Spent $300 on a 'four season' tent for a trip to the Rockies, and it nearly got us killed in a freak snowstorm.

Actually @daniel_king86 that's almost right but a 4-pole dome can still be bomber if the shape is steep enough.

7

Was it a cheaper four season tent, like a 3-4 pole dome? I read that a true mountaineering tent needs way more poles and a specific shape to handle heavy snow load... a lot of them are really just for cold weather, not actual storms.

6

daniel_king865mo ago

Totally used to think a four season label meant it could handle anything. That changed after a bad night in a similar tent that folded in half under wet snow. The difference between a "winter camping" tent and a real mountaineering shelter is HUGE. You need that steep, strong shape to shed weight, not just extra fabric.

3