Mountain Hardwear Corners 4 Tent

Mountain Hardware Corners 4
June 28, 2011

This is my third Mountain Hardware tent. The other two being a Trango 2 for expedition-like conditions and a Light Wedge for backpacking. This tent is used for car camping. All MH tents ooze quality - they are really put together. The devil is in the detals. 1. Tent poles are 6061 PF aluminum, and built to last. You would have to intentionally try to break these. 2. The floor is substantially heavier than many competitors. 150D Polyester Oxford, 3000mm polyurethane. This means you are less likely to tear the floor or develop leaks. The only downside is that there is a seam across the bottom of the floor that needs to be sealed. 3. The tent material is 75D Polyester Tuffeta. Heavier material than many competitors whose floors aren't this heavy. A good portion of upper tent material is screen mesh, allowing ample ventilation and minimizing condensation. Tent material is very breathable and the inside never felt stuffy. All seams are double stitched. 4. The fly extends low enough to protect the tent during storms, and there is ample vestibule space outside the two doors. Also the fly has clever vents that can be opened or closed to allow you to control ventilation. 5. Set up is easy. The first time I set this up it took me about 8 minutes by myself. It goes easier with two people. 6. Livability. Don't expect this tent to hold four people and gear. Better suited for two or three people and gear. First weekend out we experienced thunderstorms and strong winds . We stayed dry and the tent help up fine. I have no doubt it can handle worse. Be sure to buy the footprint! This tent is great but it's not perfect. Here is how I would improve it. 1. It's very tall - 83 inches at it's peak. It doesn't need to be this tall. It makes it a bit difficult to set up in adverse weather - in particular setting the fly. I would have preferred the tent to be 12 to 15 inches shorter. 2. The stakes are throw-aways. Go buy some good ones. 3. The storage bag the tent comes in leaves a bit to be desired. I prefer a tighter stuff sack. 4. Would like to see the foot print included in the price (that goes for all tents). Aside from these observations (can't call them complaints) this is an outstanding tent for car camping. It is too heavy and bulky to carry far. You can rest easy knowing that you will stay dry and comfortable using this tent three seasons of the year.