ProView – Sierra Designs Meteor Lite 2

When your home away from home is a tent you end up spreading out, moving in, and generally just spending a lot of time (sometimes more than you want) in the tent. The Sierra Designs Meteor Lite 2 tent is a great second home; one you can really get comfortable in no matter the environment or weather forecast.

I used the Meteor Lite 2 tent over the past several weeks in the ever-changing springtime weather of the Colorado Plateau and the gravely ground of the South Platte region of Colorado.  The very first tent I ever used (almost 20 years ago!) when I started backpacking in 8^th grade was a Sierra Designs tent; so I was excited to use a modern tent from them and see what all the hype is about. 

Weight/Packability

At 3 pounds, 9 ounces and a packed dimension of 18 inches x 6.5 inches, the size (or lack thereof) will probably be the first thing you notice. I was pleased that I had a tent that was not cumbersome since when I am not tent living, I live in a UPS-delivery-truck-turned-motorhome. Space can be limited but it is nice to bring along a tent as a backup living quarters or for those impromptu overnight backpacking trips. This tent stows easily thanks to its great packability.

Sierra Design’s “burrito bag” packaging is also fantastic. I do not think I have ever used a tent that went back into the bag as small as it came from the manufacturer – even when you are in a hurry and do not try very hard. The tent pole bag has an attached pouch for the stakes which was a nice touch.

Size

The tent is spacious and for a 6’2”, 215lb person, that is important! I fit comfortably in the tent while laying down but most notable were the near-vertical sidewalls. These provide so much more space and helps eliminate that cramped tent feel when you and your tentmate are both sitting up in the tent while it thunderstorms outside. You have two doors and two vestibules (approx.. 9sq. ft each!) which provide tons of covered storage space for gear, clothes, shoes, and even a 75lb dog!

Performance

The rain fly performed well in the brief but heavy thunderstorms of the desert, but I never used it in prolonged rain like you might face in the Pacific Northwest. Great hardware for being able to draw the fly tight simply means less flapping of material during the night and easy adjustments for when the fabric loosens up due to saturation.

At first, the tent seems complicated to set up, but a set of colored photo instructions are included. The instructions seemed hard to follow but luckily the tent is relatively intuitive to set up. They utilize some color coding poles and points on the tent to make sure things are set up correctly. The poles use a keyhole slotted metal attachment point on the tent which at first seemed like it was going to be great but it doesn’t provide a lot of friction and inevitably your pole will pop out when you move to the other end. 

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Sierra Designs started in 1965 which means your buying from a veteran company with a proven track record of well-made equipment. More importantly, they instituted a Code of Conduct in 1995 that has guided them in operating in a way that is socially responsible. Focusing on ethical standards, working conditions and fair labor practices. They have made this a large priority of their business and choose to partner and support organizations that are committed to these same principles.

Room for Improvement

The tent does not come with a footprint which I think is a big negative. A footprint helps protect and prolong the life of the bottom of your tent and adds another moisture barrier level. I find footprints to be an integral part of the tent system and should be included. You can buy one made specifically for the Meteor 2 for an additional $30 MSRP. Since the Meteor Lite 2 is one of their most expensive 2 person tents ($370 MSRP) I feel they dropped the ball on the footprint exclusion.

The Final Word

Overall, I think this tent is fantastic and will age well and serve as a useful home away from home. Not many tents provide an open feeling on the inside, this was probably the aspect of this tent I appreciated the most alongside the double vestibules. Despite the lack of footprint and cheap tent stakes (many broke), this will make a great gear acquisition!

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