Alps Mountaineering Chaos 2 Tent Review

This Alps Mountaineering Chaos 2 tent review is about an excellent 2-person tent with aluminum poles and two vestibules that provide enough space and full protection in a 3-season use.

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Key features & benefits

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What type is this Chaos 2 person tent

Here you have a really nicely designed dome-style tent supported by a double-hub frame structure visible in the picture below. This shows the tent without the fly, and in such a configuration it is fully freestanding. The poles attach to its corners so you can move it and rotate.

Observe that the poles are pre-bent and this gives more volume inside. They have added a short cross pole, picture below, that pulls the side walls up and make them vertical. So the inner volume is maximum what you can expect from such a construction, they have done an excellent job here.

Observe that there are two doors, they are not particularly big just to know, but in any case this is again an optimal configuration for two users. In the case of solo use, the second door will allow access to the storage area under the vestibule.

The tent is moderate regarding the height, you have 40 inches (102 cm) in the middle, enough to sit as you see in the picture below.

Vestibules: The tent comes with a full-size fly that creates two vestibules, each of them provides around 0.8 square meters of covered space. As usual, these vestibules must be staked, so although they provide a useful storage space for gear and boots/shoes, this is why the tent is not freestanding.

The picture above shows the tent under the fly, this is view from the back so you realize how the vestibules look. They need 114 inches (290 cm) of space.

Ventilation

The inner tent is all mesh and this is excellent for ventilation. They have added vents on the vestibules, so you have them two and this is very useful to fight condensation and they are equipped with stiffeners to keep them open, see the picture below.

There is not much one could object here, but I want to stress that such vents on vestibules are always too low to have a very effective escape of vapor that tends to accumulate on the highest point underneath the fly.

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Materials

The poles

The poles are excellent, I already mentioned the hub elements and one is shown in the picture below. You have 7000 series aluminum, strong and lightweight, 8.5 mm diameter. The poles are all shock corded together except for the short ridge pole. So assembly is really easy, you have clips on the tent that snap in place over the poles.

The fabric

The fabric is durable here, so it is not surprising that the tent is a bit on the heavy side, this is not necessarily a bad feature. You have a 75D 185T polyester fly with 1500 mm coating that according to their statements resists UV damage and stays taut.

The floor is the same 75D 185T poly taffeta but with 3000 mm coating. All seams are factory-sealed. The tent comes with reliable and large #8 zippers on its doors and vestibules.

Other features

• Mesh storage pocket.
• A gear loft, see the picture below.
• 7075 Aluminum stakes.
• Guy ropes are included.
• Floor saver available separately, you can see it here. It makes sense adding it to protect this quality floor, this is a small investment that can extend the life of the tent.

Please see more in this video, the 3-person version is shown but the features are the same, have a look:

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Who is it for

Regarding the area, the official capacity is 2 people. For this you have a generous space shown in the picture below. There is enough space in the inner tent as well as under the vestibules. Note that the inner tent width is 56 inches (142 cm), so you have plenty of space for two wide sleeping pads.

The total inner area is 33.4 ft² (3.1 m²), and with the vestibules together you have 50.6 ft² (4.7 m²). This is quite enough for two users. If you use this tent solo, you will have a camping castle.

Regarding the weight, with its 6 lb 8 oz (2.95 kg) this is not a lightweight tent and although the manufacturer describes it as a backpacking tent, this is not what I would carry in the pack. I have included it in my list of best two-person camping tents. If you need something to carry on the trail check these 2-person backpacking tents. This ALPS Mountaineering Backpacking Tent Helix is much lighter.

The packed size (L x D) 22 x 6.5 inches (56 x 16.5 cm) is quite good, so you can transport this tent even on a bicycle.

Regarding seasons & climate, you have quality and durable materials, this is a very reliable tent and it will protect you from anything in a 3-season use. Though you have seen that it is all mesh, so the tent is better suited for a warmer climate.

Being relatively low and aerodynamic, and with the fly that goes to the ground, it will behave great in windy places. You have quality stakes and poles, so you will be safe with this tent no matter where you use it.

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Specifications

• Weight: 6 lb 8 oz (2.95 kg).
• Dimensions: 86 x 114 in (218 x 290 cm).
• Inner area: 33.4 ft² (3.1 m²).
• Inner area per person: 16.7 ft² (1.55 m²).
• Total vestibules area: 17.2 ft² (1.6 m²).
• Total protected area: 50.6 ft² (4.7 m²).
• Packed size (L x D): 22 x 6.5 in (56 x 16.5 cm).
• Peak height: 40 in (102 cm).

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Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons

Please see how I rate this tent against my standard set of criteria, this allows for easy comparison with some other tents here in the site:

Check under the category Tents for 2 people if you need more options. You might want to compare this tent with the Mountain Hardwear Mineral King 2 Tent with Footprint built in a similar style. 

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