"As others have said, this tent is ideal for one and passable for two. Don't tent with someone you don't really like (or someone who thrashes in their sleep). I've camped double in it, but it was with a close friend and we were having a great time, so we didn't mind.
I've used this tent in heavy rain and didn't have problems. During one storm, most of the boys in my Scout Troop had their tents blow over and get soaked. I was still asleep when they came to get me.
One note... don't waste the money on the company's "footprint". Cut your own out of some roofing plastic for $5. That way, if you have to use it for another purpose on the trail, or if it gets destroyed, you're not out $45 or whatever they're charging these days."
"Pros: light, compact, easy to set up, lots of mesh for ventilation, rainfly straps down really close to the ground, hot looking. :-)
Cons: really snug even for two moderately sized people (I'm 5'9" and my girlfriend is 5'2"). Don't expect to store gear inside unless your gear is laying on top of you. Vestibule is small and will accomodate one backpacking pack in a pinch (probably have to lean it against the test a little). Vestibule is probably better suited for your boots.
Aside from the size and small vestibule (which I knew about going in... a tradeoff for the light weight), the only real complaint I have is that on my last camping trip, I got a bit of moisture in the tent. Basically, it was downpouring and really humid so we had lots of condensation on the inside of the fly, but instead of running down the sides, the water kept getting knocked off of the inside walls by big rain drops and splattered in little droplets through the mesh and onto our faces and our sleeping bags. It wasn't much water and it never woke me up, but I noticed it before I went to sleep and my girlfriend said sprinkles in the face her up a few times. Another factor is that there was virtually no wind at all that night, so maybe that hindered the normal ventilation that this tent is supposedly touted for and hence all the condensation."
"PROS: Light, Easy to set up, Cool looking, and easily withstands moderate weather.
CONS: Would be small for two people but perect for one. Also, very small vestibule.
I used this tent for 8 days before climbing Mt. Mckinley. Even though there were some fairly heavy winds and rainfall, I never felt a drop. Almost everone else in my team ended with wet, ripped tents. I had plenty of space to put gear and cook. Although it would be small with my partner, I felt like a king alone. I recommend the Tadpole 23 for anyone who does a lot of 3 season backpacking, likes good weather protection, wnats to have lots of room solo, and likes ultralight gear.
-Ian B. (Alaska Parks Guide)"
"Positive: Light, Packs compactly, Super easy set-up
Negative: Snug for 2 people, Moisture problems
I used this for the first time on a backpacking trip in the Smokey Mountains. The tent is light, takes up little space, and goes up in a snap.
However, in accordance with past reviews, the tent is extremely snug. Luckily, I didn't have to share with anyone so I had plenty of room, but I usually camp with my girlfriend and I'm still not sure how comfortable it will be.
I also experienced some moisture inside the tent during a downpour. Granted, it stormed for 8 hours, but when I woke up I did notice some moisture at the tent floor. It did not wake me up, nor was I particularly bothered by the amount of water.
Although the vestibule is small, I found that I was able to fit too packs underneath it if I stacked them up in front of the door. This set-up was a pain when I had to relieve myself during the night, but it kept my gear and my friend's gear fairly dry.
All things considered, I would definitely reccommend buying this tent, especially if you find it on sale like I did ($129.00 @ REI)."
"For some reason, the rain does not run off the tent. It gathers in blobs, like a waxed polished car. All the other tents round about me are dry, but mine has the water blobs.Apart from that it is a good spacious One person tent."
"I bought my Tadpole 23 in 2005. I've been camping for more than ten years and owned and used many tents, including the 1999 Tadpole model. For me this tent is emblematic of the decline of The North Face's quality. I used it only one time and one time alone last year. When I inspected it before an upcoming trip I found the inside of the tentfly extremely sticky and the seamtape started to crumble and peel. This didn't happen to the other two tents in my closet. I put it away clean, dry and folded neatly and I can't think of a plausible explanation for it other than that the materials were hi-tech but of inferior quality. I also had problems with two other North Face products i had bought along with this tent: the Patrol Pack Duo and the Venture Hyvent Jacket."
