SlingFin - Portal 2

Slingfin Portal 2. I’ve been using it for the past two years and it’s lightweight, roomy, freestanding and bombproof in bad weather. I made a ridiculous spreadsheet comparing almost 20 tents and it was the winner. I rented a Nemo Dragonfly 2P last week. It was fine but a little smaller on the inside. Good luck with your search, there’s so many options

As a guy who owns two Tarptents and a Slingfin this is the right answer. Only reason I don’t own one is because the others are still great and it would be wasteful to buy another tent

Haha. We did 3 weeks bike packing in the Highlands last year with our Portal 2. It rained and stormed for like 15 of 18 riding days. The stock tent was super solid, even in wind that was hard to ride through. We love it, and the livability is very high as well.

I only set it up once in hard rain. I was able to put out the fly first and work underneath it to get the tent erected. It didn't get very wet, but the operation was pretty awkward and I wouldn't do it if it could be avoided. Other days there were breaks in rain long enough to get it set up.

Second on the HotBox. Although I end up using the Portal 2 (with pole upgrade) more often. It's a "3.5 season". Got hammered on Shuksan last year with 18 hours of wind/rain and it held up better than the BDs.

You should check out SlingFin tents, small company that make great tents. I used the Portal 2 this past summer on the Colorado Trail and loved it

I have one. It handled Iceland driving wind and rain fine. We had it in very exposed conditions and 50mph (legitimately, probably gusting to 60) a few times with no problems. There’s so many tie outs. And we also liked the x tensioners inside the tent. We’re planning a hike in Tombstone TP in Yukon and I’d take it. What I don’t like is that the floor tapers. I sleep weird and if I switch to a rectangular pad that’ll be curtains on the slingfin unless I go to a portal 3. I think the x dome is a tiny bit lighter, like 2 oz. I have not used it. I will likely at some point because of the floor being 52 all the way down. I’m not sure how to compare the poles on each tent. Durston is carbon Easton 3.9 and slingfin is aluminum 8.7 with a thicker set available if you’re expecting bad weather. Idk which is better for wind.

Slingfin Portal 2p is an excellent choice for Scottish weather

Rock solid. The design is exceptional. You can even get heavy duty pole set but honestly that’s overkill unless you’re in Iceland, Patagonia or the Scottish Highlands.

Slingfin. Bombproof, and thoroughly wind tested.

We have a Nemo hornet and a slingfin portal 2. No comparison between the two. The slingfin is definitely bomb proof, and I never have a moment’s concern when sleeping in ours. We’ve used it extensively in northern Ontario canoe country and canoeing in Yukon.

Depending on the number of people you need to fit, the latest version of the xdome 1 would likely be the best fit for windy/rainy conditions - fly first pitch, silpoly for minimal water absorption, and has a ridiculous number of guy out points. The Nemo and Copper Spur are missing one or more of those features. If you need even more wind tolerance a Slingfin portal 2 with reinforced poles is the next step up, albeit heavier and it’s fly first pitch is a pain to do in comparison to the xdome. I have the portal and, with reinforced poles and fully guyed out, is a bunker. After that you are looking at 4 season tunnel tents.

I have both the Portal 2 and the X-dome 2. My experiences: - The Portal 2 is not a 2 person tent as it is too narrow to fit two pads where one or both are wider than 20”. - The X-dome 2 feels even roomier than its dimensions suggest. - The X-dome 2 sets up fly first and is more flexible in its set up. - Both handle rain and condensation as well as any double walled tent. - The Portal 2 is more resilient in high winds due to its lower profile but if you are beyond the capabilities of an X-dome 2 you are in some truly apocalyptic weather, and you need to be a pro at site selection/guy lines - Neither have a place in an ultralight kit unless you are constantly camping in places where the hassle of setting up a freestanding tent outweighs the extra couple of pounds For my solo Patagonia and Iceland trips I brought the Portal 2; for camping in the Canadian Rockies with my wife I bring the X-dome 2. For camping in any other situation I bring a Xmid pro.

\~6.2, fits well but sometimes if you either fill the head pockets, or if you add the internal guys on the head end they can get in your face. Isn't really an issue unless you are sleeping fully rigid like a plank.

Used my Portal 2 in the Gobi last year and yeah, some fine sand does get through the mesh when it's really windy, but pitching with the vestibule doors facing away from prevailing winds helps a ton.

This is super helpful! The width issue with Portal 2 is a big deal since OP specifically mentioned wanting more space than their current tent. Two 25" pads definitely wont fit comfortably in a narrow tent. X-dome's fly-first setup is also clutch for rainy conditions in Europe. Thx for the real world comparision!