The Kelty Gunnison 2 With Footprint is the 2017 version of the very popular 3-season freestanding tent, with the great price tag below $170.
Key features and benefits
- Great price.
- Footprint included.
- A lot of space.
- Freestanding.
- 2 doors.
- Very durable materials.
- Awning design in one vestibule, see the picture above.
Who is it for
As the name suggests, the Kelty Gunnison 2 is a tent for two people, suitable for any outdoor activity in all seasons except for winter conditions. Its minimum weight is 2.3 kg (5 lb 1 oz) so even in such a configuration, it is not so lightweight. So perhaps it is not the best option for backpacking, certainly not for those who are true minimalists.
The tent packs to a nice size and its carry bag is a roll-top type, so it can be carried on a motorbike. If you plan to use it at places with a car access, then its weight is not an issue and it is great as a solo tool, eventually with your dog.
This tent is certainly a great option for kayakers, hunters, hikers, or anything similar outdoor, for summer camps, and as a tent for couples at music festivals in open space.
Description
the Kelty Gunnison 2 With Footprint is a freestanding tent, so pitching it on any terrain is not a problem. But they do provide stakes, so you can certainly fix it to the ground and secure against winds. You have guyout points on each corner to further stabilize the tent.
The construction is based on two crossed poles, so it is stable and sturdy enough for a normal 3-season use. Note that you have a fixed angle center pole connector on the top, this adds some extra head space and stability as well. You can see it the picture below.
The tent is a 2-layer type, so you have the inner tent which is mainly a mesh and the waterproof floor, plus a rain fly for protection. All seams are taped, so the protection from elements is complete. Note, the waterproofness is 1800 mm, quite typical and reasonable.
The tent comes with its custom fit footprint, which is a bonus indeed if you bear in mind its price which is below $170 at the moment of writing this text. Note that such a footprint is in the range $30 if ordered separately.
There are several nice details in this tent. I particularly love its awning design with one of the vestibules (note they are built asymmetric). So you have a dual zipper in one of them and you can stretch the vestibule forward and fix with your poles and guylines creating a large covered area in front of the door.
Yet other nice features are the door pockets, see the picture, where you can store the panel doors so that they are not in your way. Note that you have mesh pockets for small items inside the tent.
The carry bag is roll top type, it looks big when packed, but it is better so. I have one tent which packs to an incredibly small carry bag, but can tell you it is a hard work to get the tent inside. This is not so in this case, there is plenty of space in the carry bag here.
The fly covers the tent all the way to the floor area, but you have vents in the top, so ventilation should be normal and condensation problems (if any) should be minimal.
Setup procedure
The setup is described in the video below, so no need to repeat here, just to stress that it is very standard for such a construction and all is color coded, see the picture.
But colors may not be useful in the dark, so practice the setup before going on a tour; it is a shame to admit but I have been once in such an embarrassing situation and it was raining so the tent was supposed to be setup quickly.
Please see this very useful video by Kelty about their 2017 Gunnison series:
Pros & Cons
My short summary is as follows:
| Good | Less good |
|
|
In view of such a long list of Pros, I might look biased, perhaps I am a bit as I do appreciate Kelty’s equipment. Anyhow, see my detailed rating below.
My rating of the Kelty Gunnison 2 With Footprint
-
Weight - 7.9/10
7.9/10
-
Surface to weight ratio - 8.3/10
8.3/10
-
Reliability - 9.8/10
9.8/10
-
Ease of use and features - 9.6/10
9.6/10
-
Price - 9.2/10
9.2/10
Specifications
- Type: 3-season, freestanding.
- Capacity: 2 people.
- Minimum weight: 5 lb 1 oz (2.3 kg).
- Packaged weight: 6 lb 1 oz (2.75 kg).
- Floor area: 30 ft² (2.79 m²).
- Vestibule area: 14 + 8 ft² (1.3 + 0.75 m²).
- Dimensions (L x W x H): 89 x 51 x 43 in (226 x 130 x 109 cm).
- Packed size (L x D): 16 x 12 in (41 x 30 cm).
- Doors: 2.
- Vestibules: 2
- Fly and Floor fabric: 68D Polyester; 1800 mm.
- Inner tent walls: 68D Polyester and No See-Um mesh.
- Poles: 2, Compact Folding, Multi-Diameter, Press Fit.
Kelty Gunnison 2 with footprint vs competitors
See how Kelty Gunnison 2 compares with its closest competitors, all great tents and all with footprints. Please follow the links to see more:
| Kelty Gunnison 2 |
MSR Elixir 2 |
Mountainsmith Morrison EVO 2 |
|
| Weight (kg) | 2.75* | 2.64* | 2.98* |
| Floor surface (m²) | 2.79 | 2.69 | 3.34 |
| Vestibule (m²) | 2.05 | 1.6 | 1.77 |
| Height (cm) | 109 | 102 | 114 |
| Surface/weight ratio (m²/kg) |
1.01* | 1.02* | 1.12* |
| Free standing | yes | yes | yes |
| Footprint | yes | yes | yes |
| Gear loft | no | no | yes |
*Note, this is the packed weight which includes the footprint as well.
The price
The prices of the tents are at the moment of writing this text, respectively, $170, 250, 160. So Kelty is here again among those with the best price. In view of the footprint included, this price is more than reasonable.
Summary
So to conclude this 2017 Kelty Gunnison 2 With Footprint review, you have Kelty here again with a great product, a very functional design, and all combined with a price which is hard to match for such a quality tent. I can fully recommend it regardless if you are a complete beginner or not. This is a versatile tool, suitable for various activities both for two people and as a solo tool assuming you use it with a car or a motorbike. But they have a solo version in this series, and you can see it here.
If you need something different, please visit my page with tents, there are tens of them described there. If you prefer something with the front door, please check the Horizon 2 from the same brand. If you need something in the basecamp-style, do not miss to check this Vango Omega 250 with two separate rooms.
Thank you for reading. In the case of questions and comments, please use the comment box below. I wish you a pleasant day.
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