“Engineered for all seasons.” That may sound like a flip tag line. But with a new tent, the Torrent 2P, Easton Mountain Products thinks it’s found a sweet spot between lightweight three-season tents and burly winter shelters.
It comes to market this month at $450. For that price tag you get a year-round tent Easton claims can handle hot deserts prone to dust storms as well as cold and snowy high-altitude base camps.
My test was more the latter scenario. I set the Torrent up in the middle of a 10-inch snowstorm this month. It held strong and steady.
Inside, with headroom at a comfortable 41 inches and a total of 35 square feet of space, the tent was roomy enough for two guys and gear. A pair of vestibules combine for extra storage space.
Like most winter-category tents, the Torrent is roomy for its two-person descriptor. Given the gear-heavy nature of winter adventures, you’ll appreciate the elbow room. But when it’s warm, I’d easily consider this a three-person size tent.
Back to the “engineered for all seasons” claim. . . what distinguishes this tent is its ability to seal up tight and stay stable against snow or wind, but also to vent when it’s hot outside. There are big screen doors and added air vents on top.
Its pole construction and overall build is strong, but not take-it-to-20,000-feet strong. Easton summarizes the Torrent as “a lighter weight four-season alternative to heavier expedition tents that are often overkill for most adventures.”
In my use, it had the ability to withstand a good snow-dump as well as generous ventilation to boot. Double-wall construction minimized frost formation inside at night.
I found the tent had just enough ventilation to keep condensation under control. There are two screen doors that can zip closed with a second solid nylon door panel, sealing out snow or dust. Two generous roof vents do the same, and they feature an “eyebrow” opening in the tent’s outer fly to aid airflow.
The burly build and extra features add up. At 7lbs. 8oz, this is not a light-hiker’s dream tent, but it is certainly manageable when compared to other four-season tents.
I tested it in winter and snow. But as we move into spring, the Torrent won’t need to be shelved. In the transitional weather like we’re having in Minnesota right now, the sealed/taped tub bottom has been critical for keeping the slushy snow beneath me from soaking the contents of the tent.
As temps rise, I can open those vents and air things out. Another unique feature for warm weather is the ability to use trekking poles to prop the doors open and provide shade or shelter (see photo below).
In the end, $450 is a lot of dough. But if you live in the mountains or the snowbelt and need a versatile, four-season tent, the Torrent could be your sole shelter — no matter the weather or temps outdoors.
—T.C. Worley is a contributing editor.
