Newbie gear questions

[hirkeukvic]

Okay, so I have a couple of questions. The first is about a tent: I used to have a Sierra Designs 1-man, but I got rid of it because I realized that I don't like backpacking solo. Now I'm looking at the Big Agnes Madhouse 2 tent here on REI.com because it's 60% off, so it's a $300 tent for just over $100. It's a 3/4 season convertible, and it looks good to me ... but does it look good to you gearheads?

Second question: One of you said that I would be required to backflush my filter before using it in IR's inland lakes ... what does that mean? I have a Katadyn Hiker filter that I've barely used, so it should be good to go, but what would I need to do with it to use it in both Superior and IR's lakes?

Thanks,

--J

[johnhens]

Okay, so I have a couple of questions. The first is about a tent: I used to have a Sierra Designs 1-man, but I got rid of it because I realized that I don't like backpacking solo. Now I'm looking at the Big Agnes Madhouse 2 tent here on REI.com because it's 60% off, so it's a $300 tent for just over $100. It's a 3/4 season convertible, and it looks good to me ... but does it look good to you gearheads?

Second question: One of you said that I would be required to backflush my filter before using it in IR's inland lakes ... what does that mean? I have a Katadyn Hiker filter that I've barely used, so it should be good to go, but what would I need to do with it to use it in both Superior and IR's lakes?

Thanks,

--J

Don't have any input with the BA tent other than they have a Good Rep. You might check Backpacker.com for input on the BA tent.

The problem with using the filter in Superior and then the Inland Lakes is there is a virus as well as other invasive species that may be in Superior that could possibly get transferred to the inland lakes on the hose and/or filter element of the filter particularly if the hose has not been cleaned/rinsed. All kayaks and canoes must be wiped dry before moving to the inalnd lakes from Superior.

From the IRNP Vistor's '08 paper the Greenstone on waterfiltration:
If you filter water
from Lake Superior, change your filter or
backflush several times with filtered water
before using inland – this will assist in
keeping Superior’s invasive species from
entering the inland lakes.

The Greenstone:
http://www.nps.gov/isro/planyourvisit/u ... e_2008.pdf

[fonixmunkee]

Big Agnes tents are very nice and lightweight, but their material is less than ideal...it's not nearly as durable as the stuff that makes up Sierra Designs or MSR tents. My friend traded his MSR Hubba Hubba of 3 years for a Big Agnes Seedhouse SL (the precursor to the Madhouse, I believe), and he likes it, but says there's no way he'd trust it for the weather on Isle Royale.

Check out the MSR Hubba Hubba...a damn good tent. I've had two in the past 6 years, and the only reason why I got rid of my first Hubba Hubba was to get the NEW Hubba Hubba which had TWO doors instead of one. Two other friends have a Hubba Hubba and said they wouldn't use anything else...

[hirkeukvic]

Hmm ... I did a bit of research on the tent, and I actually couldn't find much. It's been discontinued, so it's not on the BA website. I did notice, however, that the Seedhouse SL is their ultra ultralight model, so I suspect that's why it's not very durable. The reviews for the Madhouse 3 (there weren't any for the Madhouse 2) on REI.com mostly complained about the pole sleeves (the tent doesn't use hooks). All the reviews were 4-star to 5-star, so I went ahead and bought it. Nice thing is, I'm an REI member, so if I look at the tent and decide it's going to die, I'll be able to return it. I suspect since it's a 4-season it'll hold up to nastier weather than the Seedhouse SL.

--J

[fonixmunkee]

The reviews for the Madhouse 3 (there weren't any for the Madhouse 2) on REI.com mostly complained about the pole sleeves (the tent doesn't use hooks).

Pole sleeves == the devil.

[hirkeukvic]

So the tent arrived. It's heavvvvyyy (I'd estimate about 8 pounds, though REI said 7). I'm not sure why they called it convertible ... there's not much on it that converts. The tent walls look weak, but I think the fly should make up for it, because it's thicker. It looks like it should be able to handle the weather, simply because the fly has its own pole supporting it (it arches over the tent.) The question is whether I want to be hauling a tent that heavy (and whether I want to pay shipping to send it back to REI for a refund.) I'm not about to send it back just yet. Gotta test it out first.

--J