Kelty Grand Mesa 2-Person Tent (Ruby/Tan)

I'm a Boy Scout leader and wanted a lightweight tent for backpacking with my son and to use alone when the Scouts are on car-camping trips. This tent is lightweight, compact, and well-made. Most tents I've owned have only the main floor seam taped for watertightness. I was pleasantly surprised to see that ALL the seams are taped.

My son and I used this tent a couple weeks ago while backpacking on vacation. The design and quality proved themselves. It rained and despite the two of us being crammed into the tent, we were dry and comfortable.

This tent is exceptionally easy and fast to put up and take down. That's important because you don't want to have to struggle to put it up in the rain and you don't want to make your friends wait while you laboriously take down your tent. The poles are very strong for this type of tent and should be much less prone to breaking than others I've seen. I like having hooks to secure the tent to the frame better than sleeves you have to slide the poles through.

I also purchased the nylon footprint to go under the tent and protect the floor from punctures. It's very lightweight and compact and seems to do as good a job as the sheets of plastic I've used with other tents. It's well worth the price. The footprint is cut to fit entirely under the tent so nothing sticks out to catch and funnel rain under you.

This tent is very tight for two people. Backpackers are used to that. But non-backpackers would be more comfortable with a three- or four-man tent for two. When I'm camping solo with the Scouts I expect this tent to be perfect.

I took this tent on a 2 day backpacking trip. It rained both nights but we stayed dry. Nighttime temps were 40 degrees, and I didn't even use my sleeping bag because I was so warm. A little cramped for 2 and my German Shepherd, but 2 people or just me and the dog would have been good. The vestibule kept both our 80L packs protected outside the tent.

I'll have to update this review as time goes on, because I've only taken the tent out for one weekend, during which I had miraculously lovely weather. So, I can't speak to the performance in rain (though the fly has good coverage, seems coated well, and has good seam-taping). Temps were generally seasonable, though dipped into the low 50s/high 40's during the weekend. Inside I was cozy, leaving my sleeping bag mostly unzipped, with plenty of air coming through the mesh even without much wind. It's not easy to stargaze, but you can get a view if you position your head at the door. One great feature is the fly vent, which pops up and stays open thanks to a little hoop of wire in it. Hopefully it will not get mangled over time. The floor is a little thin (cut yourself a tarp groundcover) and I think abrasion could definitely be a problem. Those with dogs might want to be take extra care tht Fido's nails don't rip right through the floor. Condensation was slight overnight and only at the foot of the tent, not bad for the humidity in WI. Also the mesh kept the bugs out, which was very important.

It's not the hugest--things would be tight with a second person, and taller folks might feel cramped in the length dept. However, the design does allow the tent to have a small footprint and yet seem ok for two people even if not super comfy. A good compromise for me, a camper who was wavering between 1 and 2 person tents. The vestibule isn't big, but it's better than many tents at a similar price point. There's a loop in the ceiling for hanging gear, and a couple of gear pockets at the front of the tent. Aluminum poles are good, although I was not expecting them to be shock-corded.

Probably bulky and a tad heavy for serious backpackers. Easy (EASY!) to setup and take down, though I agree with another review that I'm in the dark on the guywire operation. I didn't need 'em anyway, though the shape of the tent (basically rectangular) leads me to think that high winds could be a problem. Stakes are ok, but surely will get replaced sooner or later.

With aluminum poles, a good fly, some vestibule space, good amounts of mesh, sealed seams, some gear pockets, and an ok brand name, this is a good tent for the money. Similar models at this price point tend to skimp on at least one of these features. If you want to spend less than 130 for a freestanding tent, this is a good option.

I've owned this tent for just over a month, and have taken it camping twice. It sleeps two quite comfortably; the floor space is about equal to a full bed.
Two backpacks fit stacked on top of each other in the vestibule. I recommend a backpack cover in order to prevent rain running under.
Good ventilation too.

The instructions that came with it are clearly written, but the tent is so simple I don't think many people will need to rely on them.

The only issue I have with the tent is the guy wires to hold the rain fly on. There are no instructions for these, and this is the first tent I have owned that uses them. Even with my engineer hat on, I cannot figure out the proper way to use them. Last two times I ended up just tying them to the stake.

I've had this tent for a few months. It's light weight and compact. When put up, is very sturdy and sound. The tent goes up fast, simple and easy; take down is just as nice. It withstood rain with no problem. I'm 6'3 and have no problems with room while lying down. I haven't had it very long but seems that it will last a long time. It can fit two people easily but not much room for gear inside with two. The only negative is that the vestibule is nice but not enough room for a lot of gear. Otherwise, excellent tent for a low price.