Aqua Quest Hooped Bivy One Person Tent Review
If you have ever been camping in the rain you know how extremely important it is to find a tent which is fully waterproof. I believe that anyone purposely planning to camp in the rain should, obviously, choose a waterproof tent. That being said, anyone who chooses to camp for longer than a few days at a time should also consider a fully waterproof tent. Even if you aren’t expecting rain, it may come.
Let me tell you a quick story to illustrate my point. There was once a time when a large group of us decided to go camping. Three of us shared a very large tent – one which could sleep up to eight people. We were, of course rather comfortable in our tent.
We had been smart enough to put our money together to purchase one which was fully waterproof, in case we ran into any rain on our camping adventure. We’d gone on this adventure with a larger group of people. Two of those people chose not to bring their waterproof tent. “It doesn’t call for rain this week,” they said.
Weather forecasts change. The weatherman or weatherwoman is not a psychic. Forecast is just a fancy word for “educated guess”. Of course, the forecast changed during our camping trip. We weren’t aware of the change because we didn’t have televisions or cell phone signals, but it changed nonetheless.
So there the three of us sat in the middle of a rainstorm, playing board games and having a great time in our waterproof tent when our two other friends came crawling in, sopping wet. They’d been having a nap and didn’t even realize that their tent had begun to leak until they were completely soaked, along with their dog and all their belongings.
You will not have to worry about experiencing anything like my friends experienced if you purchase the Aqua Quest Hooped Bivy Tent. Its extremely waterproof material will keep you dry throughout the night, no matter how hard it rains.
This is extremely impressive since most tents, even very waterproof ones, will leak if you allow anything to touch the outer walls. That won’t happen with this tent. In fact, it is almost guaranteed that you will be touching the sides of this small, compact bivouac tent at some point.
Having already discussed the importance of waterproofing and how incredibly waterproof this particular tent happens to be, I believe it is important for us to take some time to look at its other great qualities.
Compact and Lightweight
Measuring 5-inches in width and 15-inches in length when fully packed into its carrying bag, this Aqua Quest tent is a great size for carrying inside your backpack or attaching to the outside of your backpack as you hike.
If you are traveling to your destination by car, this slim design makes it easy to slip into the smallest areas of your trunk or backseat space, leaving more room for your other belongings.
If you are backpacking to various camping destinations, the 2 pounds 4 ounces total weight of this tent will add very little weight to your pack. This will allow you to maneuver easily or carry more things with you without struggling beneath the weight of a heavy pack.
Slim Bivouac Design
Some people prefer tents with a lot of space inside to disrobe or carry out various activities (for example, unpacking and repacking your bag during a rain storm). However, it should be noted that the larger your tent is, the more susceptible it is to damage from harsh outdoor elements.
The slim, low-profile design of this tent, on the other hand, will be able to withstand pelting rain and strong winds without much difficulty. You will not have to worry about losing a rainfly or having the entire tent ripped from the ground. This tent is very short and clings to the ground once fixed in place. Its domed cocoon design allows winds to roll over it instead of getting caught on broad side panels.
Though this is not an all-season tent and is not designed for use in harsh northern winters, its slim design allows it to trap heat for those cold autumn and spring nights.
Specially designed “batwing” tie downs at the foot of the tent elevate your feet from the ground, pulling them away from its cool dampness. On warmer nights, you can easily pull back the top section to look up at the stars and breathe in fresh air through the mesh roof.