Outer Space III Tent

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The Outer Space III Tent is an unusually designed shelter with an enormous vestibule and plenty of liveable space. It’s not something I would put into the ultra-light tent category but as a lightweight basecamp shelter or a perfect bike-packing tent.

Exped says:

Spacious 3-season tent with large vestibule. Outer Space tents are shape-shifting, multi-mode, take-anywhere tents with enough vestibule space for a party. Multiple set-up and deployment modes allow Outer Space to adapt to changing conditions and personal preferences for optimal comfort. The fly can easily be set up on its own, without the inner tent, or combined with a footprint for lightweight trips. Party Mode is made possible by the exostructure pole configuration, allowing the inner tent to be temporarily disconnected and pushed aside. Multiple chairs fit comfortably under the steep-walled fly-only shelter.

Our Verdict

A uniquely adaptable tent, its main draw is for campers who like to have a liveable-sized vestibule. The tent goes up inner and outer together, so the inside is protected if erected in bad weather. The spacious and airy inner almost eliminates condensation being a problem.

Despite its unusual shape, the tent is easy to pitch once you know what you are doing. The colour-coded grommets make for a quick, uncomplicated pitch. The Outer Space tent has two doors, the “front door” leads into the massive vestibule, but a “back door”, which also has a small vestibule, is used to quickly enter and exit the tent, which is much more convenient if you need to get up in the night.

The star of the show is the vast front vestibule, which creates a sizeable liveable area, perfect if you are tent bound by bad weather, but in the heat, it creates shade and promotes good airflow to cool down the tent. According to Exped, four small camp chairs and a small table can fit in the vestibule; it’s an excellent social base camp.

It’s 2940g weight and relatively bulky pack size mean this isn’t something I would be taking ultra-light backpacking; it’s a good basecamp or campsite tent. Even if you and a partner split the weight, it’s not something I would take into the hills without first checking the weather forecast; its high sides mean it will easily catch the wind.

– Reviewed by Ultralight Outdoor Gear

Features

• Virtually freestanding
• Easy setup with attached canopy and fly 
• Mesh pockets at head end 
• Update: DAC poles 
• Update: Easy set up with two-part pole set
• Update: 2 point guy loops on the vestibule
• Intended use: camping, canoeing, summer basecamp and family trips

Specifications

Our weights

• Flysheet and Inner weighs: 1995g
• Poles weigh: 945g
• Total weight: 2940g (excludes pegs & bags)
• Pegs x 11 weigh: 69g

Exped Specs

• Minimum weight: 3.10kg
• Packed weight: 3.30kg
• Persons: 2-3
• Floor size: 215 x 150cm
• Inner height: 140cm
• Canopy area: 3.20 m²
• Vestibule area: 3.80 m²
• Packed size: 56 x 23cm
• Suitable for up to 2 LW mats or one Duo mat

Material

• Rainfly: 15 D ripstop nylon, silicone/PU coated, factory seam taped, Oeko Tex® 100 certified, PFC-free, flame-retardant free
• Canopy: 15 D ripstop nylon, 20 D No-See-Um mosquito mesh, Oeko Tex® 100 certified, DWR C6, flame-retardant free
• Floor: 40 D ripstop nylon laminated, 10 000 mm water column, Oeko Tex® 100 certified, PFC-free, flame-retardant free
• Poles: DAC Featherlite NFL 9.3 mm TH72M, green anodizing

Help & advice:

• The Ultimate Guide to Ultralight Tents
• Time-Saver Guide to Choosing a Tent
• When pegs go bad – Everything you need to know about tent pegs
• Are Tent Footprints Worth It?
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• Why is ‘PFC Free’ Important?
• About Exped