Overview
If you are looking for a tent that will keep you comfortable all year
long, then the four-season Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 is for you. This
tent allows you to go camping whenever you want, regardless of what the
weather might be. Its dome shape and pole structure make it ideal for
windy conditions while the huge rain fly and vestibule handle the rain
and snow.
Another huge plus with this tent is the carrying bag that conveniently separates the rain fly from the tent body and poles. It also has big pockets that allow you stuff the material, unlike most tents that require meticulous folding and rolling. The bag saves you time and your sanity; no more wrestling your tent into a stuff bag that it barely fit into when it was factory packed.
Big Agnes put a lot of workmanship into this tent, from the ripstop polyester to the awesome rain fly and vestibule. The one thing we don't like about the rain fly is the color scheme, but that's not really a big deal. If you are wondering why Big Agnes named this tent the Flying Diamond, then here's why:
"The Flying Diamond Ranch is the largest remaining ranch in Routt County. In 2009, ranch owners sold their development rights to a ranch closer to Steamboat Springs, securing the area's status as a nature preserve for at least another generation."
Another huge plus with this tent is the carrying bag that conveniently separates the rain fly from the tent body and poles. It also has big pockets that allow you stuff the material, unlike most tents that require meticulous folding and rolling. The bag saves you time and your sanity; no more wrestling your tent into a stuff bag that it barely fit into when it was factory packed.
Big Agnes put a lot of workmanship into this tent, from the ripstop polyester to the awesome rain fly and vestibule. The one thing we don't like about the rain fly is the color scheme, but that's not really a big deal. If you are wondering why Big Agnes named this tent the Flying Diamond, then here's why:
"The Flying Diamond Ranch is the largest remaining ranch in Routt County. In 2009, ranch owners sold their development rights to a ranch closer to Steamboat Springs, securing the area's status as a nature preserve for at least another generation."
Comfort
The Flying Diamond 8 scored fairly well for comfort. It doesn't have the most standing room and you often have to crouch to open one of the doors. The top is designed so that with the rain fly off you can see the stars through cool mesh windows.
This tent has the best vestibule of all the tents tested. We loved how much extra space they gave us for gear, and in the heat of the day we could pitch up the vestibule to create a sun shade in front of the doors.
Big Agnes Flying Diamond 8 camping tent with vestibule propped up with trekking poles
Credit: Big Agnes
If you are looking for a tent that doesn't compromise comfort for too much storm resistance, then check out our Editors' Choice award-winning REI Kingdom 8. The Kingdom 8 didn't perform as well in bad weather but it was the most comfortable tent and was still decently storm resistant.
Storm Resistance
Out of all the camping tents we tested, the Flying Diamond 8 is the most storm resistant. Now it's not a hardcore four-season tent like one of the $5000 Mountain Hardwear Space Station, but it will get you through snow and high winds better any of the other family camping tents we tested. If you are looking for the best four-season tent, check out our review: The Best 4 Season Tent Review
This and the Kodiak Canvas 6-Person Flex-Bow Canvas Tent are the only four-season camping tents we tested, but we like to call them 3.5 season tents since they can't handle heavy snow loads. This tent will get you through just about any rain or wind storm you encounter, and will keep your friends and family dry.
No comments:
Post a Comment