The Value of this Tent is Insane - Best Military Tactical Tent - LiteFighter 1 Tent Review
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 ส.ค. 2024
- This is the LiteFighter 1 military tent and it is one of the most versatile shelter systems (both military and civilian) out on the market today especially when you consider just how easy it can be converted to a 4 season winter tent.
The Value of this tent is going to BLOW YOU AWAY!
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Best Military Tent - LiteFighter 1 Individual Shelter System
Agenda Free Link : litefighter.co...
Price : From LiteFighter $334 for Coyote Brown, $346 for OCP Camo - surplus price ranges $100 - $200 on eBay.
Weight : 4lbs 12oz for the entire kit minus the groundsheet
Colors :
Coyote and OCP Camo
Materials :
Fly : 40D Nylon Ripstop 5000mm PU
Body Mesh : 40D Poly Knit Mesh (Permethrin Treated)
Body Floor : 70D Nylon Ripstop 5000mm PU
Poles : Ghost Bone Ballistic Fiber with spider hub and all-weather shock cord. New ballistic fiber pole frames are lighter, stronger, flexible, and most importantly wind resistant.
Old Poles : Aluminum Pressfit w/ All Weather Shock Cord
Measurements :
Packed : 6” x 16”
Setup :
Versions : 1 person and 2
Uses : On the Ground or on a US Military Cot
Setups : In addition to traditional setups with the body and the fly, one can setup the tent with the fly and the groundsheet and leave the body behind
Single door
Freestanding tent with only the door needing to be anchored
Season :
3+ season tent. Because this tent is military grade it has been designed to be stronger than your average backpacking 3 season tent. Taking those points into account and combining this tent with the genius LiteFighter Cold Weather Kit (windbreaker) and you have a robust 4 season shelter system that is capable of handing fairly strong winds and snow loading.
For the worst of winter conditions, a true double wall 4 season shelter would be recommended but for 3 - 4 season hybrid, this tent is incredibly functional.
Review Pros :
One of the Best Bang for the Buck tent systems out on the market today
Military Awesome shelter system
Love the camo and the colors
Excellent quality
Easy to setup and breakdown
As for the tent being waterproof, I have had two versions of this tent; one that I purchased from eBay and one that I got directly from Litefighter. The eBay version stated it was new but I did have some issues with leaking from a single hole above the door; I seam sealed it and the problem was solved. The tent could have been used….you know how eBay can be.
The model that I got from the company hasn’t had any issues and remains exceptionally waterproof even in heavy down pours from thunderstorms.
I’ve had this tent in winds around 40mph with no issues.
Snow loading around 6” with no issues
Ventilation is very good with this tent.
Condensation can develop on any tent and this is no different but the body does pull away from the fly well enough and the ventilation is good enough that it hasn’t been an issue during my year around testing.
The Bug mesh has kept the bugs out
Weight is a good for a 3+ season tent - Yes it is almost 5lbs but you have to remember this is a military product. Nuff said. Complaining about the weight of a military product is like buying a Chrysler and then complaining about it breaking down…..these aspects go hand in hand.
It’s a very versatile system that can be setup in numerous ways.
Price - for a military tent the pricing isn’t bad at all. From the company it is fair and in the form of surplus, it is fairly inexpensive; surplus price ranges $100 - $200 on eBay.
With the cold weather kit, this tent can be made to be even more capable and the use can be extended into the 4th season. It really works well and is one of the smartest products that I have seen in a long time. My review on that is coming up next week.
Review Cons :
Summary :
After testing just about every single US military tent that is available, this is my choice for the best of the best. It features the most civilian of designs while being exceptionally strong and capable.
It’s highly waterproof, very stable in wind and with the cold weather kit, it makes for an excellent 3+ season tent.
For those who like tactical products and for military personnel, this is the tent that I recommend; it is a far better product than anything that predates it. It is currently being utilized by US military forces and can be easily recommended.
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Luke, I bought one these fantastic tents, I after watching you use it several times. The winter video sold me on it. One thing I did was follow your advice on buying the ground sheet for the hasty hooch directly from the company. I’m planning on buying the winter conversion option.
Dude, I honestly never buy any gear without first checking to see if you have a review on it. I bought mine, including the the extra ground sheet for under 200.00🤙
Can you buy it in the UK
I found mine on EBay, and would assume the sellers would ship it internationally.
How is it working out? I want this tent so bad now
I’m completely satisfied with my tent. And the customer service from the company is outstanding AF. My next purchase from LiteFighter will definitely be the winter conversion kit.
There exists an identical tent which addresses all the issues you had and also has many accessories available all for abt $100. check out EUREKA MIDORI.
Took this tent with me on a 287 mile/74 day river trip. Did it in my 10'/5hp john boat on the Might Mo last winter. Used 7 times for snow storms. One was 18''/65mph. 100% GO!
Spc-Lee A Benson 11B U.S Army (RM)
Used it in a meteor storm on the hull of a medium sized space craft. Heavy impacts galore - no punctures. Even stayed pressurized and warm. Mesh pockets kept all my gear snugly in those Zero G conditions.
GO!
Some account used for credible YT comments.
Is this right is the tip of the tent a bug screen and the rain fly is the outside of the tent? It doesn’t look like the fly goes down to the ground making me think it’s drafty
@@tiltil9442I threw this at a bear during an unfortunate attack incident. I was arrested by the game warden for excessive force against wildlife.
I am never bored watching Luke. I have always enjoyed listening to people to know what they are talking about. With Luke... I always know I getting the REAL lowdown. Thanks Luke... Tell the beautiful Suzy we all love her... Peace.
I can attest to Luke's impressions on this tent. I just got back from a four day trip with my gen 1 litefighter and we got two days of non stop rain and it took it like a champ! Zero problems! I was lucky enough to find a gen 1 unissued surplus and I love it. It breaths much better than the previous issue ICS. Great little tent.
I’ve used this tent for military training/deployments for the past four years and agree with everything you said about it. Never knew about the winter conversion kit so I’ll look into that. Worked fine without it with the three layer sleeping system we were issued. Thanks for the awesome review as always.
The winter conversion kit is still fairly new I believe
I’d like to add the winter kit and the cot…anyway you can direct me to the correct cot for this set up?
@@jasongaudreau2075U.S. GI folding cot on amazon or anything similar to this
Finally a review on something that turns out not to be garbage, been awhile.
Hi Luke, thanks for another informative video!
I own this tent. It's not approved for use in The Swedish Army but I use it for my leisure camping. There is one major problem with this type of tent,
it pitches fly-last. This means that if the rain has already started when you deploy the tent (which is often the case) it will be soaking wet inside
before you get the fly up. For this reason, in the Swedish Army we only use fly-first tents. Then you quickly get the fly up, toss all your gear under,
and maybe even get your dinner cooking while having plenty of time erecting the rest of the tent completely shielded from the rain.
Make no mistake, I really appreciate the LiteFighter for all the good reasons you have mentioned, but I only use it when I know the weather conditions
in advance. I really wish they would produce a fly-first version. / PEACE from The Swedish Army!
I'd be curious to know what tents you do use as I'm looking for a fly first tent currently?
I'm also curious!
@@brianmabin5947 In The Swedish Army we only use "Hilleberg" tents. They are all fly first, or actually everything erects together. They are light weight, and solid as a rock. The only problem is that they are extremely expensive. But if you buy one, it will last your lifetime. Heres a link to a video, th-cam.com/video/8cXvCWf4-MQ/w-d-xo.html but there are plenty more videos on TH-cam for each Hilleberg-model. I know Luke here at OGR has tested some of them. / PEACE from Sweden!
@@captaincarl1603 thanks! Love from PA
If you purchase the footprint like I did, you can setup the fly first.
The best tent I ever had was a Gary King Custom and man oh man do I miss that tent! Gary Kings was an Outdoor Fitters in Alaska and he was a Guide since 1971. He passed away last year and was an Alaskan icon.
Sounds like you spent some warm nights in a tent with Gary.
@@meazy451 More like some cold nights in a warm Gary King Master Guide tent 😉
@@meazy451 lol
I bought mine surplus it was still brand new. It has become my go to backpacking tent. Very solid tent.
Fun fact: the litefighter 1 fits nicely in one of the Warrior X300 side pockets
Military grade sends chills down the back of anyone who has been in the military. My unit uses this tent and I love it. The issue I have is that it doesn't vent at all and I'm stationed in a tropical area with low wind, high heat and humidity. Other than that the tent is great.
MG is a bogus marketing gimmick, even to ppl who’ve never enlisted. It’s targeted at people not accustomed to critical thinking or careful analysis.
@@allemander indeed. Some of us could replace some of the issued gear with our own ( to a certain extent) and invariably we would pick gear that was better built and much lighter. Military grade only means that the product meets the parameters set in the RFQ/RFB. Given the suppliers compete on price, some corners are cut. Unless highly specialized, you can always find better gear in the private sector, but it may be expensive. .
@@littlefish5493
That makes sense, but what’s a disposable hero to do? 🤷🏼♂️
Yup, we were issued these as well. 2 weeks in the field during the dog days of summer in Virginia taught me that you either sleep with the fly open to vent or you die.
I had the same issue of ventilation with mine and honestly all I needed was a small battery powered fan and staking out the fly nice and tight. Just run the fan for a few minutes on low when you first get in and it makes a huge difference. It's worth the extra pound in your pack.
Yes sir. Used this in the field many times. Suprisely the best piece of gear the military offers. Easy to set up great to sleep in. Good review
Hello, Titan! 😁👊🏼
@@IntoTheWildernessBushcraft good to see you here buddy
Did the amry issue you this from CIF? I'm about to go to the field for 1 month and am looking to buy a tent cause I wasn't issued one
@@NATOnova thats correct supply issued this or something very similar
It's my favorite tent. Bought one after your first review. I'm 6'5" and it's tight, but totally worth it. I love this thing so much.
Hi mate. Just looking for some advice. I am 6'7 - 200cm. Do you think i would comfortably fit in the lite fighter 1 tent. I am a bit worried about importing a tent and not being able to fit in it. Thanks
I got my first Litefighter 1 something like a decade ago in its original version with the D-doors and the aluminum poles. I think I have nine or ten now for large camp outs. I’ve never had a bad night in one. They are versatile, quick to set up and break down, and very durable. The quality of the ancillary gear and accessories is as good as the tent itself. Litefighter is a great company with excellent customer service. I can confirm all the impressions you offered in this excellent video.
Luke used this tent on field exerciaes and deployment and still have one now. Also picked up the ground sheet and cold weather conversion. Love this thing. Have used it on the ground and on a cot as well. Never had any issue with it at all
It’s great to see your eyes (better connection, better marketing), Luke. I just finished a backpacking trip with my dad. Your videos helped me decide on gear. I’ve been wanting to make a channel on USA made products. You added to the inspirations to push forward on that idea. Just made first video tonight. Not here to promote anything, so whoever is reading this, you won’t find anything connected to this account, don’t waste your time clicking on my face, I care about your time. Advertising is garbage. If it’s worth it’s weight you’ll feel it. Luke, you’re genuine, & keep in the grey (unbiased). I appreciate you. I’m so glad I get to meet you via video. Thank you for all you do.
Just bought one of these last week. Excited to try it out!! Thanks for the advice. Honestly never heard of tent and I served when those were first being issued. I bought it because of your first video with it.
At 5000 PU this thing should never leak. Also like that it's pre treated with permetherim. Never seen that before....nice touch.
Depends on how well the seams hold up
@@rgmALC true...
@HKJ I found one balled up on the top of a mountain in VA.where I live. So bad they didn't even pack it out. I was day hiking and didn't have anything to haul it out in.
Even though I'm only a day hiker and have no need for a tent, I almost feel compelled to buy one after watching your review.
Hah, instead of a day hiker, you'd have an excuse to be an overnight hiker, I guess?
Yeah, might convince you to jump into two-day hikes. Hike out, camp, hike back in.
This one is heavy… instead watch his video(s) on the Snugpak Ionosphere, I have one too and its just perfect. Add a optional 10x13 Aquaquest Safari tarp for “area coverage” and you’ve got a great open air setup with protection from sun and rain. The added tarp allows you to move around, sit outside, look around, etc, much more than a larger tent does in rainy weather.
@@dash8465
Great comment, you're obviously very knowledgeable.
I use the same set up with my T. C. O. P..
Imo the tcop is the best one man tent ever made.
The lite fighter is very poorly designed and inferior in every way to the T. C. O. P military tent by eureka.
He’s right ! I’ve imported 2 of these for my own use in the Uk from surplus stores ,(one for spares ) a great deal of thought has been built into this tent . Amazing value.
Just spent the summer living in one of these while exploring the Black Hills. Four notable big storms with 60mph+ gusts and a summer of sun and it is still going strong.
This is my favorite tent shelter. Big enough for one person to fit comfortably with gear and very solid design. I don't have the cold weather kit yet but I did pick up the ground sheet so can set up the Hasty Hooch if I am in the mood. I feel like this tent is a hidden gem.
They are back in stock as of September ... I love mine!
I have been out of the Army for longer than I was in. All you got was a shelter half that you only used at NTC, a poncho, and a poncho liner. Smallest Tent I can remember was a 5 man which would be hard to carry in a ruck.
As a veteran I loathed that I never got to use this tent in the field but after your other review of this tent I bought a surplus version of the litefighter and it was beautiful I absolutely loved camping with the litefighter tent I’m thinking about getting the 2 person tent for my next camping trip but for now the litefighter 1 is awesome I love it and I love what you do 🤙
Brilliant timing Luke! Was just looking for a new tent for an affordable price and have been struggling to find a good tent for an affordable price with all of these features. Just what I needed…thank you, your channel, your reviews are fantastic!
I love mine. Spring for the wind-breaker if you can (+$120). Stuff sack is ample, but good luck getting the windbreaker + ground sheet in there. I always keep the wind-breaker in its own included stuff sack. No problem with doing so.
You’ll love this tent. 👍
@@stillnocouch By wind-breaker, are you referring to the winter kit he mentioned?
@@RobertLinthicum Yes. you can find it on their website. It was $120.00 US when I got mine earlier this year.
So the tough sack does not fit the tent+ groundsheet+ cold weather kit?
This is an awesome tent , very versatile, for all seasons, very strong shelter , just gotta add the guy lines and extra stakes.....you rock luke ! I always check you ,before I buy.....best outdoor products review out there! Thanks for all you do for us ...🙏👍
Another great video Luke. Why would anyone dislike the useful info you provide? Does not cost them a cent. Their ignorance is showing brother.
Many thanks
Peace from Texas
This looks amazing! In my 22 yrs., my individual/buddy shelter was either a poncho no more than three feet off the ground or a shelter half. When allowed to employ these, we were “happy.” If this can withstand the Yakama training area winds, I’m sold! Lol
I have one and i have to say, that it is the best I've used. The light weight and versatility are unmatched.
Man this tent looks awesome. Id love to try this here in Scotland, I hope it would do well in highlands and 50+mph winds. I need a 4 season one seems good this one.
Used my litefighter since 2015. That’s 9 yrs of army use and I also use this tent for all my camping/hunting endeavors from the mountains of the Rockies to Romania. Still the best army shelter ever. $200 for a lite fighter. Consider this a 9 year review. 5 stars.
I put a clip on mine on the front and back. Attached paracord then stake it out. Awesome. Love this tent. Works here in the Rockies
Haha, made fun of my Dodge Ram!! Alright then sir. I named my dog “Ford” so I wouldn’t have to worry about it running on the road!
LOL 😂👍
😊😀😂
Wasnt it Found On Road Dead, he went there with Chryslers hah
Farmers Only Reasona Drink..
First On Race Day !
I would love to see a LiteFighter 1 Tent vs. Improved Combat Shelter Tent battle.
They are similar but definitely different tents.
Infantry officer 87-91 with 7 months in Saudi Arabia and Iraq DS/DS. Used pup tents during our 1st field bivuac for land nav at IOBC now IBOLC at Fort Benning. For the next 44 months it was strictly poncho shelters (solo or buddy) with the pup tent half as the ground cloth for GI foam or inflatable sleep pad for every season. Always had two ponchos to make the poncho/poncho liner sleeping bag unless it was near winter weather. Blew my mind when you listed the two or three options between our tents and this beauty. Thanks for the info. I will be saving my nickles and looking around for these.
I own this tent and swear by it in the mountains of Colorado. I love the design and love the multicam. It has served me well for the past few years.
Great review Luke, strength and honour.
Two small rocks, two feet of paracord and two stakes will pull the ends of the rainfly out and solve the problem, or sewing two small loops to the bottom of the either end of the fly and attaching paracord and staking it out. It's a minor mod. Having Litefighter do the loops would be nice, though, and not using rocks to help anchor paracord lashing to a part of the fly not designed for that task would be better.
Keep doing what ya do, Luke.
A little bit of sewing at the bottom edge with some paracord wrapping works great (I did that). On the bottom edge, no compromise to water proofness at all and it helps the screen keep clean from ‘splash-up’ at the head/foot ends.
I just recently bought this tent after watching your other videos on it. I have been waiting on the review for the cold weather kit. Love the channel by the way. Love the agenda free reviews.
Staking out and adjusting the corners after the rain fly is on will allow you to gain separation between the main body and fly at the ends. 11:00 in you'll see a loop on the left side corner. There should be one of those on each corner for four of the six stakes that come with the tent. Have plenty of experience with spending multiple weeks in this tent with the Army. Everything from single digits to triple digits and all weather conditions. Love this tent. Keep up the outstanding reviews.
I used one while I was in the military. I used this tent as my personal one for hunting and outdoor adventures. the one I had (which I gave away) leaked as well. water dripped in from the zippers. the zippers were cloth surrounding the zip metal which once soaked the water came through. I switched to the ionosphere by snug pak , and so did most guys. Light fighter... Pass
I absolutely love this tent. I luckily got it under $200 and have had no issues at all. Seeing Luke's videos are what sold me on it. As always, much appreciated for your in-depth reviews. Luke, if you do see this, I'm curious if you have much discussion with manufacturers on their products? Your knowledge is invaluable
It is a great tent. I used it for the last 4 years, in many different countries and environments from cold to desert. I never had any issues with the fly being loose. On the ends it has adjustable staps and once you stake all 6 corners its pretty tight. I'm not to fond of using it on a cot, especially in windy conditions. I'm a tall guy so the only complaint I have is getting in and out of it. For tactical use I recommend.
Sounds like a very solid piece of equipment, and the company has thought it out.
I would love to see you review the ACU improved combat shelter. It’s the tent that was standard issue before this one and a lot of us still get them if we’re lucky enough to get a tent at all
I could give you a quick word from my experience with it back in late March. It was cold as hell in the hills of Missouri as in must’ve been about low 40’s and the wind and the rain were coming down harder than Demi Lovato at high noon so it must’ve been in the upper to mid 30’s. Went to bed in that God-sent piece of fabric and woke up warmer than Luke Skywalker in a god damn ton ton. Mine did have a slight leak but that’s because I had my doors backwards (Oops). Overall the week was great have that thing with me. Setup was old ACU tarp, Improved Combat Shelter, sleep pad, military sleeping bag kit.
He's done the ICS a couple of times in the past, just check his shelter playlist.
I bought two of these bad boys after your first review a while ago. One for me, and one for a camping buddy. Using the Savotta Finnish army sleeping pad from Varusteleka as both a ground sheet and a sleeping pad placed UNDER the tent. Wiggys boat-foot sleeping bags.
I use this tent and the 4 season conversion kit in Montana and it has worked great in every condition I have used it in so far.
Update: $405.36 for this tent
My most consistent issue, which I understand is only shared by folks over 6' tall, is that so many tents are only 84"-86" long. If the tent isn't at least 90" long, I'm touching the mesh at at least one end.
I know you don't have this issue, but I'd love to see you do a video focused on longer tents for your taller viewers.
Thanks
I want to love this tent but for a guy that is 6'2 like me... I struggle to give it thumbs up. the TCOP on the other hand I love and prefer over this. @theoutdoorgearreview when will we see you review the TCOP tent?
Thanks to your input and review of this tent I know have one ordered and on the way! Thank you for sharing your experiences and gear reviews.
Great Video. In the late 50's - early 60's I was a Boy scout. We used the Pup Tent Halves of WW 2. Each Boy would carry Half. Poles inside were terrible. I was a big kid. Became the Quarter Master and took two halves camping & cut external supports; always taunt tiedown . This Tent is Better than a cheap Coleman. Lots of Great Outdoor stuff comes from the military. Thanks.
Luke, nice tent. Thanks! Cold weather conversions being expensive is my experience also. One exception, although it has become overpriced in the COVID era, the Lanshan 1 has a 4 season inner tent that can be purchased on Ali express. (That would actually be a *one season* inner tent if nomenclature were correct.) Personally, I don't see a problem with fashioning a cape for my inner tents in cold weather. Would like to try fashioning some Mylar with scissors and tape, including top and bottom vents of course. --Freeman
I've done this with my 3 season 3 quarter mesh NZT tent. I bushcrafted the corners of 2 mylar blankets using duck tape and a hole punch, little clam clips purchased on amazon and paracord and bungees to attach the mylar cover over the roof portion of the tent. Leaving a mesh gap between the ceiling and washtub floor, it worked like a charm maintaining temps 15-20 degrees warmer than outside. You can also effectively winterize any tent with an additional tarp or two also, which I prefer as I don't mind the extra weight of my aqua quest tarps! Love spitballing winter camping hacks!
Cheers mate, dont really need 4 season tent in Aus, my swag is good enough, but I still love watching your vids. Have a good one mate.
Climate change can really make you think twice. Who knows, Texas got snow storms now, what makes you think your place won't be affected?
i wish i had more swag
it converts to a 4 season
Love my issued litefighter. Has never leaked, don't even need a footprint tarp. Even fits in the bed of my truck inside the camper shell for stealth truck camping. I carry mine with me always in the field, in my vehicle and always in one of my saddlebags on my Harley. I never leave home without it. I basically live out of the damn thing. Never need to pay for a hotel room ever again. I've got a one Tigris patrol bag for slightly cooler weather but my issued sleep system with warm, cold and goretex bivy are a must for winter. With only my waffle top and bottom on and fleece cap I can sleep with it unzipped and be plenty warm. I do use a inflatable sleeping pad and issued foam mat for insulation.
I have used this tent extensively in hot environments. The year before last we spent a lot of time from spring until almost fall out in the field. Normally in 2-week periods each time, but moving pretty much every other day... meaning it was assembled and disassembled repeatedly. I had no issues whatsoever. Admittedly, I did scotchguard it as soon as I got it, but we only had rain once - the rest of the time was high 90⁰. I also used this with a cot a lot. I never bothered with tying out the sides. For us, setup was usually done at night, so we just let it drape as a curtain. I wasn't worries about wind blowing it, because it was setup between vehicles and/or it was attached to a cot.
Just a few tips for folks that own this tent and are looking to bring the pack weight down a bit.
If you don't plan on using this tent with a cot, you can just off the attachment points for the cot and save yourself just over 2oz.
- Replace all zipper pulls with 1mm polyester cord from Zpacks
- Replace all load-bearing line (basically just the 4-corners for stake-out points) with 1.3mm dyneema reinforced line from Zpacks
- Replace all guy-out line with 2mm dyneema reinforced cord (and micro Linelocs) from Zpacks
I got dyneema stuff sacks (also from Zpacks) for the stakes, poles and the tent its self. All of this brought the weight down substantially.
I will post a final weight when I get a chance, as I'm still in the process of seeing where else I can cut weight.
Also, the new "Ghostbone" poles are substantially lighter weight, compared to the aluminum poles that were included with the first few revisions of this tent. Those can be purchased separately on the Litefighter site. The standard tent now includes the Ghostbone poles. The "X-Series" tent that includes the Tough Sack and Ground Sheet includes the military issue aluminum poles, so that's why that kit SEEMS like it's a better value, and it is if weight isn't an issue for you.
That is a very nice tent. But you know when some thing is claimed as Military Grade it doesn't actually mean quality it's quantity with specific requirements over pure quality.
Looks like it is very waterproof but also looks HOT 🥵 for southern states!
Yes, good point. My simple solution during hot weather is to substitute an overhead tarp instead of the Litefighter's rainfly. I used this configuration during last week's heat wave and it worked great to keep all the airborne and crawling critters off me while I slept, while at the same time providing excellent ventilation.
@@ThomasNoss1 I have also used small battery-powered box fans to ventilate a tent in most seasons.
Thanks for the testing and review.
Military heavy, Chrysler products bad check ! Lol love that statement
Still on the fence with the LightFighter1. The version I have is camo w/ anodized Aluminum poles & plastic hub. My first 'home/shop' tests were focused on a dry tent inside w/ no water ingress. It Passed. Next was a solo Alaska late Fall river trip in mild to wild conditions. Weather was 35-40 by day winds and wintery-mix, breezy driven rain w/ mist by evening, Hard frosts by early morning. Ease/simplicity of set-up and take down = good. Reliability = good enough (keeping in mind very remote fly-out destination, certainly 3+ season, yet not severe Alaska weather). 1 person space = Great. Noteworthy CON: By morning, heavy condensation under fly-sheet was very undesirable... in a greater wind scenario, It would be dripping thru the mesh. Second CON: the plastic Hub shows sighs a fatigue and cracking in its fist extended real-world Alaska test. Did not break or fail, however plastic cracks do not impress. Next outing was a multi-day early May Spring runoff whitewater run in Idaho from Marsh Creek headwaters and down the Middle Fork of Salmon River. Starting in the snow... Frosty 19-29 degrees at night with dry conditions, 2-nights of rain, rest of raft trip w/ high desert dry and clear, into 70-85 by trip's end. Ticks are an issue on this river trip. Day 1 grommet on fly-sheet over front entry falls off and was evidenced as never stitched on to begin with = held on by adhesion to seam tape. Seam tape did not fail, so still remained H2O proof and structurally sound enough. Tent is now out on a long-term 30-day hitch for multiple guided hunts... with guide using it personally/professionally in basecamp as well as spiking out. So far --- It has been rainy drizzle 45-55 degree conditions... by InReach SAT communication, it is working out very well, and he feels fortunate to have it. Five things I'd like to see from the company: 1.) Better HUB material. 2.) Better Stake-outs = just as you related here. 3.) The inner 3+ season Hybrid inner-tent cover. 4.) The new poles are of interest. 5.) The new tent bag may be of interest.
I watched a million videos before buying my tent. Nothing beats seeing it in person. Excellent venting around the bottom, at least 6” under the vestibule doors. I just used tarp clamps on the short sides to provide the needed taughtness and additional ventilation. This is rated military grade, but to me it is made of very light materials. Only thing I 😊miss about my ICS is the ability to unzip the door flap in rain, and then being able to look out
I bought this tent solely on your recommendation (directly from litefighter….not surplus)… it is perfect! I am mad I can’t get the two person, so my bride and I can share. This video is not only drove me to order this tent but to flow this channel! Thank you
For the money, I`d go with Robens Starlight 1 or 2. It addresses all the cons mentioned here and it is rated for 120 km/h winds. Does not have winter conversion but I have used it in -12 C weather and with good sleeping bag it is just joy to be in. Never leaked, have it for over 10 years and have been in some pretty nasty storms.
What's the difference between a good quality hiker/climber 'civilian' tent as opposed to a 'military' tent ? Cammo patterning ?
Bulletproof treatment
@@TikeMyson69 Aside from the addition of a bug repellent (which I hope is not related to 'Deet'), the treatment seems common in the tents I own in this price range.
I was hoping for clarification - Does this tent pass mil. specs.? Is it purchased in bulk by the U.S. military? Or is a tent marketed as 'military'?
it repels shells, but not guaranteed
This tent is quite similar to the *Alps Mountaineering Lynx 1* tent in the design and what I like about that tent is how tall it is so that you can sit upright. What the LiteFighter tent has, however, is that third short pole to create more headroom and also a vestibule with more overhang, so that there is less risk of rain entering the tent when the door is open. I think I might buy a LiteFighter tent because that extra headroom and vestibule overhang is something that I would really appreciate :-) This tent design makes it practical to sit upright with a straight back while preparing dinner in the vestibule. Thanks for the review!
About the fly not having any tie outs where you would want one, you can use what I used many years ago with just a plastic drop cloth. No holes or rips are made to make this tie off. I call it a rock knot. Just get a small half inch or smaller smooth stone or marble and put it under the fly at the tie off point and over the fly catch the rock in a pocket with some small cord. The rock will stop the cord from sliding off and the stress will be spread out making a strong tie off. I used this with tarps with ripped grommets, plastic sheeting or any other material that you don't want to cut or grommet to get a tie point. You do need a little slack to do this but it is worth it.
OK, I'll be that guy:
Back in my day, we had the shelter half.
Anything is an improvement over those things.....
Me too, brother. The shelter half….AKA the GP Tiny. The only time I ever used it was in basic training. Most people don’t know that they called it a shelter half, because you needed a battle buddy to make the other half of the tent. What a trip down memory lane!!
Only thing I miss over the ICS is the blackout fly. I love having light being limited, especially out in the woods. Maybe I'm paranoid, but I don't need skinwalkers and weed growers seeing me getting ready for bed or messing with my phone.
If they could offer a blackout fly, I'd buy it immediately. Also, that burrito bag they sell for the tent; totally worth the money. It's larger and thicker, and attaches tight to any pack with webbing. Hell you can rig it with a bungee cord if you want.
I'm also big on light control. Big on stealth.
Im also sticking with the TCOP because of the black out fly, not only does it keep people from seeing you at night but it also allows you to sleep in without being blinded by the sun in the morning and for me thats a must. The TCOP also doesnt need add on products for the winter as the one in this review does
Ive never been a tent guy but that's pretty cool. I've mostly use a Warbonnet Blackbird XLC with SuperFly tarp.
JR Nyquist
Love your channel Luke. I just got issued a new litefighter tent, but have used them several times and love the product. Keep up the good work buddy.
Chrystler products = breakdowns! Bwahahahaha Laughed so hard I spit my drink out!
Every Chrysler I've ever owned has been rock solid. At least I drive an American car! Mopar or no car!
I grew up a Chevy guy own a tundra and an 00 xj but fucking A I git respect for a Mopar I love that saying 👏 👌
Exactly! The first year I owned my Chrysler 200, it only spent 9 months in the shop. The next year it was 1 month.
After seeing your video I purchased one as my very first tent. The Quality and usability are amazing, it keeps me warm in cool but wet winter in Hong Kong. Thank you for your review I really like the tent.
Great review, might need to pick one up! 👍💯
all i heard is it took you 3 years of owning this and reviewing to us 100 other tents to tell us how clearly it is this is the best value tent you ever used by a mile. then i wonder why, no joke, why? why wait 3 years if it was this epic?
you answered your own question. because he took the time to review all the others, so his opinion is actually valid. Unlike someone who tries to products, comes on youtube and says "this is the best on the market!" when they haven't tried 90% of whats out there.
Thanks for the video. I own 2 of these, Tan and OCP. Great tent! Just ordered the Winter kit and the ground sheet today, after watching your reviews of the winter kit. Can’t wait to try it out this winter. Thanks
I had an older version at FT Lee nearly 3 years. We took them on a ftx. I went out of my way to put it up and tear it down twice before leaving. It was relatively easy to set up in the middle night in a rainstorm with no light whatsoever. It was nice to keep my Ruck semi dry and have a place to put on dry clothes. Seeing that one case that can be Molle woven to a pack is sick.
The one I used had a. Door on both sides so you could access alll your gear under the back over hang without getting out.
Just bought a coyote tan model on ebay shipped to me in Colorado for $160. Thank you so much for this video and all your information. This tent is exactly what I needed and that price is exactly why I just grabbed this bad boy. DAMN good value !!!
Wow my wife got me this same tent (coyote tan) with the winter add-on , last year on my birthday. And it is absolutely amazing. Everything you said about it is 100% correct. It is easily one of the best tents I've used in my entire life.
The only real issue is the weight. It is about 2x the weight that vast majority of thru-hikers would use, seeing as we normally use ultra-lightweight gear, and the one-man tents are usually no more than 2-2.1 or 2.2lbs (1kg). But I usually hike alot heavier than the vast majority of thru-hikers anyway (usually i hump 30-35lbs, or 13.5-15.8kg. There are some things I am simply not willing to go without, and will happily carry the extra weight of that gear to not go without it) so I'm not at all concerned about the extra weight.
An ultralight tent of this same quality would easily be around $550 on the low end, and around $700-$800 on the high end. You won't find a better quality, more durable tent for this price.
Based on your previous reviews I bought this very tent with the cold weather option, the groundsheet and the tough sac. I haven't had a chance to use it yet but the plan is to strap it to the handle bars of my bicycle using the tough sac and use it for stealth camping on cycle tours.
I like that this tent is low key. Good for not being noticed.
Oh hell yeah
I have one of these I use for motorcycle camping. Sets up quick, for a light, fast, no frills shelter. So long as its not hot and humid out, its a great tent. Even when raining, you CAN partially open the fly for some ventilation. But, it does become a hot tent pretty quick. As an aside, I have a Nemo sleeping pad. This is large enough to push out on the sides of the tent. Doesnt hurt it at all-but it takes up the entire floor of the tent.
I love this tent! I have the newest version with the ghost bone pole set. I notice your tent body is the older version with the full wrap around mesh door. The newer versions the mesh door is a "D" shaped door. When i purchased this tent new it did come with guy lines. One thing i did to my tent is i removed the cot attachments. I never use them and after rain storms they get dirty and were clunky and a pain it the butt to clean off. I cut them flush to the tent to where you cant even tell they were there and i saved about 4 ounces of weight by removing them give or take. Now the tent packs up much easier and a whisker smaller. Just a tip for those who don't like that feature. I have put my tent through numerous rain storms and it never fails! One other thing i love about this tent is the double doors and vestibules! Alot of one man tent do not offer two doors. Great feature! I also bought the matching ground sheet and its awesome! I have not bought the 4 season attachment yet but i plan to in the near future. Highly recommend this tent! Thanks Luke! Always great reviews man! Hike on!
I was issued mine over a year ago. I'm using it this weekend on a 4 day trip to the Black Hills and Badlands. I'm looking forward to seeing how well it works out!
Featherstone makes basically the same tent for less.
There are advantages and disadvantages to each. It's basically the same design, though. However, the Featherstone comes with a footprint, has vents, and you can stake out the front and back. It also has a polyester fly, which is more sunlight resistant than nylon, and sags much less than nylon when wet.
I have one, I've used it a lot (months straight, in a variety of conditions), and it's surprisingly good.
I was 7id lightfighter I was deployeed twice never got to use my tent except in bootcamp. Our poncho was our tent. It is very cool though very cool looking.
Love it!! We had the pup tents when I was in and they were nothing like this tent!! I hope to get one of these someday soon!
Wow...this is so cool! Compared to the 80s and canvas shelter halves (I had carried both sides so I could have a tent to myself). This is like a one person palace! (Well, compared to the 80s.) ... And I like the idea that it's a "hybrid" tent, like it could work in winter! -- OH!! You got me at the end with "pup tents"!! HAH!! -- Anyway, enjoyable video!!
I have been issued the older ACU improved combat tent. It’s practically the same concept. I love your review! It’ll probably be a while before most National Guardsmen see this item come down the line. A lot of our soldiers have gone out of pocket and have bought the Litefighter.
These are facts, we (family) have multiple of these(olden new version). Man these are, for the money from hot to cold are just FIRE!!!
Hey, I'm an ex UK soldier. Went to the States working with our counterparts and were issued these. They are fantastic! I'm used to sleeping under some tarp to bug out with . I failed to somehow bring one back home. Just bought one on ebay though and had to pay the horrendous postage tax, but that's the price. I hope it does the justice with no leaks like you mentioned, but i shall see when it turns up, especially in the UK. Nice video!
stop whining fool
Excellent idea with the big front door. Because you can have all the ventilation you want unless the the thunderstorm is after you and then it's a hunker down situation that makes the ventilation a secondary concern very good product well made and by the way my Chrysler van has 350 thousand miles and still shifts perfect but I have taken care of it
shaddup dork
That's awesome Luke, great that you can change it into a 4 season tent and you can get a bag for it that will attach to your pack and it comes in a camo pattern and is lightweight. What more could you ask for?
Thanks for the info. Hope you all are having a great Labor Day weekend. 👍🏕
This military tent, it really works for rain and snow thank you for sharing this with me Luke
I just picked up 5 of these for$40 each for myself, family and friends. Awesome value tent with super quick and easy setup.
I currently use this in the army, I had the standard one during the winter months and where I'm at it gets extremely cold. But that's just the weather. I love this tent, can't wait to try it out in the summer. The stakes do bend easily tho. And for everyone into "military grade" things, just know that military grade means it's gonna break down or not work properly. The military often buys from the cheapest seller. But for how compact and versatile this tent is I love it
I used mine this past annual training and I placed it on a cot and it is perfect 👍🏽
We got issues these tents for NTC (training exercise in Fort Irwin CA) the tents were awesome but the stakes they came with did not hold up well. That being said the stakes we had did look different. It’s a great tent for our extended stay in the desert.
I have an older ACU pattern version with only a single vestibule. I used it in high winds and rain and it never lets me down!
I still remember the shelter halves, we used in the jungles. Monsoons were no fun, trust me on this. This tent is far beyond those days. I used a gen 1 during the monsoon season awhile back, can't say enough good about it. Only time I was dry for 4 months.