All-season tents can make or break a late-season backpack hunt. I’ve avoided the activity for the majority of my hunting ventures for the sake of weight. Tents capable of resisting the elements are certainly not lightweight, and when I’m trudging through snow, I don’t want to be weighed down by the extra bulk of my camp.
Not only that, but they also tend to be cumbersome to set up. The last thing I want to do is fight a big-ass tent after a cold day trudging up a mountain.
Enter the KUIU Storm Star 2: a tent that really might be able to do it all. I wasn’t sure how much I’d like this tent from the beginning since I tend to go either an ultralight, minimalist backpacking tent or a full-blown canvas wall tent. This fell in an uncomfortable place for me of somewhere in between. After wandering out of my comfort zone, did the KUIU Storm Star 2 earn its keep?
In short: Ohhhhhhh, you betcha, it’s a keeper. This tent does everything I wanted it to, regardless of weather or location. Not only am I a convert to this style of tent, but I’ve also had to send this one back for the rest of the team at GearJunkie to test, so I plan to buy my own. As a person with about a dozen tents in storage, that says more than any review can.
- Type: Alpine hunting and backpacking
- Weight: 5 lbs., 5.2 oz.
- Doors: 2
- Sleeps: 2 adults
- Floor Area: 29.5 sq. ft.
- Vestibule Area: 16.4 sq. ft.
- Height: 45"
- Walls: Double
Pros
- Spacious vestibules at each door
- Eight interior pockets provide space to organize small items
- Adjustable vents help manage condensation
- Dimension-Polyant pole sleeves are rugged
Cons
- Not an ideal construction for warm weather
- Requires muscle to get the clips onto the poles
Testing the KUIU Storm Star 2
Where the KUIU Storm Star 2 Shines
![KUIU Storm Star 2](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2024/04/34014EF6-6BA7-45CF-AFAA-EF93B47CCB98-700x466.jpeg)
![Vestibule KUIU Storm Star 2](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2024/03/0C500716-3ECF-417A-A0FB-DD7DA365FD52-700x467.jpg)
![Ample Storage, KUIU Storm Star 2](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2024/04/7167B164-D446-4C39-BB4D-1CE6EF8D852B-700x466.jpeg)
Where It Could Be Better
![KUIU Storm Star 2 Clips](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2024/03/AB0BF416-4EC2-4612-824D-48D578D35091-2-700x466.jpeg)
![KUIU Storm Star 2 Packed Size and Storage Bag](https://s3.us-east-1.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2024/04/BB3E329C-5690-4EBA-8B7C-5D30C0555F03-700x467.jpg)