Kelty Wi-fi 6 Evaluation | CleverHiker

Backside Line

The Kelty Wi-fi 6 is a feature-packed, six-person tent with a spacious inside and robust construct, all at a surprisingly low value. With tents at this value level turning into more and more uncommon, the Wi-fi 6 stands out as considered one of our high budget-friendly tenting tents. To completely take a look at each side of this tent, we packed up the household and launched into a six-week, eight-state street journey.

We’re genuinely impressed by the standard and usefulness of this tent. Its excessive peak top will delight taller campers, and the twin vestibule design provides 14 sq. toes to an already spacious inside. It additionally holds up properly in opposition to the weather, together with driving rain and excessive winds, and is simple to arrange due to its color-coded tab system.

Nonetheless, the Wi-fi 6 does have its drawbacks. Air flow is restricted, resulting in stuffiness and potential condensation points. Regardless of its high-quality building, there are considerations in regards to the longevity of the poles, and at over 22 kilos, it’s fairly heavy.

Consolation

The Wi-fi 6 boasts a spacious inside with 70 sq. toes and a 76-inch peak top, providing greater than sufficient room for a household of 4. Tall campers will recognize the beneficiant headroom, eliminating the necessity to crouch whereas standing. The lengthy forehead pole enhances stability, retaining the interior tent taut and the partitions practically vertical to maximise area. Whereas the tent can theoretically sleep six folks, gear storage is restricted inside.

Nonetheless, the twin vestibule design provides 14 sq. toes of additional area for storing tools outdoors the principle space. Total, the Wi-fi 6 is well-suited for households and supplies a snug and practical dwelling area. We should always word that this tent doesn’t ventilate properly and that may have an effect on the local weather inside. It might get stuffy, particularly throughout hotter days and humid nights. You’ll be able to assist mitigate this by opening and rolling again the vestibule doorways however then your gear is perhaps uncovered to the weather.

Sturdiness

The largest downside of this mannequin is the poles. They’re created from fiberglass reasonably than extra sturdy aluminum. Whereas fiberglass could be a good materials for tent poles, we’d desire them to be a bit thicker for added energy.

After our twelfth night time utilizing the tent, we skilled a shock wire break in considered one of them whereas taking it down. We had been in a position to restore it and proceed utilizing the tent with out additional points, however it’s one thing to remember. We don’t consider the poles are of poor high quality, however it’s essential to deal with them with care. Keep away from pulling on them as this may stress the shock wire; as an alternative, push them gently out and in of the pole sleeves to make sure longevity.

The material supplies used within the building of the Wi-fi 6 are surprisingly good for the value. Kelty has absolutely taped all the seams for added safety, and the mesh feels sturdier than another tents we’ve examined. The stakes appear sturdy, although we bent a number of in Colorado’s rocky soil. Total, the Kelty Wi-fi 6 presents mid-tier high quality, however for the value, it’s arduous to beat.

Climate Resistance

Total, the Wi-fi 6 scores properly within the climate resistance class. We examined this tent in some intense Colorado thunderstorms, and it held its personal in opposition to average winds and torrential downpours. It’s essential to notice that the Wi-fi 6 doesn’t embody a footprint, so we examined the tent each because it arrived and with a floor tarp. With no footprint, we did expertise some leakage via the underside of the tent, which wasn’t shocking. We all the time advocate utilizing a footprint or floor tarp to guard essentially the most susceptible a part of the setup. When examined with a floor tarp, we encountered no leakage regardless of comparable rain circumstances.

On sizzling days, when you may sleep with out the rainfly, the Wi-fi 6 is nice, due to ample mesh that permits heat air to flee. Nonetheless, with the rainfly absolutely deployed, air flow is restricted, which may result in sizzling and stuffy sleeping circumstances. The tent’s form and wall angles shed rain properly, and when absolutely guyed out, the Wi-fi 6 handles mild to average winds successfully. Like several tent of this dimension, it struggles in high-wind eventualities, so if you happen to’re anticipating robust gusts, it’s greatest to pitch the Wi-fi 6 close to a windbreak.

Ease of Setup

We discovered the Kelty Wi-fi 6 to be remarkably straightforward and intuitive to pitch. At the same time as a solo camper, you may arrange this tent in beneath 10 minutes, and it’s even faster with a companion. In contrast to many tents that use grommets for pole attachments, the Wi-fi 6 options small pole sleeves on the corners, which simplifies the setup course of.

Kelty additionally consists of color-coded tabs for one nook of the tent and rainfly, eliminating the guesswork of orientation. The tent’s design ensures that every thing matches collectively properly. Though the tent is on the taller aspect, which could make it a bit difficult for shorter campers to achieve the middle clip as soon as the poles are up, total, the setup is easy and hassle-free. The considerate design makes the Kelty Wi-fi 6 one of many simpler tents to pitch in its class.

Options

On the subject of the options of the Kelty Wi-fi 6, we really feel it leaves a little bit to be desired. Beginning with the nice: we love the fast nook sleeves and color-coded webbing that make pitching the tent straightforward and intuitive. The twin giant vestibules are additionally a plus, providing additional area for gear storage when the rainfly is deployed. It might appear minor, however we actually recognize the carrying case. Packing up camp is all the time a trouble, and it’s worse when your gear doesn’t simply match again into its stuff sack. The Kelty Wi-fi 6 makes this course of a bit much less irritating. The case has a zipper operating the size of the bag, so you may merely roll up the tent, place it inside, and zip it closed. The case is spacious sufficient to comfortably match the tent and all its elements, eliminating the battle of packing.

Now for the not-so-good: the Wi-fi 6 solely has 4 small pockets, which appear to be they could stretch or tear over time. For a tent designed for six folks, we’d wish to see extra storage choices. Moreover, the tent suffers from poor air flow. With out sufficient airflow, moisture can construct up inside, resulting in condensation and a humid night time’s sleep, even with out rain. Extra air flow flaps on the rainfly would considerably enhance airflow and assist with the condensation difficulty.

Ought to You Purchase the Kelty Wi-fi 6?

The Kelty Wi-fi 6 is a wonderful finances purchase, very best for these with value constraints or these in search of their first family-friendly tent. Its spacious inside is nice for taller campers, and the additional vestibule room is ideal for storing further gear on prolonged journeys or for establishing a base camp.

At roughly 17 kilos, it’s not fitted to backpacking, and if you happen to anticipate heavy use, you would possibly take into account a extra premium choice. Nonetheless, for informal tenting and household adventures, the Wi-fi 6 presents spectacular worth and performance.

What Different Tenting Tents Ought to You Take into account?

REI Skyward 4 Evaluation: The Skyward 4 is smaller than the Wi-fi 6 however is made with high quality supplies, presents glorious livable area, and encompasses a tall peak top to keep away from crouching whereas standing.

NEMO Aurora Highrise 4 Evaluation: For a little bit more cash, you would possibly wish to try the Highrise 4. Whereas it’s technically a four-person tent and pricier, it presents an analogous inside livable area with higher-quality supplies. In the event you plan on spending extra nights beneath the celebs, the NEMO Highrise is perhaps a better option. 

The North Face Wawona 6 Evaluation: The Wawona 6 is on the other finish of the finances spectrum and presents an analogous quantity of inner area. The distinction is that the Wawona 6 is full of a few of our favourite options and features a large vestibule that’s virtually as giant as a few of the tents we examined.