"After this, Paul left Athens and went to Corinth. 2There he met a Jew named Aquila, a native of Pontus, who had recently come from Italy with his wife Priscilla, because Claudius had ordered all the Jews to leave Rome. Paul went to see them, 3and because he was a tentmaker as they were, he stayed and worked with them. 4Every Sabbath he reasoned in the synagogue, trying to persuade Jews and Greeks."
Anyone who has read this blog for any amount of time knows that I am an outdoor enthusiast. Why? I love exploring God's beautiful earth, it's an adventure and it requires a certain set of skills "Field-craft" that is a dying art for many man.
The challenge has always been to find a way to bring the family along on this trips and make it fun.
I've learned that making things light, easy and efficient is the key. This weekend, I finally got to try out my new tent. The Sierra Designs Lightning XT-4. I first read about this tent two years ago in Backpacker magazine as the first "family, back-packable tent." Thanks to the tent industry for helping us Dad's with a new category - ultralight and ultra-large.
We pitched this baby in the backyard on Friday and spent the night making smores and watching Jumanji on a laptop in the tent. Here is my review of this awesome piece of equipment.
At just 6 lbs. 13 oz.,this three-season, freestanding shelter is as light as some two-person tents, yet it legitimately fits four adults (and offers palatial digs for two parents and kids).
It took me 5 minuts to set up once I read the instructions and mastered the asymmetrical design. The thing is huge inside and easily fits two parents and two adults. It also has two doors and vestibules which allow for storying of packs and other items inside if the rain comes. We spent the night carefree and the kids loved it. My daughter, who loathes the outdoors the most, was quickly won over and wants to take it out for a real test run on the local mountain.
Testers from Backpacker took it to Whales in 2009 and it outlasted all the other tents. Take down was equally easy and took about three minutes. The Final Verdict? This piece of equipment was definately worth the price tag, we can't wait to try it out on the side of a mountain next spring.
If you don't beleive me, watch this video for an expert opinion.
Lance