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.

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).

My son is in boy scouts, and we've needed a tent. He just turned 12, and so he'll need to go camping quite a bit for his rank requirements and the camping merit badge. This came along, and I thought it would be great. My son and I went outside, and followed the instructions attached to the bag it comes in. There are several parts, of course, since it can be either a 3 person or 4 person tent depending on needs. We initially setup the 3 person. It didn't take too longer after figuring out what the instructions meant. It isn't an instant tent like those offered by Coleman by any means, but we were able to get it up in about 10 minutes. Size wise, it's about what I expected a 3 person tent to be. If you had three adults in there, it would definitely be cramped. I did like that it had doors on both sides, which I've not seen before. Some pouches are included as well for placing things during the night, I'd assume. It does not come with a ground pad, which was stated. I wasn't expecting one, but considering the price, they could've easily included something. The bag is also a pain to get everything back up in. You literally have to take all the parts out in order to set it up, so even if you're only using the 3 man versus the 4 man, you'll deal with trying to get it all back in at some point. Perhaps you just take out what you need to bring with you. Weight wise, it isn't bad though. I'll stick with it. I feel it will suit our needs. Wish it wasn't so expensive and included a few other things. Definitely a tent that will work though.

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.....

My son is a Boy Scout and as such, goes camping at least 1x per month regardless of the weather. We were given the opportunity to test this tent literally withing 2 weeks of a trip. Here is the review of the tent from his perspective (and 1 point from my perspective): Cons: 1) Not as easy to set up as his last one from REI. 2) Price! This thing is very expensive compared to a competitive tent from a well known brand. I would not have paid this price no matter how good the tent was supposed to be and this one is not that great compared. 3) It is much heavier than they lead you to believe. We weighed it at over 8 lbs. Though that isn't much, it is about the same as his old tent which cost us 1/4 what this one does and lasted as long as we expect this one will. Pros. 1) Very well made. Stitching was very good and all seams were tight. Tent poles were very easy to assemble. 2) Kept him dry during the rain. 3) Plenty of room for him and his tent mate with all their gear. If I had to purchase a tent for him, I would think you get what you pay for. Though this is a nice tent, and it's build quality is about that of a good quality tent, you might decide to save some money and keep looking for a tent if you want light. This does not really meet our expectations of it's description but does meet our needs hence the 4 stars.

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.

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.

Wow! I did not expect this tent to be so lightweight. At first that kinda worried me about quality and size, but it is the dimensions stated, so good enough. That doesn't make it super spacious but it's a tent for camping and sleeping, not living in. Anyway, it's very easy to toss in your vehicle or saddlepack. Could go on a backpack as well. Very light weight for the size. Also relatively tough. The poles also scared me...the look a bit flimsy, but actually they're rather tough....I did try (not too hard because I didn't actually want to damage them unless they were junk!) to bend them. Sticks and stones don't rip the fabric (though plan on having a matress pad or something under your sleeping bag, because you will feel everything on the ground under this. No idea how it'd do in a tough rain, but it cuts wind well and sheds the small amound of water I tested on it. Very happy. Easy to pack up as well...the bag it comes in isn't somethign only a machine can repack. Lighter and tougher than my old two man and frankly no more work to set up.

Wow! I did not expect this tent to be so lightweight. At first that kinda worried me about quality and size, but it is the dimensions stated, so good enough. That doesn't make it super spacious but it's a tent for camping and sleeping, not living in. Anyway, it's very easy to toss in your vehicle or saddlepack. Could go on a backpack as well. Very light weight for the size. Also relatively tough. The poles also scared me...the look a bit flimsy, but actually they're rather tough....I did try (not too hard because I didn't actually want to damage them unless they were junk!) to bend them. Sticks and stones don't rip the fabric (though plan on having a matress pad or something under your sleeping bag, because you will feel everything on the ground under this. No idea how it'd do in a tough rain, but it cuts wind well and sheds the small amound of water I tested on it. Very happy. Easy to pack up as well...the bag it comes in isn't somethign only a machine can repack. Lighter and tougher than my old two man and frankly no more work to set up.

Wow! I did not expect this tent to be so lightweight. At first that kinda worried me about quality and size, but it is the dimensions stated, so good enough. That doesn't make it super spacious but it's a tent for camping and sleeping, not living in. Anyway, it's very easy to toss in your vehicle or saddlepack. Could go on a backpack as well. Very light weight for the size. Also relatively tough. The poles also scared me...the look a bit flimsy, but actually they're rather tough....I did try (not too hard because I didn't actually want to damage them unless they were junk!) to bend them. Sticks and stones don't rip the fabric (though plan on having a matress pad or something under your sleeping bag, because you will feel everything on the ground under this. No idea how it'd do in a tough rain, but it cuts wind well and sheds the small amound of water I tested on it. Very happy. Easy to pack up as well...the bag it comes in isn't somethign only a machine can repack. Lighter and tougher than my old two man and frankly no more work to set up.

PROS: I loved this tent for car camping or short backpacking trips. CONS: The downside is the price and the weight. DETAILS: - 3-season tent - 3 person tent that can be used as a 4-person tent in a pinch. - It comes with two bases: a green one for 3 persons and a yellow one for 4 persons. - It has a fly and good tent ventilation - Hang loops and storage pockets - Aluminum poles - Durable YKK zippers - 2 doors - 2 vestibules 3 PERSON SETUP Dimensions: L x W x H 84x74x46 in / 213x188x117 cm - 2 Vestibules 10.5 sq. ft / 0.98 sq. m each - Packed weight 6 lb 14 oz / 3.1 kg - 3+ kg is too much for a 3-season tent for backpacking but it's fine for car camping and short trips - Fly-footprint weight 4 lb 8 oz / 2.1 kg 4 PERSON SETUP Dimensions: L x W x H 94x82x55 in / 239x208x140 cm 2 Vestibules 14 sq. ft / 1.3 sq. m each Packed weight 7 lb 13 oz / 3.5 kg Trail weight 7 lb 2 oz / 3.2 kg Fly-footprint weight 4 lb 13 oz / 2.2 kg Full packaged kit weight 8 lb 15.8 oz / 4.0 kg