
Kelty - Grand Mesa 2P
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Reddit Reviews:
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Based on 1 year's data from Feb 15, 2026 How it works
Liked most:
3
2
"riding out crazy thunderstorms"
"It rained in Flagstaff after setting up the tent & it kept me dry."
"will keep you dry"
7
0
"I’ve had a kelty two man tent for nearly 25 years. ... Use it a couple times every year with one being in sub zero winter weather. ... Only thing that has failed on it is the stuff sack"
"riding out crazy thunderstorms"
"I own Kelty, North Face and Marmot backpacking tents, and can attest to their durability ... I've used them both in the backcountry as well as when going car camping."
2
0
"You can get a quality 3-season 2p tent for less than 5lbs and less than $200 pretty easily."
"a great budget option"
1
0
"very easy set up and pack up"
1
1
"plenty of room for gear and myself and enough room for the get times my wife came camping"
Disliked most:
0
2
"Still, material is outdated and setting it up is much slower than current lines of tents."
"Kelty is a decent second option (but usually heavier)"
0
1
"My Kelty 2p is barely big enough for 2 people. My partner and I were pressing up against the edges of the tent, causing the tent to push up against the rain fly and transfer all the condensation inside ☹️."
Kelty all day every day in that price range. Discovery Element 4 and it's footprint is well under budget and gets you to a little more comfortable size for storing your gear. If you're backpacking or otherwise prioritizing size/weight the Discovery Trail 2 or Grand Mesa 2 would work as well.
Kelty is a good brand for entry level stuff. It won’t be the lightest or flashiest, but it’s pretty decent and a clear step above big box or Amazon junk brands. The Grand Mesa 2 might meet your needs. $140 USD; a little searching around shows it at some EU distributors for like €197. I’m admittedly not very familiar with the brands or the market in the EU, so a few more general thoughts: - Aluminum poles are probably worth it (vs fiberglass or pop-up stuff) - A footprint is helpful but often pricey. A cheap tarp works well if you’re not hiking far. Plastic sheeting works fine if you are. - Look for a tent with a rain fly that fully covers the tent. It’ll be sweatier but a lot more waterproof. - Sometimes backpacking tents (as compared to camping tents) are trying so hard to be light that they’re made from fragile material — narrow gauge poles, super thin fabric, tiny zippers, etc. This is even more of a problem with cheap backpacking tents. You might find a cheap camping tent that’s only, say, 500g heavier than a cheap backpacking tent, but it may be hundreds of Euro cheaper and last longer. - Buying upgraded stakes is worth it. I like the ones that are shaped like either a V or a Mercedes sign when you look down the shaft.
Go with a Kelty to keep the weight down. There are better things to spend those ounces on.
Kelty Grand Mesa 2, maybe not the absolute best for backpacking but a great budget option & very easy set up and pack up (i can't say for sure if you will be able to do it under 5 minutes but I'm a slow mover)
My wife and I were in the same boat as you. I had been rocking my cheap Kelty grand mesa 2 one door/one vestibule tent for years and we kept using it while we built up her gear. Sure it’s snug but it added to the experience. Plenty of great memories stargazing together with the fly off, riding out crazy thunderstorms, or nudging each other awake when we heard wildlife at night. We’ve recently upgraded to a lighter three person tent (marmot tungsten UL 3) but I wouldn’t trade those first handful of years getting sharing that smaller tent while getting her into backpacking. And our sleep setup is basic. Two sleeping pads and two sleeping bags. She steals the covers at home as it is, so I don’t think we could share a quilt or zip our bags together. Also, if you’re strapped for space with the vestibule, put your rain cover on your pack and lean it up against a tree. Been doing that for years and never have gotten it wet even in the worst rain storm.
The $170 OneTigres is the 1p tent. The 2p OneTigres tent is $200. As a couple others have stated, a four season tent won't really keep you a whole lot warmer. It's made to withstand heavy snow load. Is that something you know you're really going to need? You can get a quality 3-season 2p tent for less than 5lbs and less than $200 pretty easily. I'd look at the Naturehike Cloud-Up 2p or the Kelty Grand Mesa 2p.
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.
I use a kelty 3 man for car camping- it’s light and plenty of room for gear and myself and enough room for the get times my wife came camping. and I like it enough that I got the 2p backpack version. It also probably way und your budget number
I own Kelty, North Face and Marmot backpacking tents, and can attest to their durability, ease of use and agreeable weight. I've used them both in the backcountry as well as when going car camping.
I have a kelty 2 person with doors and rainfly vestibules to the ground on both sides. You can each stow your pack outside your respective doors. Easier for nighttime pee trips too.
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