Mountain Safety Research
Fling Tent
Field Report
August 11, 2006

    My camping, hiking and backpacking experience has included trips varying in length from one day hikes to two-week trips. My experience hiking began with my father when I was about six years old. We hiked along the river pathways in northeastern Ohio and western Pennsylvania. While enjoying the outdoors with my friends and family, I spend time hiking, geocaching, snowshoeing, cross-country skiing and camping.
Although I am not a lightweight backpacker, I am trying to 'lighten up' as much as possible.

Product Information:
Fling Two Person Tent
Manufacturer: Mountain Safety Research, Inc. 
Web site: www.msrcorp.com
Weight as advertised: 4 lb (1.8 kg)
Weight as measured: 4.5 lb  (2.04 kg)

Product Description:        For a more detailed description, please see my Initial Report
   
    The Mountain Safety Research, Inc. (MSR) Fling is a single walled, 2-person tent made of Silicon-treated materials and seam taping that claims to offer waterproof security.  It is part of MSRs Fast & Light series. The tent is may be used either as a free standing or staked tent.   The tent is advertised as 'Silicone-treated materials and seam taping offer waterproof security, while innovative side vents ensure great airflow and allow condensation to escape.'  The fabric has a silicone coating on one side and a polyurethane coating on the other side.  It has seam taping on the polyurethane side.
    

Field Information:

    During June I spent three nights out with my children to celebrate the end of the school year.  We hiked into a fairly secluded spot to camp and fish.   We also spent a long weekend in Vermont camping out with extended family members.  From our camping spot we hiked in the Green Mountains of central Vermont.  Because of flooding, a planned trip to northeastern Ohio was cancelled.  The Fling also found use on two Boy Scout campouts.  On both of these occasions, my 13 year old son shared the tent with me.  
    On all these occasions I found the Fling to be very simple to set up.  I was able to set it up while extremely tired, which made me very happy!   While getting the inside of the tent situated, I found that two pads, two sleeping bags and two people fit very comfortably.   Add two backpacks, two sets of boots and assorted other 'paraphenalia' and it starts to get crowded.   We did manage to keep the backpacks, boots and other stuff under the 'beak', thus allowing enough space for one of our dogs (40 lb (18 kg) English Shepherd) in the tent.  
    On the warmest of nights, I found there was very little air flow within the tent, but there wasn't any outside either. There wasn't much condensation build-up either. On more comfortable breezy nights, the tent maintained some air flow,  keeping the condensation down to almost nothing.   I did notice that when we left tent set-up over night, on the second night we would find quite a bit of moisture inside the tent, after the air had cooled down.  
    The tent has shown no signs of wear or any structural problems.  The stakes are straight and easy to insert in the ground (once I find a rock free area!).  The closures all work easily, without catching the fabric in any way.
    One of the best features of this tent is that it is so light - no one minds carrying it in their pack.   We try to distribute the weight of some of the heavier items, so no one has to carry too much.  The tent is the first thing someone will grab to put in their bag.   Another feature is the ease of use - so easy to set up and take down.  Its not 'flashy', but it is just so easy to use.    There is something beautiful about the glow inside the Fling when the sun hits it first thing in the morning.  Maybe its just that its so nice to wake up after a good nights sleep - no bugs intruded, no drips from moisture on my face, and the humidity is not sky high.  


Test Locations, Conditions and Time Frame:

     Living in Northern New England I have the good fortune of being able to experience at least 4 seasons (sometimes within days of each other!) and some of the best outdoor areas around.  During the winter we can usually count on snow, cold and more snow. Spring made an early appearance.   Our temperatures have run from the current average of 82 F (28 C) up to 95 F (33 C) for the last two months.  Typically, July and August are on the dry side.
     I spend more time camping and hiking during the summer, than in the winter when I tend to snowshoe and cross country ski and have fewer overnight trips.  On the weekends I head off into northern Maine, Vermont or New Hampshire, either with friends or my kids or both. 
    While hiking in northern New England, many of the trails are unimproved, meaning that I spend lots of time climbing over rocks and brush.  

      
Some of the things  considered while testing:

Usability:

 How many adults 'really' fit in the tent?  Is it a comfortable fit?  What about gear?  Will two pairs of boots, backpacks and assorted other 'stuff' fit in the tent?  
***Two adults fit fairly comfortably - I think it has to do more with how much they move around while they sleep.  The less gear inside the tent, the more 'people' room.   Other stuff fits, but once again, the more 'stuff' the less wiggle room.
   
One thing I am going to be looking at closely is what happens inside the tent when its raining outside?  Will it leak?  How much rain will it take before it leaks? Will condensation become a problem?  Is there enough ventilation?  Will there be a noticable difference with two people inside the tent?  What if it is a cool night after a hot day?  Will that cause moisture to build up?  
***So far, not much rain while I've been in the tent, but the little rain we had stayed outside.
        
How useful is the 'beak' (vestibule)?  Will two people really fit underneath?  Are the pockets useful for holding a flashlight or other small objects?  Do the vents work as designed?
*** Two people fit underneath without a lot of extra room.  The pockets work okay for light weight items.  The venting is very good.  I'm impressed with the air flow.

Will two adults using sleeping pads fit inside the tent?  Will my husband, who is 6' 4" ( 1.93 m) be able to sleep comfortably, or will he take space from me?
***Two adults fit okay,  I find that size is less important than how much the other adult moves around.  

Durability: 

How does the tent hold up to regular use?  Are the fabrics, zippers, stake-out lines, stakes and poles sturdy enough?  Will rough     ground puncture the floor?  What effect does regular wear and tear have on the tent?   Does the waterproofness last?  
*** So far, the tent looks brand new, other than a few quarter-sized pine sap stains.  The sticky sap washed off with warm water, but it left a dark spot where the sap was.  Just cosmetic, not loss of waterproofness.  


    I am looking forward to continued testing of the Fling - so far its been a very useful tent.   Thanks to backpackgeartest.org and MSR for the opportunity to test this tent!