REI Taj 3 Tent - 2012 Special Buy

Comments about REI Taj 3 Tent - 2012 Special Buy:

Outstanding tent, easy to set up, very well constructed.

Comments about REI Taj 3 Tent - 2012 Special Buy:

We got this tent in 2006- with the intent to use it for 2 people. We're car campers with a small vehicle so we have some comfort gear and some backpacking for space considerations. In the Taj 3 we have room for 2 thermarest-type mattresses, sleeping bags, an addidas duffel bag (for size reference) of clothing, and a 45-lb dog who sleeps at our feet, and there's still room to step in and out of the tent without stepping all over our stuff. I'd say pay attention to how the tent was packed as it does take some figuring to get it to it's smallest size/in the bag just right. The rainfly vestibules will hold your shoes but not much else, we're not much for bad weather camping but we've certainly used it at the beach with heavy fog, and in the Sierras use the rainfly with the doors tied back to keep a little more heat in. We like the velcro that helps hold it in place in wind. We've not regretted the choice. Outside of unpredictable weather, we've had some lovely stargazing in it!

Comments about REI Taj 3 Tent - 2012 Special Buy:

Kept my girlfriend and me mostly dry during what I can only describe as a "hurricane atop a mountain" in Pisgah Forest, along the Blue Ridge Parkway, NC. Aside from a few leaks through the air vent on the roof, no problems at all! While too heavy for backpacking (unless a few folks split their gear), it's perfect for 2 plus gear or dogs. I even put a double bed inflatable mattress in mine!

Comments about REI Taj 3 Tent - 2012 Special Buy:

After using this tent a couple of times I very reluctantly returned it to REI. The best thing about this tent is the height and headroom. The actual measured height at the highest point is 48". There are very few other 3P tents that are this tall. The open shape at the top adds to to headroom.

The reason I returned the tent was its performance in the rain. The vestibules are tiny---just 5 sq ft each. This isn't a problem if you don't need the space for your gear. But the tiny size of the vestibules means they don't extend out very far from the tent---I'm guessing maybe 16"? That creates an extremely narrow entrance with the fly on.

When it's raining, it's virtually impossible to keep water out of the tent when entering and exiting. First, rain comes directly in the tent when you open the door. Second, the entrance is so narrow that you have to brush against the wet fly.

I found this tent claustrophobic and very hot with the fly on because the vestibules are so close to the tent body, cutting down on the airflow that you get with larger vestibules. I don't recommend this tent for hot, humid, rainy weather.

Comments about REI Taj 3 Tent - 2012 Special Buy:

Easy to set up, cozy for me, wife and the dog. Zippers flow very smoothly and the pockets and storage are very nice. Withstood evening thunderstorms and winds without a drop of water entering tent. Looking forward to many more trips with it.

Comments about REI Taj 3 Tent - 2012 Special Buy:

I don't write reviews very often but after five years with my Taj 3 I feel obliged to sing it's praises. Full disclosure - I'm a long-time REI member and have returned many, many bits of kit and clothing that didn't live up to expectations.

I bought this tent mainly for car-camping trips in New England, and after dozens of long weekends it's still in amazingly great shape. I should also add that after realizing just how good this tent was, I have taken it on several longer trips, backpacking in Maine/NH and spending a (very windy) week in Eastern Wyoming.

The only criticisms I can come up with are from those longer trips - it is a little heavy for a multi-day hike, and there are definitely better and lighter options out there if you're looking for a two-person tent that you can carry for days at a time. I also discovered the hard way that in a howling gale on dry sandy soil, if you orientate your tent just wrong, the wind blows up and under the rainfly - hard to imagine any tent is completely bulletproof but waking up with fine sand between your teeth is a new one for me. In the right conditions condensation can build on the inside of the rainfly, but generally the ventilation is pretty good - the rainfly could do with a second vent in my opinion.

This being said, I have used this tent in a huge range of conditions and it's been the most reliable piece of kit I own. It has weathered freezing, torrential rain, hot sun and everything in between, and honestly still looks like it has only been used once or twice. Setup is ridiculously quick and easy, and the advantages of being able to pickup and relocate the tent while it's up are huge. I recently bought the footprint to help extend the life of the floor, and to give us the ultralight option of just using the rainfly/footprint when backpacking.

All in all it's a great tent for the money and will serve you well for almost any trip.

Comments about REI Taj 3 Tent - 2012 Special Buy:

When I first got the tent, I set it up in my backyard. Although at first, it seemed like it was going to be pretty difficult to pitch without any help from somebody, after about 2 minutes, I quuickly figured out how to set it up. It's so easy to set this thing up, that you won't even need the directions. The first time took me about fifteen minutes. But after that set up is a breeze. The tent is very compact when it's put away (properly). The twin zippered doors on either side provide easy access. And the screens keep out bugs, as well as provide ventilation. There are 2 mesh pouches on opposite ends of the tent, one big, one small (the small pouch is about half the size of the big pouch). Inside, on the tent's ceiling, there is a mesh net that's good for storing small objects like flashlights, a journal, pencils and pens, etc. but when it looks like rain, or if you just want some privacy, the rain cover is easy to install and will stay on the tent even if the wind is blowing thanks to some velcro straps on the cover's underside. Disassembly is actually pretty easy. I definently recommend this tent.

Comments about REI Taj 3 Tent - 2012 Special Buy:

This is a great tent for car camping or backpacking. It's a little heavy for two people when backpacking though, especially for longer trips where weight matters more. It has a lot of room for two people and some gear inside, or can fit three people with little gear. The hexagon shape gives extra room on the sides that rectangle three-person tents don't have. The tent is a little tricky to set up, mainly in getting the right poles on top where they cross, but nothing taht can't be figured out with some practice at home. Once set up, the tent is very durable, and has kept me completly dry through Sierra thunderstorms. This tent will quicly become my standard for car camping and low-intensity backpacking.

Comments about REI Taj 3 Tent - 2012 Special Buy:

This tent is the most difficult to set up that I've ever owned, for both the body and the fly. After practicing twice at home I still didn't have it down.

I find the hexagonal floor shape to be inefficient compared to a rectangle. Apparently if you have three people they sleep in a fan shape. With two people the foot area is crowded, yet there are unused triangles left over in the corners. You could not, for example, put two cots in this tent. With a 50 sq ft rectangle, you would be able to. You also wouldn't be able to sleep two people head to foot, which is really unusual for 50 sq ft, because the tent is narrower and lower at the foot. This is not shown at all in the photo.

I bought this tent mainly to use as a luxurious one-person car-camping tent with a cot. I will also use it for kayak camping with two people.

This tent has good height compared to most 3-person tents.

Comments about REI Taj 3 Tent - 2012 Special Buy:

This is my favorite BWCA canoe camping tent. For 2 people it is great. I have used this tent backpacking but it have since changed to a lighter one. For 2 people canoe camping, base camping or car camping I can think of no better tent. Have had it 3 years now and not a single problem.