Big Agnes Seedhouse 1 Tent Owner Review February 19,
2010
Owner Bio: Name: Steve Huntress Age: 39 Gender:
Male Height: 5 ft 9 in (1.75 m) Weight: 195 lb (88 kg) Email:
jabahutt at msn dot com City: Scituate State:
Massachusetts Country: USA
Outdoor Background: My interest
in hiking and backpacking started after I turned 30 years old. I had
always loved bicycling, weight-lifting and being outdoors. Generally
a solitary person, I've grown to really enjoy solo hiking and
backpacking. Any chance I can, I grab my pack and gear for a weekend
over-nighter. In 2008 I had my first taste of long-distance hiking
when I set out on the Appalachian Trail, completing 470 miles (757
km). This opened my eyes to a world of possibilities and new
enjoyments. I believe in lightweight backpacking and staying in the
best physical condition possible.
Product Information: Manufacturer: Big Agnes Website:
http://bigagnes.com Product:
Seedhouse 1 Year of Manufacture: 2007 MSRP: $189.95 US Listed
Weight: 3 lb 2 oz (1.42 kg) Actual Weight: 4 lb 4 oz (1.93) This
includes main tent body, tent fly, poles, guy lines, 11 stakes and
tent bag. Without the carry bag and guy lines, weight is 3 lb 14 oz
(1.76 kg). Tent with rain-fly (described below) option and separate
footprint weighs 2 lb 14 oz (1.30 kg).
Product Description:
The Seedhouse 1 is a lightweight three-season, free-standing tent for
solo backpackers. The main tent body is mostly nylon mesh
construction, offering excellent ventilation. The rain-fly is a
lightweight silicone-treated nylon rip-stop with a 1200mm waterproof
polyurethane coating which, when used in conjunction with the
separate footprint but without the main body, allows for a lighter
weight option. The tent is built with a bathtub floor design and has
one main D-shaped door. The bathtub floor reaches to a height of 8
inches (20 cm) from the ground. There are two mesh floor pockets on
the inside of the tent, one on either side, approximately 12 inches
(30 cm) from the tent door, for storing small items, as well as added
gear loft loops on the tent's interior. The Triangle Gear Loft is
sold separately.
Field Information: Location: This tent
has been used on several backpacking trips throughout New England and
the east coast. My latest trip using this tent consisted of a
five-week hike of the Appalachian Trail from Damascus, Virginia to
Harper's Ferry, West Virginia. In total, I've stayed in this tent for
35 nights.
Location Description: The terrain in which this tent has been used
varies from thick wooded forests to open fields and surrounding rocky
areas, elevations ranging from 500 ft (150 m) above sea level to over
4000 feet (1200 m). Weather Conditions: This tent has been used
in a variety of weather conditions throughout New England and the
east coast: heat, cold, humid climates, heavy rains. It has shown no
leaks and only very mild condensation build-up, due to the tent's
excellent ventilation characteristics. Trip/Performance
Condition: This tent sets up very easily with one person, taking me
about 6 minutes total. Its performance has done well over many trips
and under varying weather conditions. The hub/pole design of the
Seedhouse 1 makes for easy setup, and it is pretty difficult not to
set it up correctly. In fact, the first time I set this tent up in my
backyard, I used no instructions. Take down is also quick and easy.
Once rolled up, the tent fits comfortably in its bag. I've read where
some others pack the tent and fly in a compression sack for more
compact storage in their backpack. This is something I plan to
implement on upcoming trips.
Summary: What I like: My
favorite points of this tent are its lightweight and very easy setup.
The fast pitch rain-fly option has allowed me to shed a little more
weight on a few occasions. This option allows the user to use the
rain-fly in conjunction with the footprint, without the need for the
main tent body. The setup time using this option cuts the total setup
time in half. The headroom in this tent is good for me at 5' 9”
(1.75 m) tall. Sitting up, my head doesn't touch the tent's peak.
There's plenty of room side to side, and there's no worry about
touching the sides of the tent while sleeping and moving during the
night.
What I dislike: The only thing I can say that I
dislike, though not with the tent itself; this applies to most tent
manufacturers of today; is that the footprint is sold separately at
additional cost. I believe that with the costs of tents today, it
wouldn't hurt the manufacturers much at all to include a simple
footprint with a tent at no extra cost. The simple gear loft could
also be added as well. These are minor complaints, and again, do not
detract from the quality and performance of the product itself. Other
than that, I'm sold on the Big Agnes Seedhouse 1. It's a great
product and I trust will bring me years of service.
Read more reviews of Big Agnes gear
Read more gear reviews by steven huntress
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