MSR Elixir 2 Tent

MSR’s Elixir tents offer relatively lightweight(ish) options in several sizes, with decent weather handling. They’re somewhat similar to the Hubba range, albeit slightly heavier and more durable. I’ve used the Elixir 2 on numerous car camping trips around the UK, and found it a reliable shelter for all manner of weather conditions. Its 2.9kg weight and relatively compact pack size make this two man tent an option for both backpacking and kayaking trips for those on a bit of a budget.

As a semi freestanding dome tent (semi because the vestibules still require pegging out), the Elixir 2 has a decent size interior with reasonable peak height and relatively steep sides to maximise the interior space. As a two man tent, it provides a lot of room for one camper, but a relatively tight space for two; this isn’t a tent you’ll want to share with someone you’re not super comfortable with. The tent does have two vestibules, which does make sharing the tent easier, as well as providing space for your bags and other gear.

The interior allows for reasonably comfortable movement inside (although you’ll still be thrashing your limbs around trying to wiggle into a change of clothing), while providing good stability in rough weather conditions. Several interior loops and pockets provide stash points for keeping small bits of gear close at hand, although personally I’ve never really made much use of tent pockets myself.

Pitching the tent is pretty easy. The color-coded poles, clips, and sleeves are fairly self-explanatory. MSR’s tents are very consistent in this regard. Additionally, the semi freestanding design allows you to easily pitch the tent on various terrains and adjust its position for optimum placement on the available terrain, and it can also be pitched without the fly in good conditions, allowing a lovely view of the sky.

Like most MSR tents, it pitches inner-first; this means that if you have to pitch it during rain, the inner could get damp. However, since the tent pitches very quickly, this isn’t necessarily a huge problem and shouldn’t put you off buying the tent if all the other features and the price are checking the right boxes for you.

The Elixir, like many American-designed tents, has pretty decent ventilation, managing condensation by maintaining a good amount of space between the inner and the fly, along with two pop-out panels on either end and catenary patterning on the fly (the arch-shaped bottom of the fly for those not down with the lingo) that allows airflow to enter from ground-level. I do wish more European tent manufacturers would use these pop-out apex vents on their tents.

The inner features a combination of mesh panels that contribute to good airflow; even during humid nights, the tent effectively prevents heavy condensation buildup, only really building up any noticeable moisure when it’s really tipping it down outside, although even then I’ve not experienced any dripping back down into the tent itself.

The materials, including the aluminum poles, bath tub floor and quite thick rainfly feel durable. This tent has withstood gusty winds and really heavy rain; it’s worth noting, however, that the thick rainfly gets quite noisy when the wind picks up.

The tent’s reasonably lightweight design and compact packing size allow for easy transportation, whether you’re on a weekend backpacking trip, where it’d ideally be split between multiple backpacks, or, as is often my case, packing it into a kayak. It’s not ultra lightweight by any stretch of the imagination, but for more budget-conscious campers, it’s absolutely an option worth considering.

Pros
Reasonably lightweight with small packsize
Spacious inside
Decent sized vestibules
Very good weatherproofing and stability
Included footprint

Cons
Noisy in windy weather
Does not pitch all-in-one
Door zips have a tendency to catch on the tent fabric