is an excellent for the backpacker. I used this tent while I hiked solo across the Sierras.

It was light weight and easy to set up in a hurry. It did not matter to me that this is not a free standing tent. When you set it up just stake tent into ground .

Tent is extremely waterproof. I hit rain, hail and snow and stayed dry.

For being a solo tent, I find this tent to be roomy. This tent has an extra zipper on right side where you can store items outside tent under fly. There is also room in tent for your backpack fully loaded.

I love the quality of this tent:

Happy Camping.

I just bought this tent when I used it 3 or 4 hours later at a Boy Scout klondike at Tony Reynolds campground in New Castle, Virginia. Didn't cost much...sleeping in it is an amazement, enough head room for my day pack and stuff like that...The vestibule is the stuff, you can put your pack on one side and boots on the other...although I've only used it once it amazes me the stuff Mountain Hardwear does with their tents.

Love it!! I'm trying to figure out the fast and light option. I had a footprint, but it did not allow a pitch-light option which will make this an awesome bivy/tent! Used mine for a week in snow and it did great.