I just returned from the Yukon territory in Canada, where I was leading expedition rafting trips in Alaska and Canada. Incredible trips as they were, (and you will be hearing about them I promise!) there couldn’t have been a better opportunity to test out Sierra Designs Zilla 2-person 3 season tent.
I spent twenty-five days and nights exploring the Kluane/Wrangell-St. Elias/Glacier Bay/Tatshenshini-Alsek international park system located at the border of Yukon, British Columbia and Alaska. Needless to say, the weather can be pretty intense here, and I was impressed that the Zilla 2 was up to the challenge.
The tent has two doors and two vestibules which enable easy access and storage. These vestibules proved key for me when dealing with my wet gear, dry bag and boots. I loved using both vestibules for my two bags-my sleeping stuff and clothes bag. I couldn’t fit all of it safely in one vestibule, and so two worked perfectly. For two people it would work, though it would be cozy and close indeed. 🙂
The freestanding tent uses two poles attached with an plastic connection piece which makes putting up the tent solo an absolute breeze. Extremely compact and weighing less than 6 pounds, many mornings I chose to just stuff the tent into the bag instead of folding and rolling it neatly, as often is necessary for larger tents.
I personally prefer clips versus sleeves when it comes to attaching poles to tents, as I find it takes less time and work. In this manner the clips worked very well for the tent, and the grommet pole attachments did their job. I didn’t bother to use the Velcro pole attachments for the high wind conditions, but nevertheless the tent performed well.
The major letdown with the tent though were the stakes, as they bent and broke by day 7. I ended up using some spares stakes I had brought plus some rocks. It wasn’t a big deal, but considering everything else was so bomber, I was disappointed with this small flaw.
Most importantly, the tent remained dry and upright in intense 50 mile/hour winds plus days and days of heavy rain. The floor also remained dry without a footprint, but moving forward I’ll be sure to purchase one to be safe.
What I love:Â
- Two doors and two vestibules provide easy access and dry storage.
- Small hanging pockets inside the tent.
- Durable rain fly.
- Ease of set-up
Not so much:
- Tent stakes break and bend easily.
The Zilla 2 tent will serve me well for weekend adventures and for longer backpacking trips as well. With new stakes and some TLC the tent should last me for many trips to come.
You can purchase the Zilla 2 tent for $169.95 here on the Sierra Designs website.