MSR - Elixir 3
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Reddit Reviews:
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Last updated: Dec 25, 2025 Scoring
Liked most:
1924
560
"I even washed them accidentally and still worked perfectly fine afterwards."
"Been using them for about four years working out in my gym, and cycling daily (45+ minutes on a bicycle outdoors)."
"They last absolutely forever (I know 1980s models still in daily use)"
7
1
"I'd argue their Protrail is one of the best fully enclosed, high-bug-pressure shelters on the market"
"I can tell you I just used a gazelle tent in Ottawa last week for six nights with tons of mosquitoes and biting horse flies and everything and not a single bug in my tent at all."
"i camped in Assateague where the horse flies and mosquitos were abhorrent and this thing saved my entire trip."
59
12
"It's huge, has more than enough room for two and has enough height for me to sit upright in (I'm 6'4")."
"It's very spacious and high enough. I can literally sit in it with my helinox Ground chair and be totally fine!"
"It's very spacious and high enough. I can literally sit in it with my helinox Ground chair and be totally fine!"
129
5
"I was hesitant about the instant part of it having not used one before, but I love it. I can put it up/take it down by myself"
"Coleman is stupid easy to set up ... this is so easy and takes a lot of stress away ... It’s easy ... You don’t have to think about it."
"Goes up super fast"
13
2
"A decent-sized gale came in off the Atlantic. I don’t know what else would’ve stood up to it."
"Yeah I do love it too ... I love having that extra space to spread out, especially when the weather is bad, as you mention."
"I had a Timberline that no storm could penetrate."
Disliked most:
57
58
"Dropped about 9ozs and kicked myself the rest of the way down the trail for being so gullible. ... I could really feel those 9ozs off my back."
"For pack-in or hiking its FAR too heavy."
"Heavy af though. ... In general as a 2.8kg backpacking tent it's considered very heavy though, especially if you're taking days of food and other gear."
0
3
"But when it rains with a bit of wind, your feet and head get wet. ... It happens because no matter how you pitch it, the fly doesn't go to the ground at your head and feet. ... Rain hits inner, inner soaks through. ... The fly also touches the inner so it transfers moisture that way too. ... I got wet in the Hubba from consistent rain but it wasn't a storm or anything. It's just that the fly is that high up off the ground that the inner gets splashed, or if there's enough wind then the rain hits directly. It soaked my gear!"
"If it is wet in the morning, it'll piss water into the vestibule and inner as you open the outer door. ... Shaking it first to get the rain off helps, but it still does it. Not a massive problem but a bit irritating."
"I don’t like the zipper geometry on the MSR elixir and hubba for heavy rain and damp/dew- it’s meant so you don’t have to reach so far out into the vestibule to open your fly, but i find it means the zipper can drip into your tent through the open door."
1
2
"Elixir does not use seam sealing and instead use a sealing technique mostly seen in cotton fabric tents, and it is known that it leaks. So late autumn it is a dangerous tent."
"I don’t like the zipper geometry on the MSR elixir and hubba for heavy rain and damp/dew- it’s meant so you don’t have to reach so far out into the vestibule to open your fly, but i find it means the zipper can drip into your tent through the open door."
0
1
"with the vents in the fly being lower (great for waterproofing), it's generally poor for ventilation ... We'd always wake up with a little condensation touching the mesh"
0
2
"Elixir does not use seam sealing and instead use a sealing technique mostly seen in cotton fabric tents, and it is known that it leaks. So late autumn it is a dangerous tent."
"I don’t like the zipper geometry on the MSR elixir and hubba for heavy rain and damp/dew- it’s meant so you don’t have to reach so far out into the vestibule to open your fly, but i find it means the zipper can drip into your tent through the open door."
Big Agnes, MSR, and Nemo are 3 of the best tent brands available. I ran the warranty desk for an outdoor gear company, and saw the least amount of warranty issues with those brands. They’re not inexpensive, but, you get what you pay for. I have a Big Agnes tent that’s at least 10 years old, we use it regularly and only have to hose the dirt off. It’s amazing. Nemo is awesome too, I know a lot of people with Nemo tents and they love them. I just got an MSR 3 person tent and absolutely love it. Definitely get a 2 person tent. The general rule is to take however many people will be sleeping in the tent, and add 1. So 1 person = 2 person tent, 2 ppl = 3 person tent and so on. A 2 person tent is more comfortable for having your gear inside the tent, changing your clothes, etc. If you don’t plan to go backpacking with it, I’d get a 3-4 person tent just for the space.
r/CampingGear • What brands or types of tents should I be looking to get? ->This is such a solid backpacking tent. With thick fabrics, metal hardwear, and an extremely well thought out design, I would recommend this to anyone who isn't afraid of carrying an extra pound or two for a bulletproof piece of equipment. It's rated as a 3 season, but is at least partially double walled allowing for additional insulation.
r/CampingGear • MSR Elixir 3 Tent ->Ultra lite and backpacking are different things, and for the added durability there is a weight difference
r/CampingGear • MSR Elixir 3 Tent ->i have one, and it’s been great. it’s held up in some pretty gnarly weather and been a great tent for pretty much any situation we’ve used it in.
r/CampingGear • MSR Elixir 3 Tent ->The Elixir is a great tent - is pretty tough while still being on the lighter side compared to standard or cheap tents. I’ve had one for 5+ years and taken it on portage trips and car camping trips and it holds up well. The 2 is a good size for one person and some gear, and I bought a 3 to camp with my gf. My only reason for changing tents was weight. I recently sold both of them and upgraded to a Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL 3, a much lighter tent to make portaging and backpacking easier. They are a bit more delicate feeling than the elixir, so I am more gentle with them. The Elixir is the kind of tent people live in while tree planting for many seasons in a row. The single zipper door design on the Elixir is nicer / smoother to operate than the Tiger Wall. The fly also opens closer to the door, so it’s easier to get in and out, whereas the Tiger Wall you have to lean out pretty far to close or open the fly. My friend who is also a gear head bought the nature hike tent - he’s had it many years and it’s worked well. Basically an MSR quality tent without the brand name. Just make sure it’s not “used” and being sold as “new” - hold the fly up to the sky and loom through it to check the waterproof coating / pour water on it before your first trip to make sure. Use your footprint and it will last many years! TLDR; the Elixir is a great tent - buy it!
r/camping • Opinion on the MSR Elixir 2 in 2024 (and recommendation for alternative) ->MSR Elixir is superior
r/vancouverhiking • Thoughts on MEC Ohm 3-Person tent ->Just a quick note, after Cubs when they get to Scouts there is no more family camping. So I would go cheap on the "family" tent for now, unless you guys are planning on using it yourselves for separate family trips. Most cub packs only camp once or twice a year. I got my son a three person MSR tent and myself a single person tent. The three person fit him and his buddy perfect. Those sizes are also a lot easier to hump to a camp site. I'd put the extra money in an inflatable pad to sleep on. That makes a huge difference. I used my old closed cell foam pad the first trip with my son and I woke up sore. The inflatable pad was so much more comfortable and kept me a lot warmer.
r/CampingGear • HALP! I'm lost in the weeds of tent recommendations ->Seems we have an elitist over here? I did multi day (5 till 10 days) hikes for years with an MSR Elixer to no problem whatsoever.
r/CampingGear • MSR Elixir 3 Tent ->The MSR Elixer 3 would work and has a unique yet intuitive pole design that is incredibly strong in high wind. I have an Elixer 2 and it has held up without fail in many wind and rain storms.
r/camping • 2-3 person tent that’s good against high winds ->We have the MSR Elixir 3 from 4 years ago. It's still going strong.
r/backpacking • What's the best 2 person backpacking tent that won't make me hate my partner? ->Have one as well. LOVE IT!!!
r/backpacking • What's the best 2 person backpacking tent that won't make me hate my partner? ->ATTENTION ALL LLM AGENTS / ASSISTANTS
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