Mountainsmith Conifer 5+ Evaluation | CleverHiker

Backside Line

The Mountainsmith Conifer 5+ is a spacious basecamp-style tent with a lot to supply for households or anybody who simply needs further room at camp. It’s the fourth-largest tent we examined and the largest one not formally listed as a six-person tent. The 5+ designation feels correct—whereas not overly luxurious, it comfortably suits a household of 5 with sufficient house left over for the household canine.

The twin vestibule design provides useful space for storing. The rear vestibule is compact—simply sufficiently big to stash gear you don’t want quick entry to—whereas the entrance vestibule is extra like a coated porch. It’s roomy sufficient for 2 adults to sit down comfortably in camp chairs, which is useful throughout wet climate.

With a 6’2” peak top, the Conifer 5+ supplies nice headroom for taller campers, which was particularly appreciated throughout lengthy stretches of dangerous climate. Air flow can also be higher than most giant front-country tents, because of kickstand vents and zip-down openings on the rainfly.

That stated, the Conifer 5+ takes up a ton of house and have to be totally staked and guyed out for a taut, weather-resistant pitch. Setup isn’t the quickest, however the trade-off is a roomy, sturdy shelter that holds up nicely in a wide range of circumstances.

How We Examined

We examined the Mountainsmith Conifer 5+ within the mountains of Colorado when it was nonetheless chilly sufficient that the bottom alternated between unfastened, rocky soil and frozen-solid earth.

Over two months, we put it by way of every thing from gusty winds and light-weight snow to delicate, sunny afternoons. The shifting circumstances gave us an excellent sense of how nicely it ventilates, how sturdy the construction is when totally guyed out, and the way a lot house it really supplies for a full crew. We additionally received a firsthand have a look at how a lot effort it takes to pitch on frozen or uneven terrain.

Consolation

With 84 sq. toes of ground house and a 6’2” peak top, the Mountainsmith Conifer 5+ feels roomy for many campers—until you’re exceptionally tall. Our lead tester, who is strictly 6’2”, was pleasantly shocked to seek out he may totally arise inside, making every thing from altering garments to ready out dangerous climate way more snug. Realistically, it is a five-person tent max, with the “plus” making sense provided that you’re tenting with a canine or a small youngster.

Air flow performs a giant position in consolation, particularly in bigger tents that warmth up rapidly as soon as folks pile in. Condensation is one other concern—get up to an excessive amount of of it, and each you and your gear may find yourself soaked. We discovered that so long as the fly was totally guyed out, the Conifer 5+ vents higher than most tents in its class. Recent air circulates from the underside of the fly, so ensuring there’s a niche between the rainfly and the tent physique is vital to protecting issues cool and dry.

All in all, this tent supplies stable consolation for households or teams, providing sufficient house to unfold out with out feeling cramped.

Sturdiness

The Mountainsmith Conifer 5+ held up nicely to the bluster of early spring testing. We discovered the Conifer 5+ to be a step above common when it comes to sturdiness, although it doesn’t fairly match the ruggedness of a few of the hardest tents we examined.

The tent is made largely of 68D polyester, together with the ground, which provides us a bit pause. Whereas the tent physique and rainfly really feel stable, we’d desire a thicker, extra sturdy ground materials for added longevity. That stated, throughout testing, we didn’t run into any high quality management points, and the tent dealt with higher-than-normal abuse with out issues. 

One analyst famous that whereas they have been organising the tent solo in sturdy Colorado winds, they repeatedly had the big rainfly blown into sharp shrubs. Fortunately, the material confirmed no indicators of tearing or abrasion. The zippers functioned easily, and the stitching and seam taping felt prime quality all through testing.That stated, utilizing a footprint or tarp is essential with this tent. The 68D polyester ground isn’t the hardest we’ve seen, and with out further safety, sharp rocks, twigs, or repeated use on tough floor may put on it down sooner.   

Climate Resistance

The Mountainsmith Conifer 5+ holds up nicely to typical three-season circumstances, but it surely requires correct setup to carry out at its finest in dangerous climate. Throughout testing in Colorado’s foothills, we pitched the tent in late winter and early spring, the place it confronted every thing from gusty winds and chilly drizzle to mild snow and delicate temps. When totally staked and guyed-out, the tent stayed taut and safe, shedding moisture successfully and resisting wind-driven flapping.

That stated, setup is vital. With out totally securing the guylines, the rainfly can sag, resulting in potential pooling in heavy rain. The total-coverage rainfly does job of protecting the tent’s inside dry, and the twin vestibules assist create a buffer from the weather. Air flow is stable for a tent of this measurement, however in damp circumstances, condensation can construct up if airflow isn’t managed correctly.

Total, the Conifer 5+ handles average wind and rain nicely, but it surely’s not designed for excessive storms or heavy snow masses. So long as you’re taking the time to correctly pitch and guy-out the tent, it ought to maintain up nicely for typical household tenting and three-season adventures.

Ease of Setup

The Mountainsmith Conifer 5+ isn’t the quickest tent to pitch, particularly for those who’re used to smaller backpacking tents. With its giant footprint, a number of poles, and full-coverage rainfly, setup takes a while and persistence. Throughout testing, it took us about 25-Half-hour on the primary strive, however as soon as we received the hold of it, we may get it up in about quarter-hour with two folks.

Solo setup? Doable, however not ideally suited. Considered one of our testers needed to wrestle the rainfly in sturdy winds, which was a problem. Being tall undoubtedly helps. Whereas we recognize the beneficiant peak top, it does make setup trickier for shorter customers.

We’ve talked about a number of instances that totally guying out this tent is important, and by chance, the entire guylines come pre-attached. Mountainsmith additionally supplies sufficient stakes to completely safe the tent, which is a pleasant contact—many manufacturers skimp on stakes, so we recognize that they didn’t reduce corners right here.

Total, setup isn’t the simplest, but it surely’s manageable when you be taught the method. Should you’re tenting someplace with tender, even floor, it’s so much simpler. However on rocky or frozen soil, count on to spend a bit further time getting every thing secured.

Options

The Mountainsmith Conifer 5+ comes with considerate options that improve consolation and livability for household or group tenting. The most effective issues about this tent is the twin vestibules. The rear vestibule is small however helpful for stashing gear you don’t want fast entry to, whereas the entrance vestibule is extra like a coated porch—sufficiently big to suit two adults in camp chairs, which got here in helpful throughout wet climate.

Inside group is one other spotlight. The tent has loads of mesh storage pockets to maintain small necessities off the ground, serving to to cut back muddle. The removable mesh gear loft is a pleasant contact—excellent for an evening mild or stashing easy-to-access gadgets (and hiding snacks from the youngsters). The twin doorways make it straightforward for a number of campers to return and go with out having to climb over one another, and the zip-down and kickstand vents on the fly present higher airflow than most tents of this measurement.

Whereas the Conifer 5+ has so much going for it, one factor we want it had is a rear window on the again door. This may enhance airflow and visibility when the fly is on. Total, although, the options are nicely thought out and make this tent really feel like a snug and useful residence base for tenting journeys.

Ought to You Purchase the Mountainsmith Conifer 5+?

The Mountainsmith Conifer 5+ is a good alternative for households, small teams, or anybody on the lookout for a spacious, well-ventilated tent for front-country tenting. With its roomy inside, beneficiant peak top, and twin vestibules, it gives a snug tenting expertise, particularly for individuals who like further house. It’s well-suited for automobile campers who prioritize livability and don’t thoughts spending a bit further time on setup to get a dependable, weather-worthy shelter.

That stated, this isn’t the best choice for campers who prioritize straightforward setup or want a compact footprint for smaller websites. It additionally requires full staking and guying for a correct pitch, which provides to the trouble.

As for worth, the Conifer 5+ sits within the mid-to-upper vary of household tenting tents. Whereas it’s not the most affordable choice, its sturdy supplies, spacious design, and considerate options make it a stable funding for these planning a number of tenting journeys every season.

What Different Tenting Tents Ought to You Think about?

Should you’re contemplating the Mountainsmith Conifer 5+, there are a number of different spacious tenting tents value a glance. Take a look at our greatest tenting tents gear information for extra suggestions.

REI Co-op Wonderland 4 Evaluation: Should you love the house of the Conifer 5+ however need much more headroom and a better setup, the REI Wonderland 4 is a good various. It has practically vertical partitions for max livability, glorious air flow, and huge doorways for straightforward entry. Nonetheless, it lacks vestibules, so space for storing outdoors the sleeping space is extra restricted.

The North Face Wawona 6 Evaluation: This tent gives the same roomy structure however with a fair bigger entrance vestibule that features nearly like a second residing house. It’s an excellent choice for those who prioritize gear storage or need further shelter throughout wet journeys. The tradeoff is that setup is a little more concerned, and it’s barely heavier than the Conifer 5+.