Brooks-Range Foray 2P

Field Notes: Testers slept well in the Foray. Testing scenarios ranged from cold, quiet nights on canyon rim slickrock to pitching the Foray in the middle of a desert storm that hurled stinging grit, rain and even sleet. 

Pros: At only 3lbs, 2oz, this tent is definitely lightweight. That said, the Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL2 is significantly lighter. Still, the hooded single-door design of the Foray offers up a 30 square foot floor plan making it spacious among lightweight backpacking tents. The tent’s vestibule is not enormous (only 6-feet), but the overhanging “No Drip Front Door” means you’ll likely be able to peel back the lightweight rain fly to relish the scenery or boil water from the comfort of your dry sleeping bag. Testers noted that the Brooks-Range was easier to set up than the Mountain Hardwear Ghost UL2.

Cons: Testers’ sole concerns centered around durability. The fly of the Foray is a 15d Sil/PU Nylon that felt like it could rip or tear. Testers were especially careful when unfurling the tent among patches of Prickly Pear Cacti.  Though no fabric did rip, it was a constant source of concern. It was challenging to get from inside the tent to the vestibule, due to the small, marginal vestibule.

Favorite Feature: Definitely the overhanging door. Without which, this tent might be considered claustrophobic with two people sleeping side-by-side. However, while watching the sun rise over the La Sal mountains from the comfort of their sleeping bags, testers were pleased by the view and the protection of the overhang along with ample space at the head of the tapered design.

Tester Quote: “I had my doubts about two people in this tent, probably because of the tapered, single-door design. But when two of us slept in it, I was pleasantly surprised. Two large pads fit side-by-side without overlapping but leaving little extra storage space.”

Bottom Line: A solid, stable and lightweight backpacking tent that could be lighter and more durable. Brooks-Range Foray is a comfortable, well-designed tent primed for camping situations where an overhanging door is more useful than a large vestibule.