Monday, July 6, 2020

Kelty One Man Field Tent - Real World Review




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This is the review of the Kelty 1 Man Field Tent after almost a year of use! Good, Bad and Improvements which need to be made.



Link : https://www.kelty.com/1-man-field-tent-import/

Price : $200 retail but on sale for $90 at the time of filming at the Kelty web site.

Weight : Kelty Claims : Packaged Weight: 5 lbs. 3 oz. / 2.4 kg but it is actually (on my scale, the tent weighs a good it more at just a bit over 6lbs (6lbs .3oz)

I’ve been testing this tent out since November of 2019 and it is time to pass on my review. I’ve spent a lot of time in this tent and have both good and bad things to say about it. It’s far from perfect but for the money, if you are interested in a tactical military style tent, it is a very interesting option to consider.

There are two version of this pack available – an import version and a made in the USA version.

I’ve discussed this previously and my review is for the import version but should apply for the USA version as well.

Features :

Reinforcement material along mesh seams for pole connections

70D nylon ripstop with 3,000mm coating

70D mesh

2 pole configuration with compact folding size for easy packing

Fly available in MC/ OCP/ ALPINE

Compact folding size for easy packing and saving space

Designed to pack in a cube shape to better fit in a pack

· Dimensions: 31 in x 85 in

Packed Dimensions: 15 in x 11 in x 5 in

Floor: 19 ft2

Peak Height: 43 in


Min Weight: 4 lbs

Packaged Weight: 5 lbs. 3 oz.

Review Pros :

I like the square pack size; I haven’t seen this before and it does fit better inside of a backpack.

The tent is substantial and it is strong – features the thickest floor material that I have seen in a tent

Easy to setup and break down.

Retail price of $200 isn’t bad for a military grade tent. The sale price of $90 is INSANELY GOOD.

Easy to get into and out of.

Dual doors are excellent.

Good size vestibules.

Awning is awesome.

Stakes are good; I’ve bent them but they haven’t broken on me.

Tent looks awesome in my opinion.

Good size; wide enough and tall enough

Check length with tape measure – who is it for?

100% waterproof when vents are closed; has handled 3 days of rain without any leaks. According to Kelty the tent features a 3,000mm hydrostatic head rating….

Includes a foot print

Multiple ways to setup the tent

2 person version available.

Lots of hanging loops inside of the tent

Good zippers

Plenty of guy off points

Review Cons :

The Top Vents flat out suck. Absolutely terrible location and design. The lip allows for rain and snow to enter the tent body. If there is a chance of rain, close those vents or you might be sorry.

Ventilation is exceptionally poor but, thanks to the design all of the moisture that collects on the inside of the fly will run down the walls to the ground. Doesn’t come into contact with the body unless the tent is really shaking.

Moisture will also collect on the walls of the body.

Materials are not breathable and that is true with the fly and the body.

Water repellent coating was strange from the beginning; it left a strange residue on my fingers when I first got it and has begun coming off; where that is the case, there are slight discolorations taking place.

So far this hasn’t affected waterproofness but it is noticeable.

Fixes the Company should make :

They need to be redesigned.

Fly needs additional stake out points on the sides to assist with air flow and ventilation.

Tent body features a bathtub floor but the walls are very high; so high in fact that the fly doesn’t need to always down to the floor. Either raise the fly a bit and keep the high walls or lower the walls for additional air flow and keep the fly the same.

With all of the stake out points, attaching bungie line would make setting up this tent much easier and would provide a tighter pitch.

The $600 made in the USA version of this tent is 100% not worth the money; it has WAY TO MANY problems for $600.

Summary :

There is no telling how much longer the sale price is going to last or whether this product will be on the market for much longer; if you want a good military style tent and can deal with its shortcomings, this is one that I recommend taking a look at.

The overall quality is very good, it’s a tough tent that hasn’t leaked a drop in my testing but be prepared for moisture buildup especially if you seal the tent up in foul weather. If you decide to get this tent I would recommend bringing a towel with you to wipe up moisture as it collects. This will help with keeping drying time in the morning before heading off.

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