MSR Elixir 3 Tent Grey
Discover the MSR Elixir 3 tent - an affordable backpacking tent that offers all the features that campers and backpackers expect from MSR. With plenty of headroom and space for three adults and their mats, the tent design offers convenience and comfort. It has two large doors for easy entry and new, larger vestibules with 35% more storage space. The Elixir 3 tent is a three-season tent that balances mesh fabric for ventilation with canopy fabric for warmth and privacy. The included footprint provides various setup options, including a quick and easy setup with a rain fly. The tent has a unique pole geometry for optimal ceiling height and fit for three mats, as well as built-in gear lofts and sliding zippers for convenience. It has a waterproof polyurethane coating and is easy to install using colour-coded posts, clamps and webbing. The mesh and solid fabric panels provide ventilation, warmth and privacy. Package includes tent body, rain fly, poles, footprint, stakes, branch lines, stuff sack and installation instructions. Explore the MSR Elixir 3 tent and enjoy comfortable and reliable protection during your adventures.
Discover the MSR Elixir 3 tent - an affordable backpacking tent that offers all the features that campers and backpackers expect from MSR. With plenty of headroom and space for three adults and their mats, the tent design offers convenience and comfort. It has two large doors for easy entry and new, larger vestibules with 35% more storage space. The Elixir 3 tent is a three-season tent that balances mesh fabric for ventilation with canopy fabric for warmth and privacy. The included footprint provides various setup options, including a quick and easy setup with a rain fly. The tent has a unique pole geometry for optimal ceiling height and fit for three mats, as well as built-in gear lofts and sliding zippers for convenience. It has a waterproof polyurethane coating and is easy to install using colour-coded posts, clamps and webbing. The mesh and solid fabric panels provide ventilation, warmth and privacy. Package includes tent body, rain fly, poles, footprint, stakes, branch lines, stuff sack and installation instructions. Explore the MSR Elixir 3 tent and enjoy comfortable and reliable protection during your adventures.
Discover the MSR Elixir 3 tent - an affordable backpacking tent that offers all the features that campers and backpackers expect from MSR. With plenty of headroom and space for three adults and their mats, the tent design offers convenience and comfort. It has two large doors for easy entry and new, larger vestibules with 35% more storage space. The Elixir 3 tent is a three-season tent that balances mesh fabric for ventilation with canopy fabric for warmth and privacy. The included footprint provides various setup options, including a quick and easy setup with a rain fly. The tent has a unique pole geometry for optimal ceiling height and fit for three mats, as well as built-in gear lofts and sliding zippers for convenience. It has a waterproof polyurethane coating and is easy to install using colour-coded posts, clamps and webbing. The mesh and solid fabric panels provide ventilation, warmth and privacy. Package includes tent body, rain fly, poles, footprint, stakes, branch lines, stuff sack and installation instructions. Explore the MSR Elixir 3 tent and enjoy comfortable and reliable protection during your adventures.
Discover the MSR Elixir 3 tent - an affordable backpacking tent that offers all the features that campers and backpackers expect from MSR. With plenty of headroom and space for three adults and their mats, the tent design offers convenience and comfort. It has two large doors for easy entry and new, larger vestibules with 35% more storage space. The Elixir 3 tent is a three-season tent that balances mesh fabric for ventilation with canopy fabric for warmth and privacy. The included footprint provides various setup options, including a quick and easy setup with a rain fly. The tent has a unique pole geometry for optimal ceiling height and fit for three mats, as well as built-in gear lofts and sliding zippers for convenience. It has a waterproof polyurethane coating and is easy to install using colour-coded posts, clamps and webbing. The mesh and solid fabric panels provide ventilation, warmth and privacy. Package includes tent body, rain fly, poles, footprint, stakes, branch lines, stuff sack and installation instructions. Explore the MSR Elixir 3 tent and enjoy comfortable and reliable protection during your adventures.
in 3 offers
The lowest price for MSR Elixir 3 Tent Grey right now is $649.26 at Desertcart.ae, compared across 3 retailers.
The all-time low was $192.00 on 12 Sept 2023 — today's price is 238% above the lowest ever. It has been notably cheaper before — worth setting a price alert.
Prices last updated 2 Nov 2026.
Last updated at 02/11/2026 00:44:14
Elixir 3-Person Lightweight Backpacking Tent (2017 Model)
Free delivery between 11–13 Nov
MSR Elixir 3 Backpacking Tent
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Msr Elixir 3 V2 Lightweight 3 Person Hiking/camping Tent- Brand
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originally posted on mec.ca
It's important to know the purpose of your tent. This is not an ultralight, ultrapackable DCF tent by any means. It's also not a gigantic car camping house replacement tent. It's an excellent tent for just about everything else, though. For me, it's just about the last tent I'll need, and for canoe tripping (my usual style) it's the perfect tent for me. I've also taken it backpacking (NOT thru hiking) and it's great, though I do compromise on weight elsewhere.Many of the reviews here talk about the tent's warmth. It's not a 4-season tent, but for me, who camps in the east basically from the snowmelt to May, then from late August to October, it's the ideal warmth. The two windows front and back are great, and I've camped up to November with the windows wide open, ... MoreIt's important to know the purpose of your tent. This is not an ultralight, ultrapackable DCF tent by any means. It's also not a gigantic car camping house replacement tent. It's an excellent tent for just about everything else, though. For me, it's just about the last tent I'll need, and for canoe tripping (my usual style) it's the perfect tent for me. I've also taken it backpacking (NOT thru hiking) and it's great, though I do compromise on weight elsewhere.Many of the reviews here talk about the tent's warmth. It's not a 4-season tent, but for me, who camps in the east basically from the snowmelt to May, then from late August to October, it's the ideal warmth. The two windows front and back are great, and I've camped up to November with the windows wide open, in a -10C bag. There's a single door and a roomy vestibule - larger than the Hubba Hubba 1, definitely the Copper Spur 1, and many 1-person tents I've seen out there. It fits all my gear, boots, and still got room to spare, though I do pack on the lighter side.I'm a fan of this tent because I don't hang out in my tent. Some reviewers gripe about the lack of visibility from the tent body with the fly open - but I don't, because I just leave my tent to go watch the sunrise. As well, I'm 6'2 and I don't feel cramped in this tent by any means - the storage is enough for me, which is just storing a headlamp above my head and extra toque and gloves by my feet. There are 1-person tents with more, but I like the size tradeoff.Waterproofing: It is very waterproof. It sat through three days of a mix of pouring rain and constant misting in Algonquin in October. Though the tent body was a little wet by the time I packed up, my bag and I were bone dry. The fly-and-footprint capability meant I could pack up the body dry under the fly.Some very minor gripes: the pole system feels strong and sturdy, but I would love to be able to get a few spare rotating pieces in the bag. As well, the stakes are the standard large aluminum hook-style stakes - I replaced mine with the MSR Ground Hog stakes, and would rather get those out of the box instead of the big ones.
originally posted on cascadedesigns.com
I was so excited to get my MSR Elixir 3 - I've always liked MSR products and did lots of research before making my decision to buy it. I'd hardly used it when the seam tape went hard, cracked and started dropping off the fly sheet. The waterproofing across the rest of the fly sheet went powdery too. The tent leaked really badly and ruined a camping trip. At the point in time when I contacted customer services, I wasn't yet aware that the issues had been experienced by so many other customers. I had to give a lot justification before getting a replacement fly sheet and it was even suggested to me that my chosen storage location might have caused the problems. The replacement fly sheet I was sent had exactly the same issues as the first one. I then got sent another ... MoreI was so excited to get my MSR Elixir 3 - I've always liked MSR products and did lots of research before making my decision to buy it. I'd hardly used it when the seam tape went hard, cracked and started dropping off the fly sheet. The waterproofing across the rest of the fly sheet went powdery too. The tent leaked really badly and ruined a camping trip. At the point in time when I contacted customer services, I wasn't yet aware that the issues had been experienced by so many other customers. I had to give a lot justification before getting a replacement fly sheet and it was even suggested to me that my chosen storage location might have caused the problems. The replacement fly sheet I was sent had exactly the same issues as the first one. I then got sent another one, which I accepted and seems to be better in terms of waterproofing, but I think it must be from a newer version of the tent - the door one one side opens at the opposite end to the door on the inner, so it's really awkward getting in and out. I feel that I should have been sent a new inner too (one that works with the fly sheet!). I basically spent a lot of money on my Elixir 3 and have never had the functioning set up that I should have got. Now it's become apparent to me that the same waterproofing problems have been experienced by so many others, I feel even more aggrieved by it all.
originally posted on cascadedesigns.com
I recently picked this up to size up from a cheap two-person tent, and was at first a bit worried by the reviews mentioning leaks due to the lack of seam-sealing (which seems to have been corrected in newer models). I currently live in Texas, so the prospect of surprise thunderstorms with heavy rain is fairly common, and this tent had a trial by fire on its first night out. A fairly strong thunderstorm blew through in the middle of the night, and we remained completely dry inside the tent. For reference, a car roof "Dry" bag we had tried out had a ~2 inch deep pool of rainwater inside of it (which some of our stuff/compression sacks were floating in, unfortunately). The only hints of moisture we got were from keeping the rainfly vents open, which occasionally ... MoreI recently picked this up to size up from a cheap two-person tent, and was at first a bit worried by the reviews mentioning leaks due to the lack of seam-sealing (which seems to have been corrected in newer models). I currently live in Texas, so the prospect of surprise thunderstorms with heavy rain is fairly common, and this tent had a trial by fire on its first night out. A fairly strong thunderstorm blew through in the middle of the night, and we remained completely dry inside the tent. For reference, a car roof "Dry" bag we had tried out had a ~2 inch deep pool of rainwater inside of it (which some of our stuff/compression sacks were floating in, unfortunately). The only hints of moisture we got were from keeping the rainfly vents open, which occasionally allowed mist to spray in lightly (an unfortunate necessity in Texas humidity). Additionally, the vestibule design ensured there was a sizeable space to egress from the tent without issues and our shoes remained completely dry -- the top pole gives the vestibule some extra headroom that was very useful for removing my rain jacket in the vestibule. It was also nice that the vestibule had several different guyout points and toggle points, so that you could have openings of multiple sizes.My only real gripe with the fly was the attachment to the poles seemed odd and the instructions weren't completely obvious (the older model used clips it seems, while the new model has grommets that you fit the tent poles into). Also, there was a fair amount of moisture inside the rainfly, but I chalked that up to the extremely high humidity throughout the day and night. Leaving the fly, tent, and footprint (definitely a nice touch that it has this included) in the sun allowed them to quickly dry without any issues. Also, using the two-zipper design on the rainfly, we were able to get some extra airflow to alleviate the awful humidity - zipping up the fly completely managed to also keep in quite a bit of warmth as the temperature dropped. The tent itself was great, though the lack of a true gear loft was a little disappointing, though the number of pockets and their placement made the need for one pretty unnecessary -- I'll probably just attach one from another tent if I start to miss it.In summary:Pros:-Pretty waterproof, can't complain-Good ventilation design-Very roomy, lots of headroom inside-Spacious vestibule (with headroom)-Vestibule opening is "modular"-Quick setup with at least two people-Lot's of storage pocket space-Included stakes are surprisingly pretty good (just typical aluminum J-stakes, but with cool red MSR coating to make everyone jealous)Cons:-Weird rainfly attachment (doesn't appear to be problematic, more of just a preference)-Gear loft not included (but alleviated by two tent-ceiling pockets, and toggles for adding a gear loft)For a car-camping tent for two people and a husky, this is a great fit. I'll be trying this tent out in Colorado soon, and I'm fairly confident that it will be perfect for the colder nights.
| Season | 3-Season |
| Tent type | Dome tent |
| Weight (Standard) | 7 lbs |
| Minimum Weight (Standard) | 5 lbs 14 oz |
| Minimum Weight (Metric) | 2.66 kg |
Elixir 3-Person Lightweight Backpacking Tent (2017 Model)
Free delivery between 11–13 Nov
MSR Elixir 3 Backpacking Tent
Free delivery
Msr Elixir 3 V2 Lightweight 3 Person Hiking/camping Tent- Brand
Free delivery
Affiliate Disclosure: We may receive a small commission for purchases made through this link at no extra cost to you. This helps support our site. Thank you!
It's important to know the purpose of your tent. This is not an ultralight, ultrapackable DCF tent by any means. It's also not a gigantic car camping house replacement tent. It's an excellent tent for just about everything else, though. For me, it's just about the last tent I'll need, and for canoe tripping (my usual style) it's the perfect tent for me. I've also taken it backpacking (NOT thru hiking) and it's great, though I do compromise on weight elsewhere.Many of the reviews here talk about the tent's warmth. It's not a 4-season tent, but for me, who camps in the east basically from the snowmelt to May, then from late August to October, it's the ideal warmth. The two windows front and back are great, and I've camped up to November with the windows wide open, ... MoreIt's important to know the purpose of your tent. This is not an ultralight, ultrapackable DCF tent by any means. It's also not a gigantic car camping house replacement tent. It's an excellent tent for just about everything else, though. For me, it's just about the last tent I'll need, and for canoe tripping (my usual style) it's the perfect tent for me. I've also taken it backpacking (NOT thru hiking) and it's great, though I do compromise on weight elsewhere.Many of the reviews here talk about the tent's warmth. It's not a 4-season tent, but for me, who camps in the east basically from the snowmelt to May, then from late August to October, it's the ideal warmth. The two windows front and back are great, and I've camped up to November with the windows wide open, in a -10C bag. There's a single door and a roomy vestibule - larger than the Hubba Hubba 1, definitely the Copper Spur 1, and many 1-person tents I've seen out there. It fits all my gear, boots, and still got room to spare, though I do pack on the lighter side.I'm a fan of this tent because I don't hang out in my tent. Some reviewers gripe about the lack of visibility from the tent body with the fly open - but I don't, because I just leave my tent to go watch the sunrise. As well, I'm 6'2 and I don't feel cramped in this tent by any means - the storage is enough for me, which is just storing a headlamp above my head and extra toque and gloves by my feet. There are 1-person tents with more, but I like the size tradeoff.Waterproofing: It is very waterproof. It sat through three days of a mix of pouring rain and constant misting in Algonquin in October. Though the tent body was a little wet by the time I packed up, my bag and I were bone dry. The fly-and-footprint capability meant I could pack up the body dry under the fly.Some very minor gripes: the pole system feels strong and sturdy, but I would love to be able to get a few spare rotating pieces in the bag. As well, the stakes are the standard large aluminum hook-style stakes - I replaced mine with the MSR Ground Hog stakes, and would rather get those out of the box instead of the big ones.
I was so excited to get my MSR Elixir 3 - I've always liked MSR products and did lots of research before making my decision to buy it. I'd hardly used it when the seam tape went hard, cracked and started dropping off the fly sheet. The waterproofing across the rest of the fly sheet went powdery too. The tent leaked really badly and ruined a camping trip. At the point in time when I contacted customer services, I wasn't yet aware that the issues had been experienced by so many other customers. I had to give a lot justification before getting a replacement fly sheet and it was even suggested to me that my chosen storage location might have caused the problems. The replacement fly sheet I was sent had exactly the same issues as the first one. I then got sent another ... MoreI was so excited to get my MSR Elixir 3 - I've always liked MSR products and did lots of research before making my decision to buy it. I'd hardly used it when the seam tape went hard, cracked and started dropping off the fly sheet. The waterproofing across the rest of the fly sheet went powdery too. The tent leaked really badly and ruined a camping trip. At the point in time when I contacted customer services, I wasn't yet aware that the issues had been experienced by so many other customers. I had to give a lot justification before getting a replacement fly sheet and it was even suggested to me that my chosen storage location might have caused the problems. The replacement fly sheet I was sent had exactly the same issues as the first one. I then got sent another one, which I accepted and seems to be better in terms of waterproofing, but I think it must be from a newer version of the tent - the door one one side opens at the opposite end to the door on the inner, so it's really awkward getting in and out. I feel that I should have been sent a new inner too (one that works with the fly sheet!). I basically spent a lot of money on my Elixir 3 and have never had the functioning set up that I should have got. Now it's become apparent to me that the same waterproofing problems have been experienced by so many others, I feel even more aggrieved by it all.
I recently picked this up to size up from a cheap two-person tent, and was at first a bit worried by the reviews mentioning leaks due to the lack of seam-sealing (which seems to have been corrected in newer models). I currently live in Texas, so the prospect of surprise thunderstorms with heavy rain is fairly common, and this tent had a trial by fire on its first night out. A fairly strong thunderstorm blew through in the middle of the night, and we remained completely dry inside the tent. For reference, a car roof "Dry" bag we had tried out had a ~2 inch deep pool of rainwater inside of it (which some of our stuff/compression sacks were floating in, unfortunately). The only hints of moisture we got were from keeping the rainfly vents open, which occasionally ... MoreI recently picked this up to size up from a cheap two-person tent, and was at first a bit worried by the reviews mentioning leaks due to the lack of seam-sealing (which seems to have been corrected in newer models). I currently live in Texas, so the prospect of surprise thunderstorms with heavy rain is fairly common, and this tent had a trial by fire on its first night out. A fairly strong thunderstorm blew through in the middle of the night, and we remained completely dry inside the tent. For reference, a car roof "Dry" bag we had tried out had a ~2 inch deep pool of rainwater inside of it (which some of our stuff/compression sacks were floating in, unfortunately). The only hints of moisture we got were from keeping the rainfly vents open, which occasionally allowed mist to spray in lightly (an unfortunate necessity in Texas humidity). Additionally, the vestibule design ensured there was a sizeable space to egress from the tent without issues and our shoes remained completely dry -- the top pole gives the vestibule some extra headroom that was very useful for removing my rain jacket in the vestibule. It was also nice that the vestibule had several different guyout points and toggle points, so that you could have openings of multiple sizes.My only real gripe with the fly was the attachment to the poles seemed odd and the instructions weren't completely obvious (the older model used clips it seems, while the new model has grommets that you fit the tent poles into). Also, there was a fair amount of moisture inside the rainfly, but I chalked that up to the extremely high humidity throughout the day and night. Leaving the fly, tent, and footprint (definitely a nice touch that it has this included) in the sun allowed them to quickly dry without any issues. Also, using the two-zipper design on the rainfly, we were able to get some extra airflow to alleviate the awful humidity - zipping up the fly completely managed to also keep in quite a bit of warmth as the temperature dropped. The tent itself was great, though the lack of a true gear loft was a little disappointing, though the number of pockets and their placement made the need for one pretty unnecessary -- I'll probably just attach one from another tent if I start to miss it.In summary:Pros:-Pretty waterproof, can't complain-Good ventilation design-Very roomy, lots of headroom inside-Spacious vestibule (with headroom)-Vestibule opening is "modular"-Quick setup with at least two people-Lot's of storage pocket space-Included stakes are surprisingly pretty good (just typical aluminum J-stakes, but with cool red MSR coating to make everyone jealous)Cons:-Weird rainfly attachment (doesn't appear to be problematic, more of just a preference)-Gear loft not included (but alleviated by two tent-ceiling pockets, and toggles for adding a gear loft)For a car-camping tent for two people and a husky, this is a great fit. I'll be trying this tent out in Colorado soon, and I'm fairly confident that it will be perfect for the colder nights.
This tent is fantastic! I've used it in conditions ranging from -5C to 30C so far and have yet to be disappointed. The two vents really help with condensation, and I've never had any form. The tent does run a little warm, which I choose to see as a positive, because you can use it in colder conditions. I'd consider this to be a 3.5 season tent, which probably only can't handle heavy winter weather. It's true that in the summer it sometimes gets a bit too warm if the tent is in direct sunlight throughout the day, however, if it really gets too warm, you can set it up without the rainfly and use a tarp instead (if rain is forecasted). At 30C, I was able to sleep through the night with the rainfly set-up, but any warmer would have been a bit too much.The pole system ... MoreThis tent is fantastic! I've used it in conditions ranging from -5C to 30C so far and have yet to be disappointed. The two vents really help with condensation, and I've never had any form. The tent does run a little warm, which I choose to see as a positive, because you can use it in colder conditions. I'd consider this to be a 3.5 season tent, which probably only can't handle heavy winter weather. It's true that in the summer it sometimes gets a bit too warm if the tent is in direct sunlight throughout the day, however, if it really gets too warm, you can set it up without the rainfly and use a tarp instead (if rain is forecasted). At 30C, I was able to sleep through the night with the rainfly set-up, but any warmer would have been a bit too much.The pole system takes a bit of getting used to, but otherwise set-up and take down is really easy. I'd recommend getting a few extra lightweight pegs, since although there are enough for the general setup, there don't seem to be enough if you want to stake out every possible string.Another thing to mention is that I really appreciate the size of the tent. It's like a 1.5-person tent and in a bind, you could definitely fit two people inside. One of the reasons I chose this tent was this extra space, since I do photography, and I have some extra gear that I like to keep inside rather than in the vestibule. All in all, if you're looking for a 1-person tent without breaking the bank, I would look no further. I did a lot of research before buying this tent, and for this price and decently low weight, there's no better option (at least in Canada).
Man, this tent is tough. I've had it for a few years now, backpacking mostly in Eastern Texas and Western Louisiana, but with a trip to Philmont thrown in, and this thing has stood up very well. I've been caught in more heavy rains than I care to ever hike in again, and I've never had more than condensation inside the tent. It is very water proof. This includes a time where my campsite was evacuated due to the weather. While everyone else was soaked, my gear remained perfectly dry despite the several inches of standing water around and under the tent. The floor was floating up around my sleeping pad, and perfectly dry thanks to that little bathtub it's got. This tent also did very well at Philmont in New Mexico dealing with some high winds, and always having to ... MoreMan, this tent is tough. I've had it for a few years now, backpacking mostly in Eastern Texas and Western Louisiana, but with a trip to Philmont thrown in, and this thing has stood up very well. I've been caught in more heavy rains than I care to ever hike in again, and I've never had more than condensation inside the tent. It is very water proof. This includes a time where my campsite was evacuated due to the weather. While everyone else was soaked, my gear remained perfectly dry despite the several inches of standing water around and under the tent. The floor was floating up around my sleeping pad, and perfectly dry thanks to that little bathtub it's got. This tent also did very well at Philmont in New Mexico dealing with some high winds, and always having to forget something, I forgot my footprint for that. After 11 days in the rocky, mountainous backcountry, the tent was perfectly fine regardless. The ventilation could be a little better, and it can be a pretty warm tent (good or bad depending on where you are). It's also a little heavier than some other backpacking tents, but I don't mind carrying the extra weigh even if I'm on my own. With two people it's extremely manageable. All in, this is my favorite tent that I've ever had, and I'm unlikely to switch to something else for quite some time. Well worth the investment.
Very disappointing - water-resistant for less than 4 years! I always research camping equipment carefully and am generally happy to pay for something that works. I wanted a 4-person tent for family trekking holidays that was light enough for me to carry alone, but big enough to hold a family of 4. This tent performed reasonably well to start with. The basic design is fine, although it's difficult to pitch so that the inner and outer don't touch - extra guy-ropes needed? The two porches were good. We used it a couple of times and then Covid hit so it was stored in a cupboard in the bedroom for the last two years. On getting it out this year (4 years after purchase) for a canoe safari on the Wye we found that the flysheet had perished. We ended up spending 3 nights in ... MoreVery disappointing - water-resistant for less than 4 years! I always research camping equipment carefully and am generally happy to pay for something that works. I wanted a 4-person tent for family trekking holidays that was light enough for me to carry alone, but big enough to hold a family of 4. This tent performed reasonably well to start with. The basic design is fine, although it's difficult to pitch so that the inner and outer don't touch - extra guy-ropes needed? The two porches were good. We used it a couple of times and then Covid hit so it was stored in a cupboard in the bedroom for the last two years. On getting it out this year (4 years after purchase) for a canoe safari on the Wye we found that the flysheet had perished. We ended up spending 3 nights in rain in a tent that let in water - not a couple of drops, but rivers - hello soggy down and crying daughter, goodbye sleep and library books! It is effectively useless. In other circumstances, this could have been dangerous. On contacting MSR about the issue they pointed out that it was not their problem as it was out of the 3 year warranty (thus justifying this review). So there you go, if you are going to get enough use out of this tent to justify the cost in 3 years before the flysheet gives up, or you will use it where it never rains (e.g. East Anglia, England at the moment), then go for it. If not I would suggest another make - my North Face Tadpole is still going after 20 years of hard service all around the world with only a couple of minor duct-tape repairs...
Who we are: Family of four (children 6 and 9)What we do: Backcountry in Alberta and BC... probably Algonquin in the near future.What is good about the tent: Even with broken poles duct taped together in an alpine storm, it does not budge.What is Bad about this tent: The roof is basically flat so if you are getting any temperature fluctuations when/where you are camping it is going to rain in there. We learned that if you keep the vestibules open and sleep on top of your sleeping bag until the cold wakes you up then you can close up and you wake in the morning dry... Otherwise, expect stormy weather on the wrong side of the fly.In addition, the fly is a fraction of an inch smaller than the tent at each corner, but still, a fraction of an inch is a fraction of ... MoreWho we are: Family of four (children 6 and 9)What we do: Backcountry in Alberta and BC... probably Algonquin in the near future.What is good about the tent: Even with broken poles duct taped together in an alpine storm, it does not budge.What is Bad about this tent: The roof is basically flat so if you are getting any temperature fluctuations when/where you are camping it is going to rain in there. We learned that if you keep the vestibules open and sleep on top of your sleeping bag until the cold wakes you up then you can close up and you wake in the morning dry... Otherwise, expect stormy weather on the wrong side of the fly.In addition, the fly is a fraction of an inch smaller than the tent at each corner, but still, a fraction of an inch is a fraction of an inch, so... again, dampness is seemingly unavoidable even when the condensation runs down the side of the tent... plus you know, rain and snow... that stuff is what the fly is supposed to stop and it kinda doesn't do that too well when the corners of your tent are exposed.Oh, and did I mention the poles? Yeah, those break. Day two of a four night hike and we were deploying some serious strategic duct tape to keep this thing together.Conclusion: I've owned many many many tents and none of them suck as bad as this one. In fact, none of them suck at all. Up until now, I have never done anything but love my tents. Now true, this is my first 4-person tent so maybe that is harder to design and build but... This tent lasted 1.4 trips before it was an unusable heap. And to top it off, when I walked into MEC to return it they knew what the problem was before I even opened my mouth. Apparently these poles break all the time!!!Bad design. Bad materials. Kinda makes me sad thinking about it.
I bought this tent in May, 2017. We planned to take a backpacking trip that year but it got cancelled. I live overseas so stored this tent (in its original bag, in a cool, dry location) while I was gone. I took it out a couple times and set it up in the yard just to make sure it was still functioning. Fast forward to last summer. Went on a mountain trip with my siblings and took this tent with. I should have looked at it beforehand but knew all the parts were there so wasn't worried. Took it out of the bag and the seam tape/seal on the rainfly was just completely flaking apart...leaving residue everywhere. Not only that, but the rainfly itself was extremely discolored...my siblings who have a lot of wilderness experience were like, "No way this tent is new...". It ... MoreI bought this tent in May, 2017. We planned to take a backpacking trip that year but it got cancelled. I live overseas so stored this tent (in its original bag, in a cool, dry location) while I was gone. I took it out a couple times and set it up in the yard just to make sure it was still functioning. Fast forward to last summer. Went on a mountain trip with my siblings and took this tent with. I should have looked at it beforehand but knew all the parts were there so wasn't worried. Took it out of the bag and the seam tape/seal on the rainfly was just completely flaking apart...leaving residue everywhere. Not only that, but the rainfly itself was extremely discolored...my siblings who have a lot of wilderness experience were like, "No way this tent is new...". It looked like it had sat in the sun for 10 years, my guess is the waterproof coating was wearing down. First big rainstorm we had, water poured through the rainfly like it was mesh. - What's worse is it is impossible to get a generic replacement and costs around $160 (more than half of what I paid for the tent) to get a MSR replacement. I'm in process of trying to reseal the seams myself...and re-do the waterproof coating. But so disappointing to finally buy a "quality" tent and have this happen. MSR did respond to one email after a few months....but then never responded to my follow up email or a new one I sent. I see a lot of similar complaints and am convinced the rainflies on this tent sold at that time were defective.
I ordered a MSR Elixir 3 tent May 3, 2017. I assembled it in my yard when I first purchased it and again in 2020. Never went on the original trip I bought it for so had not taken it camping. We just went on a hike/climb this past summer and I took it with me. When I took it out of the bag, the rainfly was flaking apart at the seems. White flaky stuff falling everywhere..and also looked worn like it would if it had been sitting in the sun even though it had not been (my siblings could not believe it was almost brand new...they were convinced someone had to sell me a used tent accidentally). We did get rained on one night and it leaked horribly. Not just the seams…the whole thing. I was pretty shocked it was in that condition considering it was barely used. It was ... MoreI ordered a MSR Elixir 3 tent May 3, 2017. I assembled it in my yard when I first purchased it and again in 2020. Never went on the original trip I bought it for so had not taken it camping. We just went on a hike/climb this past summer and I took it with me. When I took it out of the bag, the rainfly was flaking apart at the seems. White flaky stuff falling everywhere..and also looked worn like it would if it had been sitting in the sun even though it had not been (my siblings could not believe it was almost brand new...they were convinced someone had to sell me a used tent accidentally). We did get rained on one night and it leaked horribly. Not just the seams…the whole thing. I was pretty shocked it was in that condition considering it was barely used. It was stored in a cool, dry place. I did contact Moosejaw last year (and again recently) and they said they couldn’t do anything since warranty expired. Also contacted MSR/Cascade designs last year and they asked for my address “in case” they could help but never came to anything. I just tried using Gear Aid seam sealant and water repellant spray myself to see if I could repair the old one. Still horrible (video below). Even being past warranty….This tent has only been used on one trip (was not used on any when the problem started) and had been stored safely. I would expect much more durability from MSR brand. - I also know it is not just me because a LOT of people have had problems with the rainfly for this tent (looking at other reviews).
| Season | 3-Season |
| Tent type | Dome tent |
| Weight (Standard) | 7 lbs |
| Minimum Weight (Standard) | 5 lbs 14 oz |
| Minimum Weight (Metric) | 2.66 kg |
