Kelty Towpath 3 Tent is a simple dome structure with one door and one vestibule, with fiberglass poles, a full-coverage fly & a great price tag.
Key features
- Simple dome tent.
- Quick-Corner design for fast and easy setup.
- Fiberglass poles.
- Full coverage fly.
- One door & one vestibule.
Overview
This Towpath 3 Person Tent is a simple dome construction supported by two poles. It comes with Kelty’s Quick-Corner design which implies narrow but deep sleeves/pockets in the corners where you put the ends of the poles as shown in the picture below. Then you raise the canopy and attach it to the poles above.
The purpose of this design is that one person can easily set this tent up, when you put the pole’s end in the corner sleeve it will not jump out when you go to do the same in the opposite corner. Kelty has been introducing this feature in several of their recent tents, see for example this Kelty Wireless Tent 4 Person.
The picture below shows the tent without the fly and with the canopy fully attached so you can understand its basic structure. The peak height is 50 inches (127 cm), and the tent is with one door only. In this setup without the fly the tent is freestanding.
The fly is a full-coverage type and it creates a useful vestibule shown in the top picture above. The vestibule must be staked properly to be functional, so the tent is not freestanding. If you do not need its storage area, you can roll it to the sides as shown in the picture below. You can do this whenever the sky is clear and to enjoy the views around.
Ventilation
With such a full-size fly condensation is always an issue. This can be reduced in the configuration with the vestibule flaps rolled to the sides as in the picture above.
But when it is raining, you have to close the vestibule fully or partly, and for such situations they have added a roof vent on the rear side of the tent, see the picture below.
Other features
- Internal storage pockets in the corners, see one above.
- Pre-attached guylines.
- Included shark-mouth carry bag:
Materials
The poles are fiberglass, this is normal to expect in such a budget-friendly tent. The diameter is 9.5 mm so they are strong but this material is not particularly durable.
The fly is a polyester taffeta 68D with a polyurethane coating. The canopy is a combination of a mesh and the same polyester taffeta 68D. The same material is used for the floor. Surprisingly, they do not provide an official waterproof rating, but the seams are taped and the tent is waterproof, I have not seen complaints about leaks.
Who is it for
Regarding the area, the tent is officially for 3 people, and for this you have a floor area of 46.4 ft² (4.3 m²). This gives 15.5 ft² (1.44 m²) per person. The vestibule area is 9.2 ft² (0.85 m²), so the total protected space is 55.6 ft² (5.15 m²) and this is not bad. But it is best to use it for two people maximum.
Regarding seasons & climate, this tent can protect you in a 3-season use, and the manufacturer describes it as a 3-season tent. But with so much mesh you will not feel great in a cold environment. So it is best to use it in a warmer part of the year.
The tent is low profile and aerodynamic so there is no doubt it will perform well in a windy place. But with such a low canopy and dome configuration it does not provide lots of volume inside.
Regarding the weight, the tent is moderately light with its 7 lb 15 oz (3.6 kg) weight, so it can be carried on some shorter tours if the users share the weight. The packed size is quite good, it measures (L x D) 21.5 x 6 inches (55 x 15 cm).
But it is best suited for activities and places where you would not have to carry it yourself, you can use it for some bicycle or motorcycle tours, or just as a car camping tent. If you need something for the trail, check these best backpacking 3 person tents. I have included it in my list of 3 person tents for camping.
Specifications
- Best use: camping.
- Official capacity: 3 people.
- Minimum trail weight: 6 lb 15 oz (3.15 kg).
- Packaged weight: 7 lb 15 oz (3.6 kg).
- Floor dimensions: 88 x 76 in (224 x 193 cm).
- Floor area: 46.4 ft² (4.3 m²).
- Area per person: 15.5 ft² (1.44 m²).
- Vestibule area: 9.2 ft² (0.85 m²).
- Total protected area: 55.6 ft² (5.15 m²).
- Peak height: 50 in (127 cm).
- Packed size (L x D): 21.5 x 6 in (55 x 15 cm).
- Poles: fiberglass.
Final thoughts, rating, pros & cons
So if you are on a budget and want an easy to use and reliable tent from a respected brand for occasional outdoor use, this Kelty Towpath 3 Tent is a tent to consider. This is a basic shelter, light enough to be carried on some shorter tours but best suited for activities where you would not carry it yourself. Fully recommended.
Below is a summary of my rating and some pros and cons so you can easily compare it with some other tents here in the site:
Kelty Towpath 3 Tent
Pros
- Easy to use.
- Affordable.
- Good packed size.
Cons
- One door.
- Fiberglass poles.
Please check under the category Tents for 3 people if you need more options. You might want to compare this tent with The North Face Eco Trail 3-Person Camping Tent built in the same style. See also this NEMO Aurora 3 Person Backpacking Tent which is considerably lighter and suitable for the trail.
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