Big Agnes Dog House 4 Person Tent (Aluminum Poles)

Big Agnes Dog House 4 Person Tent is a single-wall freestanding and very easy to use camping tent with top-quality aluminum poles. Read more below.

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Key features & benefits

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What type of tent is this Dog House 4

Here you have the smaller tent from the mini-series that Big Agnes launched recently, and it includes also a 6-person tent with the same features. This is a single-room fully freestanding tent with one door and two windows on the opposite sides. The picture below shows its back side where you have a rear window with mesh and a zippered panel.

As you realize from the pictures, this is a simple dome tent but with very steep walls so it looks almost like a cabin-style tent. You need to know that this is a single-layer construction. So what you see above is the whole tent with its body which is the fly at the same time.

This somewhat unique design allows for dry entry, and also for a dry setup even if you are pitching the tent in the rain. You simply pass the poles through the sleeves and raise the tent while its interior remains dry and it is never exposed to the rain.

The tent is also quite tall for its size, the peak height is 60 inches (152 cm) at the center. With so steep walls you have plenty of volume inside and this makes it very pleasant. 

Ventilation

Being a single-wall tent, you need vents here, so they have added two large vents on the sides under the roof. You can see them in the pictures. The two windows are also with mesh so you have cross-flow from all four sides. But there are no floor vents here, pity they did not add them.

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Who is it for

Regarding the space, this is officially a 4-person tent. The picture below shows its floor plan and how the manufacturer thinks you can use it in the case of 4 people inside. It simply makes no sense although it is possible to squeeze 4 pads on the floor.

The area is 57 ft² (5.3 m²) so per person this implies 14.2 ft² (1.3 m²), and this all without vestibules for storage. I see it as a great tent for a couple or for parents with one small kid.

Regarding the weight and packed size, the tent is such that it is indeed backpack-portable. It weighs 8 lb 10 oz (3.91 kg) and this is quite light, though its packed size 23.5 x 8.5 inches (60 x 23 cm) is less impressive. It is light because it is a single-wall tent.

So group members can share the weight and use it on short tours. You can definitely transport it on a bicycle or a motorbike.

Regarding seasons and climate, this is a 3-season tent, perhaps better suited for a cooler environment. The waterproof rating is good, the poles are high quality, but it is a bit boxy and tall and with those brims, it is not best suited for a windy environment.

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About materials

The poles

There are three poles here, a high-quality DAC DA17 lightweight aluminum with a diameter of 13 mm for the main dome poles and 12 mm for the shorter ridge pole. So this is the best in the industry and the price is very reasonable in view of such a material.

You have plastic clips and sleeves to attach the tent to the poles, and everything is color-coded.

The fabric

All that you see here is the same polyester material and with the same 1500 mm waterproof polyurethane coating except for the mesh section which is nylon. Note that floor is bathtub style, see the picture below. So the floor is with a bit low rating but they sell a footprint that can be ordered separately.

Other features 

• The tent comes with ready to pitch pre-cut reflective guylines and tensioners attached to the tent.
• You have several interior loops for attaching gear lofts, accessories and mtnGLO and camp lights which they sell separately.
• 2 Interior mesh pockets.
• 8 Aluminum hook stakes are included.

Please see more in this short video where both tents from the series are presented:

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Specifications

• Declared capacity: 4-person.
• Minimum trail weight: 8 lb 4 oz (3.74 kg).
• Packed weight: 8 lb 10 oz (3.91 kg).
• Dimensions: 118 x 100 in (233 x 228 cm).
• Area: 57 ft² (5.3 m²).
• Area per person: 14.2 ft² (1.3 m²).
• Packed size (L x D): 23.5 x 8.5 in (60 x 23 cm).
• Peak height: 60 in (152 cm).

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Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons

Please see how I rate this tent against the criteria used consistently for all the tents here in the site. This allows for easy comparison:

Please check under the category of Tents if you need more options. Check Kelty Wireless 4 or Big Agnes Bunk House 4 Person Camping Tent if you would rather have a tent with vestibules.

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