North Face Tadpole 23 Tent Review

The North Face Tadpole 23 tent is a smaller version of the North Face Big Fat Frog 24 Tent. I purchased this tent as a upgrade from a really cheap tent I got on ebay. Don't get me wrong. I loved the no brand tent from ebay. It was super light with an attached rain fly. It was very compact and had plenty of room for our (me and my wife) packs. The downside was that it wasn't very weather resistant. I remember one time I woke up in a puddle. I thought, "no wonder I was so cold." Another night it was windy and sand was blowing up the vents and into the tent. We had to duct tape them shut. Once, we slept in our car because the wind was so strong it just folded our tent over.

No more of that. I did a lot of research, and I chose the The North Face Tadpole 23 Tent. I first tried it out in my back yard. I set it up and turned on the sprinklers. I got inside and stayed completely dry. Next I took it to the Uintas. By this time it was late fall. I slept with the fly off and the stars were the most beautiful I'd ever seen. I took it to the Uintas again, and this time kept the fly on. It was incredibly warm.

Though, I haven't used it in terrible weather, I have used it and loved it. It has a fully tubbed base and taped seams. One user woke up and opened the tent to find himself surrounded by water, but completely dry. The fly covers the top completely and comes almost to the ground, still leaving enough room for venting, but keeping sand out.

The only downside is that it is small. There is plenty of room for two people to sleep but your packs will stay outside. Luckily the fly includes a vestibule. The vestibule is actually about 1/2 the size of the tent. That means that there is plenty of room for your packs and whatever else you want to put in there. The only downside I see is that if you wake up surrounded by water, your packs will be soaked. I personally am not a huge fan of vestibules, but I certainly am willing to compromise.

All in all, it is a bit heavier than my last tent. It is also a bit less compact and smaller. I know, it's ironic; Heavier and less roomy! It actually isn't that heavy for a backpacking tent. Only heavier than my last one. On the plus side it is far more durable and weather resistant. I'm excited to go backpacking in BAD WEATHER! I know! I'm confident I will stay dry and sand free. Plus it won't blow over! Definitely a good choice. I really like it.