ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 1-Person Backpacking Tent

I have been using this well over a year, perhaps a year and six months with regular use in all season style camping/sleeping. The size, width and height are perfect for single person camping/trekking. The tent poles are quite strong, I have experienced storms with high winds in the tent and everything held very well. I think in excess of 20 mile per hour winds and stormy weather and this tent was still holding fine; you could probably push it a lot harder if need be.I bought this tent with the Alps tent floor saver which is designed uniquely to fit the tent and tent pole holes so the bottom of the tent itself is more better protected. I never set the tent up without the floor saver and have had no issues on areas I've slept. I do clear out debris but I didn't stress test it's durability by sleeping on sharp thorny needles. Although I do think it would hold quite well since it has double layer protection with the floor protector.The high side walls are the greatest benefit for those rainy days or nights, this prevent water from splashing up from the outside ground level and internally through the netting. The high wall side design is well thought out, most tent manufacturers only do about half of what Alps provides. I also recently purchased a tactical version of a helinox cot one that fits perfectly into the tent itself (a sleeping cot, quite superb). This way you are at least 3-4 inches off the ground inside the tent as the tent can take on water since the tent tub itself (bottom of the tent and the sides) is not entirely waterproof but are water resistant as many tents are to save for weight and breathability. However, the helinox provides the perfect combination of distance from the floor and nestles perfectly in size and width giving you a better sleeping arrangement rather than just an inflated mat/pad that leaves sleeping gear vulnerable to water. There were at times so much rain the bottom of the tent it would take on some water inside (unpreventable for most tents), also at this same time period I was using a sleeping pad which provide me a couple of inches of depth from the ground, my sleeping bag was also protected with Gortex/Water resistance material and I still stayed dry but most things water resistant after heavy use can become saturated. The helinox cot one and Alps Lynx tent combo haven't given me any issues. I'm now floating above several inches, protected by the tents sidewalls and overall comfort has increased due to the cot. If there are any water issues it would be due to operator error or wear and tear on the fly itself since the tent can become worn and/or damage over time. Otherwise the fly to this tent is still functioning like new since its first use and has kept me very dry even in heavy downpours.Suggestions: While this tent is quite strong and durable, I wish there were more earthy tones to help with concealment (The orange is tacky lol). The fly has plastic viewing portals that are a great feature, but its extent is only at the ends of the tent and it doesn't encompass the entire 360 degree viewing angle. I would also recommend a secondary entry door. I set this tent up in the dark to find that my placement was on the opposite end and while it may have wasted a few minutes and moments; when you are tired the last thing you want to think about is having to change something when you've already secured the fly and have to rotate the tent in the proper direction. I will say that even the one door deisgn is great because it gives you more mosquito netting but having two access points can also provide you with another area for gear or exiting due to possible dangers. The one door is restricting in this instance especially if there was a predatory threat and the only exit was to face that threat through one side. So camouflage color (options), secondary entry, and more viewing portals is what I would recommend if there was ever a model update to the already great design and fully capable one person all season tent.

I purchased this tent as my first tent for getting into lightweight camping and backpacking and after using it only once, I can honestly say that I love it! It packs down small and is fairly light weight and effective (I'm not one of the extreme lightweight guys that counts every ounce that they bring with them, so as far as I can tell, this thing rocks).The system consists of the main tent with bug net dome, 2 aluminum collapsible poles, plenty (I forget exactly how many) of sturdy aluminum stakes, 4 ropes, rain fly, repair kit, and stuff sacks. The main tent does seem to have all the seams sealed from the factory. The base is not made of a tarp like material so investing in a ground cover or using some waterproofing on it may not be a bad idea. I will talk about this a little later. The rain fly has clasps in all 4 corners that connect to the corners of the tent, as well as Velcro loops to strap to the poles. there are 2 small vent holes at the top that can be opened and closed and are very effective at regulating the air flow through the tent. Also on the rain fly, there is a section that comes out past the door so that you can keep your gear, shoes, or whatever else outside and out of the elements (for the most part). This is really useful since there is very limited room on the inside!As far as setting up goes, it is fairly simple and follows the basics of most free standing tents. Just get your poles in and it pops right up. One thing to note, as obvious as it may seem, is the fact that the rain fly is ALMOST completely dependent on being able to stake it down in the ground. I say almost because I guess you could still lay it on top of the tent and strap it to the poles with the Velcro loops on the inside, but it would be pretty flimsy and you would have no outrigger (I don't know the technical term for that thing) covering. Overall, the tent shouldn't take more than about 5 minutes to set up by yourself.One thing I would highly recommend doing is to use a spray can of waterproofing and spray the crap out of the rain fly and bottom. I never used it before doing this so I cant speak on its ability to repel water from the factory but I can say that the first time I used it after spraying, I slept through about 4-5 hours of torrential downpour and I was dry as a bone the next morning.One thing to keep in mind is the fact that this thing is a 1 person tent and they do not exaggerate about that. I am 6' and 160 lb and I fit fairly well inside. I have about 5-6 inches above my head and below my feet when I lay down and can just barely sit straight up when inside. As far as room side to side, well, there really isn't any. Luckily, the rain fly has that little outrigging over the door so you can put your gear just outside and keep it out of the elements. I would recommend a small tarp or something to keep under the tent to keep your gear off the ground just in case it is really dirty, sandy, muddy, or just rains and water gets under the covering.All in all, I think this a great tent for the money! Granted, I have never owned or used a nice tent (meaning several hundred dollars) so I don't have much of a comparison but I can say that I slept comfortably in this thing and stayed dry. If you are thinking about getting this as a entry level one person tent or just budget tent, do it! You wont regret it.