Sierra Designs Flashlight 2 UL Tent Review
An unconventional design delivers comfort and protection for even the tallest campers—with no weight penalty.
Brand: Sierra Designs
Model: Flashlight 2 UL
[max headroom]
Why we like it An unconventional design delivers comfort and protection for even the tallest campers—with no weight penalty.
Protection Awnings and waterproof walls in lieu of vestibules made our testers initially nervous, but the Flashlight repelled a deluge in Olympic National Park. “Campmates that had laughed at our tent’s unconventional appearance stopped sneering when we were dry in the morning and they were wet,” she reports. Tradeoff: The non-freestanding shelter is fussy to pitch; be sure to stake out all guylines. Bonus: Replace the two aluminum poles with trekking poles for a 6-ounce savings.
Livability A lofty 46-inch peak height over the head and shoulders creates outstanding volume: Even our 6’7” tester praised the interior space. The 30-square-foot floor is a smidge bigger than most tents in this weight class, and ventilation is excellent. However, the ceiling tapers to 21.5 inches at the foot, so it’s not a party tent.
gear storage Instead of vestibules, small covered “gear closets” along the sides use awnings to shield boots and packs (stowed vertically). “I was skeptical, but our stuff stayed dry in downpours,” says our tester. The design places gear away from the doors (nice), but offers no cooking space (not nice).
$360; 3 lbs. 6 oz.; sierradesigns.com