Pitch it, part 2

Part 1 can be found here, I suggest you go read it first.

So I decided that a small bivvy type tent was not up my alley for most trips, and needed to find another route to go. I didn't hate the Eureka! Solitaire tent, so I looked to see what else they might have as a starting place. I found a little jewel called the Backcountry 1, a one person, half-dome backpacking tent that showed alot of promise.
I did my usual research, then a bunch more, then more, etc. I tried to find out as much as I could about this tent, and the more I looked into it, the more I was convinced that Eureka! had raided my daydreams to design it. I started looking around online for one, and found that they were scarce, maybe even discontinued. Eureka! themselves don't list the thing on their own site as of the time of this article, they may have replaced it with something else. A few places had them new, but I found a barely used one on Amazon for a much reduced price, so for once I decided to spend some money rather than try to get a loaner. A tent is an investment, and a good one if you find the right one, so I didn't feel too bad for shelling out the clams.

Half a dome!

The Backcountry is what I call a half dome, because it looks like someone set up a two man dome tent, then just cut it down the middle and closed it off. It looks like a dome from the front, but is half the width. The footprint is about the same as the Solitaire, at around 3x8 feet, but has around 3 feet of head room at the apex. You can actually sit up or kneel inside this tent comfortably, which was a huge deal for me after the bivvy tent. It is plenty wide enough for me to sleep in, tossing and turning, with some gear at my sides. I like to keep a carbine with me on some trips, and was able to do so comfortably. My pack stores out of the way at my feet, and I have room above my head for small items as well. There are a couple of interior pockets which are handy, but the one at the head of the tent can get in the way if you load it up, which I don't do. There is also a overhead gear loft offered for sale for ceiling storage, if you want. It packs up a little fatter, maybe even twice as much, as the Solitaire, but is shorter when packed, at around 6x15.5 inches, depending on how well you stow it.

The ventilation on this guy is awesome. Both ends are mostly mesh panels, and there is a rather large side door which has both mesh and poly panels, so you can have privacy or airflow without letting the critters in. It does not seem to breathe as well as the Solitaire, which is to be expected, so I might not use this in the hotter months, if I were you. The rain fly covers both mesh ends, but has enough gap to let the tent breathe very well, and even extends over the door a bit in case you need to open the door and poke your head out in the rain. There is no covered vestibule on this model, but there are a ton of aftermarket rain flys and mods that will make this thing into a nice shelter with double the covered area if you want.

Set up on this tent is the easiest thing I have ever seen. It can operate as a free standing tent, although I'd still stake the corners and fly just on principle. The frame is two aluminum poles, which slide in super easy, are simple to bend in shallow arcs, and boom-the tent stands. Clips along the tent body attach to the poles to pull the body taught, and a stake in each corner fills out the shape. Just toss on the fly, stake it out to keep it tight and wind resistant, and you are fully set up in less than 10 minutes. No joke. I have actually been able to concentrate and get the entire deal, ground tarp and all, done in around 5 minutes start to finish. Packing it up is a little slower due to getting all the air out and rolling it back up, but super easy as well. This has to be the lowest maintenance tent I've worked with. I hope the replacement models are this easy.

The materials are all very sturdy for a lightweight backpack tent, and look like they will last years if not left in the sun. I have had no leaking problems, despite some wet conditions on a trip or two. The mesh keeps condensation from breath at night from building up, and the bathtub floor keeps ground water and rain out. You'd have to have a serious storm to experience water in the tent, I'd imagine.

View of the rear.

Lookit, it's a pretty simple tent, with a brilliant design. It just works. It's light and small, but roomy. It sets up and packs up easily. It's sturdy and rated for 3 seasons. I've camped in this thing once when the mercury dipped to around 28 Fahrenheit. No frost inside, but I needed a better sleeping bag, which has nothing to do with the tent. It's comfy and has storage options. It's easy to get in and out of, I like the headroom and the general layout. This tent just fits the bill perfectly. If you want a solo tent that isn't cramped, but doesn't need a pack mule to tow, give this one a look. If you can find one, that is.


-Owen

Rain fly removed. Lots of mesh.

In use, great tent!