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March 5, 2005
Home Away From Home
Warning, while this entry is not about the food we ate, it is about shopping, and thus comes perilously close to achieving the same level of boringness.
We bought the tent, though not the tent that was advertised. Last night, Roomie was too claustrophobic in the Quarter Dome UL, which at 4 lbs. 11 oz. was my choice. Oddly, the two doors and the side entry made her feel more confined than less. Instead, she went straight to the Sub-Alpine UL which ways in at 5 lbs. 1 oz. I am sure it is the right tent for us, because Roomie is usually right about these things. REI Roseville was down to their demo model of the Sub-Alpine, and so we arranged for Bloomington to hold one for us and made a plan to pick it up in the morning.
Over the course of the morning, we debated the virtues of a 3-person tent. Our canoe-camping guru Michael Furtman (known to us as "Mr. Smarty Pants") is a big fan of traveling light, but we get the impression that he and his wife are too cramped in a 2-person tent. It is hard for me to understand how orthodox I have become to his way of camping since I usually take more enjoyment of breaking down boxes than fitting into them. REI Bloomington did not have the 3-person tent I wanted to look at, and Roomie and I did a good job analyzing our needs right there at the store. I suppose if we had been unable to do so after a dozen years of making large purchases together, it would have been very sad indeed. Although a 3 person tent would be roomier for 2 people and a dog, we already had a biggish tent. We wanted a small and light tent—just not as small and light as the QD-UL. We also picked up a lightweight tarp to use as a shelter for the pack and for eating under.
We set up our new tent in the living room so we could see, rather than guess, how much room the dog would have in the tent with us. The short answer is not much. However, Selkie entered the tent as soo as she was bid to, and proceeded to roll around and make her "contented" noises. Only she (in our house anyway) enjoys camping as much as I. The front of the vestibule reminds me of a burkha, with its little oculus under the (fortunately for us, ventilated) brow. It is a snug fit for all three of us, but it is a reasonable size for one person to use and carry by themselves. One of the real treats of the tent assemply was the little collection of tent stakes they give you nowadays. These weigh nothing and they looked as if one could shoot them from a crossbow. Nothing like extruded aluminum to make you want to guy-wire the vestibule out!
More good news arrived as I discovered that I had (to use a Bushism) misunderestimated the weight difference between the Camp Dome 4 and the Sub-Alpine. I thought we would save about 8 lbs.; as it happens we will save closer to 10. If I pass on bringing the 3 D-cell Maglite, I think I can get the Duluth #4 to 35 lbs., or the weight one person can reasonably carry on their back while they portage a 17 1/2 foot We-No-Nah Minnesota II canoe. Maybe I will go into the basement right now and see what we are down to.
Posted by Underblog at March 5, 2005 2:33 PM
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Comments
Obsessed, I tell you, Ob-sessed.
Posted by: sherman at March 5, 2005 4:04 PM
I enjoy camping. I'm just not OBSESSED with it!
Posted by: sherman at March 7, 2005 6:31 AM
So have you used the Sub-Alpine yet? I am looking at light 2-person tents and have narrowed my choices down to the Sub-Alpine or the Mountain Hardwear Approach. I really can't decide between them though!
Posted by: Brenden at April 16, 2005 7:58 PM