The North Face Mica FL 2 tent

2019-06-19T20:00:00

First let me say I've been a North Face fan for 40+ years but some of their quality has waned over the years. I decided to try this tent since my old NF Vector was old and irreparable. The North Face customer service is second to none which allowed me to purchase again. I chose to try the Mica 2 knowing I could return it if dissatisfied. As soon as it arrived we set it up and then tried it on an overnight trip. The weight was precisely as advertised at 3lbs 7oz. including a ground sheet. It sets up easily and in minimal space since it is fully free standing. My wife likes having the two doors; unlike our old Vector, we don't have to crawl over someone to get out. We lean towards ultralight gear having thru-hiked the PCT, and we know what ultralight gear costs and how it's made. There are lighter 2 person tents on the market and I've tried them. They have their issues; ease of set-up, condensation, one entry, space, price, etc. I was surprised to find the Mica a superlight, two person, double wall tent that's free standing, and that's not flimsy or made with inferior products to save weight. In fact if you leave the ground sheet at home the complete tent weighs in at under 3lbs. We'll be trying it out on our next thru-hike.

Reaper

Originally posted at

2018-07-16T23:49:22

Great tent, light. Wish it has more head room and bigger doors.

Critical N.

2018-04-06T20:00:00

I've used this tent for two seasons (I have the older version that isn't completely freestanding). No issues yet. Initially concerned as the material seemed very lightweight, but I've had my dog inside with no footprint and all has held up. Usually use this tent solo, but have doubled up for a multi-night hiking trip. The two vestibules allowed each of us to have a place to store our packs and our own doors to get in and out. Only issue is the tent is made to sleep with both ppl facing the same wdirection. When one sleeps with their head at the other end of the tent there is less headroom and it is narrower. I wish this had a different stuff sack and I could definitely compress it more to save space. Overall, for the size and price point, the weight is very good. i got my older version from an outlet store for about $150cdn.

The 3.

Originally posted at

2017-08-14T20:00:00

Took this tent on a last minute loner backpack trip, and must I say it performed well. Before I could even reach my campsite it started pouring on me, so my spots of setup became very limited, and it has to be fast. Thankfully because this tent sets up so fast, very little water got in the tent. Once I got the tent setup and inside, then it really started pouring down. hard. But alas, no leaks and no water build-ups on the the top, and I stayed dry. The only thing that I can directly complain about is the tent footprint it comes with. I don't know what error they made in the manufacturing process, or who came up with the wrong measurements, but that footprint does not fig snugly under the tent. It slacks, comes out from below the tent, and collects water if you have water that moves below your tent. It does the job of stopping rocks from damaging the tent, but its pain to work with. I might just need to make my own. Otherwise though its an amazing tent for the weight it comes in.

Huff A.

Originally posted at

2017-08-13T20:00:00

I bought the older version (single pole at base vs freestanding) of the Mica FL2 a couple years ago and just gave it a real test in RMNP in Aug 2017. The tent space is just wide enough for 2 thermarest neoairs with a couple inches to spare. There is some room at the top and bottom. The vestibule area's on each side are big enough to store pack and gear over night, door on each side is great. We camped at 11K feet and had the full range of weather including about 5 hail storms intermixed with thunder\rain for about 4 hours one afternoon. The fly held up well and no leaks from above. Tent was pitched in designated camp area that had run off running going under the tent after heavy rain/hail. Water ran under and over footprint but floor of tent held up (damp but not wet). At the head of the tent there was some splashing under the fly that went over the base where the mosquito netting starts, again a little damp. The tent footprint is exactly the size of the tent base, if it was a couple inches bigger I could have engineered the rain runoff to go under the footprint verses over. Like other review, I had the velcro on fly that is suppose to go around tent crossbar come off fly. Also had one of the door open holder bars also come off fly. Plan to contact TNF about it. Weight of tent was great, survived major storm, All things considered, I would give it a B+

jvn

Originally posted at

2016-10-27T20:00:00

Very easy to set up but as others wrote, the waterproofing is peeling off pretty much immediately and you'll end up with white flakes inside your tent for a while. I haven't tested the tent in the rain yet but I hope that the peeling layer is not too critical to keep the inside dry.

Thomas

Originally posted at

2016-06-01T20:00:00

We received this tent for our 15th anniversary and both of us were super excited! We have an old North Face tent, that we absolutely love, and it has gotten us through many many adventures. If we love this tent as much as the last one, we will have it for a long long time. My husband and I really enjoy backcountry camping and canoeing, so this is the perfect tent for us. It is super light weight and really easy to set up, plus it looks great! Can't wait to start racking up adventures with our new gear.

Twrecks M.

Originally posted at

2015-10-04T20:00:00

I have been very fond of this tent. I have been using it for over two years now for both backpacking and car camping. I usually use this tent with one other person, we both use inflatable pads and mummy style sleeping bags and it all fits in there no problem, It is very easy to set up (seriously takes 2 minutes), it has kept me dry in pouring rain, it is very light and easy to carry. I am a big fan of star gazing though the mesh on clear nights. I foresee using this tent for quite sometime to come. If you are looking for a light, durable easy to use tent I suggest trying this one out.

Team A.

Originally posted at

2014-10-14T20:00:00

After planning to do the grueling Long Range Traverse hike in NFLD, I decided to splurge and get a much lighter tent than any of my more paddling-friendly shelters. The only problem with going the ultra-light route is that my girlfriend (and hiking partner), has problems with claustrophobic spaces and poor ventilation. After months of research and testing roughly a dozen different models, I decided to go with the Mica FL 2. What a great decision that turned out to be!! With my 230lb frame, finding an ultra-light tent roomy enough to meet my girlfriends exacting standards was tough, but this tent didn't disappoint. It POURED with rain each night we were out, and not only did we stay dry, but we had plenty of extra room at our feet for any extra gear we wanted to keep dry. This tent is light, dry, roomy, and has large vestibules for all your stuff. If my girlfriend gives it the thumbs up, you're sure to love it too!!

sailskipaddle

Originally posted at

2014-07-04T20:00:00

Love this tent! Being 6'4 I was having troubles finding a tent that I could fit in comfortably. This tent however is plenty long enough. Would defiently recommend this to everyone.

Rainer

Originally posted at

2014-05-23T20:00:00

We love our tent. Light, yet comfortable, and on a nice night, you can sleep looking at the stars under the mesh top. Fabulous!

Frogmat

Originally posted at

2014-04-30T20:00:00

Camping is a pure pleasure with this tent. The poles are what really seal the deal for me: everything is in one piece and even comes together as you unfold, making this set up so simple that it's laughable. It takes a minute (quite literally) to get the body ready, and maybe another minute to attach the rain fly, which is incredibly easy to do, thanks to the color-coded tabs. The tent is fairly spacious (though at times it can feel cramped -- a few extra inches would have helped), and has enough headroom for even individuals over 6'1'' to sit up straight. The two large doors and vestibules make entry and exit simple: no climbing over your partner, and no "squeezing yourself in," so to speak. Three season camping in the PNW has been awesome. No problems with leakage in the heaviest of rains, and have not once had an issue with condensation. In Washington, at least on the Western side of the mountains, this tent can very easily be extended for use in 4 seasons, and haven't had a problems with use in temps under 32*F and slightly under.

hikerbee

Originally posted at

2013-10-14T20:00:00

Ultralight, two large vestibules, easy set up..Great for multi day hiking! It's like a feather in your bag! On colder night I'd get really bad condensation inside the tent. I opened one of the vestibules to get more air inside the tent. It did help! I Would not recommend this tent for any cold weather camping.. Anything below 0 degrees celsius.. Awesome ultralight summer tent!!!!!

stanner

Originally posted at