MSR Elixir 2 Backpacking Tent

  1 of 8

  I bought this tent in April 2022. I used this tent in my garden for a few weeks over the summer and was very familiar with putting it up. One time the pole broke at the crossover point and now it is useless. I've just begun investigating whether I can get a refund. Sadly despite what is said elsewhere I can confirm that this is not a very strong tent and is prone to breaking. Hopefully tougher poles will be put on future models. Aside from this deal breaker, I enjoyed the tent while it worked. It was perhaps slightly short for me (I'm 6,2) and in heavy rain did let it just the tiniest of water drops coming down from one of the central pole crossings through the upper mesh star. These very minor issues were fine but the pole breaking obviously was not.  

  Christopher Chambers

  2 of 8

  Yet to trial this out in the open but very impressed with the initial opening and erecting indoors, I couldn’t help myself. More impressed with the speedy delivery and great customer service from Woodlore. Can’t wait to give this a proper first trial at the end of this month.  

  Jamie Tomkins

  3 of 8

  Excellent tent lightweight and fits in pack easily. Straightforward to put up. Coped well in some significant winds and heavy rain. Stayed up well and remained dry. Excellent value for money.  

  Pete W

  4 of 8

  A very high quality tent. First time out, the rain belted down for hours which just beaded off a treat! It was very stable in the wind too! Service was brilliant from Woodlore with great communication, packaging and fast delivery. Can’t fault them and happy to (in some small way) support Ray Mears whom I have watched on television for years.  

  Siimon Hendy

  5 of 8

  First of all, I have bought dozens of items from Woodlore, all of which have been delivered rapidly and have arrived in perfect condition and this was no exception. As to the tent itself, it was put to immediate use on a wet night in South Yorkshire. The tent is very easy to erect and adjust, and although it is designed to be erected inner-first, I have found that it is possible to put the fly up first, supported by the poles and then clip the inner to the poles afterwards - particularly useful in wet weather. Interior room is first-class for a tent of this size and weight (2.6kg all in). I'm 6 feet 3 inches and had plenty of room to lie down and sit up and felt that the tent could easily accommodate me x2 plus a couple of rucksacks in the generous porch areas. Other nifty features would include plenty of interior stowage pockets, a raised seam above the doors to prevent water dripping into the porch and glow-in-the-dark pull tabs on the door zips. The geometric design, the way the fly pulls over the frame leaving no raised edges and the extremely high quality throughout all suggest to me that this tent will hold up very well in extreme conditions. I think it looks cool too! Thanks again Woodlore!  

  Tj

  6 of 8

  Beautiful tent. First used for a weekend in the peak district and it performed as expected. Then for a week walking the cornish coastal path during some absolutely horrendous weather. Storms were in coming straight off the ocean. The tent exceeded expectations and gave me a warm and dry safe haven. Stable in very high winds and sheds the wet stuff like a greased duck. Beautiful tent.  

  Paul Adams-turunen

  7 of 8

  I have used this tent a few times now and am thoroughly pleased with my choice. Very easy to pitch due to the colour coded poles and attachment points, first time out of the bag it only took about 10 minutes. It's only marginally heavier than MSR's next model in their catalogue, the Hubba NX, and a good deal cheaper (~£100). I actually prefer the 2-pole double-cross design of the Elixir as it feels more sturdy (compared to a friend's old Hubba) and doesn't rely on aluminium hubs. The slightly heavier gauge material used in the fly of the Elixir feel reassuringly tough and isn't going to tear if you look at it sideways, but that's why its a wee bit on the heavy side for a 2 man. Admittedly the weather has been pretty good to us the last few months so it hasn't had a proper trial by fire but I have no reason to doubt it given the quality of the construction throughout the whole tent. Also, the integrated nets/pockets in the ceiling are great for storing bits and pieces that you need in the night or that might puncture roll mats, I don't know why all tents don't come with them. My only *slight* grumble is that the tent bag doesn't come with compression straps and can therefore get quite bulky, however this is easily rectified with some old toe straps or swapping it out for another bag.  

  Ben

  8 of 8

  We love our new tent, It is the first tent I have enjoyed sharing, it has 2 entrances so you don't get in each others way or disturb each other. It has loads of head room. We could get both our mats and our gear inside. It is sturdy, easy to pitch and a reasonable weight for backpacking shared between two. It feels light and airy inside. It is discrete for wild camping, it was -4 Celsius when we used it and we were in a sheltered spot but I can't fault it. I recommend this tent to couples who go backpacking together. It even has tabs to hang our mini fairy lights.  

  Lysbeth Black