Reviews > Shelters > Tents > Black Diamond Lighthouse Tent > Michael Wheiler > Field Report

BLACK DIAMOND LIGHTHOUSE TENT AND VESTIBULE
(SUPERLIGHT SERIES) FIELD REPORT
By Michael Wheiler
July 30, 2004

Company: Black Diamond Equipment, Ltd.
URL: www.blackdiamondequipment.com

Product Description (Lighthouse and vestibule):
Tent color: Maze (yellow) exterior with a green floor
Vestibule color: Green
Poles: DAC Featherlite aluminum
Canopy: "highly breathable, windproof, and water resistant" EPIC fabric by
Nextec ("Nextec uses an encapsulation process to instill silicone-based
polymers into the material"
Floor: silnylon bathtub style
Mesh door and window: full zippered side entry door backed by a full "noseeum" screen and a zippered small back window with "noseeum" screen.
Tent pegs" Six (6) Easton 7075-T6 anodized
MSRP: Tent US$369.00  Vestibule: US$139.00

Additional Information From The Manufacturer:

Capacity: Two (2) person
Floor area: 87 in x 51 in (221 cm x 130 cm) or 31 sq ft/9.5 sq m
Interior peak height: 43 in (109 cm)
Packed size: 6 in x 9 in (15 cm x 23 cm)
Reported Packed weight: 3 lb 3 oz (1.45 kg) (per website); 3 lb (1.36 kg) (per enclosed manual)
Seams: Sewn with silicone-dipped thread to help prevent seams from leaking
Poles: 2 1/2 pole design which allows the user to pitch the tent from the inside

For a complete description of the Lighthouse and its specifications, please refer to my Initial Report .

Personal Data:

Name: Michael Wheiler
Location: Idaho Falls, Idaho
Gender: Male
Age: 48
Height: 5'10" (178 cm)
Weight: 175 pounds (79 kg)
Email: jmwlaw@ida.net

Field Report:

I have used the Lighthouse twice since its arrival. My first use of the Lighthouse was in my backyard during a cold, steady rain storm with a slight wind. After putting on my rain gear, I laid out the tent on a flat grassy spot near where one of my former Scouts had pitched a tent for the evening. I then opened the door completely, placed the ridge or awning pole through the small reinforced hole near the top center of the door zipper, and then inserted each of the long support poles inside the tent in the form of an "X.". The support poles have blunt tips on each end that are inserted into metal receptacles located in each corner. I then secured each pole with the hook-and-loop fasteners located at strategic points inside the tent.  I noticed that these fasteners were designed to include a pull-tab for easy release of the fasteners and the tabs work well. I then staked out the Lighthouse. I did not attempt to pitch the vestibule nor did I use guy lines. I was very impressed with how easy it was to pitch the Lighthouse in less than ideal weather conditions.

At bed time, the temperature was 38° F (3° C) and due to the ice crystals I found on most everything the next morning, it appeared to have gotten below the freezing mark before 7:00 a.m. when I got up. I partially unzipped the small side window and also partially unzipped the cover over the "noseeum" mesh on the side door to allow for cross-ventilation during the night. As pitched, the Lighthouse seemed almost as tight as a drum. I drifted off to sleep while listening to the constant tapping of the rain on the Lighthouse.

I was comfortable and warm all night. The next morning, I did not notice any measurable moisture build up on the interior of the canopy but I did find some moisture on the support poles where they were in contact with the canopy. The two Scouts sleeping in the tent near mine were complaining of water inside their tent. Taking down the Lighthouse was easy as well. Since we were expecting more rain that day, I hung the Lighthouse on a line in our storage room in the basement. I noticed that it was dry the next day. I re-stuffed everything without difficulty.

I next used the Lighthouse on an over-night trip in June to Bear Gulch where my nephew and I planned to do some fly fishing on the Warm River. Although unusual for Idaho, we again found ourselves pitching the tent in a light mist following a heavy rain storm. This time I also set up the vestibule so we could keep our gear out of the wet weather. I did not use the guy lines.

It was nearly dark when I began setting-up the Lighthouse. Once again, I found the Lighthouse easy to pitch even in semi-dark, wet conditions. I found it was easier to place the poles in the tent by sitting inside the Lighthouse. This was a bit of a problem since I was wet and my boots were muddy. I kept my feet outside the tent but the interior was damp from contact with my wet rain wear. After pitching the main tent, I began attaching the vestibule by inserting the metal hooks into the fabric straps located on the front exterior of the tent underneath the awning. Once the hooks were all inserted into the loops, I inserted the pole and used two stakes to secure the front door of the vestibule to the ground.

When I attempted to enter the Lighthouse through the vestibule, I immediately notice the small size of the door opening in the vestibule. I had difficulty getting through the vestibule door. I consider myself to be a medium sized male and the door opening in the vestibule was clearly too small for easy entry by me. However, the vestibule provided ample rain protection for our gear and our wet, muddy boots. Both my nephew and I and our sleeping gear fit comfortably inside the Lighthouse. I used a Therm-A-Rest Pro-Lite 4 sleeping pad and a Mountainsmith Wisp sleeping bag. Conner used a Therm-A-Rest CampLite pad and a Marmot Tundra sleeping bag. As on the previous occasion, I drifted off to sleep listening to the light tapping of rain drops on the roof of the tent. The temperature was 47° F (8° C) at bed time and the mist had subsided. The Lighthouse performed as it had done previously. It was drum tight and I found no leaks. There was very little condensation build up on the interior of the Lighthouse. The side window and the solid material portion of the front door were partially unzipped for cross-ventilation.

In the morning, I had trouble exiting through the small door of the vestibule on the Lighthouse. Taking down the Lighthouse was an easy task even with the vestibule. I stuffed the wet tent, vestibule, and poles into the stuff sacks and we headed for the river. After returning home, I unpacked the Lighthouse and hung it up in the storage room of my basement to dry. The Lighthouse had, once again, proved to be a quality shelter.

Likes:
- Lightweight, two-person tent
- Nice earth-tone colors
- Easy set-up even in less than ideal conditions
- Well constructed (sturdy)
- Packs easily (the whole tent went into my Gregory Z pack with all my other gear)
- Unique design (half-dome with awning)

Dislikes:
- Small door opening in the vestibule

Long Term Testing Strategy:

I'm still planning to hike the Cascade Lake to Grebe Lake trail loop in Yellowstone National Park. This is a 7.5 mile (12 km) hike and we will camp near the trail head the night before. I will be taking the Lighthouse on a three day backpack trip into Union Falls (Yellowstone National Park) in July. My family and I are also planning a backpacking trip into the Sawtooth Mountains in August. I'm going to climb Table Mountain near the Tetons with my family again in August and plan to climb Mt. Borah in September as well. We will stay overnight at a base camp before attempting each of these climbs. Most of these outings, will be in very mountainous terrain--5,500-8,500 ft (1,670-2,591 m) elevation.

I will continue testing the strength, breathability, water resistance, and packability of the EPIC fabric. Single wall tents are notorious for generating significant condensation. As such, I plan to determine just how well the ventilation system works in the Lighthouse. I'm extremely interested how well the available ventilation works at reducing condensation in conjunction with the EPIC fabric's ability to wick away interior moisture. Given the generally rocky ground we camp on in these areas, the tent pegs will surely get a good work-out as well! I like the full length side entry door which should allow for easy entry and exit. I plan to report on the durability of the door zippers. It seems like zippers in tent doors are always the first to exhibit signs of wear.


Southeastern Idaho is also known for its fierce winds--both summer and winter. In fact, it is rare not to have any wind in this high desert plain. I would like to test how the Lighthouse handles stiff winds. Does the canopy shudder making it difficult to sleep? Will the DAC Featherlite aluminum frame work be enough to keep the canopy off my sleeping bag during wind storms? I have actually seen tent poles bent and broken into unusable pieces by some of the wind storms we experience. Thankfully such storms are not frequent but I would like to see just how well the DAC Featherlite aluminum poles handle the pressure.

Finally, I will use the Lighthouse with and without the vestibule. There will be times when the anticipated weather will allow me to leave the extra weight associated with the vestibule. However, for the little extra weight, I also like the additional space afforded by the vestibule especially on those trips where I will be sharing the tent with another person or I am expecting wet weather. I will test the ease with which the vestibule is attached (by clips) to the main body of the tent. I will want to see how use of the vestibule affects the ventilation of the main tent. I am also curious as to how the vestibule affects entry and exit from the Lighthouse. The Lighthouse will certainly receive the inevitable wear, tear, stress and strain of accompanying a guy, a dog, and occasionally his family into the woods.

Biographical Information:

I have had about 38 years hiking, camping and backpacking experience; my father took us camping/backpacking as often as possible. I have camped, hiked or backpacked at least monthly during the last seven years. Most of my camping occurs in the southeastern Idaho area but spills over into western Wyoming (Grand Teton National Park) and western Montana. The elevations of the areas I frequent generally range from 5,500 feet (1,600 m) to 8,500 feet (2,600 m) above sea level.  Winters sometimes reach -20 degrees Fahrenheit (-29 Celsius). Snow depths vary greatly but are generally over 10-12 feet (3-4 m). Summers are typically dry and warm (80 to upper 90 degrees Fahrenheit (27-32 Celsius). I am in a transition stage, learning about lightweight and ultra-lightweight backpacking styles.

My thanks to Black Diamond and BGT for the opportunity to test the
Lighthouse.

Reviews > Shelters > Tents > Black Diamond Lighthouse Tent > Michael Wheiler > Field Report