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Reviews > Shelters > Tents > Big Agnes Seedhouse 1 > Owner Review by steven huntress

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.








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