Of all the equipment necessary to endure the many rigors of the outdoors, there is nothing more important than a quality, bombproof tent. There’s nothing worse than being in the middle of a rainstorm only to find your tent isn’t watertight, or being in a windstorm only to have your tent collapse around you. If there’s one area to splurge when undertaking an outdoor excursion, it’s on your tent, and there’s no tent better to splurge on than the Mountain Hardwear Trango 3.1. Designed as a four seasons expedition tent, the Trango 3.1 is capable of withstanding hurricane force winds, torrential downpours and raging snow storms, all while keeping you safe, dry and protected.
In truth, there isn’t really any area in which the Trango 3.1 doesn’t excel. Featuring Mountain Hardwear’s proprietary Evolution Tension Arch technology with four Atlas Scandium XL poles, the Trango is rock solid in conditions that bring other, lesser tents feebly to their knees. On a recent excursion, my wife and I were hit with 70+ mph winds, and the Trango shrugged them off like they were nothing. And while it is rock solid, the Trango’s setup is a breeze. Four poles provide support for the Trango’s canopy, while a fifth pole provides support when the Trango’s fly is in place. From a sizing standpoint, the Trango 3.1 is an exceptionally versatile tent. For two people, the interior of the tent provides an ample amount of storage for two plus gear next to you, or it sleeps three comfortably. The Trango does come in 2 and 4 person sizes as well, so depending on your specific needs, you can get the same rock solid stability in various sizes. In addition to interior room of the main tent, once the fly is in place, you gain additional, covered protection for your gear in both the front and back vestibules, and there’s a variety of other storage pockets to stow your gear while you sleep. As for specific dimensions, the Mountain Hardwear Trango 3.1 offers a floor area of 48 sq. feet, vestibule areas of 18 sq. feet and 5 sq. feet, and an interior height of 48 inches. It’s a spacious tent, and it keeps you supremely comfortable in any less than ideal weather conditions. Weight wise, the Trango 3.1 weighs in at 11 lbs. 6 oz., making it a little heavier than some other expedition tents. The added weight, however, is more than offset by the added space, as the Trango 3.1 is really as comfortable as you’ll get in an expedition-ready, rock solid tent.
Aside from its ingenious pole system, the second defining element of the Trango 3.1 is its guaranteed watertight construction. Featuring a fully taped fly, a taped perimeter seam, welded corners and welded guy clip anchors, the Trango is designed to stay dry amidst the worst of torrential downpours, and has been rain room tested to withstand 1,200″ of rain over a 24-hour period. Helping keep out the elements, the Trango 3.1 features a tent floor constructed from 70D Nylon Taffeta 3000mm PE, a canopy constructed from 20D Nylon Knit Mesh and 40D Nylon Ripstop DWR, a fly constructed from 70D Nylon Taffeta 1500mm PU/SIL, and a 75D Polyester SD Ripstop 600mm PE reinforcement. Despite its leakproof construction, the Trango 3.1 is ideal for any weather conditions you can throw at it. During the high temperatures of the summer, the two door design allows superb airflow, keeping you as cool as possible. You can also opt for setting up just the fly and footprint (sold separately), as a lightweight ,warm weather option. In the winter, heat in the Trango is retained incredibly well, and as I discovered during a seemingly never ending snowstorm in which three foot drifts accumulated on the side of my Trango, it’s easy to forget how bad conditions are around you while you’re inside it. It is, quite simply, a mobile fortress, capable of protecting you from the worst Mother Nature can throw at you.
In addition to the features I’ve already mentioned, here’s a quick rundown of all the Mountain Hardwear Trango 3.1 has to offer:
- Guaranteed watertight construction with fully taped fly, taped perimeter seam, welded corners and welded guy clip anchors. Rain room tested with 1200″ of rain in 24 hours.
- Atlas Scandium XL poles
- Proprietary Evolution Tension Arch™ stabilizes tent using fewer poles
- Pitch Light™ configuration allows user to set up a superlight shelter using only the tent fly, poles and footprint (sold separately)
- 2 dry entry vestibules
- 2 dual canopy and mesh doors
- 2 Tension Shelves
- SVX window for a brighter interior and visibility of exterior conditions
- Welded guy clip anchors
- Internal guy system
- Reflective guy-out loops, starter point and zipper pulls for easy set-up at night
- Welded zipper flap construction is lighter and drier than a sewn flap
- Watertight door zippers
- Reflective zipper pulls
- Mesh storage pockets
- Mesh and canopy zippered thru-vent
- Superlight 1/4″ buckles and webbing reduce tent weight
- Reflective starter point
- Gear can be stored off the floor using canopy pockets or a accessory gear lofts (sold separately)
- Minimum Weight: 10 lb. 8 oz. / 4.76 kg.
- Packed Weight: 11 lb. 6 oz. / 5.15 kg.
- Packed Diameter: 8 in / 22 cm
- Packed Length: 24 in / 61 cm
- Pitch Light Weight: 7 lb. 13 oz. / 3.53 kg
The Mountain Hardwear Trango 3.1 is, in no simpler terms, an absolutely incredible expedition-ready four seasons tent. Having used mine extensively over the past year, I’ve yet to find fault with it, despite the multitude of extreme conditions I’ve subjected it to. As I said at the beginning of the article, if there’s only one thing you’re going to splurge on to conquer the great outdoors, your tent is it. With an MSRP of $625, however, the Trango 3.1 isn’t overly pricey, and in terms of quality for your money, you won’t find better. It’s waterproof, windproof and snow proof, and after a long days hike or climb, you really can’t put a price on a good night’s sleep.
To learn more about the Moutain Hardwear Trango 3.1 and the full lineup of Mountain Hardwear tents, head over to MountainHardwear.com for more details or buy now from Amazon.com
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