Hey all,

Just got back on a motorcycle after five years without, and I'm putting my camping kit together.



I'm looking for a lightweight, packable, two-man tent, without a vestibule.

Are there any still out there?

I own a couple of Eureka tents without vestibules, but they're getting a little old and I'm ready to get some new gear, but I can't seem to find any tents that don't come with a vestibule.

Who still makes a tent without a vestibule?

Jamie

I've found that the difference between a pretty good tent and a top of the line tent is... significant.

I tend to just order a half decent tent every few years and replace when needed. Hurts less when they get a hole in them that way.

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I know it’s not what you asked about but I’ve always found a even a small vestibule very useful and the extra weight / packed size isn’t worth worrying about. You don’t need one big enough to party in, just somewhere to keep a bag or two / your boots / helmet etc in wet (or windy) weather or out of sight when you’re away from the tent.

I can’t really help with US market suggestions but in the U.K. there’s loads of cheap festival tents - the £20 use for the weekend and leave behind when you go type - without vestibules. I’ve even got two myself and they’re better than you might think. I got a couple years of bike camping on my 125 out of one before the seams started delaminating.

I'm using a Hilleberg Unna. It's a roomy free standing 1 man tent that can fit 2 small people without gear. Tent details here:

https://hilleberg.com/eng/tent/red-label-tents/unna/

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There's the MSR Advance Pro 2: https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co...o-2-tent-p8516

It weighs 1.3kg/2.8lbs, built like a tank, easy to set up, but it's single skinned and expensive.

Can I ask why you're looking for a tent without a vestibule?

I've actually been looking in the opposite direction with the EXPED Outer Space II which is mainly vestibule: https://www.ultralightoutdoorgear.co...ii-tent-p13591 I could probably save weight by dropping the inner and just taking my bivvy.

I think having a large personal space for campsites would be useful for storing all of my equipment and having my own space.

Hi Jamie - if you're looking for a new tent for moto-camping, have a look at the Big Agnes range (they are not a million miles from you in Steamboat Springs CO) - their Superlight range are pretty affordable and pack down pretty small (typically 18-20" long x 6-7" diameter), and most of their designs are free standing with just a minimal vestibule - which is part of the fly, and can be left off if the weather is good and/or privacy is not a primary concern, and only requires one or two pegs to pin out as required.

It's worth noting that if you're in the USA, REI have got a discount on tents at the moment, including a number of the Big Agnes models - the Copper Spur is a nice tent, pricy at SRP, but pretty good value at REI at the moment.

fwiw. I have their [original] Seedhouse 2 model which is still going strong after 11 years!

Hope that helps...

Jenny x

"storing all of my equipment"? That's the part I don't get. What is it you're storing? I hear that all the time. "I put all my gear in the vestibule." Geez... what are people bringing which doesn't fit inside a decent sized tent?

When I set up my current 2-man tent, I bring in everything that's necessary: My sleeping pad and sleeping bag. My sleeping attire. My toiletries bag. Maybe my tablet. My helmet, boots, and jacket sometimes comes in with me, other times I leave that on the bike. In a two-man tent, there's still lots of extra space. I just can't imagine what else you'd need in the tent with you, let alone inside the vestibule. I even have a one-man tent which doesn't have a vestibule that I sometimes use, though I admit that can be a little tight.

I bought an expensive tent with a vestibule a few months ago, figuring if everyone else thought they were so great, maybe I'm missing something. I used it for one night of camping. Never again. The vestibule makes everything more difficult. Setup (and takedown) time takes longer (I know, it's not much). Getting in and out of the tent, having to go through the vestibule is a pain. Not to mention having an extra zipper that's necessarily out of reach from inside the tent. When I needed to pee in the middle of the night, I actually had to get up, put shoes on, and go outside, rather than just kneeling out the doorway and peeing on the ground out the "back door" of my tent. And when I heard some noises outside my tent, I had no way to look out there. In all my other tents without vestibules, I simply unzipped a window and looked outside.

I just don't get the current vestibule fetish that seems to be sweeping the industry. I'd like to camp with someone who uses a tent with a vestibule, and see what they use it for because for me, it's a pain in every way, and offers practically no advantage, other than maybe a little better weather protection.

I bought a Big Agnes Copper Spur 2 a few months back (see comments above) and I have to admit, I really like the weight and pack size. They're great quality tents.

But minimal or not, I hated the vestibule. It got in the way every time, kind of like trying to carry groceries into the house when you have a screen door that you have to try to open with your pinkie or your foot every time. I wish they made one without a vestibule at all.

I also use Big Agnes sleeping pad and sleeping bag. I like their stuff. So a few weeks back I emailed them and asked if they offered any of their tents without a vestibule. I just want a small rain fly that provides a short overhang over the doors. The rep cheerfully responded to my request and told me that they have several tents that come without a vestibule, and provided links to four of them. Every single of of those tents he linked were described as having a vestibule on the product page. I emailed the Big Agnes rep back and asked him if maybe we had our terminology mixed up. He never replied. It was an odd exchange.

I have been on the search for a simple, light, packable, free-standing tent that comes without a vestibule for quite a few months now. I've come to the conclusion that my only options are expensive four-season single wall tents which I don't want for need of ventilation, or super cheap no-name tents sold by Walmart and the like.

I own an REI Camp Dome 2 that very much resembles the tent in my first post. I've had it for a few years and it does a good job. My only complaints about it are that it's kind of heavy for a two-man tent, and the pack size isn't great. I was really hoping that some manufacturer out there made a similar tent, but using lightweight materials and a smaller pack size.

Still searching...

Thanks for the suggestions!

Jamie

> "storing all of my equipment"? That's the part I don't get. What is it you're storing? I hear that all the time. "I put all my gear in the vestibule." Geez... what are people bringing which doesn't fit inside a decent sized tent?

You're right, I've been exploring my options and definitely don't need a big vestibule. Thank you for the amazing answer.

For perspective: I have a two-man tent with a small vestibule. A Coleman Darwin 2, one of these: https://static3.nordic.pictures/2742...2000012145.jpg As you can see, the vestibule is literally one extra sheet of fabric, it does not make any difference in pack size.

The short answer is: the vestibule is for all the things that can get dirty, but that I don't want to get rained on all night. And the point of a two-man tent is to have some room to move around inside, not to fill it all up.

I definitely don't want my textiles and boots inside the tent with me. The helmet usually goes in my top box and my boots can go upside down on the mirror stalks (upside down so no rain), but I don't want my textiles to be out on the bike in the rain all night, and they can easily be dirty on the outside. So folding them up inside the vestibule is a very legit solution.

I'm sure you know that the first time you put up and take down a new tent, it always seems long and cumbersome. If you do it a few times, it stops being an issue.

Actually that's a great advantage of my vestibule, now that I think of it. The rain falls on the outer dome. When I open the outer flap, the rain and any pooled water falls on the ground, not inside my tent.

No offense mate, but I don't want to visit any campsite that you've visited before. That's just... ew. I usually get up to pee once a night at least, and yes it's a pain when camping (more so getting out of my warm sleeping bag), but I am not going to pee in the immediate vicinity of my tent. That's both unpleasant for myself (no matter how much I get the ground slope right) and disrespectful to anyone who might use that spot after me.