Anyone have an opinion on Big Agnes Wolf Mountain 6 vs Marmot Halo?

[rollingbones]

Anyone have an opinion on Big Agnes Wolf Mountain 6 vs Marmot Halo? Family of three, no pets, looking for space to stretch out for the longer stays. Wife's original request was for a two- or three-room tent, but I can't find anything I like in a brand I trust that fits this bill (any suggestions?), so I figure I can turn any decent-sized tent into a two-room model with a little creative drapery. Looking for heavy duty floor (i.e. tub), good stargazing, the ability to wrap it up tight for storms and wind, a smaller packed size, around 20 lbs packed weight, and construction for years of use. I'm open to any suggestions.

[tplife]

Re: Anyone have an opinion on Big Agnes Wolf Mountain 6 vs Marmot Halo?

The Halo is 10 sq. ft. larger and a new one is up for auction on Ebay starting at $379 (plus $29 shipping). The Big Agnes Big House 6 is also 4 sq. ft. larger than the Wolf Mountain and there's a Buy-it-Now model on Ebay for $359. I don't see the added benefits of the Wold Mountain over the BigHouse, but that's just my opinion, go with your gut on this one. You are looking at two superb tents from companies that stake their reputations on the quality and designs of their products, and back it up. Don't forget to consider similar products from Mountain HardWear or Sierra Designs or Northface, REI, EMS, etc. either. I've never needed stargazing features as I would not want to leave my inner fabric exposed outside to collect pollen, ash, dust, etc. I think your wife will realize that the multi-room tents aren't all they're cracked up to be, a few trips and looking at other tents in action (and not in ads) will make her a true believer in just how smart you are!

[rollingbones]

Re: Anyone have an opinion on Big Agnes Wolf Mountain 6 vs Marmot Halo?

Thanks for your opinion! I go the opposite direction on exposing the mesh...it's almost mandatory to be able to see 360 deg. and the complete sky for me! I've used a Clark Jungle Hammock for years, and when our son was born, switched over to a Black Diamond Beta Bug tent. Of course, it goes without saying that we don't often camp in places where there are other people within view or that might walk up! Again, appreciate your thoughts! What I can't understand is how my wife wants to use a monstrous tent over the comfy Hennessy Hammock I got for her a couple of years ago when she just couldn't stand being left home every weekend!

[rollingbones]

Re: Anyone have an opinion on Big Agnes Wolf Mountain 6 vs Marmot Halo?

p.s. Also looked at the Sierra Designs Wu Hu 4+2 annex, but something about sticking my wife in the foyer as bear bait while the son and I sleep in the main room just seemed unfair.

[tplife]

Re: Anyone have an opinion on Big Agnes Wolf Mountain 6 vs Marmot Halo?

We spend so much time outside, including night hikes (I was raised in the wilderness) and stargazing, so we don't have the need for more exposure. I like the Sierra Designs products, 3/4 of my tents are made by them - higher production numbers mean better deals on Ebay. That being said, their current lineup of base camp tents don't fit my needs as they are all 10 sq. ft smaller than what I want in a 6-man. Our newest SD is the discontinued Bedouin 6, it does it all and does it well. the WuHu would not work and its design means wasted space for my uses, and your comments seem to agree. Like you, I'd be leaning toward Big Agnes, Marmot, or the other high-end brands I mentioned to consider.

[rollingbones]

Re: Anyone have an opinion on Big Agnes Wolf Mountain 6 vs Marmot Halo?

Thanks, I'll give SD's lineup a closer look. The WuHu had attracted me as it fit the two-room request I was trying to meet, but now that I've decided that is a snipe hunt, I'll give the other SD models a spec-to-spec comparison to the Halo and the Wolf Mtn.

[rollingbones]

Re: Anyone have an opinion on Big Agnes Wolf Mountain 6 vs Marmot Halo?

After a quick look, here is the final short list, and I think it's down to a choice between the North Face Meadowland 6 and the Marmot Halo 6 - which means that price and headroom will likely be the determining factors. Since I've always used a hammock or the diminutive Beta Bug, I'm leaning to the Marmot as I want to know what it feels like to stand up inside a tent, and I'll pay the extra $75-100 to find out. Any comments or opinions are always welcome, and thanks tplife for your insights.

The Big Agnes appears to have about 1/2 the polyurethane coating on the floor tub as the NF and Marmot, as does the REI, and I had to call REI to get the specs which is a turnoff.

Here's a table of the specs I feel are important (which may not look too good on this web site, but we'll see after it posts).


Mfg REI
Tent Base Camp 6
Pack wt 21 lbs
Pack size 9.5" x 16.5"
Floor 1500mm PU coated polyester oxford
Fly 1500mm PU coated polyester taffeta
Floor area 87 sq ft
Peak Ht 74"

Mfg Big Agnes
Tent Wolf Mountain 6
Pack wt 19 lbs
Pack size 8"x17"x27"
Floor polyester taffeta 1500MM PU coated
Fly polyester taffeta 1500mm PU
Floor area 94 sq ft
Peak Ht 72"

Mfg Marmot
Tent Halo 6
Pack wt 20 lbs
Pack size 14" x 25"
Floor 70d nylon PU 3000mm
Fly 68d polyester 1800mm
Floor area 100 sq ft
Peak Ht 75"

Mfg North Face
Tent Meadowland 6
Pack wt 15 lbs
Pack size 10" x 28"
Floor 70D 190T nylon oxford 3000mm PU coated
Fly 75D 185T polyester 1200mm PU
Floor area 89 sq ft
Peak Ht 57"

[TGAMO]

Re: Anyone have an opinion on Big Agnes Wolf Mountain 6 vs Marmot Halo?

Have you given consideration to the Terra Nova brand from England? I have the Terra Nova Extra heavy cosmos.

[petdemon]

Re: Anyone have an opinion on Big Agnes Wolf Mountain 6 vs Marmot Halo?

Hi bones... I've got 2 kids aged 4 and 2. We love camping with them, and they love it too, so we broke down last season and got a Big Agnes Flying Diamond 6. I have to say it's the most satisfying purchase I think I've ever overpaid for ...

Seriously, it's a 2-room tent and I LOVE the fact that we can put the kids into the back room at night and zip a divider and they're gone. We can turn on lights, read, and (ahem) do other things you can't do when your kids are right next to you! The front room is about 8' x 8', which is more than enough room for me, my wife, everyone's clothes, and a small table in the corner. We even bring small chairs into it sometimes. Ceiling is about 5'6", so you can't totally stand up but I have no problem ducking down a bit to pull on clothes (I'm 6' tall).

The back room, which has its own door, is about 4' x 6', and the ceiling is much lower (maybe about 4'). This is nice because it creates a cozy little den that they love and call their own. We put our Graco Pack n' Play back there for our 2 year-old son and it fit perfectly with our daughter sleeping in her bag next to it. He recently decided to reject the PnP, but it really provides security and comfort for a little one who sleeps in a crib at home.

The best thing about the FD6, I think, is that it's a true dome tent. It's unbelievably sturdy in high winds (which we encountered a month ago in Moab), and you can really seal the thing up with the fly. The fly also has about a 6' x 5' vestibule space for shoes, etc., and makes a really cool entry "mouth" that welcomes you. We put a piece of green outdoor carpeting outside, so everybody leaves their shoes / Crocs, etc. outside when they go in.

In short, I know you're asking about the Wolf Mountain and the Halo, but if you have kids I'd seriously consider a well-built 2-room tent. It will change your whole family camping experience.

[rollingbones]

Re: Anyone have an opinion on Big Agnes Wolf Mountain 6 vs Marmot Halo?

Thanks for the input, the Flying Diamond 6 looks like a great tent and is one that I considered. I finally went with the Halo 6 based on the specs and the headroom, and I'm pretty sure I'll be able to rig a small curtain to use as a room divider. The Halo is HUGE inside!

[tplife]

Re: Anyone have an opinion on Big Agnes Wolf Mountain 6 vs Marmot Halo?

The reason why the Big Agnes has half the polyurethane coating is because polyester repels water better than nylon, and the thicker polyurethane coating is probably unnecessary. Polyester is also stronger and more flame resistant than nylon.

[rollingbones]

Re: Anyone have an opinion on Big Agnes Wolf Mountain 6 vs Marmot Halo?

Thanks for the input. You are absolutely correct that polyester is more water repellent and does not absorb water, while nylon will absorb water. You made me curious enough to dig into this a bit deeper and lay out what I learned about both materials.

As to fire resistance, both catch fire/melt readily with a slight advantage to polyester as nylon appears to flame faster. I wouldn't want to be in a tent or piece of clothing made of either one when it was on fire. I didn't realize that the Marines banned use of both nylon and polyester clothing in 2006 in Iraq due to injuries related to undergarments melting onto skin.

Strength is extremely variable based on the type of thread used and weave of the cloth, so while a polyester braided rope is definitely stronger and stiffer than nylon braided rope, the same may not be true of a polyester vs nylon fabric. REI's web site attributes better strength and abrasion-resistance to nylon fabric (link below).

Polyester is stiffer, while nylon offers more stretch.

UV is nylon's weakness and polyester's strength - the sun will fade and degrade nylon over time.

Finally, polyester holds odors, while nylon does not.

I admit that I do like the fact that Marmot has more coating on both the nylon floor and the polyester fly when compared to other mfgs.

http://www.sherdog.net/forums/f16/po...-guide-380887/
http://www.rei.com/expertadvice/arti...king+tent.html