Setup was really easy once I took the time to familiarize myself with how it works (and it's not complicated at all). Each part of the tent is a different color, which makes keeping everything straight very simple (white for the top, yellow for 4-person bottom, green for 3-person bottom, and the rain fly is dual-colored). Switching between 3- and 4-person variations is super easy: it's two zippers. The tent has two doors, four mesh pockets, a main hanging look at the top (great for my LED lantern), and smaller loops to hook into in the top corners. The very first night I used this tent, I got stuck in a severe thunderstorm that came out of nowhere. Fortunately, I had already put the rain fly on and it held up perfectly! I haven't yet purchased a footprint designed for this tent and used a tarp instead. As the storm pounded the tent, I could see dark spots forming on the floor of the tent and my heart sank until I touched them and realized that none of the water had soaked through. The only moisture that got into the tent was little more than mist and that's because I had vented the rainfly and wasn't about to step outside to close them (but, to the tent's credit, that venting is designed to minimize rain coming in and it did very well). I really like that parts of the rainfly that cover the doors extends a few feet in a triangular shape that zips in the middle. When fully closed, it serves as a kind of airlock that puts some distance between that opening and the inside of the tent. It's a tight space, but such a great design compared to ones I've used on other tents in the past. One of the huge added benefits of being able to remove the bottom of the tent is that it made cleaning it so much easier. Rather than having to fight with cleaning the entire tent at once, I just had to focus on one piece at a time. It also made drying so much faster. Probably my biggest gripe with the tent is that the doors do not have any privacy. If you want to cover the mesh for privacy, you have no choice but to use the rain fly to do it. Other than that, though, I can't think of anything else that I'd gripe about (except wishing that it came with a footprint instead of requiring that I purchase it separately).

We have been using The Trail 43 tent for a couple of months now and love it. The durability and flexibility of the tent has been fantastic for when we have groups of 3 and 4. Unlike other tents, the Mons Peak line is a true 3 and 4 person tent. The additional room in the tent has been great for rainy nights in which we were able to comfortably sit inside the tent.

We have been using The Trail 43 tent for a couple of months now and love it. The durability and flexibility of the tent has been fantastic for when we have groups of 3 and 4. Unlike other tents, the Mons Peak line is a true 3 and 4 person tent. The additional room in the tent has been great for rainy nights in which we were able to comfortably sit inside the tent.

The Mons Peak IX has a unique design so a person can make it a 3 or 4 person tent. I had no idea when I ordered it that the quality of construction would be so far superior to any other tent on the market--Big Agnes, MSR, NEMO, or REI brand. The interior space is amazing. The ample side doors are easy to crawl in and out of, and the vestibule (what I call the front porch) is so roomy, I can really spread out my gear and still have room for the backpack and boots. The tent-makers seem to have thought of everything--a loop to hang a headlamp inside, for example. The fabric and zippers are high-quality--no leaking in the rain and it doesn't condensate during the night. I've had it in the Utah desert and the Canadian Rockies (see photo), in Greenland next to a glacier and Idaho in pine and fir forests.

The Mons Peak IX has a unique design so a person can make it a 3 or 4 person tent. I had no idea when I ordered it that the quality of construction would be so far superior to any other tent on the market--Big Agnes, MSR, NEMO, or REI brand. The interior space is amazing. The ample side doors are easy to crawl in and out of, and the vestibule (what I call the front porch) is so roomy, I can really spread out my gear and still have room for the backpack and boots. The tent-makers seem to have thought of everything--a loop to hang a headlamp inside, for example. The fabric and zippers are high-quality--no leaking in the rain and it doesn't condensate during the night. I've had it in the Utah desert and the Canadian Rockies (see photo), in Greenland next to a glacier and Idaho in pine and fir forests.

The Mons Peak IX has a unique design so a person can make it a 3 or 4 person tent. I had no idea when I ordered it that the quality of construction would be so far superior to any other tent on the market--Big Agnes, MSR, NEMO, or REI brand. The interior space is amazing. The ample side doors are easy to crawl in and out of, and the vestibule (what I call the front porch) is so roomy, I can really spread out my gear and still have room for the backpack and boots. The tent-makers seem to have thought of everything--a loop to hang a headlamp inside, for example. The fabric and zippers are high-quality--no leaking in the rain and it doesn't condensate during the night. I've had it in the Utah desert and the Canadian Rockies (see photo), in Greenland next to a glacier and Idaho in pine and fir forests.

As an outfitter we are constantly seeking products that can stand up to constant abuse are easy to handle and versatile. This summer we were introduced to the Mons Peak IX Trail 43 and have been completely satisfied with the performance, durability and versatility of this tent. If your unfamiliar with the Mons Peak IX tent design it’s an ingenious application of versatility. Simply put 2 tents in one package. The Trail 43 tent can be configured in two modes either 3 person or 4 person. Switching modes is easy just unzip the floor and zip in the appropriate size add the color coded tent pole sections and you have a versatile, strong and attractive tent. We have used the Trail 43 for over 35 days from backpacking on Isle Royale, to kayak camping on the Wisconsin River. We have slept 4 guests in the larger Trail 4 mode down to 2 folks in the Trail 3 mode. Switching between modes is easy. The efficient two pole design with the color coded single or double pole sections for the two sizes makes set up efficient and easy. The snagless zipper on the two floor sizes makes assembly and tear down simple. As an example on the backpacking trip where low pack weight is the goal the tent was broken down into floor, body, poles and fly. Each tent mate is sharing a light load and the key is the floor that can be zipped apart easily. One extra step at camp but we have the energy and time because our pack weight is light. continued.....

As an outfitter we are constantly seeking products that can stand up to constant abuse are easy to handle and versatile. This summer we were introduced to the Mons Peak IX Trail 43 and have been completely satisfied with the performance, durability and versatility of this tent. If your unfamiliar with the Mons Peak IX tent design it’s an ingenious application of versatility. Simply put 2 tents in one package. The Trail 43 tent can be configured in two modes either 3 person or 4 person. Switching modes is easy just unzip the floor and zip in the appropriate size add the color coded tent pole sections and you have a versatile, strong and attractive tent. We have used the Trail 43 for over 35 days from backpacking on Isle Royale, to kayak camping on the Wisconsin River. We have slept 4 guests in the larger Trail 4 mode down to 2 folks in the Trail 3 mode. Switching between modes is easy. The efficient two pole design with the color coded single or double pole sections for the two sizes makes set up efficient and easy. The snagless zipper on the two floor sizes makes assembly and tear down simple. As an example on the backpacking trip where low pack weight is the goal the tent was broken down into floor, body, poles and fly. Each tent mate is sharing a light load and the key is the floor that can be zipped apart easily. One extra step at camp but we have the energy and time because our pack weight is light. continued.....

Continued.... Separating the floor from the body of the tent means that the tent can be quickly cleaned and dried. In our experience tents have always been a pain to dry and clean. There is loads of fabric and we find that you can never get them as clean as you need. We have found that clean tents are vital to extending the life of our gear. Making sure that the floor is dry and dirt free helps the waterproof fabric last longer. Cleaning and lubricating the zippers will make the gear last twice as long. The Trail 43 with the removable floor allows for easy cleaning and maintenance. After 35 days of hard use the tent looks almost brand new. Thanks to the versatility and convenience of having modular pieces. The attention to detail in the production process and material choices are outstanding. The fabric choices are durable and resilient and extremely waterproof. The floor and fly held up to some epic rain storms. During one of our programs we received over 7” of rain overnight. The tent held up amazingly with kit and guests dry and comfortable. We would recommend this tent and plan to update this review as we close in on 100 days of use. In the meantime, feel confident on your next adventure with this high quality, versatile tent design.

Continued.... Separating the floor from the body of the tent means that the tent can be quickly cleaned and dried. In our experience tents have always been a pain to dry and clean. There is loads of fabric and we find that you can never get them as clean as you need. We have found that clean tents are vital to extending the life of our gear. Making sure that the floor is dry and dirt free helps the waterproof fabric last longer. Cleaning and lubricating the zippers will make the gear last twice as long. The Trail 43 with the removable floor allows for easy cleaning and maintenance. After 35 days of hard use the tent looks almost brand new. Thanks to the versatility and convenience of having modular pieces. The attention to detail in the production process and material choices are outstanding. The fabric choices are durable and resilient and extremely waterproof. The floor and fly held up to some epic rain storms. During one of our programs we received over 7” of rain overnight. The tent held up amazingly with kit and guests dry and comfortable. We would recommend this tent and plan to update this review as we close in on 100 days of use. In the meantime, feel confident on your next adventure with this high quality, versatile tent design.

As an outfitter we are constantly seeking products that can stand up to constant abuse are easy to handle and versatile. This summer we were introduced to the Mons Peak IX Trail 43 and have been completely satisfied with the performance, durability and versatility of this tent. If your unfamiliar with the Mons Peak IX tent design it’s an ingenious application of versatility. Simply put 2 tents in one package. The Trail 43 tent can be configured in two modes either 3 person or 4 person. Switching modes is easy just unzip the floor and zip in the appropriate size add the color coded tent pole sections and you have a versatile, strong and attractive tent. We have used the Trail 43 for over 35 days from backpacking on Isle Royale, to kayak camping on the Wisconsin River. We have slept 4 guests in the larger Trail 4 mode down to 2 folks in the Trail 3 mode. Switching between modes is easy. The efficient two pole design with the color coded single or double pole sections for the two sizes makes set up efficient and easy. The snagless zipper on the two floor sizes makes assembly and tear down simple. As an example on the backpacking trip where low pack weight is the goal the tent was broken down into floor, body, poles and fly. Each tent mate is sharing a light load and the key is the floor that can be zipped apart easily. One extra step at camp but we have the energy and time because our pack weight is light. Separating the floor from the body of the tent means that the tent can be quickly cleaned and dried. In our experience tents have always been a pain to dry and clean. There is loads of fabric and we find that you can never get them as clean as you need. We have found that clean tents are vital to extending the life of our gear. Making sure that the floor is dry and dirt free helps the waterproof fabric last longer. Cleaning and lubricating the zippers will make the gear last twice as long. The Trail 43 with the removable floor allows for easy cleaning and maintenance. After 35 days of hard use the tent looks almost brand new. Thanks to the versatility and convenience of having modular pieces. The attention to detail in the production process and material choices are outstanding. The fabric choices are durable and resilient and extremely waterproof. The floor and fly held up to some epic rain storms. During one of our programs we received over 7” of rain overnight. The tent held up amazingly with kit and guests dry and comfortable. We would recommend this tent and plan to update this review as we close in on 100 days of use. In the meantime, feel confident on your next adventure with this high quality, versatile tent design.

I like the design of this tent. It's a smart way to give tent size options for backpackers, and the color coding system makes it easy to know which pieces will you need for packing equipment. The instructions are printed onto the bag, so you will never lose them. The outside does have plenty of areas for tie downs for securing the tent and rain tarp. Setting the tent up solo, including switching the bases took only about a half hour. The zippers are well made, and there are two doors, both with windows. The top of the tent does have pieces of thicker fabric with velcro that act as kickstands to open the rain cover forming vents for air flow which can be closed for colder nights. The one thing I don't like about the tent is that the windows have no closings on them. While this eliminates extra fabric and zippers reducing weight, you sacrifice privacy unless you always have the rain cover on, and the flaps zipped shut. While the tent is expensive, the one nice thing about the design is that if one piece is ever damaged beyond repair, so long as the damage is only on one half, you do not need to replace an entire tent, only the damaged half. Replacing only pieces reduces the environmental impact, as well as cost over time. This is a tent targeted towards backpackers, and I would not recommend this as an everyday tent.

I like the design of this tent. It's a smart way to give tent size options for backpackers, and the color coding system makes it easy to know which pieces will you need for packing equipment. The instructions are printed onto the bag, so you will never lose them. The outside does have plenty of areas for tie downs for securing the tent and rain tarp. Setting the tent up solo, including switching the bases took only about a half hour. The zippers are well made, and there are two doors, both with windows. The top of the tent does have pieces of thicker fabric with velcro that act as kickstands to open the rain cover forming vents for air flow which can be closed for colder nights. The one thing I don't like about the tent is that the windows have no closings on them. While this eliminates extra fabric and zippers reducing weight, you sacrifice privacy unless you always have the rain cover on, and the flaps zipped shut. While the tent is expensive, the one nice thing about the design is that if one piece is ever damaged beyond repair, so long as the damage is only on one half, you do not need to replace an entire tent, only the damaged half. Replacing only pieces reduces the environmental impact, as well as cost over time. This is a tent targeted towards backpackers, and I would not recommend this as an everyday tent.

I like the design of this tent. It's a smart way to give tent size options for backpackers, and the color coding system makes it easy to know which pieces will you need for packing equipment. The instructions are printed onto the bag, so you will never lose them. The outside does have plenty of areas for tie downs for securing the tent and rain tarp. Setting the tent up solo, including switching the bases took only about a half hour. The zippers are well made, and there are two doors, both with windows. The top of the tent does have pieces of thicker fabric with velcro that act as kickstands to open the rain cover forming vents for air flow which can be closed for colder nights. The one thing I don't like about the tent is that the windows have no closings on them. While this eliminates extra fabric and zippers reducing weight, you sacrifice privacy unless you always have the rain cover on, and the flaps zipped shut. While the tent is expensive, the one nice thing about the design is that if one piece is ever damaged beyond repair, so long as the damage is only on one half, you do not need to replace an entire tent, only the damaged half. Replacing only pieces reduces the environmental impact, as well as cost over time. This is a tent targeted towards backpackers, and I would not recommend this as an everyday tent.

We took our son camping and this tent was easy to set up, even with a 7 year old's help. This tent fit two adults, a child and a medium-sized dog in the three person set-up. See attached video to see how easy it was to set up. We haven't used it for backpacking yet, so this review doesn't address that aspect. **Edited: The company was kind enough to indicate that the instructions are inside the tent bag. Extra star added since original perceived defect is no longer an objection and also for the excellent response provided by their team!