MSR Elixir 2 person tent

[DLyttle]

I purchased one in Canada in 2015. Two of the metal poles broke within a couple of months. It may be because I did not have them firmly pushed one into the other. They split more than broke. Anyway they were replaced by MSR but the sections of the poles are different lengths so needed two different ones. Next the fly leaked. Again replaced by MSR free of charge. Recently in July 2015 the floor started leaking. There were no visible holes and I always used the footprint. To use it was decent tent and comfortable but very poor performance. Now I have a REI Half dome. Very similar tent. See how it performs

[ridetheworld]

Personally was after. Hubba Hubba - hope it performs better than your elixir.

[Rob-roamin]

My Hubba Hubba is about 3 years old and has been on a number of trips - probably slept about 120 nights??
It's very easy to erect, light and roomy for one person plus gear --poles fit in a pannier

HoweverI won't buy another. msr Tent
The PU waterproofing is breaking down on the fly and floor which now leak
The waterproofing tape on the fly seams completely disintegrated
One of the poles has split
I have cleaned a re proofed the fly seams but the fly fabrics can not be re waterproofed
The tent has been well cared for and always stored correctly

I am looking for a replacement tent and am reluctant to spend more than a few hundred dollars (Hubba Hubba are around $700 'AU)

[Tim Cullis]

Disappointed at the MSR reliability related above, especially as I've just bought an MSR Hubba Hubba HP (has less mesh than normal HH for colder weather).

I prefer freestanding tents like the HH so I can pitch in both extremely rocky and extremely sandy ground conditions. My favourite until now is the Exped Mira II (great pack size, poles fit in pannier) but this isn't warm enough for cold conditions at altitude.

Video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Hx2PGeHuP8g

[Walkabout]

Originally Posted by Rob-roamin

The PU waterproofing is breaking down on the fly and floor which now leak
The waterproofing tape on the fly seams completely disintegrated

I have noticed this phenomena with a "North Face" branded tent owned by a relative (from memory, it is the tadpole model).

There doesn't seem to be a clear reason why such flysheets deteriorate so quickly but I have noticed that some brands include in their instructions a note to keep the tent fabric out of direct sunlight
This can include advice to pack up the tent during hours of daylight.
Jeez.

[Gipper]

shame to hear of your experience with the Elixir, which colour is this model? the new white colour or the older style?

my experience with the Hubba Hubba and the Mutha Hubba (both the original orange colour) has been quite the opposite, they have both been great tents and the HH is probably my most well used tent, over 8 years old with over several hundred nights of camping and still going strong.


If you bought it from MEC in Canada Id look at complaining and shipping it back - they have a very good guarantee - just make sure you put "warranty replacement" on any shipping documents so you are not liable for customs charges.

[ridetheworld]

I bought a newish Northface tent (Rock22) and used it over a two and a half year trip in South America.

It survived Patagonia and was waterproof up until recently when the tent inexplicably began to suck in water though the ground sheet.

Then a cat mauled it and has pretty much finished it off. That and the above affirms why I'll just buy another cheapish Northface tent, in the end I suppose they're disposable items.

Tim, Exped gear is top quality so no surprises you like the tent. Where was the video shot by the way?

[Tim Cullis]

In Morocco, trying in vain to get through on a broken track to Anergui.

Somewhere around here.

Write-up and more pics.

[Phaedrus68]

Shite. I've had my eye on an Elixir 2 to replace my Vango Tempest 200 for a warmer-clime trip - the MSR can pitch fly-only, my Tempest can't.

Maybe I should stick with something from Vango? My Tempest 200 was pitched from August-December 2014 in an open field on Cape Clear island, Ireland. Look it up on google maps to get an idea of the kind of exposure it experienced...

No issues at all with it - ultra-stable, never leaked a drop anywhere (I did use two cheap 6mm foam sleeping mats taped together and cut to footprint shape). I did break a pole when I tripped over a guy one night - cable-ties and duct tape held it together for a week till I had a replacement pole shipped to me.

Pity it can't be pitched fly-only. The only Vango 2-man that I can find that will pitch fly-only is the Soul 200, but as that's very much a budget tent, I don't think I'd expect it to hold up as well as the Tempest, though in fairness that's also an inexpensive tent... Maybe the Soul 200 would be fine for a couple of weeks through France/Spain/Portugal?

Didn't Ewan & Charley use Elixir 2s on LWD?

[c-m]

I've recently bought a hubba hubba nx and find it great so far. But I can how it might wear over time. I still don't understand the north American trend of having massive gaps between the fly and ground, but I'm otherwise enjoying the tent. Hope it lasts.

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

[Xander]

Hi Guys,
Very sorry to hear about all your troubles. One thing to note is you are all talking about ultra light tents which are usually made from a sil/sil fabric. This is although light and tough it is no where near as tough as a nylon, which is the ultra-light from even 5 years ago..

Check out this artical about tent care.. It will save you $$$$
Wilderness Equipment - Backpacks, Tents, Adventure, Outdoor, Camping, Hiking, Accessories, Perth, Australia

(this is not my site... i do know them personally and highly recommend and sell their tents in my shop...)
good luck
Xander

[c-m]

The Elixir isn't an ultralight tent though. It's over 2.6kg which puts it firmly in the realm of more conventional tents.

When it comes to moto travel, you don't necessarily need light. What you need is small pack size and to eliminate bulk.

[casperghst42]

Originally Posted by c-m

I've recently bought a hubba hubba nx and find it great so far. But I can how it might wear over time. I still don't understand the north American trend of having massive gaps between the fly and ground, but I'm otherwise enjoying the tent. Hope it lasts.

Sent from my E5823 using Tapatalk

I have the same tent, and just came back from a trip to Poland and The Baltic Countries - my best guess is that it's to create ventilation. I'm a big bloke, and for me there is simply not ventilation in the tent for it not to turn into an rain forest during the night. Unless it's really dry, or lots of wind the rainfly is so wet in the morning that I have to pack it separately.

My biggest question about american tents is that the doors are mirrored, which mean that if you find out that you haven't placed the tent in the right direction you have to turn it 180 degrees.

I used to have an Salewa Denali tent which had proper ventilation and non-mirrored doors, but their 210cm was closer to 190cm ... so I switched to the MSR as they are normally long enough, and hardly nothing beats their packsize.



Casper

[c-m]

Odd. Given that the Hubba Hubba NX inner is 90% mesh, and the outer fly ends a good 7-8 cm from the floor, and it has vent openings at either end, I'm not sure how it could offer more ventilation.

Both doors can be fully tied back too. The outer fly and even be configured to only cover half the tent, or even left off completely.

Given all of the above, I've not founding it wanting for ventilation.

My biggest gripe with it, is pole length, and stuff bags which aren't very hard wearing, but that's a minor thing.

[casperghst42]

Originally Posted by c-m

Odd. Given that the Hubba Hubba NX inner is 90% mesh, and the outer fly ends a good 7-8 cm from the floor, and it has vent openings at either end, I'm not sure how it could offer more ventilation.

Both doors can be fully tied back too. The outer fly and even be configured to only cover half the tent, or even left off completely.

Given all of the above, I've not founding it wanting for ventilation.

My biggest gripe with it, is pole length, and stuff bags which aren't very hard wearing, but that's a minor thing.

I find that the ventilation vents are way too far down to make an impact. And I'd not sleep with the doors open when I am not sure it will rain or not ... and I do like a bit of privacy.

I'm getting a new stuff sack in the mail from MSR ... the tensioner on the tension line broke, and instead of sending me a new tensioner they are sending me a new stuff sack. I like their service.

Casper