Gear Review: The North Face Tadpole 23 Tent

I've decided to start a weekly review of outdoor gear to keep things moving during the off-season. With summer weather finally here, I'm starting off this week with one of my most important pieces of equipment- my tent.

My parents gave me the Tadpole 23 as a graduation present about five years ago. I've used it for many backpacking trips over the years and it's still holding strong. The three-pole frame is functional and allows for a quick, easy set-up. The rain fly offers adequate vestibule space. It fits two people comfortably and is a great size for a single person. Overall, it's pretty lightweight and small, making it fairly easy to find a flat spot for set-up.

[ A beautiful evening on the Alaska Range in the Tadpole 23 ]

The only downside I've found is the edges getting wet around the bottom when it rains. I don't think it's something you can really avoid, but I found that adding rope loops to the fly make staking it down a lot easier. Not only does it allow the fly to be pulled further from the sides of the tent, but it allows you to use rocks or logs to hold down the fly if necessary. This is a great help when you're on river rocks or solid ground when you might not be able to stake the fly down securely.

Click Here to buy the Tadpole 23 at REI.com and don't forget to buy a footprint for it!