The North Face Big Fat Frog 24 Three Season Tent

The vestibule sells it...
December 13, 2010

My backpacking buddy bought this tent, and we used it for an overnight trip to Virgin Falls. For a 2-person tent, the Big Fat Frog is not the most spacious design. And a tad on the heavy side for backpacking. Even though neither of us practiced nor read the instructions, the tent went up fairly easy. When first unpacked, it seems complex- especially the poles. The included stakes are... well... just ok. We bent 2 of them on the first use. Condensation was a reality, but not excessive. Ventilation is good- maybe even leaning a little toward the ‘drafty’ end of the scale. Warning: You WILL be cozy with your tent partner. Your sleeping pads will overlap at the foot end. You will be playing footsies- whether you like it or not. This is one of the most unique designs I have seen for a tent- the vestibule is huge. It was plenty big enough for our gear (stacked), and my buddy’s dog! Stooping over to get into the vestibule, and then turning and kneeling to get into the tent itself, can be a bit of a pain if you are even close to being “tall” (I’m 6 ft and my buddy is a couple inches taller). The same goes for getting out. Consider some type of mat/padding. Your knees will thank you. I can't comment on durability or water protection yet, as we only used the tent once so far- and it didn't rain. All in all, a pretty good tent. One last thing; Get the footprint. You’ll thank me later.

Passed the test
January 05, 2012

I first used this tent in Grand Teton National Park. It was a beautiful day at the end of may, but by the time I got to my backcountry site, the clouds and drizzle had rolled in. Of course I had to put up the tent in gale force winds, however under the circumstances it was relatively easy to set up. Just have to make sure to stake the vestibule well - or else it will be useless! The size is unbeatable - I could fit tons of stuff including dry firewood in there. It rained most of the time, which then changed to snow. Everything was soaked, snow and rain hanging on the fly, but sure enough, I was dry as a bone. You'll get damp on nights like that, but to no fault of the tent. It has kept me warm and dry in some places with serious climate. I wouldn't recommend using it below 20, unless you have some good sleeping bags. Overall great tent. I should be using this for a very long time...