MSR Flylite Tent Review – One Of The Worst 2-Person Tents?

Find out in this MSR Flylite Tent review if it is actually worth purchasing or simply a waste of time and money.

I have purchased many tents in the past that have promised to be “that great”, but have actually been “incredibly bad”, and I don’t want that to happen to you.

That’s why in this review I will be discussing everything this tent has to offer then providing my honest opinion on it.

Enjoy 🙂

Pros

Cons

A very lightweight tent. A trail weight of 1.9 pounds makes it lighter than 90% of other 2-person tents Easy to set up and take down. Many users have found this to be true Still contains some great features even though it’s a “minimalist” tent. The vertical walls and large door are my favorite

The fabric feels like it’s been made out of butterfly wings. However, that’s what makes this tent so lightweight. This means that it will require delicate handling Sadly, you will need 2 trekking poles to pitch it. And even worse, they are sold separately This tent will sag and volume space will reduce when saturated in rain water. Furthermore, side rain can make its way into the tent due to the mesh panel on the door The design is really bad. Because the roof is so flat, it catches the wind easily and transfers all the force to the center stakes, ultimately pulling them out of the ground

At A Glance

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Product name: MSR Flylite Tent

Cheapest place to buy: Amazon.com

Color: Blue

Sleeps: 2

Season: 3

Trail Weight: 1.9 pounds

Packed Weight: 2.4 pounds

Center Height: 3.6 feet

Floor Size: 6.8 x 4.5/3.5 (L x W head/foot) feet

Floor Area: 29 Sq. ft

Packed Size: 16 x 6 x 6 inches

Gear Loft Included: No

Footprint Included: No (sold separately)

Description

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The MSR Flylite Tent has been designed to be extremely lightweight while providing full protection from the rain and wind.

It is a “minimalist” tent, meaning it’s been cut down on features to help with weight.

The manufacturers have been pointing out that you can go further in the backcountry, obviously since it will be easier on your back since it’s so lightweight.

I’d also like to point out that the walls have been reinforced with a Durashield coating.

This provides extra warmth, privacy, and bug-free protection. Furthermore, it has been applied on the stress points for lasting protection.

What Does It Offer?

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Vertical Walls – The vertical walls mean that it has great livability. If you find yourself stuck inside the tent during a rainstorm, it will be much easier for you since you can sit upright

Rain Fly Awning – The rain fly creates an awning when pitched (covers door and side window panels). You’re able to keep the door open in the rain as a result of this unique feature

Large Door – As you can see in the product images, the door is HUGE. This will come in handy when camping with another person

Ventilation – There are large mesh windows located on the sides and the rear of this tent (3 total), along with a vented door to keep the air flowing, which helps stop, or at least minimize, condensation buildup

Fast Pitch – If you have 2 trekking poles, it is much easier to pitch than if you didn’t have any.

Interesting Findings…

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It soon came clear to me that this tent is NOT freestanding. But I guess this is how they save on weight since they do not have to use the material that comes with a freestanding design.

What also stuck out to me was the fact that it has vertical walls. The volume-to-weight ratio is amazing on this tent if you ask me, as it provides maximum head and elbow room.

Who Would Benefit From This Tent The Most

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An ultralight BACKPACKER!

This tent is best used for backpacking, but even better for someone who enjoys packing ultralight.

It has ample room for 2 people, so I have no hesitation in saying that 2 people can easily fit inside this tent, while I would even say that an overnight hiker will find this to be very useful for them as well.

Who Would Not Like This Tent

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Well if you are always rough with your tents – for example – you don’t clean them, you just pitch them anywhere in the wilderness (on sticks, vegetation, etc), and you don’t use a footprint protector, then you might want to reconsider your choice.

The material is thin, but that’s simply because it is made to be LIGHTWEIGHT.

This means it can tear easily.

So if “caring for your tent” sounds too difficult for you, this one is a better alternative.

Where To Get The MSR Flylite Tent

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Amazon.com is my preferred choice for online shopping, obviously because they have all the best deals.

Get a full refund if you decide you don’t like your purchase. All repairs will be done free of charge as well, which is due to the 30-day return policy.

Not to mention the free shipping for United States buyers and extremely fast deliveries (sometimes the next day!).

Check Price >>>

Do I Recommend It?

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I’m finding it very hard to recommend the MSR Flylite Tent.

Why?

The cons are HUGE, and the pros don’t even make up for the high amount of cons it has received.

It will not perform as good as it should for a tent in this price range, while it doesn’t even get the basics right!

And that is to keep you safe from the rain and wind.

Obviously because of side rain, rain goes under the rain fly, through the mesh panel on the door and into the tent.

Bad…bad…bad design.

I don’t usually rip tents apart this much, but it’s just one of those tents that has “lightweight” slapped on it and it begins to sell like hotcakes.

But then what happens?

Stakes come out in the wind and rain gets inside the tent in a rainstorm.

It just makes for an all-round bad camping experience, and luckily I have warned you about this tent before it’s too late.

Although you can take my review as a grain of salt, because what you do is up to you, but I hope you make the right decision to fit your camping needs 🙂

The MSR Flylite Tent is not recommended!

Alternative Lightweight 2-Person Tents

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You’ll find that the MSR Hubba Hubba NX 2-Person Tent is a much better alternative. It’s only 1 pound heavier but has NO problems standing strong in heavy winds, and it doesn’t leak in the rain either.

The Kelty Salida 2 Person Tent is even heavier, but it still performs much better than the MSR Flylite Tent in the wilderness. It’s even cheaper than both of these tents.

Conclusion/Final Opinion

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Okay, the MSR Flylite Tent isn’t all that bad.

It’s extremely lightweight and has some awesome features that become beneficial in many ways while out camping.

It’s really simple and easy to set up as well.

However, that is all that’s good about this tent.

It struggles to keep you safe in strong winds and it’s known to get rain inside when the wind blows sideways.

For me, that is a deal breaker. A tent is suppose to keep you safe from the elements, which means it can not even get the basics right!

Due to all the major cons this tent has received, and because they outweigh the pros by a long shot, I will have to give the MSR Flylite Tent a massive thumbs down.

Do not waste your money on this tent or you will be let down big time.

The Kelty Salida 2 Person Tent is a much better alternative and truly a one-of-a-kind in my honest opinion.

Thanks for reading 🙂

Were you surprised by my review? Leave a comment below and I’ll get back to you asap!

 

Cheers.