Sierra Designs Anu Tent - 3-Person, 3-Season

Great on our first trip (but there were no bugs; see below). We didn't read the instructions and set it up wrong *twice* (reversing the direction of the poles and putting them upside down) and we still got it up in less than 10 minutes. Next time it'll be less than two. Quite snug for two adults and a child, but that's normal for "three person" tents. Would be great for two, though, and plenty light for backpacking. Didn't use the fly though winds were up to about 20mph. No problem inside and wonderful ventilation during the day and stars at night. My one annoyance is the door. What possible advantage is there to starting the zippers at the exact top of the roundish door, thus forcing one to open the door at least 2/3 open every time you use it? If there were mosquitoes they would be *guaranteed* to get in. But this seems to be common among light tents now so I'm only taking off one star.

I will start by saying that I am VERY meticulous when it comes to buying gear. I research, read reviews, check out reputable sites and then make an informed decision to get the best VALUE. This tent has been a fantastic purchase on all fronts. I have read some unfavorable reviews and personally I think that occasionally there will be one or two people who have bad luck with a piece of gear (poles, zippers, etc.), but go with what the majority say.Anyone who says this tent is not sturdy enough for backpacking use is either overly rough on tents (which I would find humorous considering the materials that make up lightweight tents)or is expecting this to be a "mountaineering tent" which is not intended to be. This is a very solid 3-Season tent. Well ventilated; no condensation problems; ample living space for 3 - mammoth for 2; great peak height - so sitting up (even backcountry card games) is no problem; and combine all of that with a sturdy construction, "relatively" light weight and a great price and you have solid VALUE.I have taken this tent on 3 trips so far (all backpacking - 2 15 miles and 1 20 miles) accounting for total 50 miles. Setup is a breeze, as is taking it down. Been through rain and moderate wind (maybe 15 mph or so) and when fully guyed-out experienced no "flapping" problems. In the rain we stayed bone dry. One trip was in February in the North Georgia Mountains. With evenings dipping into the teens, we were a bit chilly due to all of the mesh. I will reiterate that this is a great 3-SEASON tent and NOT meant for cold, winter trips. Overall, I highly recommend this tent to anyone looking for a solid tent for backpacking and casual uses alike. You will be VERY hard pressed to beat the VALUE here.

We were looking for a 3 person tent from a reputable brand, lightweight and easy to set up. This tent is exactly that!

Set up in home in the midst of winter. Easy to pitch, sturdy fly, roomy interior. Extensive experience tells me this tent would be a " no brainer " for a car camper and probably work very well as a three season backpacking tent ( split the weight between two carriers )

I got several good nights out of it then one of the test poles snapped on the 5th day of an 18 day trek on the JMT. Fixed with duct tape. The bag for the poles ripped at the bottom on day 10. Fixed with duct tape. Both zippers constantly snag on the material making a fast or graceful exit impossible. Then on day 16, the zipper to the mesh door simply stopped working. I can't see any reason for the malfunction., The two sides just won't join together.

GREAT TENT, DISCONTINUED ITEM FROM SIERRA DESIGNS, HARD TO FIND A FOOT PRINT FOR THIS ITEM.

Great tent all around

I selected this tent after reading reviews and carefully considering what I needed in a tent. I'm a outdoors newbie and took this tent camping a week ago. It was wet outside & chilly, but the tent kept us warm and dry. The rain fly seams are already waterproofed from the inside, so I didn't have to take the time to treat them. I can set this tent up myself easily and left my muddy shoes outside in the vestibule, they did not get (more) wet overnight.

This is an awesome tent. I hate how people rate this tent as an entry level tent. People do this because of the lower MSRP. I have been backpacking and off trail camping on a regular basis for 22 years. I have been car camping for 30 years and have used many tents. Sierra Designs have set the bar for tent design. (Compare their specs to other brands.) This tent is the weight it should be for it's size and functionallity. (I have a Black Diamond Megalight for ultralite fast trips.) when choosing a tent you need to find a balance between space, weight, and packability. For all you newbies, please don't just pay attention to name and price. A more expensive tent isn't neccessarily better. It all comes down to personal preference and personal comfort levels. Any tent on the market today should last you 10+ years if taken care of and stored properly. It's not the amount of miles you hike that's important. It's how you feel being on the trail that counts.

Things that aren't so great. This tent is fine in general, but not sturdy enough for backbacking rigor. It is well-ventilated.