Name: Gail Staisil
Age: 54
Gender: Female
Height: 5' 9" (1.75 m)
Weight: 140 lb (64 kg)
Location: Marquette, Michigan USA
Email: woodswoman2001@yahoo.com

Photo Album Website: http://community.webshots.com/user/isleroyalegirl

Manufacturer	Sierra Designs
Website	http://www.sierradesigns.com
Phone	1.800.635.0461
Model	Baku 2
Model Year	2006
MSRP	$289.95 US

Long Term Field Tests

 
Locations/Conditions

During the long-term testing period, I have tested the Baku 2 Tent during an additional 17 nights in the wilderness. Trips included backpacking trips to Grand Island National Recreation Area in Michigan's Upper Peninsula and to Lake Superior Provincial Park's Coastal Trail in Ontario, Canada. In addition, the Baku 2 Tent was my shelter for the entirety of a 12-day wilderness canoe trip. Testing locations included both deciduous and boreal forests, steep rocky headlands, boulder-filled shorelines and a wilderness river system. The testing conditions were at low elevation or altitude 600 ft (183 m) to 2000 ft (610 m), with mostly warm conditions and mid-to-high range humidity (50-95 percent). Temperatures ranged from a low of  42 F (6 C) to a high of over 86 F (30 C). Mostly dry conditions prevailed. However, there were episodes of heavy rainstorms during each trip.


Test # 1 (Backpacking Trip) --
Grand Island National Recreation Area
June 30-July 2 2006


Heavy Rainstorm

During the field-test period I had experienced almost completely dry conditions, so I had hoped that I would be able to test the tent during the long-term period in rainy conditions. My wish came true on several occasions.

With mostly dry conditions during the entire field-testing period I was finally able to test the Baku 2 during a powerful late afternoon rain storm. I had set the tent up on a piece of Tyvek over dead seasonal leaves on a mostly level surface. Since my trail partner and I had heard the thunder and saw the impending storm, we entered the tent and decided to wait out the storm. Both vestibule doors were open in hopes of watching the storm but it soon became apparent that they would have to be closed. The minimalist overhangs on the doors did little to ward off rain from coming into the mesh doors. Under pressure to get the doors shut, I struggled with the small attachment loop and toggle on one of the vestibule doors. I zipped them shut and then tried opening just small upper sections of the doors for some ventilation. It was a hot day in the 80 F (27 C) category and the humidity was 100 percent. This wasn't to be an option either as the rain mist blew into the tent. As we sat in the tent we realized that adequate ventilation was being produced by the air that was rushing in under the vestibule doors. When the vestibules are staked there are normally at least 6 in (15.24 cm) spaces beneath the doors. I had noted this in the field test report under different circumstances. A modest amount of splashing does occur on both the lower edges of the tent and the bottoms of the mesh doors but it kept out the rain for the most part.


Vent Leak

We both checked the Air-Mesh Vents and the ceiling or apex area regularly to monitor any condensation. After awhile the upper Air-Mesh Vent began producing regular drips from the end of the Delrin Rod that was encased in the Velcro tab closure. Upon checking the mesh portion of the vent, I didn't find any wetness on the mesh itself. It appeared that the water was seeping in on each end of the corners of the vent where the mesh was sewn to the tent fabric. Although the majority of the tent's seams are sealed, these particular seams are not. The water from the corners would pool in the middle of the vent and drip off the end of the encased rod. Because the drips were hitting my sleeping pad, I decided to put my unworn rain coat underneath the dripping water. I then used a pack towel to absorb the water so it wouldn't further wet anything else. I was glad that this storm happened during the daylight hours because if I had been asleep, it most likely would of been dripping on my down-filled sleeping bag.


Dry Floor - No Leaks

Because I had set up the tent with a ground cloth underneath it, there were a few areas that collected a little water between the tent and the ground cloth. At first my trail partner thought it had leaked through the tent but after examining it, we found that the water was clearly underneath the tent. That was a relief.

 
Two Person Usage

 This was my second trip using the tent as a two-person tent. My trail partner for this trip was enthused with the attributes of the tent especially the easy set-up procedure. She was pleased with the length of the tent as her sleeping bag did not touch either end. She is nearly 6 ft (1.83 m) tall.

 
Test # 2 (Backpacking Trip) --
Lake Superior Provincial Park Coastal Trail Ontario, Canada
July 7-10 2006

Vent Leaks Again

High humidity and rain dominated this four-day trip along the rugged coastline of Lake Superior. Wind took care of any possible condensation problems during one of the nights and the light rain didn't penetrate into the air vents. I still had to close the vestibule doors as the overhang didn't provide any coverage. The overhangs are really insignificant and aren't of much use in their current form.

During the third day a powerful rain storm and subsequent hours of hard rain produced much condensation in the tent on the end walls. I didn't have any problems with it interfering with my equipment but soon the top Air-Mesh Vent had to be closed as the rain puddled in the vent and dripped off the Delrin rod/Velcro holder once again. I closed the vent to alleviate further dripping. Because I had  set up the tent in the middle of the long-lasting storm I had brought much wetness into the tent before I could adequately change into dry clothes. I mopped up the wet spots with a pack towel and all was well. No water leaked into the tent from the waterproof floor that I had set up on top of very wet forest duff.

During previous trips I noticed that the bugs like to hang out in the area between the mesh and apex wall of the tent. The apex continues to be a place that the bugs love to hang out. I stopped counting at fifty when the accumulation of moths, gnats, mosquitoes and flies were gathered. I don't know what the attraction to this spot is but it can be mildly entertaining or annoying. At least they are outside of the mesh and not in  direct contact with me. When I take the tent down each morning I have to shake this spot out so that I don't pack the bugs away with the tent.



Test # 3 (Wilderness Canoe Trip) --
White River - Ontario, Canada
112 mi (180 k), 48 portages
August 5-16 2006


Trip Prep

In preparation for this trip I wanted to circumnavigate the problem I was having with the upper Air-Mesh Vent leaking during rain storms. I simply couldn't risk my down-filled sleeping bag being exposed to unnecessary moisture during a 12-day trip. The Tent User Manual that comes with the Baku 2 Tent suggests additional seam sealing to improve the performance of the tent during rainy conditions. I seam sealed all the seams inside and outside the Air-Mesh Vent to hopefully stave off moisture from leaking onto the floor of the tent. I only sealed the top Air-Mesh Vent as that is the one that had been the issue. I was confident.


Sand and Wind Set-Up

The first half of my canoe trip involved canoeing the upper half of the White River where few people seldom travel. Campsites and portages are either non-existent or so grown over that they are hard to find. When it was time to make camp we settled for a small area of sand on the shore of a small lake that was part of the watershed. However, it was extremely windy and not the best place for exposure. Normally I set up camp in very protected areas so I have never really needed to use more than the four corner stakes and two vestibule stakes. In fact, I had left the guy-cords at home so extra cordage was cut and I attached it to the pull-outs on each corner seam of the tent. Large pieces of driftwood were used to anchor the guy-outs as well as to make stakes for the tent. The tent battered the winds well and it became a pleasant place to camp.


Ventilation/Condensation

The temps were unseasonably high for this trip. During most of the clear nights we kept the vestibules unstaked and drawn up through the top poles. It provided maximum ventilation in the star-studded nights. If there was a threat of rain, I staked the vestibules but I didn't shut the vestibule doors until rain actually began. There were several episodes of intermittent start-and-stop rain during this trip which did produce condensation dripping down the end walls onto the inside of the floor. My sleeping bag wasn't in danger as I had placed Silnylon bags of other equipment under my head and feet that kept the bag from touching the walls. It was condensation that could be handled. Since I was sharing my tent during this trip, I did notice that there was more of an issue with the amount of condensation when there is two people in the tent versus when I use it as a solo unit.


The Big Rainstorm

After arriving at camp and setting up the tent about 4 PM, it began to rain lightly throughout the late afternoon and early evening. I was really surprised when I entered the tent after 9 PM to make preparations for bed that there was a noticeable puddle in the center of the tent. It was about 4 in (10.16 cm) in diameter and the water had come from the top Air-Mesh Vent that I thought I had preventably sealed. There wasn't any choice but to mop up the water with a pack towel and close the vent. I left the other lower vent open as I hadn't previously noticed any problems with it. After retiring for the evening, it began to rain harder and soon I was feeling periodic drops of water on my head. I turned on my headlamp and examined where the water was coming from. Unfortunately it came from the lower Air-Mesh Vent. The area around the vent seemed to get saturated with water and then drips or seeps from the Velcro rod holder to the triangular-shaped fabric area below the vent. I left it open for awhile but after my hair became wetter, I closed it. By morning we had much condensation dripping onto the floor at the ends of the tent. Again I had used buffers at each end so sleeping bags stayed dry. The rest of the nights of this trip we rigged a Silnylon tarp over the tent as a preventative measure so that we could keep all vents and doors open if it rained.

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Summary

During the entire testing period of four months, I have tested the Baku 2 Tent for a total of 26 nights in the wilderness. The nights have almost been equally divided between solo and two-person shelter usage. Overall, I am extremely pleased with this tent for its roominess, sturdiness, easy set-up, great ventilation during dry weather and more (please see my field report for all the great attributes of this tent). However, the Baku 2 has a significant design issue with the Air-Mesh Vents during wet weather. Whether the vents need to be canted differently, sealed more effectively or structurally relocated are considerations for improvement to this otherwise wonderful tent. The short term solution for me has been to close the vents during these episodes of rain, but a long term solution would be a definite plus to make the Baku 2 Tent an ideal shelter for all conditions.

Pros:

• Great Ventilation during dry weather
• Structurally wind-resistant
• Floor is completely waterproof
  

Cons:

• Heavy condensation on end walls during prolonged rain episodes
  
• Both Air-Mesh Vents leak during heavy rain
  

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Thanks to Sierra Designs and BackpackGearTest for this great opportunity to test the Baku 2 Tent during the last four months.