How to Choose a Backpacking Tent
The North Face Assault 3 Tent
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This rugged, lightweight, single-wall expedition tent is built to withstand fierce winds at high altitudes. The North Face Assault 3 tent offers 3 campers stability and breathability in windy climes.
Shop similar products- DryWall proprietary single skin provides unparalleled single-wall breathability
- Single door and escape-hatch back door
- Removable vestibule
- Dual top vents increase breathability and stability
- Ample tabs for hanging stoves, drying lines or gear lofts
- Easy-pitch X-tent design
- DAC stakes
| Best Use | Mountaineering |
|---|---|
| Seasons | 4-season |
| Sleeping Capacity | 3-person |
| Minimum Trail Weight | 5 lbs. 10 oz. |
| Fly / Footprint Pitch Weight | Not applicable |
| Packaged Weight | Unavailable |
| Packed Size | 8 x 23 inches |
| Floor Dimensions | Unavailable inches |
| Floor Area | 37.5 square feet |
| Vestibule Area | Unavailable |
| Peak Height | 43 inches |
| Number of Doors | 1 door |
| Number of Poles | 4 |
| Pole Material | Extruded aluminum |
| Pole Diameter | 9.6 millimeters |
| Canopy Fabric | 50-denier DryWall durable ripstop polyester |
| Floor Fabric | 40-denier ripstop nylon with 3000mm polyurethane coating |
| Rainfly Fabric | Not applicable |
| Footprint Included | No |
| Design Type | Freestanding |
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Most Helpful Favorable Review
Excellent All Season Option, But ....
Frankie Bones10 years ago
All things being said this is a fantastic option for those of us looking for a great all season option that can withstand the elements while also offering sufficient breathability during the warm summer months.
Setting up the tent was simple enough, but as a casual camper and aspirational adventurer I was a bit disappointed with the lack of instructions as it pertained to maximizing its effectiveness and stability. The instructions were literally 6 pictures - nothing about orientation during high winds, or how to properly stake down your structure. I have to imagine this tent being the newest on the North Face block was purpose built and by not relaying how we as the consumer can take advantage of that was well - disappointing.
Aside from the above upon initial setup of the tent I discovered the vestibule, which was advertised as Summit Gold and Asphalt Grey to match the base, was in fact orange. Concerned that perhaps it was a defect I contacted support and asked if they were able to confirm on a floor model the color of the vestibule - the response was that they don't have the Assault 3 in store, further more it's not at any store across the country. Big seller i asked? No, we just never received any and as such can't confirm visually the color. A bit surprised that the newest tent in the lineup had been out in the market for months yet no store associate has ever seen one or knew anything other than what was printed on the website. Sadly the only advice I keep receiving is to return it and hope for a correction - seems a waste of not only my time but REI resources. I love the tent, but I just want what was advertised or its representation online to be corrected.
Well to sum up. great all season tent, no storage, no instructions, no advertised accessories, vestibule may be orange or yellow or purple for that matter, and you can't see it stores.
Frankie Bones
Burbank, CA
10 people found this review helpful
Most Helpful Critical Review
NOT waterproof
REITENTREVIEW9 years ago
I just used this tent last weekend to snow camp. Weather was on and off snow/rain, with 32 F degree temp. There were condensation within 2 hours of snow & rain, and we had to evacuate the tent and remove all our sleeping pads and bags to our friends and reassign tents. I had left this tent closed door but didn't take it down. By the morning, this tent had collected about a good liter of water INSIDE the tent. I was thoroughly disappointed, and read that the product spec calls for "water proof resistant-silicon treated single layer" and does not come with a rainfly. I live in Seattle and this tent is a no-go for a city that rains 75% of the year.
REITENTREVIEW
Seattle, WA
12 people found this review helpful
Customer Images
REITENTREVIEW
Seattle, WA
NOT waterproof
9 years ago
I just used this tent last weekend to snow camp. Weather was on and off snow/rain, with 32 F degree temp. There were condensation within 2 hours of snow & rain, and we had to evacuate the tent and remove all our sleeping pads and bags to our friends and reassign tents. I had left this tent closed door but didn't take it down. By the morning, this tent had collected about a good liter of water INSIDE the tent. I was thoroughly disappointed, and read that the product spec calls for "water proof resistant-silicon treated single layer" and does not come with a rainfly. I live in Seattle and this tent is a no-go for a city that rains 75% of the year.
Frankie Bones
Burbank, CA
Excellent All Season Option, But ....
10 years ago
All things being said this is a fantastic option for those of us looking for a great all season option that can withstand the elements while also offering sufficient breathability during the warm summer months. Setting up the tent was simple enough, but as a casual camper and aspirational adventurer I was a bit disappointed with the lack of instructions as it pertained to maximizing its effectiveness and stability. The instructions were literally 6 pictures - nothing about orientation during high winds, or how to properly stake down your structure. I have to imagine this tent being the newest on the North Face block was purpose built and by not relaying how we as the consumer can take advantage of that was well - disappointing. Aside from the above upon initial setup of the tent I discovered the vestibule, which was advertised as Summit Gold and Asphalt Grey to match the base, was in fact orange. Concerned that perhaps it was a defect I contacted support and asked if they were able to confirm on a floor model the color of the vestibule - the response was that they don't have the Assault 3 in store, further more it's not at any store across the country. Big seller i asked? No, we just never received any and as such can't confirm visually the color. A bit surprised that the newest tent in the lineup had been out in the market for months yet no store associate has ever seen one or knew anything other than what was printed on the website. Sadly the only advice I keep receiving is to return it and hope for a correction - seems a waste of not only my time but REI resources. I love the tent, but I just want what was advertised or its representation online to be corrected. Well to sum up. great all season tent, no storage, no instructions, no advertised accessories, vestibule may be orange or yellow or purple for that matter, and you can't see it stores.
Yes , I recommend this product
Cblevins84
Oak Harbor, WA, United States
Very difficult tent
9 years ago
I went on a mountaineering trip with a group of 8, we used 4 of these tents. They were horrible. We got soaked at night unless all the windows and the door was opened in freezing temps. The tent poles are too long and make it impossible to set up and take down quickly. My fingers were pinched multiple times trying to get the poles inserted into the grommet holes.
No, I do not recommend this product
Great White North
Kananaskis, Alberta
Fit the bill, worked great!
9 years ago
I have used this tent in -2 Celcius with 4 inches of snow while hiking. Very stable in high winds, kept me warm. Vestibule was great for my gear, and used it as a vent. It would be nice if you didn't have to pay for the canopy, but the price point is not bad. You should really set up the tent before you head out. This tent is truly a 2 person tent; three only if you are comfortable being really tight. I think over all the tent is great, and some of the reviewers sound like they were looking to buy a light weight log cabin with a luxury king sized bed. Then obviously this is not the tent for you.
Yes , I recommend this product
Originally posted on thenorthface.com
jabowlus
Greenville South Carolina
Dont buy this tent-Norht Face CS says not 4 season
9 years ago
not very well made, amazing how many Issues I had with this tent (1) after removing fly, bags and all extra material, still 10oz about the specifications (2) top center pole is too long, had to use a pair of plyers to be able to pull the tab with brass grommet over the end of the center pole. And could not unmount the center pole without tools. Poorly designed (3) the guy cables for the main tent are made such that the cables interfer with the Vestibule fly. Had to avoid the method suggested in the instructions and connect 2 guy cables to a single stake. (4) floor leaked on the first usage with a small amount of rain and ice (5) the Instructions (correct named instructions for this model did not match the actual configuration of the tent. Very poor instructions, almost useless (but not quite). North Face Customer service told me that this was not a four season tent and said REI was mistaken for calling it a 4 season tent. They also said that the floor was not waterproof. I was using the correct North Face ground cover with this tent. I returned the tent and ground cover to REI and do not intend to ever purchase equipment from North Face. Buyer Beware!
Willem-Jan
San Diego, CA
Great light weight all seasons tent
9 years ago
Great tent to have for light packing and harser environments. Easy to setup and good construction. Only the fly color doesn't match the rest of the tent.
Yes , I recommend this product
Originally posted on thenorthface.com
K
Boston, MA
Difficult to set up.
8 years ago
I do mainly snowy mountaineering in the NE of the US. I've owned the VE-25 many years ago, which was an excellent tent, albeit heavy by today's standards. This tent is awful compared to the VE-25. Inserting the two long poles in the grommets on either side of the door are hard even when trying to set it up in my living room; it's desperately impossible in cold conditions (below zero, windy). I find myself taking off the gloves, as the glove material gets caught in the grommet/string/etc. This is not normal. I don't recommend this tent on a cold mountain.
No, I do not recommend this product
Originally posted on thenorthface.com
406soul
Billings, Montana
Expecting Rain? Expect to get wet.
7 years ago
NOT waterproof. I've had this tent for a couple years and finally ran into a steady rain day/night. My expectations were high because it has worked well in snow for me but reality hit when I woke up in the morning. I was soaked, my son was soaked, our sleeping bags were soaked, our pads were soaked, our bags were soaked...I ended up dumping at least 2 liters of water out of the tent when I got everything packed up. The tent basically crushed any thought of making my 4 day trip actually last 4 days. That 3rd day was our last because everything we brought with us was soaked. I'm incredibly disappointed and I sincerely hope TNF steps up and makes the situation right because "waterproof" is one of the tent's descriptors. What a joke! Save your money.
No, I do not recommend this product
Originally posted on thenorthface.com
Will
British Columbia
A rock solid tent
9 years ago
After using this tent in multiple climates and environments, I figure its time to give it a solid review. I've owned this tent for about a year now and it has almost always fit the bill for what I need. First off, yes- the vestibule is a different colour (orange) from the rest of the tent, but that really doesn't matter. Second, this single wall tent does begin to absorb moisture in a rainstorm, but I have never woken up with water inside the tent. It does however pick up condensation in bad weather as all the vents must be closed, so I have woken up with wet walls in the morning. For this reason I usually carry a lightweight tarp in my bag just in case of heavy rain for peace of mind (plus it can always come in handy for other applications). In the summer this tent can definitely be quite hot even with all of the vents left open. However, this tent excels in harsh climates. It is an extremely warm tent, and covered in snow it is just as sturdy as it is in summer. Its crazy how bombproof this tent feels. This is by far the most windproof tent I've found. If you want to test how air sealed the interior is, set up the tent, zip up all of the vents and doors, and try to take the tent down. It will almost hold its shape without any of the poles supporting it and its virtually impossible to squish the air out to pack it down. In windstorms the tent barely sways. This tent is also quite lightweight for being a 4 season, 3 man tent. All in all, this tent is definitely not the tent for everyone. It is purpose built and doesn't have all of the features of most tents (ie storage pockets, double doors) , and unless you are using it for high alpine multi-season endeavours, then you are most likely better off with a 3 season mesh tent with fly. However, if this is going to be your basecamp to summit tent, especially in windy variable winter conditions then this is the tent for you. This tent crushes peaks!
Yes , I recommend this product
Originally posted on thenorthface.com
LexiconJohn
Santa Rosa, Ca
Absolutely amazing tent.
8 years ago
No where does it say that this tent is WATER PROOF. I don't understand why that would be a downside to this tent in previous reviews. Also setting up this tent was a snap. First time setting it up without the fly was about 5 minutes. Perfect! If you dont wanna get wet then get a hotel lol or bring a tarp. Enough said. I camped at the top of Shasta in 60 mph winds and did not worry one bit. This tent did exactly what it was supposed to do. Create a perfect comfy safe shelter from the elements. Done and done. I am sure the ones that call themselves minimalists that have left cruddy reviews on this tent probably bring caviar and crystal ware with them as well as a butler hahaha. Grow up boys and girls. Indiana Jones would be ashamed of your so called adventures ;)
Yes , I recommend this product
Originally posted on thenorthface.com
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