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Gear Reviews

Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2

Big Agnes Seedhouse SL2 tent (2008)

£215.00

LFTO rating
Owners' rating

Review
This is an amazingly spacious ultralight tent for the weight. The secret of its success is the incredibly thin materials (you can see the grass through the groundsheet for example), while the inner tent is completely made from mesh! It pitches inner-first with the poles forming an external skeleton from which you suspend the inner. The outer goes over the top and the pegging points are easily adjusted with ladder-lock webbing buckles. Open the outer door and you enter a spacious porch, where a couple of rucksacks can be easily stored. The door can be opened from the top too for extra venting. Get inside the inner and two can easily sit up or sleep in great comfort. But the mesh inner means this is a chilly tent in the wind. It has to be said that such thin materials will suffer from the effects of UV degradation more rapidly than heavier materials, but to some extent all the lighter tents have this drawback. (Not a lot wrong though if you can use this in milder weather conditions.)

Design dome
Poles shock-corded alloy
Inner 20D nylon mesh; flysheet 20D nylon, 1200mm hydrostatic head; groundsheet 30D nylon; 1200mm hydrostatic head
Internal dimensions length 210cm; width 120cm; height 105cm
Packed size 44x17cm
Weight 1640g
Made in China
Stores in the UK 1
Stockists – tel. (01903) 210213; www.hike-lite.co.uk

Verdict
A superlight and spacious two-skin tent for use in good, rather than windy weather when that mesh inner might feel chilly.

Review by Graham Thompson
First published in Trail magazine August 2008

Users' Overall Rating (2 reviews)

a good tent

cojjack

User's Overall Rating

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Performance
Build quality
Value for money

I really like my Seedhouse SL2. It weighs just as much as my single wall, one man, tent but has more room and the advantages of double wall construction. I sat out a bad thunder shower on the Salmon River (Idaho) and it handled the wind and rain great. The only thing I worry about is the durability of materials which can be a problem with ultralight products. According to a rep from Big Agnes, with proper cleaning and storage I can minimize wear and tear. I've had mine for three years and so far, no problems. So far I'm very happy with it.

(Written by: cojjack)

16 June 2009 18:25
Bomb-proof ultralight tent for two tall people

Jason Harrison

User's Overall Rating

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Performance
Build quality
Value for money

I used this with my team-mate in the 2007 OMM. The mid camp was typical: wet and windy! I agree with Graham that the mesh inner won't help you keep warm in those conditions. However, I mustn't notice such things when I'm in OMM mode, as I was quite comfortable in my 300g down filled sleeping bag and my lycras, although admittedly it wasn't cold for late October. It was very easy to put up, the poles being all joined together in a 'stick man' shape, with very 'self-evident' orientation to the inner. What really impressed me was its stability. It's not enough for a tent to stay up in windy weather if it bounces around so much it keeps you awake. The Seedhouse stayed pretty still throughout the night and also didn't let a drop of water in. I'm 192cm (6'2") tall: there aren't many tents out there that are this light and could sleep two people of my height without them having to bend their knees or 'spoon'. Superb.

(Written by: JastheBass)

25 March 2009 14:22