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Technical Details
* Lightweight backpacker tent sleeps two (7' 5" by 4' 11" floor; 36.5 square foot area)
* Full vestibules on each side (6.7 square foot apiece) for stashing your gear out of the way
* Double-coated StormShield polyester fly and polyester bathtub floor provide excellent weather protection
* Well ventilated by one entire wall of no-see-um mesh, protected by Stormshield polyester fly
* Center height of 43.5 inches; weighs 5 pounds, 12 ounces
Product Description
Original Apex styling with 2 mesh doors and 2 full coverage vestibules
Amazon.com Product Description
Nicely lightweight with a compact fold size, the Eureka Apex 2 is a great choice for three-season backpacking treks to the backcountry. It also offers good storage space, with full vestibules on each side (6.7 square foot apiece) for stashing your gear out of the way. The Apex XT balances maximal thermal efficiency with superior ventilation, thanks to one entire wall of no-see-um mesh--great for stargazing on clear summer nights. The other walls are waterproof while a sturdy double-coated StormShield polyester fly protects the mesh wall in inclement weather. It also features a factory-taped, bathtub floor that keeps seams taught and high off the ground for superior protection.
This free-standing, two-pole tent is quick and easy to set up with its durable shockcorded fiberglass frame, ring and pin attachments, pole sleeve attachments, and color coded webbing. A poke out vent in the sidewall provides additional ventilation when needed. Other features include:
* Twin track zippers for separate operation of the window in the door
* External guy points on the fly help secure your tent in high winds
* Two mesh gear pockets for internal storage
* Clothes line loop, flashlight loop
* 2 doors, 2 windows
* Tent, pole, and stake bags included
Specifications:
* Area: 36.5 square feet
* Floor size: 7 feet, 5 inches by 4 feet, 11 inches
* Center height: 3 feet, 7.5 inches
* Wall fabrics: 1.9-ounce 70D Polyester taffeta 800mm coating
* Floor fabrics: 1.9-ounce 70D Polyester taffeta 800mm coating
* Fly fabrics: 1.9-ounce 75D 185T StormShield Polyester 800mm coating
* Pack size: 6 by 18.5 inches
* Weight: 5 pounds, 12 ounces
About Eureka
Though the exact year is unknown, Eureka’s long history begins prior to 1895 in Binghamton, New York, where the company still resides today. Then known as the Eureka Tent & Awning Company, its first wares were canvas products--most notably, Conestoga wagon covers and horse blankets for nineteenth century American frontiersmen--as well as American flags, store awnings, and camping tents.
The company increased production of its custom canvas products locally throughout the 1930s and during the 1940 and even fabricated and erected the IBM "tent cities" just outside Binghamton. The seven acres of tents housed thousands of IBM salesmen during the company’s annual stockholders meeting, which had since outgrown its previous locale. In the 1940s, with the advent of World War II and the increased demand for hospital ward tents, Eureka expanded operations and began shipping tents worldwide. Ultimately, upon the post-war return of the GIs and the resultant housing shortage, Eureka turned its attention to the home front during the 1950s by supplying awnings for the multitude of mobile homes that were purchased.
In 1960, Eureka’s new and innovative Draw-Tite tent, with its practical, free standing external frame, was used in a Himalayan Expedition to Nepal by world renowned Sir Edmund Hillary, the first person documented to summit Mt. Everest only six years earlier. In 1963, Eureka made history during its own Mt. Everest ascent, with more than 60 of its tents sheltering participants from fierce 60+ mph winds and temperatures reaching below -20°F during the first all American Mt. Everest Expedition.
For backpackers and families, Eureka introduced its legendary Timberline tent in the 1970s. Truly the first StormShield design, this completely self-supporting and lightweight backpacking tent became one of the most popular tents the entire industry with sales reaching over 1 million by its ten year anniversary.
Eureka tents have also traveled as part of several historic expeditions, including the American Women’s Himalayan Expedition to Annapurna I in 1978 and the first Mt. Everest ascents by a Canadian and American woman in 1986 and 1988. In recent history, tents specially designed and donated by Eureka sheltered Eric Simonson and his team on two historic research expeditions to Mount Everest, this time in a quest for truth regarding the 1924 attempted summit of early English explorers George Mallory and Andrew Irvine. During the 1999 expedition, the team made history finding the remains of George Mallory, but the complete mystery remained unsolved. Returning in 2001 to search for more clues, the team found amazing historical artifacts which are now on display at the Smithsonian.
Amazon.com Tent Guide
Selecting a Tent
Fortunately, there are all kinds of tents for weekend car campers, Everest expeditions, and everything in-between. Here are a few things to keep in mind:
Expect the Worst
In general, it's wise to choose a tent that's designed to withstand the worst possible conditions you think you'll face. For instance, if you're a summer car camper in a region where weather is predictable, an inexpensive family or all purpose tent will likely do the trick--especially if a vehicle is nearby and you can make a mad dash for safety when bad weather swoops in! If you're a backpacker, alpine climber or bike explorer, or if you like to car camp in all seasons, you'll want to take something designed to handle more adversity.
Three- and Four-Season Tents
For summer, early fall and late spring outings, choose a three-season tent. At minimum, a quality three season tent will have lightweight aluminum poles, a reinforced floor, durable stitching, and a quality rain-fly. Some three-season tents offer more open-air netting and are more specifically designed for summer backpacking and other activities. Many premium tents will feature pre-sealed, taped seams and a silicone-impregnated rain-fly for enhanced waterproofness.
For winter camping or alpine travel, go with a four season model. Because they typically feature more durable fabric coatings, as well as more poles, four-season tents are designed to handle heavy snowfall and high winds without collapsing. Of course, four-season tents exact a weight penalty of about 10 to 20 percent in trade for their strength and durability. They also tend to be more expensive.
Domes and Tunnels
Tents are broadly categorized into two types, freestanding, which can stand up on their own, and those that must be staked down in order to stand upright. Freestanding tents often incorporate a dome-shaped design, and most four-season tents are constructed this way because a dome leaves no flat spots on the outer surface where snow can collect. Domes are also inherently stronger than any other design. Meanwhile, many three-season models employ a modified dome configuration called a tunnel. These are still freestanding, but they require fewer poles than a dome, use less fabric, and typically have a rectangular floor-plan that offers less storage space than a dome configuration. Many one and two-person tents are not freestanding, but they make up for it by being more lightweight. Because they use fewer poles, they can also be quicker to set up than a dome.
Size Matters
Ask yourself how many people you'd like to fit in your fabric hotel now and in the future. For soloists and minimalists, check out one-person tents. If you're a mega-minimalist, or if you have your eye on doing some big wall climbs, a waterproof-breathable bivy sack is the ticket. Some bivy sacks feature poles and stake points to give you a little more breathing room. Also, if you don't need bug protection and you want to save weight, check out open-air shelters.
Families who plan on car camping in good weather can choose from a wide range of jumbo-sized tents that will accommodate all your little ones with room to spare. A wide range of capacities is also available for three- and four-season backpacking and expedition tents. Remember, though, the bigger the tent you buy, the heavier it will be, although it's easy to break up the tent components among several people in your group. It's also helpful to compare the volume and floor-space measurements of models you're considering.
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Customer Reviews
"Grandmothers Can Do It!" 2010-06-15
By S. Watson (Oklahoma)
I'm a five foot Grandma. This tent wasy so easy to put up and take down. If you leave the cover off, it has three sides with screens. I left it out it a heavey storm that was steady all night long. Not a drop of rain inside It's a good tent. It is a sleeping bag tent.
"Monsoon rains" 2010-06-14
By Jonathan Dzingle (Ann Arbor, Mi)
This tent survived monsoon rains during a hiking trip in northern michigan. its the best value for the price and I would make this purchase again.
"Cheapest backpacking tent around" 2010-06-14
By T3Knical5urg3 (Illinois)
I bought this tent purely based on its price. I'm new to the backpacking scene and needed to find some reasonably priced gear. Being as I have only hiked solo I have had to carry the tent by myself. It defiantly adds weight to the pack. If I had more money I would at least go with a tent that comes with aluminum poles. Seeing as I didn't I still have hiked 20 miles a day on the Appalachian trail with this on my back. I finally got rain at night and let me tell you it was RAIN. A very intense rainstorm was it first waterproof test. All in all it wasn't terrible. The seams for the zipper covers on the rain fly began to fail after about a half an hour so I know I will have to seam seal those. A bigger problem is that the side where the rainfly is the coverage rain is able to splash up falling off the rainfly and splash into the tent. The only thing I can think to do is stake it closer to the tent so there is not as large of an airgap for rain to splash.
"Great tent" 2010-06-13
By J. Baylor
I just purchased my second Eureka tent. The first one was so good that when the kids decided to camp with us this summer I bought a second one. We ride motorcycles and need to be able to strap the tent to the bike and go. Good water resistance. Enough space for a 6'2" 220lb man and someone else to sleep comfortably. Quick and easy setup especially at night.
"Not bad but is it really rain-proof?" 2010-06-03
By Hristian Hristov
I bought this tent because of the many reviews I read about how rain resistant it is. However as you can see on the picture (Where was I looking)the fly doesn't cover the whole tent. Anyone who have been camping can tell you that this is the spot it's gonna leak from. I haven't test it in rain yet but I am pretty sure about it. That is what the fly is for.
It is a bit heavy too. On the other side it's not too big when packed. It could even fit in your backpack. It says it is a two person tent but 3 of us slept in it and we were fine. We camped in a warm night(45f)in Haines, Alaska. I was sleeping with my 40f Lafuma sleeping bag and my clothes on and I was fine.
