Kelty Grand Mesa 2 Tent Review

kelty grand mesa tent

Best Backpacking Car Camping Cross Over Tent Under $150

Astoundingly affordable, the Kelty Grand Mesa 2 Tent proves that you don’t need anything fancy to go backpacking. This small 2 person tent is about as simple as it gets, but because it’s not doing anything fancy, it actually only weighs four pounds, which is less than most tents in the $200-$300 price range. Love the value.

  • Price: $149
  • Weight: 4 lbs, 1 oz
  • Material: Coated 68D Polyester
  • Interior: 30.0 ft² | Vestibule: 6 ft² | Area/Pound: 8.8 ft²
  • Peak Height: 43″
  • Pros: Very affordable. Decent headroom. Easy set up.
  • Cons: Single door, single vestibule. Heavy (for backpacking).

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Features

Kelty is a classic outdoor brand with a storied history, and they’ve been making reliable x-frame designs for decades. This one is covered in 68d polyester rain fly and floor, which is definitely more durable than average, but also heavy.

Unlike the other small 2 person tents on our list, Grand Mesa saves weight and production costs by only designing in a single door and vestibule. We’ll admit this is a big sacrifice in user-friendliness, but it is still tolerable and won’t have a major impact on most trips.

We would definitely prefer a tent with more vestibule room if we knew it would be raining. Considering a $30 upgrade to the REI Trailmade 2 for a small 2 person tent with two doors and two vestibules.

Despite cost cuttings, Grand Mesa actually has a pretty high ceiling. 43″ peak height is a taller than average, though some of the perceived livability is lost by the sloping side walls. No pre-bent poles. No spreader bar.

Verdict

Honestly though, we’re kind of surprised how good this small 2 person tent is considering it only costs for $150. It’s surprisingly above average in a number of ways, and we think Grand Mesa will get the job done best if you want to start backpacking for the lowest possible price.

Read about more great tents in our complete guides to the best tents for backpacking, and the best small 2 person crossover tents.