Reviews > Shelters > Tents > Eureka Tetragon 5 > Owner Review by Shandra Hunt

Name: Shandra Hunt

Age: 25

Gender: female

Height: 5' 3" (1.6 m)

Weight: 145 lbs. (66 kg)

Location: Ben Lomond,California

Email: jns170@yahoo.com

Date: 3/15/04

Biography:

Growing up in the Santa Cruz mountains, I have always been an avid hiker and camper. Only recently however, I have evolved into a backpacker. I started backpacking about two years ago. Since then I have done many trips throughout California and I also spent five days packing in the Grand Canyon which fueled my love for the sport even more. I have many more trips planned, I think I may be addicted, and I am constantly looking for more efficient and lightweight alternatives for the gear that I own.

Eureka Tetragon 5 Tent

Manufacturer: Eureka

Year purchased: 2002

URL:www.eurekatent.com

Manufacturers listed weight: 6 lbs 3 oz. (2.8 kg)

Description:

> three season, inner pitch first, freestanding dome tent

> 5 ft. (152 cm) wide x 7 ft. (213 cm) long / 4 ft. (122 cm)high

> dark green and white nylon

>two fiberglass poles

> included rainfly

> included stakes (4)

> mesh ceiling

The Tent:

I came upon this tent in a local outdoor store. I was looking for a tent to take on my first backpacking trip. I needed a tent that was smaller than the car camping tent that I already have, but yet large enough for a boyfriend that measures 6'3" (1.9 m). I had thought that a 7'(213 cm) tent would be adequate for someone this size. I found out later that it wasn't. I also had no concept of weight in terms of backpacking. The Eureka Tetragon, weighing in at 6 lbs 3oz. (2.8 kg), is not a lightweight in the packing world.

The floor plan of the inner tent, being rectangular, is efficient and leaves no wasted space. The Tetragon has only one 'D' shape door which is located on the side of the tent. I would like to have had an extra door on the opposite side to make it easier to get out of the tent. It can be very tiresome and disorienting to climb over someone to get out of the tent at 2 am. The door has a half moon shaped, mesh window with a nylon cover that can be unzipped about halfway down the door. On the opposite side of the tent there is another mesh window, about the same size and shape, with a similar nylon cover. Having both windows open provides a nice cross breeze in the warmer months. The roof of the tent also has two small mesh windows which provide a nice summertime stargaze.

The rain fly must be added for rain. The rain fly is a little on the small side for my liking, it only extends over the door and back of the tent by about 4" (10cm) but does extend over most of the sides of the tent. The fly does not cover the windows which is nice if you want a view. The fly does have plastic loops on each corner of the tent for attaching guy lines, which must be purchased seperately. Guy lines are essential in heavy rain because they help to hold out the sides of the fly a little more. Having the rain fly pulled out slightly helps to keep any rain or moisture off the side of the tent, which in turn keeps everything in the tent dry.

While an optional gear loft, which must be purchased separately, can be added, this tent also has two small storage pockets at the head and the foot of the tent. The location of these pockets only becomes a problem if they are filled or contain heavy items because they tend to sag into the sleeping area. These pockets are just big enough to hold a couple of flashlights, wallet and a few other small items.

The Setup:

This tent is a snap to set up, it took all of about two minutes the first time I did it. The Tetragon 5 is suppported by two shock corded, interlocking, fiberglass poles. The poles cross at the center, top of the tent. There are about a dozen plastic clips that are then clipped onto the poles so that the tent is suspended from them. The inner tent must be pitched first. The Tetragon also comes with four metal stakes. I find that without much wind, the stakes aren't needed and I often leave them at home to reduce the overall weight of the tent. Another option would be to buy lighter weight aluminum stakes. The rain fly has its own smaller pole which is attached by a strap of velcro in the center and two fabric pockets on either end.

In the Field:

The first time that I tried this tent was in the Santa Cruz mountains, in the redwoods, which translates to damp and dark. The redwoods gather almost 80% of their water supply from the fog, this means that if you camp under these magnificent trees, you're gonna get wet. I thought that this would be a perfect and safe test for this tent, and it was. With the fly on, the Tetragon held up well in the drizzle. I had to add a Tyvek tarp underneath as a vapor barrier because this tent does not have a tarp bottom. The same nylon fabric used for the main body of the tent extends onto the bottom as well. While this keeps the weight of the tent down, it does not provide a very good vapor or moisture barrier. I have used this tent on various other trips, and on a trip to the Grand Canyon where I experienced freezing temperatures and heavy rain. The Tetragon did well in these conditions. I was rained on throughout the night and had only some moisture in the tent the next morning. The temperature however was another issue. One night that I camped on the Tonto Plateau, the temperature really dropped, it became so cold that I couldn't sleep. I would attribute the freezing night to my sleeping bag rather than the tent. This tent retains heat fairly well, as I have found when I have used it on other trips.

I prefer to pack this tent without the stuff sack that came with it. I find folding the tent into about a square foot (30 cm x 30 cm) with the fly folded inside is easier to deal with. This also saves time that one might otherwise spend trying to stuff it in the sack, which isn't easy. I do leave the poles and stakes in the separate sack that they came in, this makes them a little easier to handle and I find that they can strap easily to the outside of a pack or slide down the inside. While this tent is perfect for two shorter people (under 6' (1.8 m) my taller packing companion wanted a little more head room. Another major drawback to this tent is that it lacks a vestibule. When I packed with this tent in the Grand Canyon I learned the importance of having someplace to store your shoes. I awoke one extra crisp morning to find that some small animal had mistaken my shoes for a bathroom! A vestibule has now become mandatory for any future tent that I own. This years' (2004) Eureka Tetragon 5 model also has an added mud mat for the front of the tent and clear windows in the rain fly to allow more light in.

Summary:

I have used this tent in the rain on several occasions and in most California storms it does great, however, I have not had a chance to try this tent in any major storms or snow. I would prefer to have a tent with a built in tarp bottom, bigger and better rain fly and probably something a little beefier all around if I was planing on more severe weather. This tent does well in light rain with a Tyvek tarp underneath to protect the nylon from moisture. The Tetragon 5 is a great starter tent for someone who packs with another person to share the load, because of the weight, or for someone that has a hard time with complicated things. The tent is extremely easy to set up. After purchasing this tent, I thought that I would be saying, 'Eureka, I found it, the perfect tent', but instead I find myself looking for a lightweight alternative.

Approved:

easy to set up

roomy enough for two (no big guys though)

two storage pockets

mesh ceiling = nice view

Could be improved:

lack of vestibule

lack of second door

weight

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Reviews > Shelters > Tents > Eureka Tetragon 5 > Owner Review by Shandra Hunt