LiteFighter has developed a new tenant for team-sized elements called the Dragon.
Unlike many other small unit shelters on the market, the Dragon is large enough to stand in making it a great replacement for the old GP Small Tent and an option for small CP, FDC, Briefing, and Sick Call. On the lower right you can see the port for HVAC hookup and the stope pipe port will accept both sizes of exhaust pipes or a roll up antenna as you see here.
It also features lots of ventilation and two Soldiers can set it in just five minutes. It weighs under 50 lbs and comes packed in a rolling duffel.
The Outdoor Gear Review channel on Youtube just did a first impressions on the civilian version of this tent. It’s impressive.
I saw that TOGR review the day before I was at AUSA. It’s well made, and plenty of room. I could comfortably stand upright in the middle, and I’m 6’4″.
While I like the concept of the modern lightweight east to set up tent, and I hated the heavy cumbersome canvas and rubberized canvas GP series, will this be sturdy enough to survive the abuse? I’ve certainly never had a civilian tent that could survive more than a few missions be they real or training. None could make it through multiple jumps and not the parachute kind. Quickly setting up and tearing down. Thrown into the back of a vehicle. Kit piled on top etc. I really want to like it because it’s so much smarter but I have my doubts about how long it lasts. I guess time and soldier abuse will tell.
Having just endured the set up and take down of a MSCP tent system for our booth at AUSA, this one has piqued my interest…
Looks like this sucker weighs 50+ pounds and costs over $4000 per their website, so I’m guessing it’s a bit more survivable than the single and two man tents they offer. Lots and lots of doors, ports and options.
Plenty of tents handle extended abuse, like the stuff used in Himalayan camps and the Poles. Just not the ultralight civ stuff made to be used 2 weeks a year.
A lot of us in the outdoor world consider most tents to be consumable items. Plan to get one or two seasons out of it. We also don’t tend to toss them around as much. You end up with a more fragile shelter, but one that is significantly lighter and less bulky. All worthwhile trade-offs for your average outdoor rec end user. Not so great for users who need something a little bit longer term and durable. So it’s not surprising that the tents you used to perform poorly, they were never designed for that kind of use.