Biographical Information

Name:  Andrew Henrichs
Age:  25
Gender:  Male
Height:  6’ 2” (1.88 m)
Weight:  190 lb (86.2 kg)

Email address:  a_henrichs@yahoo.com           
City, State, Country:  Glenwood Springs, Colorado, USA

Backpacking Background

   Most of my backpacking has been in the mountains of Colorado and Wyoming, as well as the desert in the southwestern US.  I’ve gone winter camping several times, but I still prefer backpacking in the warmer months.  Most of my trips are 2-3 days, but I have taken several trips of 5-6 days.  This past summer, I was fortunate enough to have thru-hiked the 476 mile Colorado Trail over 35 days.  Recently, I have been leaning towards the lightweight side of the spectrum. 

Product Information

Manufacturer:  Sierra Designs (www.sierradesigns.com)

Year of Manufacturer:  2006

MSRP:  $289.95 US

Manufacturers Specifications

Stated Trail Weight: 4 lb 0 oz (1.8 kg)

Stated Packed Weight: 4 lb 7 oz (2.0 kg)

Stated Packed Size: 21 in by 5 in (53 cm by 13 cm)

Stated Floor Length: 83 in (211 cm)

Stated Floor Width (narrow side): 45 in (114 cm)

Stated Floor Width (wide side): 52 in (132 cm)

Stated Interior Area: 28 sq ft (2.6 sq m)

Stated Vestibule Area (each): 7 sq ft (.7 sq m)

Stated Peak Height: 40 in (102 cm)

Tester Measurements

Measured Weight (as delivered): 4 lb 7.5 oz (2.0 kg)

Measured Trail Weight: 4 lb 0.5 oz (1.8 kg)

Measured Weight (tent body): 3 lb 2 oz (1.4 kg)

Measured Weight (poles): 14.5 oz (411 g)

Measured Weight (stuff sack total): 2.5 oz (71 g)

Measured Weight (6 stakes): 3.5 oz (99 g)

Measured Weight (guy lines): 1.5 oz (43 g)

Measured Packed Size (uncompressed): 21 in by 6 in (53 cm by 15 cm)

Measured Packed Size (compressed): 15 in by 7 in (38 cm by 18 cm)

Measured Floor Length: 82 in (208 cm)

Measured Floor Width (narrow side): 45 in (114 cm)

Measured Floor Width (wide side): 51.5 in (131 cm)

Measured Interior Area: 29.3 sq ft (2.7 sq m)

Measured Vestibule Area (each): 7.1 sq ft (.7 sq m)

Measured Peak Height: 38 in (97 cm)

Product Description

   The Baku 2 Tent is a new addition to Sierra Designs "Ultralight Tents" category.  It is a hybrid of single and double-wall tents.  This free-standing tent assembles when the ends of the two aluminum Featherlight poles are inserted into the grommets on diagonal corners of the tent.  Small plastic "Clip Locs" are then clipped to the tent.  There is a short third pole for the apex of the tent.   This pole  inserts into two tabs located on the top of the tent, giving shape to the very top.  There is a larger "Clip Loc" on the apex of the tent.  All three poles are passed through the clip, and a short elastic cord is wrapped around the poles before locking into a groove.  The more wraps of the elastic cord, the more stability is created.  The tent body floor is roughly rectangular, and the two long sides of the tent feature a dual-zippered, full-circle mesh "stash door" as well as a fixed triangular vestibule.  With the four corners and the two vestibule tabs staked out, the tent assumes a hexagonal shape when viewed from above.  Regardless of which zipper one uses to unzip the mesh door, the zipper terminates in the upper-right hand side of the door.  There is a small mesh pocket inside the tent body where the user can tuck the door into when it is open.  Each vestibule features a dual-zipper that contours along the tent body from the floor to the apex of the tent.  The vestibule door can be rolled up and secured out of the way.  The tent features two vents; one on each of the shorter sides.  One vent is located midway up the wall, the other is located near the top of the tent.  Each features a small mesh opening which is propped up with a short internal pole and anchored into place with a hook and loop closure.  These vents are also anchored closed with hook and loop closures.  In addition to the "stash door" pockets, there is one medium-sized pocket located just above floor level.  There are also four loops on the ceiling for a gear loft, coffee sling, etc.  The tent comes with six metal stakes and four guy lines, each measuring 75 in (191 cm).  It also comes with instructions in English only.  The instructions include information about pitching the tent, site selection, ventilation, and several general maintenance issues.

Field Testing

   As I live between the Flattop Mountain and Elk Mountain Ranges of western Colorado, there will be plenty of opportunities for me to put this tent to use.  I will use this tent at elevations ranging from 5000 ft (1500 m) up to 12500 ft (3800m).  Given the sometimes fickle nature of Colorado summers, I expect to experience a wide variety of weather on my trips.  This may include sun, clouds, wind, rain, sleet, hail, and possibly even some snow. Temperatures on these trips could range from 20º F (-7º C) to over 80º F (27º C). 

Test Plan

   I will use the Sierra Designs Baku 2 Tent on many shorter backpacking trips.  As it looks right now, I’ll only be working three days per week this summer.  My free days will be filled with backpacking and rock climbing trips.  I am tentatively planning a technical climb of Vestal Peak, in the San Juan Mountain Range.  The climb will require at least one night of camping at the base of the peak before our ascent.  With the significant late-season snowfall in the San Juan Range, my friend and I may have to move our climb to a different, south-facing route.  In addition to whatever peak we end of climbing, I am expecting to take approximately two 2-3 day backpacking trips each month this summer.  I would like to further explore some of the regions I walked through during my thru-hike of the Colorado Trail last summer.  Some of these specific regions include the Mount Massive Wilderness and the Pine Creek River up to Emerald Peak.  I would also like to explore the more remote areas of the Maroon Bells – Snowmass Wilderness.  If my job cooperates, I would like to take a longer (up to 6 day) backpacking trip either in the San Juan Mountains of Colorado or the Wind River Range of Wyoming.   

    I will also be using this tent when car camping during shorter climbing trips.  This camping will likely be split between Indian Creek near Moab, Utah and Independence Pass near Aspen, Colorado.  I will hopefully be able to spend some time climbing in Vedauwoo, Wyoming this summer.  This region is infamous for high wind, which will be a great test for the Baku 2.  While car camping is obviously not what this tent was designed for, it will give me more time in the tent to figure out any quirks. 

During the testing session, I will pay particular attention to the following:

1.   Ease of Set-Up - So far, this tent is very easy to set up.  I don't have to struggle to get the pole tips into the grommets, and there are only six stake-out points, making it easy to anchor the tent down.  Will it be this easy to set up in the dark?  What about in high winds? 

2.   Living Space – One of my biggest problems is finding a tent that provides enough head-to-toe room for me.  This one is 82 in (208 cm) long by my measurements.  I hopped inside my sleeping bag in the tent, and if I was positioned perfectly, neither end of my bag touched the walls of the tent.  When I shifted a little, the bag ends would just barely brush the walls.  Being a singly wall tent, will this become an issue?  So far, I've been the only one in this tent.  Will it provide enough shoulder room for two reasonable sized adults?  If I’m tent-bound in bad weather, will I go insane or will I calmly ride out the storm in my cozy palace?  So far, the living space seems adequate, with enough headroom for me.  I really like the "stash doors."  The doors easily tuck out of the way, as does the vestibule.  Since the vestibule zipper contours the body of the tent, I don't have to struggle as enter the vestibule or tent. 

3.  Vestibule – Just from initial observations, the vestibules look like they will fit all of my gear, but it may be tight with gear for two.  I'll be interested to see if it is enough.  Will one vestibule become a "gear only" area?

4.   Breathability – I haven’t had any experience with single wall tents before.  Will I experience much condensation?  The two small vents are nice, and I imagine a good airflow could be present if there is a wind.  The mesh doors will also help significantly.  The instructions recommend venting the vestibule at the top (using the two-way zipper) to increase air flow.  While the Colorado climate is generally dry, it does rain occasionally.  How well will this tent breathe/ventilate in rainy conditions?

5.   Waterproofness – I would imagine that siliconized 40-denier nylon is quite waterproof.  Are there any sneaky seams where water will leak in?  Is the SuperSeal floor superbly sealed?  The instructions claim that no further waterproofing is necessary along the floor.  They do, however, recommend that seams along the top of the tent be sealed. 

6.   Stability – How well will this tent resist winds?  If I set this tent up above treeline on a mountain pass, will I wake up at the bottom of the pass in the morning? 

7.   Durability – How will the tent floor, walls, vestibules, and zippers hold up to normal use?  Will the nylon develop any tears or holes?  How often will the zippers get off track?

8.   Packability – The tent seems to pack to a fairly typical tent size.  It also compresses fairly well.  Will the tent pack into my backpack easily, or will I find it taking up too much space? 

9.   Organizational Simplicity – How well do the gear pockets facilitate organization?  Based on the information found on the Sierra Designs website, I was expecting more pockets.  As stated earlier, there are the two "stash door" mesh pockets and one other medium-sized pocket just above the floor.  The pockets appear to be of adequate size for holding headlamps, gloves, and socks.  The "stash door" pockets appear to be big enought to hold some books as well. 

10. Smell – It appears that all Sierra Designs tents are now being treated with “Tent Guard with Ultra Fresh.”  This fungistatic agent is purported to prevent odors, staining, and deterioration when a tent is packed up wet.  I’m not in the habit of packing tents up wet, but this may warrant a small experiment.  I will store this tent wet for a few days before pitching it to inspect for any stains or funky smells.