This Alps Mountaineering Chaos 3 Tent Review is about a very reliable and nicely built tent with aluminum poles and durable fabric for full protection in a 3-season use.
Key features & benefits
- Aluminum poles.
- Full coverage fly.
- Fly vents.
- Durable fabric.
What this Chaos 3 Tent is about
Here you have a tent that has been on the market for many years already, very reliable, tried and tested by many people. The picture below shows its latest version and you realize that the inner tent is a fully freestanding double-hubbed structure.
This is a symmetric design with two doors and two vestibules and the inner tent is all mesh but with a taffeta section close to the ground. The extra brow pole makes the side walls vertical so this adds lots of volume inside, the picture below shows how this looks.
The tent is not particularly tall, you have 41 inches (104 cm) peak height, so this should be fine for sitting inside. With the full fly on the tent is not freestanding, the vestibules must be staked properly to be functional. You have all the stakes and the guylines included.
Ventilation
You have already seen the mesh on the inner tent, so air can flow in any direction. But they have added two vents on the vestibules area. This will allow for vapor to escape and this is good to fight condensation that is always present in tents. The picture below shows one of the vents with its Velcro stiffener that keeps it open.
Materials
The poles
You have an excellent set of poles here, 7000 series aluminum, and the picture below zooms into one of its hub element. The poles’ diameter is 9.5 mm. The tent attaches to the poles through clips shown below. So this is an easy setup with shock-corded tubes, all the poles except for the short ridge pole are one single piece.
The fabric
The fabric is also very good and durable. You have 75D 185T polyester fly with 1500 mm coating. They claim it resists UV damage and stays taut. The floor is also 75D 185T poly taffeta but with 3000 mm coating. All seams are factory-sealed. They use large #8 zippers on the doors and vestibules.
Other features
- Extra guy-outs on fly to stabilize the tent.
- Mesh storage pocket.
- Gear loft is included.
- 7075 Aluminum stakes.
- ALPS Mountaineering Chaos 3-Person Tent Floor Saver can be ordered separately here, it is very affordable and it saves the tent’s floor from sharp items on the ground.
Please see more in this video:
Who is it for
Space-wise, the declared capacity is 3 people and for this you have 41 ft² (3.8 m²) in the inner tent. This is not much per person but you also have two vestibules that add 22 ft² (2 m²). So the total covered area per person is 21 ft² (1.9 m²) and this is far from bad. The picture below shows how they think you can use the tent:
Note that the total space is a bit smaller than in their Alps Mountaineering Aries 3 tent that also has two vestibules.
Weight-wise, with its 6 lb 14 oz (3.1 kg) of weight this tent is a bit heavy to be carried on the trail, but this can be done for some shorter adventures. But this is an excellent tent and I have included it in my list of best 3 person tents for camping. If you need something for the trail in this capacity range, check my list with best 3-person backpacking tents.
The packed size is very good, it measures (L x D) 23 x 6.5 inches (58 x 16.5 cm) so you can carry it attached to the pack or transport on a bicycle and in any other way possible.
Seasons-wise, this is a very reliable tent and it will protect you from anything in a 3-season use. It is the other thing if you would feel good in it in a cold environment. You have seen that it is all mesh, so the tent is better suited for a warmer climate, but this is definitely up to you.
The tent is quite low and very aerodynamic. The fly goes to the ground, you have quality stakes and poles, so it will behave well in windy conditions.
Specifications
- Declared capacity: 3 people.
- Weight: 6 lb 14 oz (3.1 kg).
- Dimensions: 5’6 x 7’6.
- Center height: 41 in (104 cm).
- Vestibule depth: 35 in (89 cm).
- Tent area: 41 ft² (3.8 m²).
- Vestibule area: 22 ft² (2 m²).
- Packed size: 23 x 6.5 in (58 x 16.5 cm).
Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons
In the summary of this Alps Mountaineering Chaos 3 Tent review, I wish to stress again that this is a very reliable tent built for full protection in any weather conditions. You have all the quality materials here, poles, fabric, and stakes. The brand behind this tent is well-known for its reliable outdoor items. Fully recommended. Note that they also have a 2-person version, the Alps Mountaineering Chaos 2 Tent.
Please see how I rate this tent against my standard set of criteria so you can easily compare with the other tents herein the site:
ALPS Mountaineering Chaos 3-Person Tent
Pros
- Full protection.
- Quality poles.
- Quality fabric.
- Very good packed size.
Cons
- Small inner area for 3 people.
If you need more options just look around under the category Tents for 3 people. This particular group contains tents in various shapes and sizes. In particular, see this Sierra Designs Full Moon 3 Person Tent built in the same style if you need something for the trail. But if you would rather have a tent without vestibules, check this Columbia Modified 3 Person Dome Tent.
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