Sierra Designs Tengu 3 Review

"I purchased this tent after mulling over about 6 semi-finalists. My criteria were: Room to sit inside if I wanted to, or store gear inside if I needed to; room to sit in the vestibule if I wanted to, or cook in the vestibule if I needed to. I chose this tent because of the above, and also because I was intrigued by how it pitches from the outside, with the tent body hanging from the fly, so if you are pitching in the rain, the inside of the tent stays 100% dry. I selected the 3 person over the 2 person for the extra room inside, despite the fact it is 1.5 pounds heavier than the 2 person model. I am a weekend hiker, not a thru-hiker, so I am not obsessed with ultra-light stuff.

The propaganda is correct, pitching this tent is pretty easy, and the poles are cooperative. You simply criss-cross the two main poles then clip the fly up onto the poles. Easy. Then slip the vestibule pole into a sleeve and you're good to go. The front vestibule is very large, and you absolutely can sit and or cook in it. The outside-in direction of the zipper creates a vestibule with overhang like the MH Trango - a feature I found very attractive. I rejected several tents because of the direction of the zipper and its effect on the performance of the vestibule.

The inside is cavernous, larger than I expected it would feel. There's plenty of room for 2 people and gear, although I think 3 people would need to know one another reasonably well. We slept at a 45 degree angle to take advantage of the width and to free up the corners for gear. The rear door is easier to get out of for late night nature calls, unless you have left the front open; and you can leave both vestibules open partially for cross ventilation. We did not experience rain, so I can't comment on the Tengu's weather worthiness; but condensation was non-existent in low 40 degree weather.

All in all, I think this tent is beautiful on the outside and on the inside. If you don't need or want extra interior space, the 2 person model probably works better for distance hikers aware of weight. Either way, if you find yourself frequently pitching a tent in rain or drizzle, then this 2007 tent deserves your close scrutiny!"

"I was in the market for a tent that met the following criteria: Rated for 3 people but comfortable for 2; room to store gear or sit inside the tent; vestibule large enough to sit in if I wanted to and cook in if I had to; 2 doors but not necessarily two large vestibules. After looking at probably 6 "semi-finalists", I selected the Tengu 3 because I liked to feature that the tent body "hangs" inside the fly and you pitch the fly. This means if it's raining when you pitch, the inside of the tent stays dry. Also, pitching is a one-step process, not two. I selected the 3 person model over the 2 person model to obtain more room inside, for gear or to sit. This tent weighs around 8 pounds, but I am not a thru-hiker obsessed with weight. If I was, I would have selected the new Sierra Designs ASP Tent. The propaganda is true: pitching is easy and quick. You criss-cross the lengthwise poles, then clip the fly to those poles. You slide the vestibule hoop pole into its sleeve and then stake out the front and back vestibules and you are good-to-go. One person can do it with ease in less than 10 minutes. Once up, the tent has a nice combination of ventilation without drafts. I can see how it would work down into pretty low temps. The vestibule is huge and you most certainly can either sit in it or cook in it. I especially like the out-to-center direction of the zipper on the vestibule, which replicates that of the MH Trango, enhancing the sit-ability of the vestibule. Alas, I cannot comment on the performance in the rain, haven't encountered that yet. We took advantage of the 73" width to sleep at a 45 degree angle, freeing up the corners for gear and a recliner for reading (car was nearby). The rear door and smaller vestibule is BTW preferable for midnight nature calls. If you can stand the weight factor, this is quite a unique tent that looks cool and performs as advertised. My only gripe is the footprint cost $45, which seems pretty steep to me. I am planning on getting two carbon poles for the front vestibule, to help prevent any overhead sagging. I might replace the main vestibule pole, too, to reduce weight. "