Customer Reviews

ALPS Mountaineering Mystique Lightweight Backpacking Tent

5 star:		(12)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

I am a GEARhead. I own or have owned over 30 tents plus all the fixings... Both backpacking as well as car camping. This tent as far as I know did not exist when I rewalked Colin Fletcher's 1000 Mile Summer through California. Had it, I would've of used the 1.5 model. After getting home and settling in from my walk I ran across both the 1.5 and 2. I own both now and can say they both are killer deals in their price range. And yes I own SD, REI, Kelty, Coleman/Exponent, Moss, Slumberjack Bivy (I used) and on and on and on... I have tried many while hiking in the Olympic Mountains in WA. I would put this model(s) up against any listed. If you have money to burn yes there are some that may be better at lasting a little longer but I question that too... and yes you can go lighter in weight... but by going lighter you'll give up a lot of comfort and the security you get knowing that you have a shelter that will handle just about anything Mother nature throws at you. Alps other models I'm not sure of size VS. weight and the value VS. dollars. But this model is absolutely great.

Good luck on your hikes,
Hersh

I used this tent two weeks ago on a winter camping trip. I was quite impressed with the overall quality for the money. The material feels strong and tear-resistant. The poles are well constructed and lightweight. Set-up is easy, although, because it is a two-pole tent, I had to improvise as I was camping in loose snow and wasn't able to make the stakes stay to give it structure (ended up using my own tree branch stakes). This would not be an issue in any other season. Regardless, it stayed bone dry in several feet of snow and protected me, a friend, and my dog from some harsh winds. Entry and exit is simple and convenient. Zippers felt of good quality and did not snag. On a final note, the tent was able to easily accommodate me (6'5", 210lbs), my friend (6'0", 175 lbs), and my 40lb dog with big winter sleeping bags and some gear inside. Would definitely recommend for this price range!

The build quality of this tent is very lightweight and very good from my current experiences with it. It stayed dry in a moderate rain and dried quickly. I purchased this for motorcycle camping because it is lightweight and packs small, smaller than what is claimed.

I am 6'2" and I am cramped in this tent but I do fit. There is not enough room for 2 inflatable sleeping pads in this tent. I only have room for my Big Agnes pad and just barely. Unless they are very small people with very small gear, I would call this a one man tent.

What I like: lightweight, good build quality, very small package size (about 6"x9" tent & fly with light compression), the best tent poles I've ever used (quickly snap together without effort), I stayed dry, 3 storage pockets, vestibules, lots of mesh for good ventilation, storm lashing for stability, super fast & easy set up.

What I don't like: vestibules too small, tent is too small for my comfort, fly vent too small to be very effective, entry during rain lets in water.

For my intended use, it is a good tent. However, I will likely sell it and find something more suitable for my size and something with a dry entry during rainy conditions. I would purchase another ALPS product again with hesitation.

Picked up this tent as it was cheaper than pretty much every other tent out there (@$125 it's a great price) and the reviews for it were all great. Took it out for a Spring trip in New Hampshire and it performed great. It doesn't need much space to set up, is pretty easy to put together, and stayed completely dry (inside) in some pretty variable weather that caused a lot of dew all around.
Only complaints I have are fairly minor and are not at all 'deal-killers'. Due to the tent's somewhat awkward footprint, it's a little bit of a trick to fold it single person (unlike a rectangular dome or half-dome, you just can't go edge-to-edge) and I'm a bit OCD, it's a bit tough to set up 'ideally' (no slack in the tent edges, seams close to the ground) but is easy to set up 'good-enough', it's on the smaller side for two people (I am 6' my girlfriend is 5'4" and while we both fit - we did have some overlapping thermarests which was not a problem for us - gear obviously stored under the rainfly, where the outside vestibules aren't large), and the footprint isn't sold by Amazon. You can find the footprint on-line though (search Mystique 2.0 footprint or floor saver - ALPS seems to use floor saver as their vernacular). I used [...] and they were great [...]. You will definitely want the footprint, which fits great. I have used ALPS Mountaineering for a lot of core things (camp chair, sleeping bag, tent) and have always found them to be a high-quality, value provider.

I used this Tent over 20 times. In the heat 90's temp kept us cool with the fly doors opened it caught the air. In the frog strangling rain it kept us dry. And in the winter it closed up well to keep us warm temps around 20. And light weight I packed in on the Appalachain Trail for 5 days. Will not leave home with out it.. I bet I have sold more friends on this tent someone should pay me.LOL. You can not go wrong for the price...

First time I set up this tent it was easy and fast. Went on a few trips and still love it. It is very lite and packs away nice in my pack.

Great tent for the price, set-up was easy, roomy and lightweight which is important. We plan to Hike the AT Tennessee portion, so we wanted to go with something lightweight, but still have enough room for all our gear.
Rain fly is a good feature, don't buy the more expensive north face,black diamond,marmot,big agnes,MSR,mountain gear,etc. etc. Save the extra money for Backpacks and accessories!!!!

I did a lot of research on tents prior to buying one to stay in while camping with my Son's Scout troop. The Mystique sets up easily and the rain fly is easy to attach with the clips. At about 125.00 it was a great investment. I bought it on Amazon and set it up when I got it....took about 4 minutes. It is not a freestanding tent so if this is a requirement for you look elsewhere. I have used it 7 times so far and here is what I have found:

1. It sets up easily and stays tight. Get rid of the silly plastic things on the guy lines and tie a taut line hitch (look it up, it's pretty easy and much better)
2. Getting in and out is easy. There are large doors on each side as well as vestibules on each side big enough for your boots and a watertight bag for cloths or other necessary items (I hang my pack on a nearby tree with a raincover so no need to keep it in the tent).
3. On clear nights the rainfly on both sides of the tent can be tied up for ventilation to ease the heat.
4. I'm all about comfort while camping with the group. This tent fits a Byer of Main Allagash cot perfectly! On shorter trips I am perfectly willing to carry the extra 6 lbs for the cot. As an added bonus you can store smaller items under the cot.
5. THE TENT DOES EXTREMELY WELL IN THE WIND AND RAIN!!!!! My last trip was to EBSR near Mauston Wisconsin. We got several inches of rain on the last night...not a drop of water in the tent! As an observation, be careful when entering the tent when the fly is wet...the door and rainfly enterance takes up almost the full side of the tent so water can drip into your stuff if you aren't at least a little careful.

Overall I am thourally satisfies with the tent and it's performance. If you don't want to break the bank this is a great tent. Keep in mind that it is a backpacking tent so you will not be able to stand up it it, but it has all the room you need. As far as being a 2 man tent....hmmm....only if you are intimat with your tent mate or the second person is a child, but that seems to be a standard for all backpacking tents. The tent is advertised as 8'X5', but it is tapered. Those are the dimentions at the widest portion, but it was still roomy enough for a 6 night trip.

This is my first backpacking tent. I bought it based on the good reviews and product info. The tent was so easy to set up, no directions needed. I like the carry bag because it gives you extra room to work with instead of trying to perfectly fold and roll the tent to fit the bag precisely. The wedge design is very nice as you can point it toward the wind to reduce it's effect on the tent. The only drawback is the size. I thought it would be bigger than it really is. The taper of the tent causes my feet and my wifes to be squooshed together and its difficult for us to sleep like that. My opinion is that it is a one person tent.

Bought this for my Scout. I went on the trip with him. Scotchgaurded it prior as I always do to outdoor equipment. Had heavy rain. Bone dry inside. I wouldn't say this is a two man tent for men. Two kids or one adult and a child fit great. Very easy to put up. My Scout is 11, and he did it first try.

OK it is now 8/2011 and tent has been used many times in all weather and still would give it 5 stars. While is more of a one man if used by adult, I have used with son together. Sturdy and have had no issues. Would def buy again. Taking it to Philmont next. Pack weight is 5 lbs but if used by two can split weight.