Bibler Tents Bombshelter

Review Date
September 17, 2002

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: RichardG(Unregistered User) ,  Backpacker , from Dallas, Texas USA

Price Paid:  $575.00 at Black Diamond (Salt

Summary:
A very appropriately named tent -- it'll stand up to high winds and heavy rain as well as any tent I've encountered. While Bibler sells it as a four person tent, I consider it a two-person expedition tent, maybe three people in an emergency. No way it'll work for four adults. But for two it's spacious. I really like the built-in vestibules for gear storage. I recently bought an Ahwanee, which is cooler in the summer (and weighs a couple of pounds less), but for cold or rain the Bombshelter's unbeatable. Although I was warned about difficulties in setup and with the poles, I've encountered none. I seam-sealed mine and have never seen a drop of rain inside the tent.

Customer Service:
Never used for a tent, but BD has been terrific for other products.

Similar Products Used:
North Face; Moss; Eureka

Review Date
May 21, 2001

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 4 votes

Reviewed by: Sverri Warm(Unregistered User) ,  Skier , from Denmark

Price Paid:  $985.00 at Bibler

Summary:
I used this tent during a crossing of he Ice Cap of Greenland during April 10 - May 10 2001. The tent was great, but it showed several weaknesses:
1. Ice forming on the inside could not easily be removed
2. The spring cord inside the poles had to be shortened several time due to freezing moisture
3. The pole for the main vestibule was not easy to insert with gloves
4. The inside textile of Todd-Tex could freeze tightly together and we had a sepearation of the laminate on one spot

In general the tent gives sufficient space for two people under arctic conditions, not more! It is extremely wind proof and comfortable during bad weather, but you will have snow drift in the vestibule if you cannot find ways to close the vents. This depends on wind directions and turbulence, put a sock in a plasctic bag and stuff it into the vents during night when needed, otherwise its digging inside the tent the whole morning. It is definitive a bombshelter.

All things considered it is a good tent, but the separation of the textile i did not like at all. Check for other tens, considering the price.

Customer Service:
Not much, except that Bibler does not accept that there are intrinsic problems with the Todd-Text during long arctic expeditions, where you heat water inside the tent (which is the best way under exact such expeditions). Ventilate as much as possible, take extra fuel for heating with you, never let the fabric get abowe freezing point and then refreeze when packed (it will freeze too tight together and cause delamination when setting up the tent).

Similar Products Used:
Helsport Isfjell
Hilleberg Namatj

Review Date
December 14, 2000

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by: Kevin(Unregistered User) ,  Mountaineer , from Portland, Oregon

Price Paid:  $900.00 at Oregon Mountain Community

Summary:
I received the first (or close to it) Bombshelter with two built in vestibuls from the assembly line.

In general the tent is completely roomy for two people and terrific when set up. It can withstand 100 mph winds when other tents blow apart, I've done it.

The pockets inside are weak and must be taken care of. The velcro used to tie the poles down are to short for real people. My fingers don't work well with them, how about another 1" long. After about 2 years the tent has shrunk a little and the poles never are straight anymore, they wind around inside from side to side. On Aconguaga in 1999 the tend shreaded when attempting to put it up at high altitude. Sent it back to black diamond and they fixed it up for free (though Todd Bibler may not have wanted to). One of the poles failed on a trip. Wet cold condensation in the morning can make this thing weight about 15 pounds which is normal for a bibler tent. The bag it comes with is to darn small after unpacking, buy another bag instead. The place the poles sit in fail badly after awhile so that replacement slots for the vestibule poles are necessary (I rigged something up). Four people? you have got to be kidding, 2 and 2 expedition packs and this is a hotel.

After all this complaining you would wonder what I think of this tent. I have taken it on about 10 expeditions to South America and Alaska, driven the tent hard in extreme altitude and weather, lived in it for months, and
packed it on many mules and donkeys.

To date this has been the BEST DAMN TENT I have ever had. If you can get it set up it will hold up to anything the weather can throw at it. Get yellow, green is depressing after awhile.

Now I have a Bibler Elderado to climb with also. Lets see how it holds up to real expeditions over the next 5 years.

regards

kevin russell

Customer Service:
The customer service at Black Diamond is good. They take it back, even if they think it was your fault, and fix it.

Similar Products Used:
Bibler Elderado
VE25
You Name It.

Review Date
April 18, 2000

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by: Sam Avaiusini(Unregistered User) ,  Mountaineer , from Seattle, WA, USA

Summary:
I've used other brands of single walls, and I must say that Biblers reputation was one of the biggest reasons for my purchase of the Bomshelter. It was going to be my tent for a trip to the Alaska Range. I started using it 6 months before the expedition to put it through some testing here in the NW. After a couple of trips I was a bit disappointed with the tent's overall quality. Seam-tape started peeling in a couple of places. Internal pole tie-downs (velcro) were under too much stress and too flimsy to begin with. Both of them pulled out. This problem alone made a great pitch impossible. These may seem like trivial, nit-picky things, but it became clear to me that this was not the best tent for a month-long expedition. One might expect this kinds of problems after extended use, but after a handful of volcanos in the Cascades? I'd look elsewhere before spending $1000 on the Bombshelter.

Similar Products Used:
The North Face, VE-25

Review Date
April 18, 2000

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Reviewed by: JMR(Unregistered User) ,  Car Camper , from Chicago, IL, USA

Summary:
I bought a Bombshelter a couple of years ago and have been very happy with it. I use the tent mostly for fishing trips - although I have not encountered as severe as weather at altititude, I have been caught several times in very heavy thunderstorms/tornado advisory type weather. The tent has never leaked or felt like it would blow away. My only complaint is the tie downs off the sides of the tent are black - I suggest putting some aluminum foil on them to keep from walking into the damn thimgs at night. Great tent.

Similar Products Used:
None