Review Abstract The North Face Stratos receives a five star rating from our reviewers. This gear provides easy setup, roominess and is very durable being able to "stand up to the elements" of the season. While there was some complaint about this gear being "pricey" most felt for the quality provided, the investment is worth it. "It's hard to go wrong with North Face."
Summary: I have owned my Stratos for 8 years now and at last count have spent 279 nights in this tent. I use this tent not only for personal use but I also used it in the past while guiding hunters here in Alaska. I have used several other types of mid sized tents, and the Stratos beat them all hands down. Set up and tear down time, durability, comfort, and piece of mind knowing I have a reliable shelter I can depend on.
It will sleep 3 adults with room to spare, the dual doors and vestibules make it perfect for two. It is not an ultralight tent nor was it designed to be, but it is in my opinion the best tent in its class.
Once on a spring bear hunt along the Alaska coast the weather went sour with winds sustained at 60 to 90 mph and gusts over 100, of the three tents my Stratos and two made by MSR, the only tent without damage and still standing a day and a half later when the weather cleared was my Stratos.
I can only hope North Face someday realizes what a great tent this is and brings it back to there product line.
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Summary: we have used this tent for 2adults/2children (5&2) with a queen size air mattress and plenty of room for our stuff...just looking online for a similair tent which would hold our now growing 2adult/3child family especially as they are getting older...love this tent and will keep if for our kids to use when they are old enough to be in it on their own...never had a problem with rain/leakage/etc...have had the tent since about 1998+/-...and don't see where people are saying there isn't enough air!...the sides both can fold down to expose a massive amount of screen AND you can even take the rain flap off on beautiful/clear/rainfree nights and see all the stars while you sleep...we have taken this primarily around NE...in the cold wet of Acadia National Park in Maine in May when it always seems to rain each year...to the backyard in Rhode Island...and over to Nova Scotia where we watched the stars!...also have slept very comfortably 4 adults in Vermont! and i think it is acutally a 6 person tent if you put your stuff outside the tent (which i don't like to do personally!)...we have also taken it backpacking on a very hot weekend in July in VT (which turned to rain the second we reached the peak to set up) and like others have said it can be divided up between packs if needed and setup i think is easy and should typ. be done in the house or backyard first...why would you ever set up for the first time in the middle of the woods with no stores around you??? maybe it's just that i lack those male genes? anyway...i think this tent is no longer made, but if you see one on ebay def. grab it...there are pictures on www.outdoorreview.com too if you need to see it! We were choosing between this and a moss tent at the time and didn't want to pay the price for a moss when this was so similair!
(would rate 5 stars, but...with 2 adults and 3 kids not working anymore...and the price was steep for a tent to us at least at them time, but the tent has lasted us almost 10 years and still looks like it did when we bought it and performs as well as it did then!) Also...my husband is a great read the directions/take your time/do it right the first time type and maybe that is what is needed to keep the seems waterproof...we will see on our next tent purchase!
Customer Service: never needed any!
Similar Products Used: none of my old tents even come close!
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Summary: Although I love this tent, I would not recomend it for summer camping. It is very hot, heavy, and the rain fly is a pain to setup. My camping is now limited to car camping with the wife and I am jelous of my friends who have the cheap $99 5 person Kelty tents. My Stratos is really overkill for car camping. Its also very hot in the summer time and I am forced to use the rain fly because the main test does not keep all the water out. The rainfly traps in all the heat making it unbearably hot in the summer. However, if you are looking for a great winter, 4-season tent, this is a wonderful one.
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Summary: Good quality tent that will hold up and keep you dry. A bit caught in between car-camping and backpacking. Too heavy for backpacking and not as big as some might want for car camping. Flexibility of opening or closing large windows is nice and not as common any more. Third brow/cross pole can be tricky to setup. One of my pole sets has permanent curvature. Nylon can shrink a lot after it is wet which may have caused the curve in the pole. Overpaid slightly at the time(1998) but quality materials and design that has held up well.
Customer Service: Have not used.
Similar Products Used: Kelty Mountainview 4; various lighter backpack tents
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Reviewed by: tom Miller(Unregistered User)
,
Backpacker
, from Atlanta,ga,usa
Price Paid:
$300.00
at outlet
Summary: What a great tent! When you really need a strong tent to protect you from the weather this is the one. I have had this tent in 90 degree weather to 15 degree and it work great both ways. A little heavy for backpacking ... but if you hit bad weather you will need it because everyone will be in your tent. Great in high winds also. I had it at 7,000 feet and it was rock soild.
Customer Service: None
Similar Products Used: None
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