ALPS Mountaineering - Helix 2

For shelter/ tent… I will give you a pro tip…. Start with a 2man tent… I really like the Alps brand for entry level tents and here is why. We use them in Boy Scout troops where the kids are tough on gear…. They stand up…. You can get them off Amazon for the best prices and there is a huge selection…. They also back up their gear if something breaks- if the tents gets wet - set it up at home to air it out dry….

Anything by Alps mountaineering. Really good warrantee, great quality, good pricing.

All the tents from Alps mountaineering have treated me very well in wind and rain. Colemans not so much.

I love my Alps tent and they’re not too expensive.

Alps Helix2 can be found for $200 and less. I paid 196 delivered. It's a freestanding tent that weighs roughly 4lbs, and it is a double wall setup with a removable fly for stargazing or ditching the fly entirely if you know the weather will support that. It also features double doors that are generously sized, too. The one thing I wish they had done differently is to swap the aluminum poles to carbon fiber for weight savings, but at 4lbs, this is a decently light shelter for 2.

Kelty and Alps Mountaineering have both been good to me. Quality gear at excellent prices. I often reach for my alps gear more than my expensive MSR gear sometimes. Anecdotally, my Kelty Grand Mesa has lasted me almost 20 years. Still waterproof. My Alps Mountaineering tent has withstood several Pacific Northwest storms and many nights of absolutely frigid temps. Hasn’t let me down either. Check out discount websites like Sierra.com and Steep&Cheap for good sales.

Second on the Alps, and I also own a Nemo dragonfly osmo. Some people will say they aren't necessary, but I disagree 100 percent, especially in your use case. Get. a. ground cloth/footprint. Even if it's a $4 dollar general blue tarp. If somebody in the troop has access to tyvek housewrap, even better. You can run that through a wash and dry cycle and make it a lot less crinkly if you want. Unless you plan on camping on carpeting, there will inevitably be a stick, rock, piece of broken glass or debris that will scratch or puncture your floor. As far as purchasing, also keep an eye on the REI Garage Sale. I've seen some really good deals on things that were returned after a couple uses or missing an item that could be easily replaced.

No. Just get an Alps Mountaneering and save yourself a lot of aggravation.

I have a similar Kelty Gunnison 4 tent. Bought it 20 years ago so it is on it’ll last legs. Check out Alps Mountaineering. I bought a 2p and 5p and like them as much as my Kelty.

Alps mountaineering Lynx series is a great option IMO. Our troop uses the 3 person variant but they do make a 1 and a 2 person size. You do sacrifice a little bulk and weight for very good durability. A lighter but less durable option would be the Alps Mountaineering Helix. Mesh walls and thinner nylon. I have the 2 person size and it’s perfect for 1 person plus gear. This one might be a little outside your budget though.

I am a Scoutmaster for a troop in the PNW. Here are my recommendations. Talk with your troop leaders to see what other scouts are using. Do they truly need a backpacking tent because they are hiking several Miles into their campsite? Or are they essentially car camping on most campouts? This will greatly affect what tent you buy. There is a website called www.hikerdirect.com. It will not pull up on a google search, you must type it into your web address bar and go directly to the site. It is the Alps Mountaineering website specifically for scouts. You can buy brand new gear for half off retail or less. They have sleeping bags, pads, chairs, duffel bags, hiking backpacks and tons more. I recommend looking at the Lynx 3 person or the helix 2 person. The lynx 3 is a great tent for two people to share. It can be carried on a backpacking outing by dividing the contents between the two scouts who will be sharing the tent. The helix 2 person is smaller and lighter. Better for backpacking but it can barely fit two people with no room for gear inside. It’s great for one person with gear though. Tons of other options available but those are my favorites.