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Backpacker Magazine – Gear Guide 2012
Gear Guide 2012: Exped Mira II Tent
This spacious, two-person tent uses durable fabrics to provide sturdy weather protection in a lightweight package.
Exped Mira II (Michael Clark)
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Comfortable living space, sturdy weather protection, low weight: We’ve seen other shelters hit this trifecta in recent years, but few do it as well as the Mira, which comes in under four pounds without sacrificing durability—or going over $400. The trick? By reducing support at the foot end—with no loss in stability as long as the reinforced end is angled into the wind—Exped designers eliminated 3.5 ounces of pole. That lets Exped use tough fabrics like 70-denier* nylon for the floor and 30-denier for the fly, which are heavier than average for this weight class.
And space is adequate: A 30-square-foot floor and 43-inch peak height let our six-footers pack up simultaneously without swatting each other. Seven-square-foot vestibules shelter packs and boots, while a dry-entry design prevents water from rolling off the fly and dripping inside through the door during stormy comings and goings.
The Mira kept our Washington testers cozy through an epic, only-in-the-Olympics deluge. And while the pole sleeves are a hair slower to set up than clips, the payoff is a taut and strong pitch. Testers called the Mira “heavy-storm protection in a lightweight package.” $379; 3 lbs. 14 oz.; exped.com
*DENIER A unit of measurement for the thickness (and therefore durability) of individual threads used in making cloth. Higher numbers denote heavier, more durable fabrics.
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READERS COMMENTS
I agree with the anonymous comment. I do however like the fact that it is so light weight. It does seem that the lighter tents are more expensive; and for as light of a tent as this is, it is fairly inexpensive. But, I am in shape and am no stranger to endurance and carrying a load due to being in the military. So the extra weight doesn't really bother me when choosing a tent. I'm young, and i am sure that when i get older i will probably think differently though, lol.
Tracy, I believe they are talking about the Mira II. Looks like whoever wrote this gear guide article got in a hurry and wasn't paying attention to detail. Adan, the reason the tent has less support is because there are no support poles on the foot end of the tent. If you go to Exped's website and look at the tent, you will see what the description is talking about. I honestly feel that I would pick a different tent over this one for being "best all around". As most avid backpackers would agree, you want good sturdy gear. The Mira looks as if it wouldn't withstand an average storm where I'm from. I personally feel that Marmot has a better tent that is better suited for this category. Honestly, it surpasses it, but that is my opinion.
Can someone explain what it means by " less support at the foot end " ?
Description sounds right but the photo is for the Exped Gemini II. The Mira II has less support at the foot end of the tent than is shown in the photo.
As pointed out previously, the picture above is wrong. The description in the text about the unsupported foot end does sound like the Mira II. The correct pic can be found at http://www.exped.com/exped/web/exped_homepage_na.nsf/0/F4FD699893861A9BC125767E00705EBC?opendocument
I just noticed... this picture is of the Exped Gemini model, not the Mira. Can someone please confirm you are touting the right tent?
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