Venturing into the great outdoors can be a wonderful experience, but it requires careful planning to have an enjoyable, stress-free time.
No matter where you want to camp out, be it the forest, the mountains, or your backyard, you will need to pick up a few items to prepare for your trip thoroughly.
One of the items you’ll need for your camping trip is a tent. If your criteria include a low price, portability, and easy setup, the Kelty Salida 2 should be on your radar.
Below is a Kelty Salida 2 review detailing the quality, features, positives, and negatives regarding this two-person tent.
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What We Like:
- Weighs under five pounds and comes with a carry bag for lightness and portability
- Plenty of ventilation from the mesh panels
- Attachable rainfly for unpleasant weather conditions
- Lots of storage from the vestibule, pockets, and gear loft
- Relatively spacious for a lightweight, two-person tent
- Inexpensive compared to other tents of its size and weight
- Perfect for arid climates, hot or cold
- User-friendly and color-coded for quick assembly
What We Don’t Like:
- Thin material is not as durable as more costly tents
- Rainfly blocks ventilation, trapping condensation and heat in continuous rain
- Lacks an electric cord access point
- You cannot stand up in the tent
Kelty Salida 2 Tent Features
The Kelty Salida 2 excels in many areas. It is relatively roomy for a two-person tent with interior dimensions of 88” x 55” that taper into 45”. The peak height of 43” allows you to sit up with ease.
This tent is lightweight and easy to transport. It holds up well in conditions of rain, heat, and snow while keeping you comfortable. Setup is quick, and the cherry on top is the extremely affordable price.
Weather Resistant
The Kelty Salida 2 has a mesh top that allows you to look at a clear night sky. However, if you are in a rainy locale, it comes with a rainfly that repels rain from the inside.
Hot, arid conditions are where this tent shines. The ventilation system will keep the warm air out so you can sleep well.
Unfortunately, the rainfly blocks the ventilation so that the interior can get wet with condensation with continuous rain. Nonetheless, the rainfly is quite useful in light rain showers. If you are in a hot, rainy climate or get caught in a rainstorm, the tent will become uncomfortably humid.
Despite the drawbacks during hot weather, the tent fairs well in cold weather. The rainfly will block out chilly air and winds while trapping the heat inside, making it an exceptional choice for an autumn or winter day.
Portable
When folded up and packaged, this tent weighs a mere 4.6 pounds. The dimensions shrink down to 13”x15”. Without the packaging, the tent gets as light as 3.9 pounds.
The roll-top cube carry bag makes the Kelty Salida 2 extremely portable. Since it is so light and compact, you can effortlessly slip it into your backpack without any issues, making it an excellent choice for hikers and backpackers.
Easy Assembly
The Kelty Salida 2 comes with user-friendly, color-coded clips. The two poles are foldable, and you can easily snap the tent on rather than insert them into the tent.
The free-standing design is why this tent pitches so quickly. The aluminum poles hold the tent in place all night, and while they add some weight, the entire tent is still extraordinarily light.
Since the clips are color-coded, you won’t have any confusion in regards to attaching the rainfly. The rainfly drapes over the dome, and clips secure it in place.
Affordable
At around $150, the Kelty Salida 2 is one of the most affordable camping tents available. It offers numerous features for a low price and is a fantastic option for beginner campers.
This tent makes a unique gift for children because of its simple setup, user-friendly interface, lightness, and size. Also, the low price means you won’t regret giving it to your little ones if they only use it a few times.
Quality Design and Construction
This Kelty Salida 2 review has hardly highlighted the quality design of this tent.
The color-coding gives new campers confidence in pitching the tent by reducing any confusion as to what goes where.
Additionally, this tent has plenty of storage for your camping accessories. It includes a gear loft, vestibule, and pockets to store your gear safely.
The polyester fabric keeps rain on the outside, and the mesh panels provide ventilation. The fly and floor have a PU coating to wick away water. The Kelty ArcEdge technology seals the seams on the wall and floor, further waterproofing the tent’s interior.
It only has one door, but it makes up for the singular entrance with ample space for a two-person tent. The Guyout points even let you expand the area a little.
The Guyout points, guylines, and tighteners reinforce the tent to add stability and durability, meaning it won’t budge all night long.
Keep in mind that the fabric on the walls and floor is relatively thin. This fabric lightens the load, but it means this tent won’t last as long as more expensive options. Regardless, the low price still makes this tent a worthy investment for entry-level or casual campers.
Final Verdict
If you are new to camping, on a tight budget, or have a small group, the Kelty Salida 2 is one of your best options.
As seen in this Kelty Salida 2 review, it is lightweight, cheap, and easy to use. No, it is not the most technologically advanced or durable tent, but for its low price, it has high value.
Between the ventilation, waterproofing measures, and storage, this tent meets most camping needs, all while staying under five pounds.
Overall, the Kelty Salida 2 is a high-quality tent that will help make your next camping experience relaxing and enjoyable.
