The Sierra Designs Fern Canyon 6 Person Tent is a simple easy to use freestanding dome type camping shelter which is light enough even to be carried on the trail.
Key features & benefits
- Simple dome.
- Very light.
- Freestanding.
- E-port.
- Gear loft.
- 1 Door.
- Great price.
Overview
As mentioned above, here you have a very typical dome type shelter with only two main poles that support its canopy. They have added a short pole on the front only to add a bit of volume. The picture below shows how it looks without the fly so you get a clear idea of what you have.
The door visible in the picture is the only one, it is with a mesh and with a panel. The tent is moderately tall with its 70 inches (178 cm) peak height.
The fly is a sort of a partial-coverage type, as you have seen in the top picture above it does not cover the door. This is why you can have views through its front window in the upper part of the door.
On the other hand, this also means that you do not have a vestibule, so the access is easy but there is no storage space. From the positive side, this is why the tent is fully freestanding, so even with the fly on you can still move it and rotate as you wish.
Other features
- I wish to point its gear loft shown in the picture below, so here you can put some small items and also a lamp.
- There are multiple internal pockets to keep you organized.
- E-port is available, see the picture below.
- The carry bag is a burrito-style, this is very typical for the Sierra Designs. You can see it also in their Sierra Designs Tabernash 6 Person Tent. So it is easy to pack the tent when it is time to go, see how it looks:
Materials
The poles: You have two main poles and one short shown in the picture below. This is a fiberglass material standardly used in such budget friendly tents. It may not be as durable as aluminum but it provides consistent performance under all conditions, and it is also rust and corrosion proof.
The fabric: The canopy is a combination of a no-see-um mesh and taffeta. The fly is 68D polyester taffeta with a 1200 mm waterproof rating, DWR. The bathtub type floor is the same material.
Ventilation
The tent has lots of mesh as you have seen in the pictures. The fly is without vents but this is not a big deal because vapor can escape on the front. There are no floor vents, pity, but the mesh is quite low on the sides so this should work well.
Please see more in this video:
Who is this Sierra Designs Fern Canyon 6 tent for
Regarding the area, the tent offers 90 ft² (8.36 m²) and it is officially for 6 people. This would mean 15 ft² (1.39 m²) per person. The dimensions are such that it is indeed possible to put 6 sleeping pads on the floor.
So they use the backpacking principle to determine the capacity. In reality, it is best to downgrade it to maximum 4 people.
Regarding seasons & climate, the picture without the fly above shows that it has plenty of mesh on the canopy. The fly covers most of the tent, and the rest is two-layer, so you are completely protected. All in all, I see it best suited for up to 2-season camping, i.e., for summer, late spring, and early autumn.
It is quite aerodynamic and low profile so it should work well even in moderately windy places assuming you orient it properly with respect to the wind direction.
Regarding the weight, with 13 lb 7 oz (6.1 kg) it is a very light tent so that you can even carry it on the trail if the weight is shared among the users. But this is a camping tent, there are lighter 6-person shelters for the trail.
Regarding the price, I would say it is fair for such a tent and from such a globally known brand.
Specifications
- Weight: 13 lb 7 oz (6.1 kg).
- Minimum weight: 12 lb 15 oz (5.87 kg).
- Official capacity: 6 people.
- Dimensions: 120 x 108 in (305 x 274 cm).
- Inner area: 90 ft² (8.36 m²).
- Inner area per person: 15 ft² (1.39 m²).
- Peak height: 70 in (178 cm).
Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons
In summary, they describe this Sierra Designs Fern Canyon 6 Person Tent as perfect for mild temperate camping with a family-sized group. I would agree about the mild temperature. As for the group, its declared capacity is a bit too optimistic, but it should work well for 4 users.
The tent is easy to use and very light, and above all, it will not break the bank, a great value for the money.
Below you can see how this tent stands against my standard rating criteria that I apply consistently to all them here in the site so that you can easily compare:
Sierra Designs Fern Canyon 6 Person Tent
Pros
- Lightweight.
- Easy to use.
- Great price.
Cons
- Only one door.
- Small for 6 people.
BEST PLACEs TO BUY:
Please check also the Kelty Discovery Basecamp 6 Person Tent that is built in the same style. If you would rather have a full fly with a vestibule, please check their Sierra Designs Alpenglow 6 Person Tent.
Let me know if you have questions, there is a comment box below. Bookmark this site and come again, this will keep you informed, as you realize I add texts here on a regular basis. Thank you for reading.
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