Klymit Maxfield 2

Pros:

We’re quite familiar with Klymit’s killer line of sleeping pads and their more recent success in the sleeping bag sector, so we expected Klymit’s first foray into the tent world to be a smash hit, too. Surprise, surprise, the Maxfield delivered on all fronts. 

Testers first assembled the tent without directions right as rainclouds began to let loose. Honestly, there’s no better testing scenario, as it allows testers to determine whether the tent is intuitive to set up in a hurry. If gear heads can’t figure out a tent without directions in 2020, that tent probably isn’t worth its weight in your pack. Luckily for Klymit, testers proved victorious and set up the tent before the storm could do any damage. They fumbled with the rainfly direction for a hot second (a mistake they’ll never make again since there’s only a single door), but other than that they found the Maxfield 2 rather idiot-proof.

Speaking of the rainfly, testers appreciated that they could yank the fly past the edge of the tent itself and stake the fly separately, essentially increasing the gap between fly and tent fabric and improving the Maxfield’s wind and rain protection. Additionally, they dug the airflow provided by the low-profile vents on the rainfly.

As far as livability, testers were impressed. One tester loved the zipper of the door, judging it well-designed. “It was smooth to open, and never got stuck,” she said. The single-door design might be off-putting for some, but it didn’t bother testers in the slightest. Plus, it cuts some unnecessary weight, and the tapered shape of the Maxfield performs well in high winds. Furthermore, the design supplies a ton of headroom at 44” peak height—which is nothing short of palatial for a backpacking tent.

The best part of the Klymit Maxfield 2, however, was the stuff sack, which is not really a stuff sack at all. Instead of trying to cram an uncooperative bundle of poles, tent, and fly into a tiny bag (why does it always seem to shrink?), Klymit changes the game with a brilliant “roll style” sack that lies flat, allowing you to get all of the components in place, and then wrap it up like a backcountry burrito. It’s quick, easy, and altogether a much more pleasant experience. 

Cons:

We enjoyed most aspects of the Klymit Maxfield 2-P, from liveability to durability. The one piece of the puzzle that we’re not crazy about is the weight. It comes in at 4.2 lbs., which isn’t super heavy by any means, but there are lighter backpacking tents in that $400 price range. If you’re mainly backpacking, or heading out on a thru-hike, skipping this tent to shave an extra pound (or more) out of your pack is worth considering.

However, there is a caveat to this con. Some two-person backpacking tents are much tighter than this one. If you always backpack with a dog or you tend to want more tent space, a little extra weight might be a small price to pay.

Tester Comments:

“Overall, an easy tent to work with. We set this up in the rain and it came together quite quickly. The bag is awesome—if you always like to take the time to make sure your tent is packed as small as possible, you can do that, but if you prefer to just shove a wet tent in your bag, hike out, and dry gear out when you get home (like I do) you can do that, too!”