Gear: Sierra Designs Clip Flashlight CD - Owner Review

Manufacturer: Sierra Designs

Price: $135.00 at the time it was purchased 14 years ago

Weight: 4 lbs 12 oz (packed weight without ground cloth)

Usage: Backpacking, hiking, canoe camping,

Length of use: 14 years

My name: Tom Ross

My Age: 57

Height: 6 ft

Weight: 175 lbs

My area of the country: Arkansas Ozarks, close to the Buffalo National River

 My Background: I have been camping, hiking, canoeing and backpacking most of my life. I did some backpacking as a Scout while growing up and then got more into backpacking when I worked as Scoutmaster for a local troop. While working with the Scouts, we made two great trips to Philmont. Since retiring from the Troop, I have made a number of backpacking trips here in the Ozarks. Some of the trips were on established trail systems and some were cross-country in wilderness areas. I also have done backpacking in Utah, Wyoming, Colorado and New Mexico. Canoe camping on the Buffalo National River and bicycling are also part of my passions.

I have used the Clip CD on all of my overnight backpacking trips since its purchase date, about 14 years ago. I purchased the tent just prior to my first trip to Philmont Scout Ranch. I was the Scoutmaster for the troop and wanted a lighter weight tent for the trip. The cost of the tent at that time was about $135.00. The decision to purchase this tent was based on its weight, construction, price, and ease of setup and recommendations from other backpackers.

Description: The floor is 58" by 89". The area of the floor is 32 square feet and the area with the vestibule is 38 square feet. The peak is about 43 inches tall. The packed size is 5" X 20". The poles for this older tent are Easton aluminum, shock corded poles. The tent is a hoop tent with two pre-bent poles supporting it. The tent uses six stakes and is not freestanding. The Clip Flashlight CD is rated as a two-man tent. I have used the tent with a partner on a few occasions. You have room for two, but not much room for anything else. You need to be pretty good friends if you are going to share this tent.

Use: This tent has been used on many trips. Basically, it is the only lightweight tent that I own so it gets used on all backpacking or canoe trips. I have enjoyed this tent from day one. It is easy to set up. You just lay out the tent, stake out the four corners and then put the poles in their grommets on the bottom of the tent. You then hold one of the poles and attach the clips that are attached to the tent. Once the first pole is attached to the tent, you them move to the second pole. Next comes the fly. It is laid out over the top of the poles and attached to nylon loops on the bottom of the tent. Next you use two stakes at the front of the tent to stretch out the fly. That’s about it. This is a very easily set up tent. It also packs easily into a fairly small sized bag (5 X 20 inches). The tent has a zipper that goes around the front door and I have found this zipper to be of good quality

The tent has been used in a number of heavy downpours. It has never let me down. I have been out with others who got wet in these storms, but the CD Flashlight keep me dry. I have had the tent out in light snows, but it is really not designed for heavy snow. The tent has a mesh roof and end panels for ventilation. The ventilation works pretty good, but like most tents, you will get some condensation on cold nights.

Maintenance: There is little maintenance to this tent. It needs to be seam sealed before the first use and then probably yearly (depending on the amount of use) to make sure the seams don’t leak. The poles are shock corded and the shock cord may need to be replaced if worn.

Summary: The Clip CD Flashlight tent has proven to be durable, watertight tent. I like the ease of setup and the size of the tent (for one person). I would like to see this as a freestanding tent if they could do this without adding much weight. The tent is still being made by Sierra Designs (http://www.sierra-designs.com) with only a few modifications form the original.

Submitted by,

Tom Ross

January 2, 2002