Wenger Outfitter

The Wenger Outfitter was my choice after extended research based on past mountain experience, mostly in the Wasatch Front of Utah. My aim was to put together a gear outfit that would be comfortable in the mountains for extended periods, 3-6 months at a time. Using a mountain bike and bike trailer, the Outfitter became my first choice in tent, and I also got a Wenger Pack and Sleeping bag to go with it.

The tent can be set up by one person, though two make it a snap. All the construction is top quality, the poles are 11mm aluminum, and when erected, it is the sturdiest tent I have used, including the Eureka Alpenlite. It is very spacious for one person, which is how I will use it, but three would be no problem. The only reason this doesn't get 5 stars is because yes, the rear window of the inner tent has a clear opening through the fly in the back, thus taking from true four-season status. This tent will work for a good many conditions, and really is a fortress of a tent.

I would not be using it, however, if I didn't have a bike trailer for gear as well as a pack, it is every bit of 14lbs, and quite large. Also the way the tent is exposed in the back is not totally desirable, but I don't expect it to be a problem except in the worst of storms with the wind blowing just right, in which case it can, easily, be tarped.

Overall quality of this tent seems fairly good. It does have a couple of design deficiencies though. Although it is sold as a 4-season tent it doesn't have any tie downs to secure it against the wind!!! The other potential problem is that the tent doesn't have a full coverage fly in the back. There is a small awning over the back window. This is good for ventilation purposes but if the wind and rain is coming from that direction a lot of the tent body is exposed. I would really consider this more of a heavy duty 3 season tent because of these reasons.