OWNER REVIEW – BIBLER AHWAHNEE 2 TENT

Date: May 31, 2005

 

Name: Richard Lyon

Gender: Male

Age: 58

Height: 6' 4" (1.93 m)

Weight: 200 lb (91 kg)

Email address: rlyon@gibsondunn.com

Home: Dallas, Texas USA

Backpacking background:

I've been backpacking for 45 years on and off, and regularly in the Rockies since I moved to Texas in 1986.  I do a weeklong trip every summer, and often take three-day trips.  I'm usually camping in alpine terrain, at altitudes 5000 to 13,000 ft (1500 - 4000 m). I prefer base camp backpacking, a long hike in with day trips from camp, but I do my share of forced marches too. Regardless of type of trip, I'll tote a few extra pounds to have the camp conveniences I've come to expect.

Product: Bibler Ahwahnee 2 tent

Manufacturer: Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd.

Year of manufacture: 1998

Year of Purchase: 1998

URL: http://www.biblertents.com/

Weight:

Items	Listed	Weighed
Tent, six stakes, three poles, stuff sack*	6 lb 3 oz (2.8 kg)	5 lb 9 oz (2.5 kg)**
Ground cloth	11.3 oz (321 g)	8 oz (227 g)
Vestibule (see review; includes pole and two stakes)	1 lb 3 oz (540 g)	1 lb 8 oz (680 g)

            [* As indicated in the review, the 2005 model is listed as 8 oz (225 g) heavier.]

            [**I believe the reason the tent weight is lighter is that the listed weight includes seam     sealer, syringe, instruction manual, and packing.]

Dimensions

Dimension	Listed	Measured
Length (side to side)	88 in (2.25 m)	88 in (2.25 m)
Width – tent body (front to back)	53 in (1.35 m)	52 in (1.35 m)
Width - vestibule (vestibule door to tent door)	38 in (1.0 m)	36 in (0.95 m)
Height (tent body)	45 in (1.14 m)	45 in (1.14 m)

 

Floor area: 33.1 sq. ft. (3.1 m2). Vestibule area: 13 sq ft (1.2 m2)

MSRP: Tent $649; vestibule $127.50; ground cloth $35

Product description

 The Ahwahnee is a canopy-style tent. Mine has a single door that takes up most of one of the "long" sides. Campers sleep parallel to the door rather than back-to-front. The rear wall has a no-see-um window extending 18 in (40 cm) down from the top. This can be zippered up with fabric from the inside. The roof of the tent extends several inches beyond the front and rear walls as awnings over the door and window. As can be seen on Bibler's website, in 2005 Bibler redesigned the Ahwahnee with identical doors on both sides, aiding ventilation and ingress but addi weight. My yellow tent has become a classic, as the new models are available only in green.

The Ahwahnee tent body is a single wall made of ToddTex, a waterproof and breathable PTFE fabric used in all Bibler tents. It's named after Todd Bibler, founder of the line. The floor is seamless, treated heavy-duty nylon and extends an inch (2.5 cm) up the walls. Bibler, now owned by Black Diamond (BD), offers tents for the most extreme conditions (e.g., Everest), and many of its tents have specialty applications. The Ahwahnee serves mere mortals – an all-purpose, all-season, two-person backpacking tent.

The nylon ground cloth, when used (I rarely do), is fitted under and staked out with the tent body, with twine threaded through the stakeout loops. I describe and picture the vestibule under "Setup" below.

All Bibler tents come with Easton aluminum poles and stakes, a stuff sack, and a syringe and tube of seam sealer. The Ahwahnee stuff sack is large enough for tent, poles, stakes, ground cloth and my small repair kit. The vestibule comes with its own pole, two stakes and stuff sack.

 Why I bought this tent

 The Ahwahnee is my second Bibler tent. Several years earlier I had purchased a larger tent, the Bombshelter, for long trips and winter camping. My experience with that tent made me a single-wall fan and Bibler enthusiast for life. When I decided that my previous solo tent, a Moss Netting Outland, was too heavy, I looked over Bibler's line and found that the Ahwahnee weighed less than the Moss (a double wall one-person tent) and could do solo and two-person duty. I use it for both.

 Setup

Like all Bibler tents, the Ahwahnee sets up with poles on the inside, allowing pitching from inside the tent or, with a deft and practiced hand, from outside as well. First I set the short pole through the small holes in the canopy, then insert the two longer poles through the door into the grommets in each corner, poles criss-crossing at the top. The poles fit exactly, requiring some manipulation at the peak where the three poles intersect. When the poles are lined up, I set them with the "twist ties," flexible plastic fasteners attached to the canopy that are easily cinched (even with gloves on) to hold the poles in place. (There are no pole sleeves; the twist ties show the proper path.) I then stake out the tent at its corners. I can accomplish all this in two minutes or so.

There are small loops on the corners and an extra hole in the nylon strip that holds the canopy pole in place that could be used with guy lines in windy conditions; I've never found that necessary. Once set up and staked out, the tent is strong and stable despite its relatively high profile. The door when open can be rolled up and tied off easily with two attached hook and loop ties, as in the photo above, to avoid stepping or slipping on it.

The optional (extra charge) vestibule has eight C-shaped clips that hook into nylon loops located around the door. I find vestibule assembly much more difficult than setting up the tent as the clips are small and the sleeve holes smaller and difficult to find when groping under the awning. Unless I have a special need for storage I leave the vestibule at home. The vestibule is made of treated nylon, and has its own pole to give something of a tunnel effect. The vestibule door is about one-third the size of the tent door, which can compromise ventilation. With the 2005 model it is possible to use a vestibule with each door. Here is the Ahwahnee with vestibule:

Conditions

I have used my Ahwahnee in all conditions except extreme cold. As the Bombshelter remains my choice in winter (I don't take overnight solo hikes in winter conditions), for me the Ahwahnee is a three-season tent. Three-season use at 10,000 ft (3000m), however, has included camping on snow, weathering a surprise early blizzard, and temperatures down to 10 F (-13 C). I'm confident that I could use it in winter, although the vestibule would be needed. With its huge door and large window, the Ahwahnee is light and airy in high summer when other single-wall tents might be too warm.

Evaluation

Functionality. This is the roomiest two-person tent I've ever owned or used. The high ceiling and steep side angles allow two adults to sit up naturally and render every square inch inside the tent usable. For organized storage there's a small net pocket in each back corner, ideal for flashlight-sized gear. Bibler sells ($14.95) a small "attic" that is attached to the tent poles for additional storage. I have shared this tent with another six-footer and we slept comfortably with all our gear inside, not using the vestibule. (In summer I usually hike in bear country and hang my pack but I've stored it in the vestibule or tent on occasion.) Ventilation is great even in a storm unless I'm using the vestibule; then it's still satisfactory. I've found very few genuine two-person tents that weigh much less, and none with as much room inside. The full-side door makes entry and departure really easy and provides a great view, weather permitting, two more reasons why I prefer not using the vestibule.

Protection. Though seam-taped at the factory, Bibler recommends seam sealing and provides a syringe and tube of sealer with the tent. Door and window zippers are covered with flaps. ToddTex is a remarkable fabric; I have never encountered a leak or a drop of condensation inside the tent. Even when I bring wet gear or clothing inside, there's no condensation on the walls or poles.

Durability and Maintenance. Both my Bibler tents are as indestructible as fabric shelters can be. Another advantage of a single-wall tent is that it dries out in the field much more quickly than a double-wall, which tends to retain condensation between the walls. As a result I'm rarely packing a damp tent, reducing the chance for mildew. My Ahwahnee has withstood gale winds, a six-hour downpour, sleet, hail, even the occasional flying tree branch. After seven seasons it hasn't needed any patching or re-treating the fabric. Maintenance is a thorough wash with soapy water followed by a rinse and a couple of hours in the Texas sun.

Problems. The only technical problems I've encountered with the tent are with the vestibule. As noted, it's a nuisance to set up. The zipper won't detach at the bottom, resulting in a one-inch strip of material at the bottom of the door that I constantly trip over when going in or out. I reported this latter problem to BD, and the good folks there promised to see if this could be fixed. The second door in the new model should eliminate this problem unless two vestibules are used.

The Ahwahnee draws many compliments from my backpacking comrades, and one complaint: price. Even after BD moved production offshore and dropped the prices of several models, all Bibler tents are expensive. A fully loaded (vestibule, ground cloth, attic) Ahwahnee lists for over $800. That's about $100 less than list price when I bought mine. I have seen them (new and used) available for less on eBay. Some online outfitting warehouses offer them at a slight discount, especially on the now-discontinued one-door model. BD's website occasionally has cosmetic seconds and demo tents for sale on its "Specials" page.

Overall. For a premium price BD delivers unmatched design, workmanship, and materials. The Ahwahnee really is my dream tent. BD now sells a less expensive, lighter weight line of tents (also single wall, made of Epic rather than ToddTex). One of these, the Lighthouse, is based on the Ahwahnee design (but is smaller). I'd like to try it, particularly for solo use in summer. For now though I'll carry the extra couple of pounds and consider the extra dollars very well spent for a spacious, expedition-grade shelter that I expect to use for the rest of my life.