In Search of a 2 Man Tent

I’ve been looking for a new tent and think I’ve found one that I’m ready to try.

Criteria:

  • 2 man capacity
  • $200-$400 (ideally, cost includes footprint)
  • 3 - 4.9 lbs (as close to 3 as possible)
  • 2 doors (and 2 vestibules)
  • Bath tub floor
  • Sold by REI (love their guarantee and I get a dividend back)
  • Great bang for the buck


Planned Use:

I’d be lying if I said this tent would be mostly used for true backpacking but in reality, my near future holds mostly car camping with the occasional overnight backpacking trip.


 My Style:

I prefer to buy things once and don’t mind paying a little more if it’s a better value in the long run. “Some things cost more because they’re worth more.” [The trick is finding out which things are worth their cost.]


 My Current Top Picks:

I’ve been debating mostly between the Big Agnes Rattlesnake SL 2 mtnGLO ($349) and the REI Half Dome 2 ($199) and have all but settled on the Half Dome 2 because of my current (and near future) needs as well as its low impact to my wallet. While I think the interior lights idea of the Big Agnes tent is neat, it's not a deal breaker for me at all. In fact, I could buy the Half Dome 2 and the Big Agnes mtnGLO Light Accessory Kit and still have $110 left over when compared to the Rattlesnake SL 2.


Final Decision:

The main problem is that I'm having to make a decision in the next day or two because I'm going on a camping trip this weekend. I wasn't planning on upgrading so soon but they're calling for rain and my current tent won't be able to handle the constant downpour without me getting wet and uncomfortable. A quick decision is hardly ever ideal but I've been weighing my options pretty hard over the last few days and just now decided to write about it.

As of the publishing of this post, I'm leaning heavily towards the Half Dome 2. It seems to be the best compromise of features and cost for my needs.


Your Recommendation?

I'd love to hear your recommendations but keep in mind my criteria listed above.

UPDATE: I settled on the REI Half Dome 2. On the few camping trips I've taken it on, it's proven itself to be a great buy and I highly recommend it.

Items of Want 031

Limited Edition Huckberry + James Brand Chapter Knife*


“With the Chapter knife, simple is significant. The titanium frame-lock construction is the simplest there is, with minimal moving parts and maintenance. The stainless steel blade holds an edge, doesn’t rust and as is easy to care for. In fact, we loved the knife’s execution so much, we had our friends at James Brand build a few exclusively for us — with subtle branding, custom anodized hits, and our signature topography print, laser-etched on the inside of the frame lock just to remind you that you’re carrying something a little extra-special, because this is a knife that you will use for a lifetime.”

*Sign up for a Huckberry account (it’s free and awesome) through this link and get $10 off your first purchase. I get $20 when you make your first purchase but hey, I found it first.

Carved Satellite iPhone 6/6S Traveler Wood Case


"Custom crafted from durable and beautiful woods, we make wooden cases, covers and skins for iPhone 6/6s/6s Plus, iPhone 5/5s/5c, iPhone 4/4s, Google Nexus 5, Samsung Galaxy S5/S4, iPad Mini and iPod Touch! Every item you see on our website has been made from real wood and is all-natural. We let the beauty of the wood shine through. When you run your fingers across each grain of wood in your customized Carved product, you'll feel our passion for perfection."

Photo by A Gentleman's Word

Terrapin Stationers Shark A6 Note Cards


"Engraved and embossed in blue ink on natural white stock. Set of 6 cards with kraft envelopes. -- For nearly a century, Terrapin Stationers have produced some of the finest engraved and embossed stationery in New York (or anywhere, for that matter). Family-run for years by husband-and-wife team Lloyd and Cathy Harrington, the company has managed to weather everything from the advent of the fax machine to the ubiquity of email. Now, Cathy and son Ted are at the helm, keeping things going with a line of note cards, calling cards, and more that deftly blend old school charm and modern irreverence — think engraved “WTF?” monograms sitting comfortably next to classic hunting club crests. Everything is made from the highest quality cotton and card stock, then exactingly pressed to form the sharply defined, raised impressions that have made engraving the preferred method of high-end printing for centuries. You want the best stationery? You just found it."

Uni-ball Shift Pipe Lock Mechanical Pencil


From Doane Paper: “Our favorite mechanical pencil. The Uni-ball Shift Pipe Lock Mechanical Pencil has a unique shift and lock mechanism that allows you to protect the pencil tip during travels. The upper body shifts forward to create a body transformation as it protects the guide pipe and lead from breakage. The pencil also has a nice balanced feel and features a low center of gravity to allow stable writing and to reduce hand fatigue.”

Serepick + Fabnik Bogota Pi Wallet Kit


“It’s a wallet that not only holds your cards and cash, but also a set of our Bogota Pi lock picks, should you find yourself locked out of your house or challenged to an impromptu locksport battle. The wallet is full grain goatskin leather - the whole package makes a nice, minimal wallet with some unexpected functionality.

It comes as an un-assembled kit, and this Instructable shows you how to make it, teaching the traditional saddle stitch in the process.”

Photo by Fabnik

— Check out past Items of Want —

Chris Brogan on Failure

I don't believe that I've ever met someone who truly doesn't worry about failure in some aspect. Some are better at keeping those thoughts of failure pushed away most of the time but every now and then it creeps back into view.

Whether it’s in a relationship, career, foot race, or whatever other situation we find ourselves in, the fear of failure can prevent us from taking risks and ultimately gaining ground outside our comfort zone.

Here’s an excerpt from an email Chris Brogan sent on Sunday, September 13, 2015 that's simple yet illustrative.

P.S. If you like this, you should definitely subscribe to his email newsletter.

Another View of Failure

Think of failure as “an outcome you didn’t expect or want.” That’s what Tony Robbins taught me. It’s very freeing to consider failure that way. Instead of “Oh wow, you suck! You’re terrible! You’ll NEVER make it,” this kind of mindset is, “Huh, well, that’s not what I wanted to see happen. What do I do next?”

It’s a powerful reframing and it changes everything.

Actions You Can Take

Want to test this? DELIBERATELY do something you know you’ll fail at and work on accepting the response. For instance, take three bean bags or tennis balls down to the street corner and show off your juggling prowess (with no previous knowledge). Go to karaoke and belt out the lyrics to a song you don’t really know (especially if you can’t sing). Just let it out there, fail, and see if you die. (Hint: you won’t.)

Incomplete Thoughts

I have a good bit of blog drafts that I’m hesitant to share until I "complete" my thinking behind them but maybe sharing them in their current form is part of completing them and I’m missing out.

For those posts I share on this blog that I feel are incomplete, I’ll tag them as such so you know they're “supposed” be a random blurb rather than something more coherent. Just don’t judge me on those. Actually, I guess I don’t mind if you do.

Enjoy your week and make something awesome of it.