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Big Agnes Seedhouse 3 Tent
Initial Report - April 29, 2004
Contents
Reviewer Information [return to top]
Name: Chuck Kime
Nickname: Fuzzy
Age: 37
Gender: Male
Height: 5' 8" (1.72 m)
Weight: 229 lb (104 kg)
Email address: ckime AT nelsononline DOT com
City, State, Country: Upper Darby (Philadelphia suburb), PA, U.S.A.
Date: April 29, 2004
Product Information [return to top]
Manufacturer: Big Agnes
Model: Seedhouse 3
Year of Manufacture: 2004
URL: http://www.bigagnes.com
Listed weight (packed): 6 lb 8 oz (2.95 kg)
Listed weight (trail): 5 lb 14 oz (2.66 kg)
Listed weight (Fast Fly option): 4 lb 8 oz (2.04 kg)
Measured weight (packed): 6 lb 11 oz (3.03 kg), scale accurate to 0.1 oz
Measured weight (trail): 6 lb 9.1 oz (2.98 kg), see chart
Measured weight (Fast Fly option): 5 lb 1.8 oz (2.32 kg), see chart
Color: Fly – Grey/Burgundy, Tent – Black, Fast Fly Floor – Black
MSRP: Tent – $239 USD, Fast Fly Floor – $40 USD
Features (from web site) [return to top]
- Super light, Yunan-9.5 mm hub/pole system.
- Plastic clips attach the tent body to the pole frame for quick and easy set-up
- Fly is made of 75D polyester rip stop with 1000mm waterproof coating–minimal stretch and prolonged UV protection
- Floor is a seamless, 70D, 190T nylon, 1500mm waterproof coating
- Tent walls, 40D nylon mesh
- Excellent cross ventilation with full mesh tent walls
- Clear plastic window in vestibule door
- Mesh floor pockets
- D shaped mesh door
- 13 tent stakes included
Arrival [return to top]
The tent arrived on April 2, 2004, in a corrugated box approximately 21 x 11 x 8 in (53 x 28 x 21 cm). Kudos to Big Agnes for re-using an energy bar box, but this particular box seemed to have taken some abuse prior to its use shipping the tent. The complete tent, with fly and poles, was contained in a grey nylon stuff sack, while the fast fly floor was in its own black sack. There was also a Big Agnes catalog in the box, the cover of which had gotten stuck at some point in the shipping process to the underside of the tape used to close the box due to a generally poor job of packaging, resulting in the cover being separated from the remainder of the catalog. I found a packing slip inserted into this catalog. There were no other items, nor packing materials of any kind in the box. I found no damage to the contents, other than the cover of the catalog. I assume that my packaging experience is not typical, but more likely the result of a marketing person getting the tents out to testers as quickly as possible.
Description [return to top]
The Big Agnes Seedhouse 3 is the largest in the Seedhouse line, which also includes the Seedhouse 2 and Seedhouse 1. The number in each designation indicates the number of intended occupants. Each of the Seedhouse tents consists of a mesh-walled tent body with floor, stakes, poles, and fly. A Fast Fly option is available that consists of a floor designed to be used with the fly and poles – without the tent body – to create a lighter package, at the expense of bug protection.
The hub/pole system mentioned in the Features section is a shock-corded arrangement with a 3-pointed hub at either end of a sectional ridge pole, one for the front two corners and one for the rear two corners. This results in 5 different poles – of three different lengths – being attached to each other in the pole bag, which made for a little bit of a tangle until I got it figured out. The hubs are not marked to differentiate front and rear, and the hubs and poles are all natural-colored aluminum, something that also adds to the confusion. The front poles are marked near their tips with a black Big Agnes logo, but this can be missed if the pole is turned the wrong way. There is an additional pole with the Seedhouse 3, a curved piece to help support the vestibule area of the fly.
The poles are attached to the tent floor by inserting the tips of the poles into grommets located on web straps at each corner of the tent. The back (foot) corners have two grommets each, while the front corners have three each, the third holes allowing for the use of the vestibule pole. I assume the two sets of grommets allow the fly to be pitched higher (closer grommets) or lower to the ground (further grommets), although I could find no mention in the instructions.
The tent body consists of a solid, bathtub-style fabric floor with mesh sides and doors, all black. It is a modified A-frame design, in that the foot end is both slightly lower and slightly narrower than the head end, resulting in a trapezoidal floor. The tent attaches to the poles by means of plastic clips. There is a single zippered door at the head end, as well as a horizontal zipper on each side where the mesh meets the tent floor that allows for small items (i.e. shoes) to be placed outside the tent, under the fly, without having to open the door. A small pocket, trimmed in yellow (easier to see – thanks BA), is located in each front corner of the interior, allowing for storage of small items. At each corner of the tent, there is a web loop for staking out the corner. This webbing loop has the grommets used for the poles, and has the female end of a side-release buckle that is used to attach the fly. Located at the midpoint of each tent side, where the mesh meets the floor, is a tie-out.
The fly is a pleasant grey, with a burgundy vestibule and foot end, designed to fit over the poles and almost to the ground all of the way around. The vestibule at the head end is simply a section of the fly that covers an area not taken up by the tent. The fly is placed over the poles and attached at the four corners by side-release buckles with adjusters. There is a single tie-out at the foot end, and one on each side. These, along with the two at the top of the vestibule door, include a yellow nylon line with a slide adjuster. The front of the vestibule has three stake loops, one at the ‘hinge’ side and two at the zipper side of the door, allowing the vestibule to remain staked out with the door open. The vestibule door is supported at the top by the single pole mentioned above, which is inserted into a sleeve on the underside where the vestibule meets the body of the fly. The door has a two-way zipper, allowing it to be either opened fully from the bottom, or partially from the top to provide ventilation. There is a small section of clear plastic at the top of the door, for visibility, and a grey storm flap covering the entire length of the zipper. All internal seams on the fly are taped, to prevent leaks.
The Fast Fly floor is a single flat piece of black nylon, trimmed in yellow and shaped like the floor of the tent – with associated corner tie-outs – enabling the user to pitch the fly without the tent, thereby saving weight at the expense of insect protection, while also providing more room under the fly. The Fast Fly floor, like the tent, has grommets at each corner, but only one at each corner. This limits the pitching of the fly to only one height, and makes it very difficult to use the fly, as additional grommets are needed for the vestibule pole.
DIMENSIONS - CLAIMED vs. ACTUAL
| DIMENSION |
CLAIMED MEASUREMENT |
ACTUAL MEASUREMENT |
| Weight, packed * |
6 lb 8 oz (2.95 kg) |
6 lb 11 oz (3.03 kg) |
| Weight, trail ** |
5 lb 14 oz (2.66 kg) |
6 lb 9.1 oz (2.98 kg) |
| Weight, Fast Fly *** |
4 lb 8 oz (2.04 kg) |
5 lb 1.8 oz (2.32 kg)
5 lb 5.1 oz (2.41 kg) **** |
| Weight, tent |
None given |
2 lb 1.8 oz (0.96 kg) |
| Weight, fly |
None given |
2 lb 4.2 oz (1.03 kg)
2 lb 6.4 oz (1.09 kg) **** |
| Weight, poles |
None given |
1 lb 10.7 oz (0.76 kg)
1 lb 11.5 oz (0.78 kg) **** |
| Weight, stakes |
None given |
7 oz (198 g)
7.3 oz (207 kg) **** |
| Weight, Fast Fly floor |
9.5 oz (269 g) |
11.4 oz (323 g)
11.9 oz (337 g) **** |
| Floor Length |
84 in (213 cm) |
84 in (213 cm) |
| Floor Width at Head |
72 in (183 cm) |
72 in (183 cm) |
| Floor Width at Foot |
62 in (157 cm) |
64 in (163 cm) |
| Fast Fly Floor Length |
None given |
78 in (198 cm) |
| Fast Fly Floor Width at Head |
None given |
67 in (170 cm) |
| Fast Fly Floor Width at Foot |
None given |
57½ in (146 cm) |
| Height at Peak |
None given |
42 in (107 cm) |
| Height at Head |
38 in (97 cm) |
39 in (99 cm) |
| Height at Foot |
24 in (61 cm) |
24 in (61 cm) |
| Packed Size * |
8 x 20 in (20 x 51 cm) |
8 x 20 in (20 x 51 cm) |
* Tent, Fly, Poles, Stakes, and all associated sacks
** Tent, Fly, Poles, and Stakes without associated sacks (assumed)
*** Fast Fly Floor, Fly, Poles, and Stakes (assumed)
**** With stuff sack(s) |
First Impressions [return to top]
The tent appears very well made. All seams are straight, all zippers and adjusters work smoothly, and I saw no loose threads anywhere.
Following many years of trailer camping with the family, I experienced several years of camping Army-style in 2-man pup tents. Having moved through larger military tents, and now through various Scout troop tents and a 10-pound (4.5 kg) Wal-mart 8’ x 8’ (2.4 m x 2.4 m) family tent, I have begun experimenting with tarping in an attempt to lighten my load. While the Seedhouse is by no means a tarp, or an ultralight option, it is significantly lighter than any other tents I currently have available to me and – perhaps more importantly – able to fit in my pack.
Field Information [return to top]
I intend to test the shelter on upcoming Boy Scout troop or leader training camping outings – we try to camp monthly – and possible weekend outings with my girlfriend and her 12- and 14-year-old sons. All of these outings will be taken with my 13-year-old son and will include a minimum of 2 nights of camping, with temperatures expected to be from lows around 30 ºF (-1 ºC) to highs around 95 to 100 ºF (35 to 38 ºC). Elevations will range from sea level to approximately 2,000’ (610 m) for a week of summer camp. The tent would also be part of the load in the Z-Pack I am testing when I bring it along for Scout day hikes.
Things I am/will be looking for:
- Ease/speed of set-up. Can I get it up easily in bad weather? When I’m tired? When it’s dark out (I prefer to know all of my gear by touch)? How long does it take?
- Pack size/weight. Experience to date tells me that bulk is more of a problem for me to pack than weight, although the Seedhouse 3, at just under 6 lb (2.66 kg) trail weight – or 4½ lb (2 kg) in fast-fly configuration – is lighter than anything else I’ve used besides a tarp. A packed size of 8 x 20 in (20 x 51 cm) means I should be able to pack it in the Z-Pack.
- Does it have everything I need for set-up? Big Agnes indicates (accurately) that 13 stakes are included. Is this enough?
- Dimensions. Do I fit? Comfortably? With someone else and/or gear? Will we be able to sit comfortably inside if caught in extended bad weather? How large a site do I need? At just 6 ft (2 m) wide at the front, 5 ft (1.5 m) wide at the foot, and only 7 ft (2.1 m) long, this should require slightly less real estate than I need for a free-standing 8’ x 8’ (2.4 x 2.4 m) tent.
- Durability. Are there any significant wear points, especially over time? The spots where poles contact the shelter will be investigated, along with tie-out points, zippers, etc.
- Waterproofness. I don’t mind being wet, nor do my hiking/camping partners, but we both prefer that our gear – particularly sleeping bags – be dry when we use it. How about in fast fly mode?
- Ventilation. Do I need to worry about condensation? The Seedhouse 3 has mesh walls, so, if there is any condensation, it should be on the fly.
Things I like [return to top]
- Lighter than every shelter I have, besides tarps.
- Includes everything necessary for setup.
- Fits in my pack.
- Fast Fly option.
Things I don't like [return to top]
- Could be lighter, although I’m not sure how.
- The hub/pole system is rather awkward. This may prove to be less of an issue with experience.
- The Fast Fly floor has only a single pole grommet at each front corner, making it quite difficult to use the vestibule pole.
Backpacking Background [return to top]
I started car/trailer camping with the family when I was about 5. I enlisted in the Army Reserve during my first year of college and spent 17 years fine-tuning my packing methodology - by the time I separated from the service, I was down to what I thought was a respectable 75-80 lb (34-36 kg) load. When my son started Cub Scouts, I brought my 60 lb (27 kg) ALICE pack for a weekend. We got to Boy Scouts in the Spring of 2002 and now camp monthly in locations ranging from the Chesapeake Bay area (flat and lightly wooded) to the Pocono Mts (flat spots hard to find and very wooded), in all seasons.
Lightweight (and ultralightweight) web sites, along with a day hike up Pikes Peak in July 2003, have led me to seriously rethink my gear choices. I plan to start doing more hiking/backpacking on our monthly Scout trips, taking along as many scouts as are willing, to a) get in shape (yeah, yeah, I know… round IS a shape), and b) determine what I really need to take along. I am relatively confident that I will be able to reduce my 3-season pack to 20 lb (9 kg), before food, fuel and water, by the time this season is over.
Thank you for your time.
Chuck Kime
a.k.a. Fuzzy
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