Eureka Performance Spitfire 2 10- by 5-Foot Two-Person Backpacking Tent

Original Spitfire styling in a 2 person model! Loaded with mesh for great ventilation, and ample-sized headroom area thats as large or larger than the competitionҒs! 2 pole hoop style tent 9 mm DAC Featherlite 7000 series aluminum frame and clip attachments make set up fast Post and grommet corner attachments with locking end tips make set up easy 4 storm guyouts on fly 2 side opening doors are constructed entirely of no-see-um mesh Sizeable mesh panels for air flow 2 interior storage pockets hold essentials Bathtub floor with taped seams wraps up sides of tent to protect against splashing rain Poke-out vent in fly has zippered access via mesh roof cloth Seasons: 3 Sleeps: 2 Doors: 2 Windows: Full Panel Mesh Weight: 4 lbs. Area: 38.76 Sq. Ft. Center Height: 3' 7"
Customer Review: great light-weight 2-person tent
I've done quite a bit of searching around, and this is by far the lightest 2-person tent I've found... well, aside from a couple ultra-lite specialty companies... but they're harder to find, and MUCH more expensive. Plenty of room inside for two people and quite a bit of gear (depending on how tall you are) as there is a good sized area at the head end that, because of the way the tent tapers, isn't much use for adult people... but you can store a couple mid-sized packs there... or if you're camping with the pooch, it can curl up in that spot nicely. I like the layout with the 2-door design. Makes night-time "nature calls" much easier on your tent-mate. One can get up and exit the tent without worrying about kicking the other. Also, if it's a clear night, the fly ties up over each door to give you a pretty good view of the sky through the HUGE mesh panels. Actually, pretty much the whole upper section is mesh which is great for ventilation on warm nights, as well as keeping down the condensation on cooler nights. The only thing I would suggest is getting a better set of stakes for it. The ones it comes with are the basic steel wire hook type. Fine for plain-ol dirt, but not so good if it's a bit rocky or root-laden. Plus, they tend to bend a bit easily. I'd recommend a set of either the "MSR Ground Hog" aluminum stakes, or a titanium stake of similar design (angle or tri-leg... not the wire type). The alum and titanium are both lighter, the angle or tri-leg will be stronger. Other than the stakes (which are perfectly usable, though they won't last long), this is a great tent package... right around 4 lbs complete, straps nicely to a pack, and unlike other tents I've had in the past, it's actually pretty easy to get back into the bag if you're careful to roll most of the air out (I've had many tents where the bag was just too tight and made repacking a chore). Happy camping.
Customer Review: Make Sure to Pull it Nice & Tight
I bought this tent when I was in the Montana Conservation Corps. I carried it on several long backpacking trips. It is a very nice tent, high quality materials, but there are two things that I wish I'd have known before ordering it. The first is that the tent is not free standing. You have to stake the tent to the ground at five points for it to stand upright. You also have to stake the fly. It's hard to set up at night or on a tough surface because it's not free standing. Make sure to buy plenty of replacement stakes, because with this tent, you'll need 'em. The second is that if you don't stake the fly tight enough, it has a flat surface on the top where water can pool and drip into the tent during the night, getting your down sleeping bag nice and wet for the 5 days ahead of you. When you stake the fly very very tightly, this can be avoided. Beyond that, It is very lightweight and roomy for its weight, I'd reccomend it if you know what you're getting into.

Imagine sitting underneath a night sky so full of brilliant stars that you can actually point out the constellations to your kids. It sounds pretty spectacular, doesnt it? Camping is a pretty unique experience. You get to spend some time in nature away from the hustle and bustle of city-life stress.

After you finally decide that yes you are going camping, youre left with one important question: what to take. This is the big question no matter what type of vacation we are planning. Now add to the mix all the nuances of camping, and your list can quickly get lengthy.

Whether you're planning a weekend getaway or months on the road, you never know exactly what youll run into and what may need. Here are some tips and tricks to planning and more importantly packing for a camping trip out in the wilderness.

1. The first thing youll need to do is to establish a staging area. You can use a corner of your garage or living room and pile all of your gear there prior to packing. If you have the space, you could even begin moving gear to the staging area several days ahead of time. This prevents overloading your brain at the last minute. By waiting till the last minute to pack, youre guaranteed to forget to pack something important.
2. Take a good, hard look at your gear pile when you think it's complete. Spend a minute or two reviewing everything on your list of things you want to bring and check it twice.
3. After your done packing your gear, your next step is packing your clothing. You are going to want to layer your clothing in case of changing temperatures and conditions such as rain. Always pack spare clothing in case you get wet. Avoid cotton unless your trip is in a very warm climate. Cotton dries slowly and offers very little to no insulation when it gets wet. Synthetic long underwear and jackets work best. Bring a warm wool or fleece hat, too.
4. Test and try out your gear before you head out. Know how to operate your camp stove, and bring the proper fuel.
5. Purchase several small and medium nylon bags to divide up your gear. Cooking gear can go in one bag, first aid items in another bag, and so on.
6. Plan your water supply. If water is scarce near your campsite, consider having a large water bladder in your pack. In addition to offering a high capacity, water bladders have a hose that allows you to drink while you're on the move. Water purification tablets are indispensable. Make sure you pick up a few before you head out.
7. Buy a good sleeping pad or two. Many people like to stack a full length sleeping pad on top of a shorter one. The extra warmth and comfort makes the weight and bulk worthwhile. They arent too expensive with some camping stores selling several brands of pads, from $20 to $100.
8. Plan your meals ahead of time. This way you'll be guaranteed to have enough food. For short camping stints, your grocery list might include milk, butter, cheese and crackers, bread, buns, vegetables, fruit, dried and/or fresh, meat such as burgers, hot dogs, shish kabobs, canned foods like chili or soup, condiments and spices, trail mix, energy bars, cookies, soda, juice, tea, cocoa, cider, coffee and alcoholic beverages.
9. All of the above mentioned items are useful, but some are luxuries while others are absolute necessities. For instance, a handheld GPS is fun and helpful, but a map and compass will do just as well. Your specific destination may require additional gear or far less, if weight is an issue.

If you happen to forget something, dont fret. Many RV parks and campgrounds have well-stocked stores with most of the basic supplies you will need.

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