Customer Reviews

Kelty Grand Mesa 2-Person Tent (Ruby/Tan)

5 star:		(24)
4 star:		(13)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Length:: 7:58 Mins

I purchased this tent back in August. I've since used it on a few backpacking trips. I have to be honest, I was not surprised when I got the tent and determined that it was really a one person and a dog tent because tents have always been overrated on space. However, you can fit two people in this tent. You will just be rubbing elbows and shoulders all night.

I have been very satisfied with this tent. It weighs 4 pounds, 10 ounces completely packed. The rain fly is a very nice addition and there is even some vestibule space for your gear. I do not use the Kelty branded footprint. Instead I went to a local hardware store and bough a 5 dollar tarp that does just as well.

I prefer this tent design to that of the Kelty Teton 2 Two-Person Tent which has the side entry. The problem with the side entry is that if the other person needs to get up in the middle of the night and you are sleeping next to the door, you run a high risk of being stepped on. With the Grand Mesa 2, the door is accessible to both people in the tent.

For the price, you really can't do much better. Yeah, the stakes are crumby and will need to be replaced eventually, but that is such a minor issue.

I can't stress enough how nice it is that the tent is free standing without any stakes. When you are looking for a tent, pay close attention to whether or not a tent is free standing. A lot of ultra compact and ultra light-weight tents are not free standing. This is a serious issue if you are camping in a rocky or dry climate where you cannot drive stakes into the ground.

Finally, if you are experiencing any extreme condensation with this tent, just use the guy-wires that are included in the box. I show how these are used in the video. If you attach them to the side straps of the rain cover, they will provide enough separation to allow the tent to breath through the night.

Overall, I would buy this tent again. It is really nice and for under $100 and under 5 pounds, it is perfect in my book.

I hope you enjoy the video.

- Cheers!

Having now taken this tent out several times, and in plenty of rain, I'm very happy with the performance. The fly has good coverage and good seam-taping and I've never had a wetness problem other than some small amounts of condensation on cold mornings. I've used this in seasonable weather, from low 50's to high 30's and it's performed well. The ventilation is decent even with the fly on and without much wind. It's not easy to stargaze, but you can get a view if you position your head at the door. One great feature is the fly vent, which pops up and stays open thanks to a little hoop of wire in it. Hopefully it will not get mangled over time. The floor is a little thin (cut yourself a tarp groundcover) and I think abrasion could definitely be a problem. Those with dogs might want to be take extra care tht Fido's nails don't rip right through the floor. Condensation was slight overnight and only at the foot of the tent, not bad for the humidity in WI. Also the mesh kept the bugs out, which was very important.

It's not the hugest--things would be tight with a second person, and taller folks might feel cramped in the length dept. However, the design does allow the tent to have a small footprint and yet seem ok for two people even if not super comfy. A good compromise for me, a camper who was wavering between 1 and 2 person tents. The vestibule isn't big, but it's better than many tents at a similar price point. There's a loop in the ceiling for hanging gear, and a couple of gear pockets at the front of the tent. Aluminum poles are good, although I was not expecting them to be shock-corded.

Probably bulky and a tad heavy for serious backpackers. Easy (EASY!) to setup and take down, though I agree with another review that I'm in the dark on the guywire operation. I didn't need 'em anyway, though the shape of the tent (basically rectangular) leads me to think that high winds could be a problem. Stakes are ok, but surely will get replaced sooner or later.

With aluminum poles, a good fly, some vestibule space, good amounts of mesh, sealed seams, some gear pockets, and an ok brand name, this is a good tent for the money. Similar models at this price point tend to skimp on at least one of these features. If you want to spend less than 130 for a freestanding tent, this is a very good option.

I'm a Boy Scout leader and wanted a lightweight tent for backpacking with my son and to use alone when the Scouts are on car-camping trips. This tent is lightweight, compact, and well-made. Most tents I've owned have only the main floor seam taped for watertightness. I was pleasantly surprised to see that ALL the seams are taped.

My son and I used this tent a couple weeks ago while backpacking on vacation. The design and quality proved themselves. It rained and despite the two of us being crammed into the tent, we were dry and comfortable.

This tent is exceptionally easy and fast to put up and take down. That's important because you don't want to have to struggle to put it up in the rain and you don't want to make your friends wait while you laboriously take down your tent. The poles are very strong for this type of tent and should be much less prone to breaking than others I've seen. I like having hooks to secure the tent to the frame better than sleeves you have to slide the poles through.

I also purchased the nylon footprint to go under the tent and protect the floor from punctures. It's very lightweight and compact and seems to do as good a job as the sheets of plastic I've used with other tents. It's well worth the price. The footprint is cut to fit entirely under the tent so nothing sticks out to catch and funnel rain under you.

This tent is very tight for two people. Backpackers are used to that. But non-backpackers would be more comfortable with a three- or four-man tent for two. When I'm camping solo with the Scouts I expect this tent to be perfect.

I've owned this tent for just over a month, and have taken it camping twice. It sleeps two quite comfortably; the floor space is about equal to a full bed.
Two backpacks fit stacked on top of each other in the vestibule. I recommend a backpack cover in order to prevent rain running under.
Good ventilation too.

The instructions that came with it are clearly written, but the tent is so simple I don't think many people will need to rely on them.

The only issue I have with the tent is the guy wires to hold the rain fly on. There are no instructions for these, and this is the first tent I have owned that uses them. Even with my engineer hat on, I cannot figure out the proper way to use them. Last two times I ended up just tying them to the stake.

This has been an amazing tent. I am a student archeaologist and have been living in it for the last two weeks. This has involved three storms...last night being the worst with winds gusting at 70-90 miles per hour. There were a few times when it did fold down on me, do to the wind, but each time it sprung right back up. Because it did drop down a couple of times I did get a little water through the small back window. But, not enough to really matter. It was extremely easy to set up and to stake....though I agree with other reviews that those will need to be replaced at some point. It can feel a little cramped...but I have it to sleep in, not to play or entertain in. I can not recommend this tent enough.

I took this tent on a 2 day backpacking trip. It rained both nights but we stayed dry. Nighttime temps were 40 degrees, and I didn't even use my sleeping bag because I was so warm. A little cramped for 2 and my German Shepherd, but 2 people or just me and the dog would have been good. The vestibule kept both our 80L packs protected outside the tent.

Tent worked well on a two week trip. It is easy to setup and light enough to pack. I used it for a large one person tent and shared it on two nights. Just large enough for two but the vestibule is small. Spikes are soft and bend too easily, you will have to replace them. I like the front entry. A little condensation on one warm night but otherwise ok. I wish the fly flap could tie back without unhooking the front spike, and that the vestibule was a little larger. Newer design tents have more features but this is a good basic tent for a good deal.

I wanted a light weight backpacking tent that would be easy to set up, and work as a 3-season tent. I took it out last weekend in the rain and it held like a champ (set up on top of a tarp...the soil in the area was rocky). The doors are easy to zip and unzip without snagging, the ceiling loop is perfect for a flashlight or mini lantern. The little vent allows a peek outside when the rainfly is on.

It is a bit snug side to side....I can sit in the middle, stretch out my arms and touch both sides, but there was room at the end for my pack (I'm 5'7") and sitting up I had plenty of head room.

I only wish the pockets were at the other end as I like to sleep with my feet to the door, and the pockets were too far down to stash my chapstick and meds. But no biggie!

Love this tent, would buy it again. If you want more space, move up to the 3-person model. :)

I just got this last week and used it this weekend in Sulphur, OK. It downpoured on me the 2nd night and I did not use a foot print/tarp underneath. I stayed dry as a bone as did all the tent walls (I had the rain fly on and staked out as you are supposed to). I tried to take a nap at 3p in ~75F with a breeze, but it was too hot in the tent with the fly tied open. Perhaps if I removed the fly, it would have been cooler and bearable. Instead I dragged my pad and bag outside and in the shade for my nap. The size was plenty big for me (I'm 5'6"), my 55 pound cattle dog mutt and my full size backpack. If you had two people and full backpack gear, one bag would fit in vestiblue (its fairly small). If you are car camping, two can fit (hopefully it is your significant other, close friend or family member - you'll be quite close) and throw your gear in the car. I bought this for backpacking for one as well, but have yet to use it for that purpose. Overall, is a great tent for the $$ and was soooo easy to set up (I didnt read the directions but have set up many tents).

I bought this tent to take backpacking and it has worked out just as I wanted. If you are someone not sure whether to buy a 1-person or 2-person tent this is a great compromise. Yes, there is enough room for 2, but for me and my gear it is perfect. The vestibule is a decent size, and I "could" keep my pack out there, but its nice having everything right next to you inside. At a little over 4 lbs its light enough to carry all day, and when you finally stop to set up camp there's no claustrophobic sack to crawl into. A couple more gear loops would be nice, but there's plenty of room in the pockets at the front of the tent. When fully guyed out it seems to be very sturdy, although it's not supposed to be a mountaineering tent. The floor seems a little thin to me (a positive when it comes to weight), but I cut my own ground cloth from a $4 tarp and don't have to worry about punctures to the floor.

For the price, and with all the features this tent offers I could not find a better deal anywhere (and I tried). As long as you have realistic expectations for how you will use this tent it will be a great home away from home. This was my first kelty tent... but probably won't be my last. I am very satisfied with it.