My earliest memory of camping involves three of us little kids, a musty army surplus tent made of canvas, a thunderstorm dripping water on us, and, when that stopped, the neighbor's German shepherd lifting a leg and adding a few more drips of misery.
Wow! Tent technology has come a long way since the 1960s! The Kelty Radiant 2 is a two-person tent rated for four seasons. I know it can stand up to any weather because I've used mine in every condition but snow. I've set it up in the hot, humid and showery Florida Everglades National Park and the biting cold of California's Yosemite National Park and wallowed in comfort. I've even used it in Death Valley, where it held up fine against a range of extreme temperatures and a lot of grit.
Weighing in at around 8 lbs, the Kelty Radian 2 can be packed in a duffle with a couple of lightweight sleeping bags and flown anywhere in the world. It's excellent for flying into a city, renting an SUV, and heading for the hills.
The many benefits of the Kelty Radian 2 include: 1) Two doors, so you don't have to crawl over your partner to answer the call of the wild; 2) It's big enough to sit up and read and store your shoes, clothing and a few small items while you sleep; 3) The windows and doors have covered mesh screens you can unzip to promote ventilation when it gets too hot; 4) Three poles are all you have to install to erect the tent; and 5) The fly can be thrown over the tent to provide protection from wind, rain and cold. The tent is 42" tall at the peak and the floor dimensions are 88" x 63".
My Kelty Radiant 2 has been home for weeks at a time, and it's never let me down. The only cautions I can offer new users are: 1) Make sure you use a footer to protect the tent floor from the gritty ground; 2) Have extra spikes on hand in case you bend one in hard ground; 3) Go easy on the zippers or they will get stuck on the material; and 4) Set it up on level ground free of sharp objects and rocks.
One final tip: Make sure to set up your tent a couple of times before you're out in the field. This way you'll be able to master the process without the pressure of survival. Also, it will take a little extra exertion to get the tent poles in their holders until the tent material relaxes out, which could take about five uses.
Tent models are changing all the time. If you can't find a Kelty Radiant 2, look for one with similar features and give it a try.
The Kelty Radiant 2 is a roomy, four season tent that can stand up to wind, rain and frigid temperatures. This photo was taken in the hostile environment found in California's remote Saline Valley in November. The temperature plunged below freezing at night and a stiff wind blew down from the mountains, but it was warm and cozy in the tent. The Radiant 2 sets up quickly, using just three collapsible poles, and comes with a fly cover (not shown) that really keeps out the elements. Not only that, it has two doors, which means you never have to crawl over your buddy.
The tent, fly, footer, poles and spikes all fit in a small easy to transport duffle. The total weight is around 8 lbs.
