Mountain Hardwear

Strato UL 2 Tent

Hard to beat for the price and weight.

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

Used this tent with my wife for our PCT thru hike. Basically lived in it for 3+ months. Had zero issues with it, was big enough for two 25in "wide" sleeping pads, decent sized vestibules. Most true 2 person tents in this weight class have some serious compromises, like being single wall, or having one door/vestibule, or an extreme taper at the foot end. This is a pretty normal tent that handles big storms and questionable campsites like a much heavier tent. The setup is a bit finicky (at first but you get used to it, it's just different) because of some of the weight saving measures and the zippers can be more finicky than I'd like, but those are minor annoyances. The biggest issue was the ghost text, white on white Mountain Hardware logo. Locating the panel it's printed on is the first thing you need to do to set up the rain fly, and the white text makes it's unnecessarily difficult to see, especially at dusk when we are usually setting up. Overall thought would definitely recommend, and will definitely take it on our next long distance thru hike.

Easy to setup and lightweight

I used this tent in the Grand Canyon campgrounds. It is super light weight to carry and easy to quickly setup. The pole design is excellent. The thin bottom of the tent did not work well on the rocky area i was camping in so added the Strato tarp, also was not thick enough. I will have to try on a few more trips to see if it does well in rain.

Great tent, but too small for two

I used this once with my partner. I’m 5’10, she is 5’6. Both regular frame. The tent was too small for us. I’m going to sell it and get something else. It’s a great 1.5 person tent though.

This tent took a beating

Familiarity:

I've put it through the wringer

I’m no expert but am a very experienced through hiker and have used plenty of tents. So take my opinion however you wish. This tent is tough. I just returned from the Trans Catalina Trail. This included a night on a very exposed windward side beach on the island. During the night 40 mph gusts blew through, with rain cells. It was intense. At times the tent was literally pancaking. I through we were done for. There were two other hikers on that beach and both experienced tent failure. I did not. This took an utter beating and stood through it. This is a well made piece of equipment. But the stakes, like all tents, suck. I’m glad I had upgraded to those red MSR stakes. They are bulletproof.

Great tent could be amazing...

I bought this tent last year and have used it a handful of times on short backpacking trips. First the pros: 1. The weight. I like freestanding tents (or semi-free standing) and this is just so crazy light. Especially when sharing the load with my wife. The poles being separate makes this easy. 2. The size. It's big enough for 2 wide pads. I only ever used this with 2 people and it truly works for 2. 3. Two entrances was a must for me. The vestibules aren't very big but with 2, it works great. 4. The pockets. It has 3 inside pockets in the perfect places. My favorite is the overhead pocket. I was caught in a rain storm and put my cell phone in the pocket and we relaxed and watched a movie. This pocket was perfect. Cons: 1. If the fly was polyester, this tent would be perfect. When they fly for wet, it just stretches and sagged. It was hard to pull it tight. 2. Condensation. I think the way the top of the tent is shaped caused condensation to drip right on my face. The fly sort of makes a bowl on top. Being able to pull the fly tighter would solve this, I believe. But the pullouts just don't allow for the amount of stretch. Overall, I'm happy with this tent and plan to use it for years to come. It's well made and meets my needs.

Great performance, especially considering its weight

Great tent. Lightweight. Rain fly worked reasonably well on Kings Peak in blowing gusty rain. Used with a footprint. A little tight for two large people, but doable. Overall, glad I purchased it

Light and Compact 2P

This is a great option for an ultralight semi-freestanding two man tent. It actually has the floor space for two 25 inch pads, where many others don’t. Mine was 1099g as packed with all stakes, line, and sacks. First hike with it was 5 nights in the Sierra. Stayed dry from the outside on wet ground, but could use more ventilation to help minimize condensation. Vestibule space is on the smaller side, but I keep my empty pack and shoes inside and under the foot of my pad anyway.

Great Tent for Backpacking

I've taken the tent out twice now. Setup was pretty quick and easy, no issues. I like the larger size as a solo backpacker, but could see it being ok for a party of two.

The best!

I’ve been camping my whole life and this is the best tent I’ve ever owned. So lightweight so well engineered the material is incredible and it packs so tiny I double checked make sure it’s all in the bag before every trip. Five stars - don’t think twice

UL

Great tent. Took it on a heavy snow and wind mountain trip and held up to the elements to my satisfaction and surprise. Great tent. MH gear is alway my first pick for adventures.