Backpacker Magazine – Fall Gear Guide 2009

Gear Review: L.L. Bean Backcountry Dome 3-Person Tent

This three-person, all-season L.L.Bean tent costs less than $350.

by: Testers Kelly Bastone, Shannon Davis, Moira Downes, John Harlan, Kristy Holland, Karst R. Hoogeboom, Kristin Hostetter, Lauren McLean, Scott McLean, Tim Shisler

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• Tents
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Bargain
Three-person all-season shelters that cost less than $350 and really work are few and far between. And that's just one reason why our testers love this affordable tent. Price aside, this classically shaped dome is a solid performer, able to fend off drenching rains, light snow, and serious gusts, thanks to a crisscrossing four-pole skeleton with extra-wide pole clips that hold tight and are a cinch to deploy with or without gloves on.

Floor space (40 square feet) is ample for three people, and the ceiling height (at almost four feet) is palatial; testers strung wet clothes from the internal guy lines and still had plenty of headroom to sit up for a game of UNO. Two vestibules (16.5 and 10.5 square feet) provide plenty of space for bulky winter gear or protected cooking in a squall. The front vestibule has two doors, which is great for negotiating gear and shifting winds. And the ceiling has closeable vents on both the inner canopy and fly, allowing you to fine-tune venting. The weight makes this strictly a cold-weather tent, but at this price, you can afford a second shelter. $329; 10 lbs. 6 oz.; llbean.com

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