Marmot Tungsten
2 reviews
Great Design but Waterproofing Issues – This is our second Marmot tent in 3 years. We love the design, roominess and mesh screens. However, the waterproofing on both tents has degraded in a short time. This tent is two years old, a replacement under warranty of the previous tent. Now, the tent inner haa a degraded film of fine white grit on all the plastic of both the fly and the tent. Only the screens and pockets seem unaffected. A picture is attached.
In addition, the waterproofing on the seams way beyond what you would expect of a tent this age. We have a 10 year old MSR that is in better condition.
We love the Marmot design but it simply does not last as a product. Our previous tents have lasted for 7-10 years before showing this kind of wear and tear.
Excellent backpacking tent – This review is for the 3 PERSON version of the Tungsten. I used it in Queensland in humid, wet conditions and in WA in dry, windy conditions and it handled both easily. Inside I had a thin, lightweight inflatable mattress and a sleeping bag. The nights got down to 6 degrees but I was never cold. I originally bought another brand of tent with a geodesic design, but when that one came with the wrong poles and instructions
I took the opportunity to change to the Marmot - and am very glad I did. The Marmot is much simpler to erect than the other one,
and the overall quality seems better.
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PROS
• Fits into a compact bag and is very light and easy to carry.
The bag is about the length of an olden days sleeping bag case, but only half the diameter.
• Can be erected by one person in about 5 minutes in normal conditions. Very straightforward in normal conditions.
• All parts very well-made.
• Once erect, it is stable and has plenty of inside room.
• The bend at the base of the support poles created useful extra room.
• Orange version is very easy to spot, day or night.
• Stays warm, even on nights which are 6 degrees celsius.
• Mesh construction will keep out mosquitoes and smaller bugs. Not sure about sandflies.
• The inside pockets are well-placed and idea for phone, keys and other small items.
• Central hook for hanging a light is useful.
• Good ventilation - even with the weather cover on.
• Doors are spacious and open easily, allowing quick access.
• Weather cover entry extends away from the inside door, keeping moisture out.
• Disassembles as easily as it assembles, with no need to jam anything back into the bag,
even when you don't fold it up as neatly as it came originally.
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CONS
• Not especially cheap, but then you don't want cheap when you're camping and the wind or rain start.
• I would call this a very compact 3 person tent, but more likely a comfortable 2 person tent.
If there are three people in it, they better know each other very well.
• This is a low-set tent. If you are elderly, have any physical constraints or want to walk into your tent, then this is not for you.
You need to do a full squat, half squat and bend over, or crawl to enter.
• I would say a footprint is essential. The materials are good but to keep weight down they are also very thin.
If you didn't use a footprint I would say it's inevitable that you will rip the floor of the tent at some point.
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NOTES
• This tent was surprisingly bright inside at night - with the weather cover on.
The material seems to magnify whatever light there is, and I needed to wrap
my shemagh around my eyes to achieve darkness so I could drift off to sleep.
• The pegs that come with the tent are sufficient, but not amazing. If you think
you will encounter wild weather I would invest in some bigger, longer pegs.
Extra Information
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