The double-walled, two-door Blacktail Hotel 3 now has a new, 28-square-foot front vestibule that makes it the choice for climbers, bikepackers, and basecampers who place a high value on storage space. “The massive vesti made us the envy of everyone in camp,” one tester said after she and a partner completed a 20-day river trip through the Grand Canyon. “We laid out our clothes, shoes, and dry suits to air out under the fly without fears of rain.” The tent has six internal pockets as well as loops for hanging clotheslines, all of which our tester used to dry additional gear. She also appreciated the position of the front fly door, which is set at a 90-degree angle to the tent body door. During a mist- and sandstorm, she kept the fly open for airflow and found that no water or sand blew inside. Add in the 9-square-foot secondary vestibule, which is accessible from both inside and out, and there’s nearly as much storage space (37 square feet) as there is interior space (44 square feet). Condensation formed during large temperature swings, but the tent ventilated effectively on low-50s mornings.
$280; 6 lbs. 5 oz.; 3-person