Kelty Windfoil Ultralight 2 Tent

Owner Review

October 17, 2005

Name: Kevin Pferdner
Age: 32
Gender: Male
Height: 5’ 11” (1.8 m)
Weight: 175 lb (79 kg)
Email address: kpferdner@yahoo.com
City, State, Country: Cottonwood Heights, Utah, USA

Backpacking Background: I have been backpacking for nearly 20 years. Most of my experience has been in Utah with exception to one trip in the Wind Rivers in Wyoming. My trips cover from one to six days in the backcountry and can cover terrain from a few to over 50 miles (81 km) in one trip. I usually cover higher elevations of 8,000’ (2,438 m) to 13,500’ (4,115 m).  My experience has been limited to 3 seasons as I usually take the time in the winter to backcountry ski instead of taking multi-day backpacking trips. I consider my backpacking style to be moderate in weight.

Manufacturer: Kelty

Year of manufacture: approx 1995

URL: http://www.kelty.com

Season: 3 Season

Doors: 1

Dimensions L x W x H: 140” X 57” X 46” (3.56 m X 1.45 m X 1.17 m)

Floor Area: 33.5 sq. ft (3.11 sq. m)

Vestibule Area: 7.7 sq. ft (.72 sq. m)

Measured Weight: 4.8 lbs (2.18 kg) includes tent, fly, stakes, poles, guy lines and bag.

MSRP: Not Available

Back in the mid 90’s I worked for a local ski shop that happened to be a Kelty dealer. Unfortunately, we only sold school-type backpacks and child carriers instead of Kelty’s full line of equipment. On the flip side I was lucky enough to take advantage of the employee purchase program. Believe me, I took full advantage of the program! Anyway, a couple of sleeping bags, packs, and three tents later I acquired the Windfoil Ultralight 2 tent. I was in desperate need for a tent that was much lighter and compact than the previous 2 tents, which I have long forgot about by now. 10 years later, I still have the tent and use it on longer extended trips where weight and pack size counts. This setup weighs in total 4.8 lbs (2.18 kg) including the tent, fly, poles, stakes, guy lines and tent bag. My trips with this tent have been around 8,000 ft (2,438m) to 11,000 ft (3,353m) with temperatures of 30 F (-1 C) to 85 F (29 C). I have used the Windfoil Ultralight 2 on numerous trips in the Uinta Mountains of Utah and on one 5-day trip in the Wind River Range of Wyoming. This terrain has been mountainous with dirt floors where stakes can easily be driven into the ground. I have not had the opportunity to set the tent up on rock. The tent has seen rain, wind and freezing temperatures except for snow and hail.

Tent & Poles:

First off, this tent is not freestanding. At minimum I need to stake down the two ends to keep it pitched. I have found that for a nice calm night two stakes are sufficient. There are 2 aluminum 9.0mm DAC 7001-T62 poles. One is longer than the other and they both have a plastic rounded end. The Windfoil Ultralight 2 is quick to pitch thanks to the continuous pole sleeves. Assemble the poles together and then feed them through the pole sleeves until they hit the end on the opposite side of the tent. This can be done in a matter of seconds. Stake down the two ends and I have pitched the tent. Even though the continuous pole sleeves are nice for pitching, I have found them to get in the way for taking the poles out. Often the plastic rounded end of the pole will catch inside the sleeve and some of the pole sections will disassemble before I can fully remove the pole.

I don’t recall if there was an available footprint for the tent at the time I purchased it. If there is one thing I regret, it is not having the footprint. To compensate, I have cut out a long sheet of black plastic, which has served the purpose of keeping the tent off the ground.

There are “no-see-um” mesh windows on the sides, foot and head of the tent. I would prefer the mesh to be located closer to the ceiling to provide a better view of the stars on a clear night. However, this tent breathes very well with the fly off and is very comfortable during the summer months on clear night.

I love the length of this tent. It is 11.6 ft (3.56 m) long! I am only 5’ 11” (1.8 m) which allows me to have plenty of room above my head and below my feet for items I want close to me. This tent has only one door. It can be awkward when there are two people in the tent and one wants to escape in the middle of the night.

Stakes:

A downside is Kelty’s stakes. They are made out of aluminum and are lightweight, however, these stakes bend easily and become a nuisance. One strike with a rock or hammer and these stakes crumble. I would provide the weight and length of the stakes but I have long since gotten rid of them. I replaced them with some MSR Needle stakes that are 7001-T6 aluminum and are bombproof.

Fly:

The fly easily attaches with 6 plastic buckles at each point and corner.  Each buckle has webbing that can be pulled to keep the fly taught. The vestibule needs to be pulled out and fastened with 1 stake. One complaint I have is that the fly tends to (over time or as it gets wet) sag and not stay tight. This will allow it to come in contact with the main body of the tent which transfers condensation into the tent itself. Depending on the terrain, the fly also does not always come all the way to the ground which leaves the floor of the tent vulnerable to water. It appears Kelty has learned from this and has fixed this design error with a similar updated model called the Crestone 2. For a tent with only 2 poles that forms a cocoon shape, the Windfoil Ultralight 2 is actually quite stable in the windiest of conditions provided the guy lines are used to keep the fly nice and tight. This tent sits low to the ground and does not provide much in the way of headroom although it is sufficient for me to sit up in the tent. The fly provides a nice vestibule in front of the door. The vestibule is large enough to stow a backpack and a couple pair of boots as it is 7.7 sq. ft (.72 sq. m) big. The fly has no ventilation and condensation easily builds on the underside of the fly.

Storage:

The storage bag that came with the Windfoil Ultralight 2 is compact and lightweight. It has two handles and a zipper that runs lengthwise down the bag. Although I don’t mind the zipper, I can see that in the future it may break and need replacing. The handles are made out of webbing and the nylon fabric that the webbing is stitched to is not reinforced. I have accidentally torn the bag where the nylon and webbing meet from grabbing one and not both of the handles at the same time. I would have preferred a stuff type of sack.

Warranty:

            Kelty carries a “Lifetime Warranty” against defects in material or workmanship. A few years ago, one of the aluminum poles fractured and broke. I returned the tent back to Kelty who promptly returned the tent with a new pole. Kelty appears to stand by their product. There are instructions on www.kelty.com on how to return product for warranty and repair.

Summary:

What I like about this tent:

• Weight
• Dimensions
• Vestibule
• Pole Sleeves for set up
• Warranty

What I dislike about this tent:

• Breathability and condensation with the fly on
• Not freestanding
• Storage bag
• No footprint
• Tent stakes
• 1 Door