Big Sky International Chinook 2P

Versatility
Pitch this two-person tent with two poles for three-season strength, or add the included third pole to make it four-season ready.

Strength
Colorado’s St. Mary Glacier is notorious for its high winds, but the Chinook stood strong even in gusts topping 60 mph. Credit the third ridge pole, which bolsters the frame and provides good lateral stiffness. Huge blasts of wind striking the large side (a pitching mistake) temporarily deformed the tent, but it popped right back up. Note: Big Sky offers several pole options; stick with the standard 9 mm aluminum poles. (The optional ultralight poles failed under 6 inches of wet snow.)

Livability
Each side door has a 9.2-foot vestibule that stores winter gear without blocking entry or exit.

Pitch
The poles clip to the fly, which makes for a super-fast, fly-first setup that protects the canopy from precip.

Protection
The slick, proprietary SuprSil fabric blocked all rain and snow, but the slipperiness has a drawback: Unless you tie them back during entry and exit, wet doors drape over the canopy, channeling water onto the floor.

$450; 3 lbs. 13 oz. (mfr.); bigskyproducts.com