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Gear Shed: MSR Carbon Reflex 3 Featherweight Tent

  • August 13, 2021
  • Mountain Life Media
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words & photography :: Todd Lawson.

Camping is one of the best things known to mankind. But without tents, there would be no camping, and without lightweight tents, there would be no backcountry camping. When I opened the box of new MSR Carbon Reflex Featherweight Tent, I initially thought they had shipped the wrong tent. A 3-person tent can’t be this light, can it? Oh yes it can. For those gram-counters out there, full packaged weight is 1.19kg —just slightly heavier than one litre of water.

Gear-Shed-MSR-Carbon-Reflex-3-Featherweight Tent-Todd-Lawson-no-fly-meadow

The first test was a solo hiking trip into the Pemberton, B.C. backcountry. I could’ve gone with a small bivy sack or even a hammock, but jeopardizing a good night’s sleep wasn’t in the cards. You might as well spread out and let your body and brain get some rest. The tent fit easily into my pack and was thankfully quite intuitive to set up, with a single well-designed, colour-coded DAC carbon pole that clicks into place fast and easy.

A couple of other nice touches made my experience a little better. Note the ‘walled’ fabric corners, which provide more space inside the tent and prevent socks and things from hiding in the corners of the tent, only to be found months later. The Carbon Reflex is also a stargazer’s dream, with wall-to-wall, ceiling-to-floor mesh for sweeping views of the sky, and to keep out all of those alpine mosquitoes.

I could’ve gone with a small bivy sack or even a hammock, but jeopardizing a good night’s sleep wasn’t in the cards.

The second test was a moto-camping trip through southern B.C.’s beautiful Fraser Canyon.

Gear-Shed-MSR-Carbon-Reflex-3-Featherweight Tent-Todd-Lawson-no-fly-woman-inside

As a couples’ tent, a double-wide mattress fits in here perfectly, with separate entryways so you don’t have to stumble over your partner to get outside to take a pee in the middle of the night. We had a pretty snug sleep all together on the double-wide, but three individual mattresses also fit inside perfectly.

Gear-Shed-MSR-Carbon-Reflex-3-Featherweight Tent-Todd-Lawson-pitched-at-campsite

The bad news: Perhaps the only ‘con’ of this tent is lack of interior space if three adults are heading on a multi-day backpacking trip. It would be pretty snug inside with bodies and other stuff, with not too much room for packs inside the small vestibules, but definitely doable.


Gear-Shed-MSR-Carbon-Reflex-3-Featherweight-Tent-pitched-isolated
Photo: MSR

But this tent is all about getting you out there into the wilderness no matter how far or how long. It’s light, it’s easy to set up and take down, and it’s easy to pack and carry. The good news: Now you can bring more Scotch.

Packability

Packability
97 100 0 1
This tent really is featherweight: Lightweight fabrics, carbon-fiber poles, and a zipper-free vestibule minimize the weight down to 2 lbs 4 oz – incredible for a 3-person tent with a floor area of 38.5 sq. ft. And it packs down to roughly the size of your sleeping pad.
This tent really is featherweight: Lightweight fabrics, carbon-fiber poles, and a zipper-free vestibule minimize the weight down to 2 lbs 4 oz – incredible for a 3-person tent with a floor area of 38.5 sq. ft. And it packs down to roughly the size of your sleeping pad.
97/100
Total Score iLegend
The best

Weatherproofing

Weatherproofing
96 100 0 1
The DuraShield waterproof-coated rainfly, combined with the Xtreme Shield waterproof-coated “bathtub”-style floor lend peace of mind when weather hits.
The DuraShield waterproof-coated rainfly, combined with the Xtreme Shield waterproof-coated “bathtub”-style floor lend peace of mind when weather hits.
96/100
Total Score iLegend
The best

Liveability

Liveability
95 100 0 1
Large doors on either side provide easy entry and exit, particularly when nature calls during the night and you don’t want to step on your tent-partner(s). MSR is upfront about this being an ideal tent for two people, with an option to add a third if necessary. Sleeping three in here is certainly doable, but tight. But if you’re just sleeping and not lounging, this is a tiny price to pay for this level of versatility.
Large doors on either side provide easy entry and exit, particularly when nature calls during the night and you don’t want to step on your tent-partner(s). MSR is upfront about this being an ideal tent for two people, with an option to add a third if necessary. Sleeping three in here is certainly doable, but tight. But if you’re just sleeping and not lounging, this is a tiny price to pay for this level of versatility.
95/100
Total Score iLegend
The best

First Journey Trails: In Indigenous Communities, the Benefits of Biking go Beyond Economic
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  • camping
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  • MSR
  • MSR tents
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