Telos TR2

Heavy is relative. 5LBs is not that bad for a 2P at this level of quality. It will be more durable than the UL stuff. The price isn’t good, it’s great!

That price for this tent is a complete steal. Do it fast. You can also get the foot print direct from the S2S website for 50% off. It’s a great quality tent especially for your first.

ive got the x dome 2, its very nice and light, sea to sumit has a similar one (telos tr2), that is a bit heavier, aluminum poles, and has a more conventional floorlayout, they sell it in a bike packing kit too. durston also has short pole option, replaceable interiors for like 130-160. id recomend just getting the groundfly too or diy one, the floor is sorta thin but im used to cheaper/ older tents. with the way the durston sets up its a bit more involved going from no rain fly mode to rainfly mode, ther tr2 is a more traditional rainfly ontop of frame vs suspended. ill say the durston is one of the fastest tents ive put up and im normally a slowpoke

This will sound insane, but one of my favorite tents is the 70$ Ozark trail backpacking tent. It’s very durable if a bit heavy and for the price you can’t beat it. I’d say there is nothing comparable (From a reputable brand) under 300ish. It’s a one person but still comfortable with a nice vestibule. That said I’m writing this from my sea to summit telus 2. It’s the second trip out, but I love it. A bit lighter than the Ozark and considerably roomier. Given that full price it’s more than 5 times the cost it’s not surprising. I however picked it up at my local sierra trading for an insane discount - I think I may have accidentally robbed them??? If you’re just starting out the Ozark will serve you well till you know what features you really care about. Tents are a lot of personal preference and figuring out what you need. sierra and sometimes dirt cheap can have really great deals both online and for sierra at least in store for high end tents and gear.

I’ve got a Telos 2P and an X-mid 2. I’d pick the x-mid every time. The telos unfortunately sags a lot when wet, is substantially heavier and less floor space. It’s mesh first pitch and takes longer to pitch. It does have better headroom for the second person though. (Also a relative beginner)

Haven't seen anyone recommend it, so I'll put in my two cents for the Sea to Summit Telos. I've had this tent for a few years and it has been absolutely bomb-proof. I did have it in similar conditions to your Death Valley nights in the Great Sand Dunes a couple years ago and did bend a pole, but not enough from preventing me from enjoying it a couple nights afterwards, and Sea to Summit sent me a new pole set for free. pic from the morning, bent pole barely noticeable. You can also get a mesh net to keep gear up and free up ground space, overall just a very well built tent. Also comes in split bags, and you can get a solid inner if you want it to be warmer. https://preview.redd.it/un1kekg1r7fg1.jpeg?width=8064&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6f6f135ece7c88f12e67c68333dfa293704fc0a3

I have used the Telos (similar model) for several longer trips. No complaints and Sea to Summit has been very responsive when I needed to replace a storage bag. For $100, it would be hard to find a better option.

Have the same style from Sea to Summit, can recommend it a lot. Self standing is very handy if you are solo, only downside if its raining you need to be fast bc the inner and outer tents are separate and you will have a damp or wet inner tent