Marmot Home Alone

Review Date
August 29, 2004

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Reviewed by: gogiboy ,  Day Hiker

Price Paid:  $150.00 at online

Summary:
This review is for the 2002 Marmot AT Tent, which doesn't have a listing on this site. The AT is most closely akin to the single-person Marmot Home Alone. Although the AT is listed as a two-person tent, it isn't. In fact at 5'10, 150 lbs I almost touch both ends of the tent when lying in the center. You can get a small amount of gear on either side or perhaps a small dog or child. There is little head room even at the vestibule end so if you like to sit up be careful.

Strengths: Lightweight (3+ lbs), single wall construction, easy setup, cheerful color. Fairly inexpensive. A decent solo tent

Weaknesses: Not really a two-person tent as advertised. Not much room to move about inside. Two small side vents don't allow for a lot air movement so if it's hot out in can get fairly stuffy.

Conclusion: a well-made, lightweight, but small single-person tent whose strenghts outweight the weaknesses. I'd give it a 3.5 or 3.75 if the site allowed for further hair-splitting.

Customer Service:
No judgement.

Similar Products Used:
Other tents over the years. Have currently upgraded to a Exped Sirrus Extreme for more room without too much weight penalty (less claustrophobic feeling).

Review Date
March 21, 2004

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Reviewed by: mel2004 ,  Backpacker

Price Paid:  $0.00 at Sun and Ski Sports

Summary:
Marmot usually makes a quality product, but I was surprised when using this tent.

I used this on my 2003 AT thru-hike, and couldn't have had worst weather for a tent like this. It rained a LOT during this hike, and the Home Alone is not the tent you want during a rainy season. Condensation was horrible; the worst I've seen among the tents out there....and you are paying quite a bit, and carrying some weight for the limited amount of room in that tent. The floor space is decent, but nothing else.

Of course, it did have nice ventilation, and was a good tent on sunny or dry days. I eventually learned to like my little reject bivy-style tent, but have purchased a different tent for this next trip.

Customer Service:
n/a

Similar Products Used:
n/a

Review Date
April 24, 2003

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Reviewed by: ipuck(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from Denver, Colorado

Price Paid:  $100.00

Summary:
To start, unless you are doing dessert camping, DO NOT purchases this tent!! The tent has some major flaws. I used it on one trip and sold it!
#1 flaw a single wall tent that does not breath. Sure there is a lot of mess and wind get in, but; this tent has serious condensation problems. The condensation builds on the top and drips down to you feet and under you. I tried to keep the tent dry by waking up in the night and keeping the condensation down. But it was too much for a cool Colorado night in the mountains.
#2, the tent floor is very low. Wind whips through the tent (ideal for hot summer nights bad for the cool chilly mornings). I am a person who prefers cool to cold climate camping and the tent just made nights too cold and wet. I would have better luck under the stars. When it rains water could and will splash up into the tent, again making for a bad nights sleep.

The good points of this tent are that it is a side loading 1 person tent and you can sit up in it. It was nice for that. You have lots of mesh around the sides. That is all I can think of for good points.

Customer Service:
Sold it as fast as I could.

Similar Products Used:
Sierra Designs Flashlight CD
and Kelty V2 (Vortex 2)

Review Date
December 20, 2002

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Reviewed by: Bill (Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker

Price Paid:  $190.00

Summary:
I chose to carry this tent on my 2002 PCT thru hike for a couple of reasons: it's lightweight and it packs down very small. I had a love hate relationship with this thing.

First the hate: Condensation is a huge problem even when fully vented (there is quite a bit of mesh on this tent). Later in the trip (in Oregon and Washington) a small leak developed that dripped on my face during steady rains. Marmot recommended I seam seal the whole thing which brings up the question: Why bother taping the the seams if you still have to seam seal it? After seam gripping the leak is still there. A possible design flaw?

Now the love: Plenty of room inside the tent with a small vestibule that can hold your pack and shoes. Plus, you get a nifty window so you can watch your fellow hiking partners try to set up their tarps. The yellow nylon makes overcast, dreary days seem cheerful.

Customer Service:
Marmot has been very helpful with the problems listed above. They have requested I send it back to them for inspection.

Similar Products Used:
Marmot Asylum, Mountain Hardware lightwedge 2

Review Date
May 9, 2002

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Reviewed by: Brian (Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker

Price Paid:  $0.00 at REI - San Carlos, CA

Summary:
The Good:

Simple, lightweight & semi-freestanding design. Set-up is a snap. Really low profile sheds wind pretty nicely.

The Bad:

Two drawbacks, one minor, the other major. The former would be the fact you can't sit up in this tent. If you're OK with it (as I was), then it's not a big deal. However, the second was a huge issue with me: Condensation! If you're just going to be using it in dry situations, this single-wall tent will do you well. If a hint of moisture heads your way, you will find yourself pretty damp. Curious thing is, there's plenty of mesh in this tent, but one downpour I found the entire inside of the canopy covered in water, making nice little puddles on the floor. It's a shame, as I really liked the design of the tent... I returned it to REI soon thereafter.

Similar Products Used:
Mountain Hardwear Tri-Light 1 & 2