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yatesteve's Passions

Hiking & Camping


yatesteve wrote a review of on November 21, 2011

5 5

As a 20 year old, graduated eagle scout, now in college at Rugters, I was devastated when my trusty Mountain hardware Lightpath three snapped a pole. I had had that tent for ~5 years (it was the older, blue one) and the main pole snapped about 4 months ago. After the initial sadness, the funeral, and the month of mourning that followed this tragic incident, I finally was desperate enough to get back outside. MH wanted $97 for a new pole, just because it had a fancy bend in it. I decided to go with a new tent, instead of fixing the old one.

I had three problems with my beloved lightpath. It was not free standing, and would occasionally fall over… yeah… It was not a tall tent, and therefore very difficult to get changed in. and in all honesty, unless you have really small friends (or one sleeps in the vestibule) there is no way you are actually going to fit three people.

However, all these problems and more were solved by the Lynx Pass 4, and I am forever grateful.

While up one night perusing many an online outdoors store I stumbled upon this beauty, and fell in love. It was the answer to all my problems. I found two comparable tents, and after putting them head to head, the Lynx came out on top with more vestibule space, headroom, square footage, and a similar (within a couple ounces) weight.

I waited for a sale on backcountry, and then ordered. It arrived on a Friday, so my girlfriend and I decided to take it for a short hike up to the AT near the Delaware Water gap for the weekend…. and it poured, with a total of about an inch of rain. We remained dry, and I will cover more on that later.
Here are the basics:

1. The tent sets up SUPER easily, with two people for the first time in around ten minutes. All you do is assemble the poles. Stake down the ground cloth (which I recommend) and tent, then mount the poles, and clip up the body. Put the fly over, and clip it down, then stake out the vestibule.

2. Construction is superb, second to none, made with quality and craftsmanship. No cheap fabric, plastic, or metal to be found, anywhere. The fly never touches the tent body (which helps with the waterproofing). The tent holds heat really well the trip we just took it was 26 outside at night, but got up to 55 in the tent, this time with four people, and we had the vents open.

3. The tent has lots of little “Added features” one vestibule door can be extended with trekking poles, and while this is kind of gimmicky, because in any kind of wind they fall over, the rest are actually thoughtful, for instance, the inside doors can be balled up and stuffed in to pockets in the celling. There are eight pockets, and enough vestibule space to keep everything BEYOND organized.

4. The walls are near vertical, and the 6’4” me can kneel inside with only minor head ducking, and it is easy to get changed. The dimensions in the inside floor are very respectable. Sleep with your head and feet both next to a door, and you can just about fit four Big Agnes Air Core 20x78 long air pads.

5. This tent is not only waterproof, but bombproof. When all guyed out (It looks really cool with all the reflective trim and guy lines) it would be fine in 45-55 mph winds. Because the tent fly never touches the tent (when pitched correctly) no water seeps through, and with the vents open there is no condensation. 10/10 in the waterproofness category.

6. Like I said before, I backpack with tent. Sure it is an 8 lb tent, but I can cary 40 pounds normally anyway. If you are strong, and feel like backpacking with it, it is doable, but not suggested for someone not in good physical condition. However, I like the room, and when with either my girlfriend or buddies, it has its advantages over a hammock.


Design: 10/10; I am, truly impressed.

Waterproofness :11/10; yes it is just that good

Ascetics: 8/10; Ehh… the green is growing on me

Weight: 7/10; there are lighter four person tents, but they are smaller and built with less durable material.

Durability: 9.5/10; the bag it comes in is already looking pretty roached, but I already ordered a stuff sack, and I had to do the exact same thing with my MH tent, so that does not concern me, the tent is rock solid.

Final rating 9.5/10; it is a little heavy, but its totally a fair price
Yes, I would recommend this to a friend.

I put up several Guru pictures, check em' out