The North Face Tadpole FL Tent Review
A two-person, freestanding tent that can handle any storm.
Brand: The North Face Gear Reviews
Model: Tadpole FL
Verdict
“Through three days of hail-flinging thunderstorms and microbursts above 10,000 feet in Utah’s Uinta Mountains, my partner and I stayed totally dry. In fact, this freestanding dome never flapped in 25-mph gusts. Headroom is excellent: I’m 6’2” and could sit up without brushing the 41-inch ceiling or near-vertical walls. Now 9 inches wider than the original Tadpole, this 29-square-foot version is adequate—not luxurious—for two adults. It also weighs 1.5 pounds less than the original, thanks in part to upgraded DAC Featherlight NSL poles (which are lighter and stronger). The vestibule is 8.8 square feet, big enough for two people’s gear and easy egress. I experienced no condensation through soggy conditions that steamed up our neighbors.” $289; 3 lbs. 15 oz.; thenorthface.com
Best For
duos who want affordable weight savings
Tester Data
Kevin Anderson, Other tester: Casey Lyons When May to Oct.
Where UT, CA, CO; 45°F to 85°F; rain, wind
“The bathtub floor kept us bone-dry at a biblically flooded tentsite.”