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| Taj 3 in the snow. It was about 16F overnight and we had an inch or so of snow, but no issues with the tent! |
Cost: As of today, $239 at REI- OUTLET. I think I bought it for well under $200 on super-extra-mega sale back in '09. I don't have the receipt, but about $170 comes to mind.
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| Side view of the Taj 3. Note the 'window' on the right. |
- Excellent materials and build quality. No issues with seems, zippers, stake loops or poles.
- Lightweight for most uses. I would not take it backpacking unless sharing with another person )or two) to carry the load.
- Lots (4) interior pockets + a gear loft + multiple interior loops to hang small items.
- Aluminum poles
- No-see-um mesh
- Two doors and two (smallish) vestibules.
- Top vent
- Window! Not sure I've ever used it, but it's pretty cool to have.
- Personality- this tent, with it's quirky shape, colors, window and set up has more personality than most tents.
- Smallish size means almost the whole tent is within easy reach when you are groping around for glasses, water bottle, extra blanket, in the middle of the night.
- Tent body is free standing. Fly requires only two points to staked or guyed out to hold shape.
- No pole sleeves for quicker, less frustrating set up.
- Full coverage fly keeps the interior a little warmer in cold weather.
- Queen size air mattress fits nicely inside, just touching the tent on all four corners, but due to the hex shape of the tent there is a little space at each end and both sides for gear. Actually very cozy in that config.
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| Front view of the Taj 3. You can see a BP sticking out of the right vestibule. Not super big, those vestibules. The Passage 1 vestibule is much larger. |
- Vestibules are very small. Room for a couple pairs of shoes in each, but probably not a full size backpack.
- Full coverage fly, and I mean FULL, means not much air circulates when the tent is closed up tight.
- Three pole design is tricky to set up the first few times (I marked the poles with duct tape to make it easier to align the poles and hooks.
- Three pole design also leads to a hexagonal interior shape that is not super space efficient. It does make for nice little gear zones by the doors if using with only one or two people.
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| The Taj 3 used as the master suite with the Eureka Sunrise 11. A tarp is stretched between the two tents. |
What I use it for:
- On car camping trips with Boy Scouts, I use it as a one man tent with ample room for gear and luxuries. These campouts usually requiring a fair walk from parking to campsite, and I'm happy for such a light and small tent. I don't like to make multiple trips and this tent fits easily into my duffle.
- Camping with Cub Scouts, this tent has plenty of room for me and one or two of my younger sons (8 and 11) and pretty much all of our gear. Again, small size makes carrying it the camp site easier.
- When family camping, my wife and I will use this as a "Master Bedroom" at the campsite and put the boys into the big Eureka tent so we have a tiny bit more privacy and quiet. As mentioned above, it fits a queen size air mattress.
What I don't use it for:
- Backpacking. At 6 and change pounds, its just to heavy for one (and overkill) and most folks I BP with don't like to tent share. I could see using it for this purpose if you can share with 1 or 2 folks.
Would I recommend? Absolutely. I love this tent. It is my go to tent for most camping.
We've had this tent over 10 years and love it! It's perfect for 2 people either sharing the backpacking weight of it or camping out of the back of a pickup. We had to set it up a couple of times before going out because it's a little counter-intuitive. You think the poles should cross, but they don't. It's simpler than you think, just read and follow the directions!
ReplyDeleteTry to get the moisture barrier (foot) that was made for the tent originally. It's only $10 and it'll make your set up a breeze.
I wish the vestibule was just a tad bigger, but I've learned that all you really need to leave out there is a pair of shoes. With 2 people, there's plenty of room in the tent for gear.
Only one small design problem: The little Velcro tabs that keep the fly stable in high winds were not sewn on to the main fabric and came unglued on our last trip. The fly is still solidly attached under all 4 poles of the main tent - the tabs just keep the fly's upper fabric from flapping in windy weather. I'll just find some glue that's good for nylon and see if I can reattach them.
The OP was correct. This tent is warmer than most when all zipped up, which is fantastic.