It’s almost 4lbs and well over $1000…
Right now I’m seriously considering the Samaya 2.5 Dyneema. On paper it seems to check a lot of boxes: very light, fully enclosed, and designed for alpine and 4-season use. It seems to combine light and sturdy options.
Does anyone here have firsthand experience with the Samaya 2.5 Dyneema? How has it held up in terms of durability, condensation, wind, snow loading, and overall livability? Any issues or things you wish you’d known before buying?
I am also open to other options including
- True 4-season capability - As light as reasonably possible - Strong in wind and snow - Comfortable for one person with gear or two people - Budget isn’t a major concern if the tent is genuinely worth it.
It’s almost 4lbs and well over $1000…
No experience with samaya but a cheaper and decent option would be the tarptent arcdome, inners can be swapped to accomodate +1 person. Its pretty modular with the different poles and inner variants. You might have better luck asking in r/mountaineering
Too much tent for most. Maybe not for you? But don't chase 'the best tent', get the best suiting your activity. I'd hate to carry a 4 season tent (winter tent) in anything but winter/high Alpine. Also, DCF has a limited lifespan.
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Trauma and Pepper, the first to thru-hike the PCT in winter, speak highly of their pyramid. At least one of them also used a “splash bivy” inside for more wind protection and warmth.
So I have the Samaya2.0 Dyneema and just came back from the Arctic trip with it. I sadly/luckily didn't get to experience any really hard winds with it (unlike on other trips in the same region), so I can't yet say anything about the wind durability. But based on how strongly it bolted down when fully guyed out, I'd feel pretty confident in it.
It rained heavily on almost every night and the whole trip was pretty much the worst condensation test for a shelter (walking into the tent with all the gear wet, while it rains the whole night) and as long as I kept the top parts of the doors slightly open and the vents open, it actually performed better than my double walled shelters.
I personally fell in love with the tent. It's super fast to pitch, was super comfortable for one, and my gear actually dried over night even with all the rain. That being said, it's definitely not a shelter for most people. Not least because of the price, but also because it has some serious "downsides" due to not being designed as a backpacking tent (like the lack of a vestibule). For me these didn't matter, but I can easily see people getting frustrated with them.
So, while I personally fell in love with it, I wouldn't recommend it for most people. On paper something like the ArcDome 1 or 2 is much more user friendly and checks more common shelter requirements (like a vestibule).
Based on your criteria, I would also consider the Samaya ALPINIST2. It has everything you require while also being a fair bit lighter than the 2.5. I’m not overly familiar with Samaya tents but I assume the ALPINIST has less of a focus on comfort and non-technical features.