| This shopping guide for the Eureka Apex 2XT, | | | | As others have noted, if you are inside, the zipper |
| some reviews seem to confuse which tent is | | | | for the closed vestibule is quite a distance off. I |
| being discussed. The 2XT features a full rain fly | | | | am average height (just under 5'10")and I would |
| with vestibules that are enclosed. The Apex 2 has | | | | have to lean way out or squat in the vestibule |
| a half rain fly and open vestibules. | | | | area to open the fly. Either way my back came |
| I had read quite a number of the reviews for this | | | | into contact with the fly material and was soaked, |
| outdoor tents, here and in other areas, and | | | | either by the rain that had fallen, or by the |
| thought I understood (and could live with) a | | | | morning dew seeping through the fly. I can not |
| number of the drawbacks, but in use I could not. | | | | stress enough how annoying this is. If the ground |
| The positives: | | | | is wet or muddy due to rain, you're going to get |
| This is a very easy to setup tent, it really only | | | | wet or muddy. |
| takes several minutes. Assemble the two poles, | | | | Even if you are opening the vestibule externally |
| place one end of each into a pocket in the corner | | | | and the fly is wet, water will run down the fly and |
| of the tent, insert a pin from an opposing corner | | | | into the tent unless you are extremely careful. |
| into the other end of the pole, then fasten the | | | | I believe that every tent with an enlosed vestibule |
| center point of the tent to the two poles (a loop | | | | has related issues. I have been observing different |
| of material and a dogbone shaped piece of plastic | | | | designs when I go camping, and other than having |
| accomplishes this) and finish by attaching the clips | | | | a shorter reach to the zipper, decreasing the |
| from the edges of the tent to the poles. Beautiful. | | | | vestibule size, I have not seen any real |
| Figure out which way the fly gets oriented, drape | | | | differences. I was thinking of resigning myself to |
| it too much and secure the clips at the lower | | | | this, and perhaps attaching a mini-blind wand to |
| corners. Some extra velcro further secures it to | | | | the zipper to ease the reach when I noticed |
| the tent poles, and then stake out the vestibule. | | | | some thing else. |
| Again, very easy. | | | | At the end of the vestibule you will find there's |
| The tent is pretty roomy, and provided you are | | | | snap beyond the zipper. After the rain, I set the |
| using standard sleeping pads you ought to have | | | | tent up in my garage to dry and air out. I could |
| no difficulty being comfortable with two people | | | | not get this snap to close and noticed that it had |
| and minimal gear. Use an inflatable twin size air | | | | actually rusted a bit. I am dumbfounded that they |
| mattresses, and it's also definitely a one person | | | | did not use a stainless steel snap. At this point I |
| tent. | | | | decided I would return the tent. |
| I used the tent in a light rain, and left it setup in a | | | | I really do like a lot about this tent, the simplicity |
| very heavy rain, and I did not notice any leakage | | | | setup, the dimension, weight, and the price, but |
| inside of the tent. | | | | the vestibule issue is simply too much. |
| The negatives: | | | | |