SlingFin - Portal 3

you could go lighter but that's a great tent for pretty much anything short of mountaineering or true winter conditions.

A friend used the Portal 2 on the PCT, and I have a Portal 2 as well. The Portal 3 is basically the same thing, just scaled up. It's a terrific tent. For what you're going to be doing, it will effectively be "weight neutral" if you each had individual 2P tents at ≈2lbs each. As a general rule, getting a tent "one person larger than will regularly be sleeping in it" is a good idea. So 2P for 1 hiker, 3P for 2 hikers, etc. So I've got no issue with your considering this, or pretty much any, 3P tent. Now, do you have other options? Yes. Do your homework. This is going to _be_ your home for months. e.x. BA Tiger Walls's are terrific. And **you can save 1lb of weight** with a Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL3. Ignoring money, don't prematurely dismiss semi-freestanding double-wall tents. You'll see a lot of them on trail, and for good reason. The Tiger Wall is a perrenial favorite. - - - - - - - **INDEPENDENT KITCHENS & INDEPENDENT WATER FILTRATION** Even if you are planning to share a tent, there is another area couples are often inclined to share gear, but you really shouldn't: * Carry indpendent kitchen set-ups. * Carry indpendent water filtrations. Because even if you hike together, independent systems will save you _time_ (because you can cook and filter simaltaneously...and that will probably give you 1mi-3mi of additional range every day). - - - - - - - **SEAM SEALING** If you do get it, seal the seams or seal them yourself.

Ya...I think I thought I was in the PCT sub. Tried to clarify my views in other comments. The superior factor for OP is that they are doing the PCT with their spouse, and that they're asking the "tent question" the way they are indicates they've not "done something exactly like this" before. It's a valid question, but they're still evaluating priorities. I agree they'd do well with a larger 2P. As for the Tiger Wall 3P: * Tiger Wall UL2 = 2lb 8oz/1.13kg * Tiger Wall UL3 = 2lb 15oz/1.33kg * Tiger Wall 3 Platinum = 2lb 11oz/1.22kg So for 3oz-6oz, over 5mo+, it's a reasonable evaluation. But the SlingFin Portal 3?...That's 4lbs 3oz/1.9kg. I coulc justify 3oz-6oz of extra weight for the added space, but not >1lb.

I have the 2p and 3p portal. The 3p sleeps my wife and I, and 10yo and 14yo kids. I find the 2p plenty big for 2 adults, and it’s smaller and a pound lighter. It will be more tent than you’ll *need* for pct, but I really like it when I’m getting heavy winds and rough weather.

I didn’t see it mentioned in your post or other comments. But take a look at the slingfin portal. They have it in a 2 and 3 person model. Me and my partner use this in Washington and it stands up to downpours pretty well, and is a solid all rounder for 2 people to share and split the weight. 

There isn’t anything I would actually change. I’m coming from trekking pole single wall tents and this feels like luxury without crazy weight compromises. I will say I know it isn’t cheap but it is definitely very well constructed. I haven’t had any issues with any part of the tent, zipper, guy lines, netting, fabric. It’s all held up super well and I’ve used it in a variety of conditions without really babying it. 

Thanks. To expand on what I mean by 'greater skill' that refers to a few things: 1. WHERE IT IS PITCHED. If someone knows the tents limits and suspects the conditions may exceed them, then going down to a more sheltered site is a good option. One camper carries a heavy tent and gets to camp on the summit, the other carries a lighter then but occasionally camps lower when the conditions are risky. Aside from macro site selection like this, there is also micro site selection (e.g. camping on the summit but finding a bit of a wind block or building a snow wall). 2. WHEN IT IS PITCHED. It is risky pitching a tent during severe conditions because there can be steps where the tent is more vulnerable, and this is especially true for an ultralight tent. 'Macro waiting' (standing around for an hour before pitching the tent) is not fun, but 'micro waiting' can work well. This refers to listening and noticing how you can hear the gusts coming up the hill side, and then quickly completing a vulnerable step between gusts. | 3. HOW IT IS PITCHED. A standard user steadily proceeds through the normal pitching sequence irrespective of the conditions, while a more advanced user may do things differently to avoid vulnerable step. This could be starting at the upwind side first, pre-installing stakes into the ground to shorten a process, pre-adjusting the guylines to almost the right length, adding guylines before the tent is fully assembled. There are many opportunities to tailer pitching a tent for the circumstances. A more skilled user will also know the recommended ways to pitch a tent for tougher weather (extra guylines, extra stakes) and have things like appropriate stakes for the conditions. Advanced users also avoid common problems like guylines rubbing on rocks. In the break that was mentioned in yesterday's video, there is no footage to know exactly what happened but the user reports breaking the crossbar when that area was hit by a wind gust before they had added the supports recommended for the conditions (cross bar guylines and trekking pole supports) and when they were also not manually supporting the crossbar area. Essentially they were caught in a vulnerable step, which I would call user error because the tent was put into a state that was vulnerable and avoidable. Maybe the winds were so severe the tent still would have broken, but there would have been opportunity to better protect the tent because it is very difficult to break the crossbar when the trekking pole supports are in place. Those supports can be put in place pretty much instantly with good technique and even added *before* the cross bar is connected. Trying to use an ultralight tent in severe conditions does require more advanced skill like this. I totally understand if someone prefers carrying a heavier tent for a larger margin of error and/or lower skill requirements rather than try to use more skill to have a lighter tent, but also I still wouldn't blame the tent because it breaks when someone tries to use it in severe conditions without the methods recommended for those conditions. For the SlingFin Portal, I have one here with both regular and heavy duty polesets. The HD pole set absolutely is much stronger. Big difference. The Portal 1 is about 150g heavier and with those poles it is about 350g heavier, so the weight is fairly different (0.98 kg vs 1.33 kg) but certainly it is a nice option. The X-Dome compares in strength to the regular poleset so it is not as strong as the HD poleset, but also the optional trekking pole supports remove some of this difference and the X-Dome has some other benefits in stormy conditions like a native fly first pitch.

Second the Slingfin Portal! Easy setup, comfy, effing bombproof!

Check out the sling fin portal. Not ultralight but not much different than the hubba hub a

It’s pretty bomb proof, especially with trekking poles for the weight. I had it in a bad storm in AL a couple weeks ago and it handled it well. Taking it out in bears ear on Tuesday. Expecting high winds. Glad I have it

I think the Slingfin portal is worth every penny. You can also get the heavy duty pole set if the winds are really high. If you can find a reseller or order directly it’s worth it.

You can pitch fly first if you have the footprint. I just pitched it inner first and did so quickly and I didn’t have much of a problem. The tent did extremely well in Iceland and has done well for me here in the states.

I had 14 hours of rain in Iceland this year with zero issues. The sil/sil fly handled it extremely well. The fly dries quickly as well. Had winds of 45 mph as well and it was a rock. Bomber tent

I did. I’m sure it would have been ok with the standard poles but I opted for the piece of mind. My tent didn’t move.

I've been using slingfin portal and love it for harsh winter and wind! To get lighter you can go with just the fly. Or fly + they sell a bathtub. They even have an optional thicker set of poles. AND there are connectors to add your trekking poles for lateral mid support! Genius... Inside of primary inner there are guy line cross support (you need to remember to use the connectors from inner/pole/outer to actually transfer that load though) Tested the heavy poles for first time a few weekends ago in what was supposed to be insane wind. But then it was actually kind of nice out. Did pick up at night but still probably gusts under 40. Tent barely moved though shit was locked down. Made stick + rock dead man anchors it would be like idk maybe 12+ stakes for all the guy lines I've tried my dcf Hexamid. But snow just sticks on it doesnt slide down. And obviously it's a greenhouse for moisture and small enough that you WILL touch the side and get wet. But if it's really dry and not actively snowing.. My Hexamid has held up in what forecast said was 55 gusts. Took me 30 minutes to pitch. Blew out the door anchor/guy line in the middle of the night. And since it's open got totally covered in dirt and leaves and shit. But it didn't blow over ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ and a falling tree didnt kill me. scary af. I'm contemplating the Durston x dome for winter... It would be like 20-30% lighter than slingfin tub + outer i think. BUT if you add on enough guy lines to be similar to slingfin it maybe wouldnt be worth it? IDK i have a consumerism problem for ul lol

The xmid 2 is pretty solid if you use all guy points. If you want something sturdier that you can take into the mountains, look at sling fin.

I love my Slingfin tent. Dual doors, they make a lightweight option. Company started from the MSI tent designer who wanted to change the expedition designs and MSI said no.

Slingfin. Bombproof, and thoroughly wind tested.