Review: Kelty Vortex 2 [ 2-man 3-season webforce tent ]

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Summary:
I'm extremely happy with this tent. It has kept my son & me dry in sideways rain, winds 60-80mph. Kept my wife & me dry in downpoors all night, in a campsite where travel trailers and RV's were heading home because they were miserable and had leaks! I think that's funny! As far as condensation: keep windows down and guy out sides of fly. Problem solved! I would prefer something a little lighter, however, it is light compared to the others; and I don't want to compensate on any of it's features... Great headroom, tons of covered space outside for packs, boots, cooking etc., plenty of space for two. I think Kelty did it right. I emailed them about my two complaints- I want a window in the fly, and I thought I wanted a vent until I figured the venting out. Turns out the 2001 version has both! However, I have read complaints about Kelty vents leaking. Anyone know about this? I wish they left it out and just put in the window... Anyway, this is a great tent, easy to setup. It takes me 2-3 minutes since I wrap it in the ground cloth, with the fly already on and the opposing vortex doors already tied back... It works and I trust it strongly!

Customer Service:
I emailed them about condensation, never heard back. But, as I said above, I figured out that problem already. (they must get sick of us asking them the question about condensation when the whole "vortex" concept is realy a simple one...

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K-mart $40 dome as a kid. I was always wet! ha ha ha...
 

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In a nutshell, bombproof. I have been through some storms so severe I was sure the end times were upon us, and not a drop of water made it inside. The poles flexed some in what I guess was 50+ mile an hour gusts, but it was partially my fault for not guying it out before diving in from the rain. Even so, it held up fine. Even survived a 2 hour 2-inch deep river running underneath without a leak. Also, the tent has excellent ventilation (my '96 model does, the '00 and '01's have improved it with vents for foul weather, a definite plus). All in all, a great deal, but....

BE CAREFUL. Those of you who are looking at the V2, V3 and V4 in Campmor for a great deal, the deal comes at a price. I looked into it, wanting to supplement my 2-man with a 3 or 4 man model. The V2 and the Vortex 2 are slightly different. The primary difference comes in the pole sleeves. In the V's, they are made of mesh. Kelty stopped making this version after a few months in 1997 (?) because of too many warranty requests due to ripped mesh pole sleeves. Basically the same tent except for the pole sleeves. That factor caused me to pass and go with a 2001 model Vortex 4. You are still getting a good tent for a great deal, just know what you are getting and that it is NOT the same exact thing as the Vortex 2 you looked at in the local outfitter. In my mind, it was worth the extra money to get the Vortex 4 and not have that worry, plus they have added some new features that are great. Anyway, consider yourselves warned.

Customer Service:
Kelty outsources customer service to a company called American Wilderness Gear. I tend to question their motives on some responses to questions since they are a major kelty dealer, but I still have had very positive experiences.

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Bought this for me & wife to use - first time out (Red River Gorge), the flies were driving us nuts. Went up in less that five minutes (without the cover), and we sat (with gear) in it until dark without crowding or discomfort. The pockets/loft make stowing necessaries (flashlight/glowsticks) easy. The weight is a little more than I'd like - mostly from the cover.

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Had several one-person tents, this is the best two-person for the price
 

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This is an overall excellent tent. I have used it for several years for backpacking and car camping. Lasted through several days of rain without any leaks. The two doors make it excellent for easy in and out. The gear loft is also a great option. The price for what you get is awesome.
 

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This tent rocks! The first time I used it we were surprised by a rainstorm just after we got to camp. There was lightning flashing on some peaks nearby and we were wiorried about getting drenched. The tent was up in seconds and me, my wife and her friend were inside with and dry before the storm really hit. The three of us ended up spending the next fourteen hours inside the tent with all of our gear as well. It was rather cozy and the girls felt a little crowded but I was just fine and was stoked that we could have all three of us and our gear inside and I could still stretch out for a normal nights sleep. We didn't get wet despite the deluge beneath our tent and even in the morning there wasn't much condensation on the inside of the tent. I would reccomend this tent to anyone. It is light and tough to beat for its price

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This tent rocks! The first time I used it we were surprised by a rainstorm just after we got to camp. There was lightning flashing on some peaks nearby and we were wiorried about getting drenched. The tent was up in seconds and me, my wife and her friend were inside with and dry before the storm really hit. The three of us ended up spending the next fourteen hours inside the tent with all of our gear as well. It was rather cozy and the girls felt a little crowded but I was just fine and was stoked that we could have all three of us and our gear inside and I could still stretch out for a normal nights sleep. We didn't get wet despite the deluge beneath our tent and even in the morning there wasn't much condensation on the inside of the tent. I would reccomend this tent to anyone. It is light and tough to beat for its price
 

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Just got my vortex 2 online from Mountain Sports of Arlington Texas for $169, about $50 below sticker. Chose it over a MeteorLight b/c it was cheaper and lighter.
First impressions, good: well put together and easy to handle.i was a little worried about the pole sleeve design but it works fine. very stable, love the attic.
first impressions, bad: the usable footprint is not as wide as advertised due to a pronounced bow in the sides. maybe this will work itself out over time. also the fly seems to generate an unusually heavy amount of condensation. in initial use (car camping) this wasn't a problem but in backpacking you don't want to always be rolling up a wet fly. anyone else noticed this or got any suggestions?
 

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Easy to set up, good size vestibules and very stable. If you have to zip the vestibules closed, there's not much ventilation. It's hard to stuff into the stuff sack and still have room for the poles and stakes which is how I like to store it when not in use. It's a little heavy for backpacking. It performed well during a, rained the entire time, trip to the Boundary Waters. I find these negatives very minor and overall it a very nice tent, excellent ventilation when the vestibules are open and even with the rain fly on you can still look out the windows and see the stars. The 2 doors are the only way to go and each person can put their stuff in their vestibule, slick. I like the gear loft, and the storage pockets inside the tent. Overall, I think this is a well designed and well made tent.

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My dad bought one a long time ago. I like it so much I bought me one. Its been throught the Teatons, Boundery watertwice, Moab UT twice, 10 days in Alaska on the side of the Mountain(I've got a great photo if enterested), 7 days in Acadia, and numerus other day and 2 day outings
Roomy
Love the 2 doors with 2 vestibles
Free standing

Customer Service:
No problems except you have to guy wire it down tight.
A bit heavy
Leaks no matter how much you seam seal
not much air circulation
This tent has pros and cons but for getting a tent for around a hundred and a quarter with 2 doors, plenty of room, and 7xxx grade Aluminum poles its well worth it.

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In the begining just tryed department store tents. This tent is a stepping stone. I'm going to get me better tent around 300 dollor range but still looking. So many to choose from
 

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Although I haven't had this tent that long, the V2 seems to be a great tent. I picked this tent up from Campmor for $129, and is a steal at that price. The tent is surprisingly waterproof as it recently withstood 3" of rain one night at the red river gorge. The tent goes up in no time at all and it very stable for a 2 pole tent...Excellent buy

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Very nice tent
Easy/Fast to set up
Easy to pack
Roomy
Well ventilated
Not the lightest tent around

 

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Nice tent in general, but as others
have mentioned, it does not seem
very water proof. I took it on a 3
day rim-to-rim-to-rim hike in the
Grand-Canyon, and there was a fair
amount of rain on one night. The
entire bottom of the tent was wet,
getting our sleeping bags etc etc.

Customer Service:
I called up Kelty's customer service,
and was a bit taken aback when the
service rep suggested that the tent
might have gotten wet because of some
thing wrong I did. I was under the
impression that Kelty would just offer
to replace the tent no questions asked,
but not so. I had to literally bargain
with the rep. to make him understand
that there could be something wrong
with the tent itself ...
 

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The tent is roomy and the two big doors are great. I did not like the fact that condensation on the inside of the fly would drip onto the screens on the end of the tent. The water would then drip through the screen into the tent, right into my ear. The window seams on the fly were not well sealed and leaked. The corners also leaked after a day of heavy rain.
 

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Great tent overall. Simple to use, features are well thought through. Vestibule is just big enough to be useable. Having 2 useable doors are a godsend.

Customer Service:
Spoke to customer service to see if the "hard" top vestibule that comes with the Jetstream 2 will work with the Vortex 2. Very helpfull, was informed that Kelty will probably sell the "hard" top as a separate item purchaseable for use with the Vortex 2. Presto! Instant 4 season tent! Awesome deal. To be fully functional, must also use the footprint along with "hardtop" fly. Still can't beat it!

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I have a 95 Vortex 2 which has gotten me through the Colorado snow, Utah heat and massive Georgia windstorms. This tent is absolutely the best. It's fairly light and so easy to put up, that I'm the first one to crack a beer and relax by the fire.

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The Kelty V2 is a great tent for the price. It is simple, and functional. The two pole design is more stable in the wind than I had imagined, and the extra tie outs on the fly take care of any wobble or flutter. Two full sized doors allow for easy exit and entry for two adults with a minimal of fuss in the middle of the night if you have had too much tea before bed. It comes with a small overhead shelf, and one pocket at each end. The fly configurations make this tent very versatile, from a full on "dome" to vectorized windscoops.

Customer Service:
none

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I paid $199.00 Cdn (approx. $135.00 US) in 1997. This 2 person tent was the best value for the money. The 2 doors at the sides is more convenient than 2 doors at each end, especially for middle of the night nature calls. The two vestibules allow each person to stow their boots,pack and wet gear outside their door. The extra width and especially the extra length in this tent make the tent more habitable, especially if it is raining. The extremely fast set-up time (with the pocket ends for the poles and the fastex buckle attachments for the fly) is great for set-ups while it is raining. I've used the tent in heavy and continuous rainstorms and it has never leaked and I have never gotten wet. I have used it in the winter in 20-30 degrees F. below zero in light snow without problems. The tent is extremely well made and great value for the money.

Customer Service:
I have not had any contact with Kelty's customer service.

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Excellent tent for the price ($139 from Campmor)!!! Super easy and fast setup. Nice simple
design, plenty of room for 2 inside + 2 vestibules for gear. Even used it for a winter overnight this year with no problems. Only complaint is that it could use more ventilation.

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I bought this tent recently as a replacement for another Kelty tent- same style but heavier with fiberglass poles. I love this tent. It's waterproof with factory taped seams. The 2 door, 2 vestibule setup makes for good sleeping and access arrangements. Ventilation as good with 2 fly vents. I like the photochromatic window (darkens in sunlight) Sturdy in light to moderate wind as well. Great tent for the price!
 

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Nice tent for the Price...
Sure you could upgrade, but mine was only $170.
This tent has a fairly sturdy light weight design and is well ventilated...
and actually usable vestibule space.

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I have had this tent for 3 years now and after putting many miles on it, it is still as good as the day I bought it. It's light, strong, virtually storm-proof (I have never been wet) and inexpensive. I have used it in some pretty severe winter camping conditions too, where even with it's 2-pole design I was able to keep it pretty stable in high winds. A good tent for a great price.

Customer Service:
I would be surprised if I ever have a problem with this tent and need to contact Kelty.

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Excellent tent. I have used it for car camping and backpacking and I have never had a leak or a rip. I have weathered some pretty bad storms in this tent and have been able to cook in the vestibule with one side pulled back. Excellent value for the money
 

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bought this tent new almost 10 years ago and still love it. the two doors/vestibules make this tent! 2 people with gear fit comfortably inside. and the materials used (at the time i bought it) were of highest quality. after seam sealing, it is virtually storm proof. i spent one night during an oklahoma thunderstorm in the wichita mountains where we got 3" of precip in 5 hours! and i was dry and comfortable, even with the rain coming sideways. the only complaint i can think of would be the large footprint- but i would take the vestibules over the hassle of finding a tent site any day.
 

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Tent is very easy to set-up, first use required nighttime set-up, completely done in less than 5 minutes. Performance was also great, plenty of room for two plus gear, and no problem with the elements. Terrific value, also bought from Campmor, for about half of the suggessted retail price.
 

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Great tent!!! The first time that we used our '99 model Vortex 2 was at Assateague National Park, and we were really impressed with the ventilation and comfort during very hot, humid nights. It was also really easy to set up and take down, and withstood pretty strong thunderstorms that blew our neighbor's tent over. We highly recommend it!!!

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Great Tent !! I purchased mine at 160.00 from Campmor - have used it about 30 nights in last year. Two Vestibules, two doors, wonderful. No mid-night interruptions when your bunkmate needs to go potty. The design of the rain fly really helps ventilate - and this can be a plus depending upon what was eaten for dinner !! Easy, fast setup. Great quality !!

Customer Service:
Have emailed customer service at Kelty with questions, received answer back within 24 hours.
 

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I have used this tent (99 model) severel times on serious trips and with my 3 kids and found it to be good for both types of camping. Having places to put flashlights and other things that kids seem to loose is great. The 2 vestbules are great to have your kids take their shoes off before entering is handy also. Using the fly as they recomend works good if there is a breeze. Not having a 10 year old climb over you at 2:00a.m., priceless.

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I bought my Vortex 2 in 1995 and I've logged well over 100 nights. Its holding up very well and only recently sprang a minor leak in the fly. I've even used it on a couple of winter trips where it has stood up to a 10cm light snowload without a problem. My only complaint has been the super large footprint which can make it difficult to find a patch of ground where you can still stake it out well.
 

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Excellent buy for the money. Super easy set up, take down. Watertight, reasonable weight. Decent room. Note to everyone else reviewing this tent: the ventilation improves ALOT if you offset the direction of the 2 open vestibules (hence the name of the product). That's the whole idea of the design; it catches whatever breeze there is, no matter the wind direction. All in all, a very good choice for a 2 man tent.

Customer Service:
None, although I hear Kelty is good.

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We are a fairly avid mountaineer/backpacker couple. We did tons of research and decided on the '99 model of this tent to replace our heavier LL Bean 3 person tent. We LOVE our new Kelty!!! First night out it rained pretty hard, but we stayed nice and dry. The tent didn't ""sweat"", the vestibules were big enough to cook in, it took no time at all to set up. Great investment! Kelty has also released a 4-season tent that looks just like the Vortex 2, but has a ""hard top"" fly. Wonder if the new tent fly will fit our Vortex to convert it to 4 season use?

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Summary:
I would have to agree that the new poly fly is an added bonus, the tent is great for the money. I paid $140.00 threw Campmore also. I decided to get this tent due to the reviews on this web page. I work at an $8.00 an hour shithole job so cost is important. I have gotten my cash worth out of this tent when it poured and hailed out for 2 days straight on the Wi. River. Kept my neice comfortably dry, and did'nt budge in the high winds. It's a good deal.

Customer Service:
Na, They are all greedy, and you get what you pay for these days.

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I inherited this tent from my dad and I love it! It has fared well it the wet weather of Oregon. My wife and I will be getting a larger tent when we have kids, but I'm sure it will be a Kelty!!!
 

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Great tent. Durable. Good construction. Could use more ventilation. Overall good choice.

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I have had no problem over the last two years that I have had it. big enough with out adding weight, but fairly priced. not enough ventilation for the summer
 

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I bought a Vortex2 in 1994 and it is the best tent I have ever owned. It has made it through blasing Utah winds, Colorado snow, Georgia downpours and I have never been wet or uncomfortable. The design makes it a cinch to put up and move around. I'm always first done with set up. All of my friends are jealous of my tent, and are now starting to dith their tents and come on over to Kelty. Simply put, a great tent.

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I bought a 97 from Campmor for 139. It's worked out great. I used it for a week in the Smokies and had no problems with ventilation. The 2 doors/vestibules is great, and provides plenty of room for all your gear. I also used it for a week in Kentucky car camping, and it sat in an inch of water and didn't let in a single drop. It also stood up to 25mph winds that flattened 4 other tents. It dries quickly, but the fly does sag when wet, however the new models have a polyester fly which doesn't sag. I'm 6'3 and have no problem fitting. It also has plenty of room for 2 people. I've used it for a year and a half and it works great.

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This tent is great for the price. Double door/vestibule is the best feature! Easy gear stowage on one side, and use the other as a door! And good ventilation. Im 6'4 and fit well in this tent... weight isnt too bad... The thing that IS bad about this sucker is that it doesnt stay tight. After a good downpour, or a few days of being up, the fly looses tension and sags... allowing for condensed water on the inside of the fly to touch the tent and get me wet! But otherwise, this really is a great tent!
 

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I've spent too much time in tiny tents to not fret about the additional weight of the vortex 2. After all one more Power Bar in you pack and you've already made the difference. The double doors keeps you and your buddy happy to have the independence. Very water tight and lots of room for gear.
 

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This is a great tent for the money. I paid $140 from Campmor. I've been through some heavy downpours and stayed completely dry. Ventilation without the fly is quite good, although with fly it can be kind of stuffy at times. There is plenty of room for two plus gear. I find the dual vestibules and doors a great feature. You can certainly find a lighter tent, but the cost to weight/room ratio for this tent is superb.
 

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Summary:
This is a great tent fast easy set up light weight-great for backpacking and plent of room for gear and 2 dog(shepard and lab) nice price in it's class

Customer Service:
I have had a kelty tent (Domilite 2)before it works awsome although a heavy at 7 1/2 lbs it is one of the best tents I've ever used

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