KUIU Tent Review | Storm Star - 4 Problems
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- Опубліковано 16 жов 2024
- *This is my first of many videos to come. Help me grow and be among my first subscribers!
I recently got back from a hunting trip and wanted to make this video sharing 5 problems that have been bugging me about the Kuiu Storm Start tent.
#kuiu #backpacking #tentreview #hiking #ultralighthiking #ultralightgear
(UK owner) Had my Storm Star going on 2 years now, it's a beast of a tent. I don't have the gear loft so can't comment on that, but yes it would be nice to have it included as standard. The tiny toggles for the door tie-backs are for me, the major niggle with the overall tent design - but there's an easy work around, I use a plastic clothes peg to clip them back & it works a treat. Great idea with tying the doors to each other on the outer, I haven't seen that done before. As for the poles - yes, I agree. I've had my SS out in 45mph winds and it's stood proud, but the poles are prone to bending. This has happened with most tents I own though. I wonder if Kuiu sell replacement poles? Good video, TFS :)
Thank you for this honest review, I've been considering purchasing this tent for my trips and videos on UA-cam, just subscribed to your channel,
Got mine! Hell yes, this tent is a structural beast! No doubt, I got it all low price.
I received the tent on Monday and retuned on Tuesday. I was frustrated with the carabiner clamps for the poles. I hand difficulty opening. Out of frustration I gave up. Didn’t want to deal with that in cold wet weather. Didn’t want to deal with it on a beautiful sunny day either. Luckily I was in the basement so my neighbors couldn’t hear me cursing. Next, it took force to remove the poles from the sleeve. Wasn’t expecting that frustration. I don’t like fighting with equipment especially when your survival depends on it and the equipment wins the battle. Although, the quality was first rate. But, too much of a frustration for me to build and take apart.
Nice video and review, been thinking of buying this tent myself.
How did you go on with the poles, hear they have a life time warranty but unsure if poles are included.
The doors may stay rolled up with some lightweight magnets?
Thanks for the honest review, nice looking tent
You bet!
i also own this tent and yes .i would agree kuiu should just give you the gear loft aswell . i do agree with the door tiebacks beeing too low .my major issue is the big hooks on the outside that hold the poles in place .thats a daft idea .thier is better and lighter products out there why dont kuiu use them rather that having to struggle putting the top hooks together esp when your hands are cold . i find it a bit hard to close . .my other issue is the top vents face the same way .surely it would of been better to face one the other way as this would be good for ventilation flow . afterall you can just shut them off should you need to ? overall its still a good tent .👍👍👍
To be honest I consider all but the poles to be 1st world tent problems. The poles are a different story.
Folks who use there tents in harsh environments will generally claim that poles even if they never get bent are considered to be consumable wear items. After enough stressing over time…..they will break.
Thanks for the nice review! I do have one myself.
thank you. this vid was helpful
I just recently bought the KUIU Storm Star four season tent (brown/gray).
Let me start by saying that it seems to be built like a brick house. However I haven't yet really put it through extreme weather; and probably won't.
KUIU products are NOT INEXPENSIVE! They must be really proud of their products.
So...since they feel that they are in the very top percentile of quality gear. They SHOULD then have already worked out all the bugs (annoying little things that seem OBVIOUS as dropping the ball).
The nylon door tie-offs are WAY TOO LOW as well as TOO SMALL!
As you have shown in your video, they don't keep the doors rolled back because someone FAILED BIG TIME in the R&D department.
Also those teany tiny latch and loops should have been bigger, so that you are not struggling to put the one end through the loop end; I can't imagine trying to do this with cold fingers.
Adding a gram or two in making these latch loop tie-offs bigger wouldn't even be noticed.
Thirdly, why in the world didn't KUIU sew in mesh in the ceiling vents to keep blood sucking bugs as well as flies, moths etc from being able to enter through those vents???
They are to keep the condensation down, I get it, but adding nylon mesh ONCE AGAIN wouldn't even be noticed regarding weight savings purposes.
Forthly, for a two person tent, the floor tends to narrow up and not keep a flat profile like my 3 season Marmot Tungsten tent does. My Marmot Tungsten 2 person tent has WAY MORE ROOM as well as better overall floor space and...the tent poles are designed such that they at the ground go up vertical for about 10 inches before they start to curve; thus it gives much more room inside and doesn't feel like your walls are closing in on you. Only the Marmot Tungsten tent is designed like this.
Lastly, the tip of the KUIU tent poles get stuck in the tent pole ground pockets when you are pulling out the poles. You have to push the poles back in to try and reattach the tip of the pole back inside the rest of the pole. It's because the pole pockets are very tight down at the bottom, thus it sorta grabs and separates the tip of the pole from the rest of the pole.
Yes, I am not 100% satisfied with KUIU Storm Star four season tent because when you are paying $650.00 Dollars! for a tent, It shouldn't have any little minor annoyances, as some people commented and made light of these issues.
I can deal with these if I'm paying for a tent that cost $200+ dollars, which is what I paid for my Marmot Tungsten 2 person tent. But I'm sorry, there's no excuse for me as a customer to have too many of these LITTLE ANNOYANCES for a tent that is marketed in the upper escalon of tents.
I do like that it seems more than strong enough for anything that I will need it for. I really like the brown/gray stealth colors, and the 4 season qualities do give the feeling that you will be plenty warm enough when the weather outside isn't pleasant.
I like being able to zip up the nylon inside doors to keep blowing wind, sand or cold drafts out!
Pro's...Appears to be a STRONG tent; especially for what I will ever need it for.
Good color combination in the brown/gray combo for stealth camping.
4 season tent for keeping the cold and nasty weather, rain and sand and drafts out.
But that's about it for $650.00 dollars???,
It's not as roomy inside as my Marmot Tungsten 2 person 3 season tent is.
I wonder how stuffy and hot it would be sleeping on warm nights? I mean, it is sold as a 4 season tent; not a cool/cold weather tent.
Overall, I feel that I didn't get all my money's worth. At that kind of price point, there shouldn't be ANY ANNOYANCES and LACK of functionality.
Oh...I almost forgot!
KUIU doesn't include the ground tarp or the ceiling gear loft with this pricey tent.
You have to pay EXTRA $20. for the little nothing gear loft nylon netting, and...$70.00 dollars extra for the ground tarp!
Talk about nickle and diming your customers.
P.S. you can share this if you want.
I was KUIU to know the details of what they seem to LACK and or take advantage of.. in parts sold separately.
Wow great points! I agree!
@@backcountrygrind
I bought the KUIU tent for myself, but it would be too small if I had another person sleeping in it along side myself.
I view KUIU company sort of like Starbucks. Their products aren't as good as they think they are, but charge a exorbitant price for lacking products. What's even worse is they don't truly listen to their customers and actually CHANGE the issues of the complaints.
I too have read quite a few reviews about KUIU and let's just say...people aren't real satisfied with KUIU products.
I also prior to buying the Storm Star four season tent, bought their top of the line goose down jacket with hood $400. and when I received it and looked at it closely as well as tested it on a 28° morning. I was quite surprised by the lack of goose down fill inside the jacket. I held it up to my ceiling light and could see light through It.
I feel like it should be a lot more densely filled, more puffy than it is.
I have always been a person who doesn't mind paying for top quality products, but...I'm not easily swayed by marketing or hype by either the company or other people's so-called positive reviews.
Both the jacket as well as the tent do not match the prices for which they are sold at in supreme flawless quality.
By the way, paying 7 dollars for a cup of coffee is ridiculous, and paying top prices for camping gear that has more than a few obvious flaws is very disappointing.
Apparently, it sounds like you don't understand what a 4 season tent really is. 4 season tents are designed for winter, period. If you want to use them during the warmer months then there will be tradeoffs. That's the reason they don't breathe well in warm weather. You get far more use out of a 3 season or 3+ season shelter than you ever will out of a 4 season shelter.
No one includes a footprint with their tents these days. Big Agnes charges close to $100 for theirs.
Of course you are going to have more room in a 3 season tent, they aren't designed in a lower profile to withstand harsh weather like a 4 season tent. Lighter fabrics and higher volume you can get away with in a 3 season tent.
You've got me thinking! I'll save my £500 and have a rethink. Thank you for your help.
Nice vid dude, interested to know if you talked to kuiu about the bent poles
I sent in a warranty claim, will let you know how it goes.
@@backcountrygrind Anything come out of that?
I just bought this tent and would also like to know if they replaced the poles.
I have the storm star and I think it's a great tent some of your points are minor niggles which I know are annoying but no tent is perfect I use it as a solo camper so the space isn't an issue for me. but I agree with the door tie backs there 2 low down and fiddly to do especially with cold hands.ive been out in some 50mph winds and the pole over the door as a slight bend in it now I'm not sure if this was done in the wind or when erecting the tent in high winds 2 much stress was placed on it but it's something to keep an eye on.1 thing I'd like to see is some mesh on the inner zip where the 2 vents are but that's a very minor thing.the gear loft would be a nice touch if it came with the tent and as you say it's an expensive tent little things like that go a long way.on the whole I'm super impressed with the tent and glad I got it.i also have the mountain star the new version now that I'm not so happy with there's a lot of flaws in that tent.
Completely agree with you on the mesh at the vents! I emailed KUIU on the poles and they sent new segments. Just had to send them measurements.
@@backcountrygrind I'm in the uk so don't know how I'd go on with duties it's not that bad at moment but I'm super careful with them now.they so take some strong winds but they supposed to so I'll see how they go
I reckon those are very subjective flaws apart from the pole. The design is a mixture of the Terra Nova Southern Cross and the Hilleberg Soulo . In fairness to Kuiu they have tried pretty well to build a hunting tent . The two best 4 season tents on the market mentioned above also have flaws ! No tent is perfect unfortunately 👌Greetings from Ireland 🇮🇪
Agree KUIU did a pretty decent job designing the tent. I just found that when you search reviews there wasn't any good feedback out there. As usual, everyone just raves about their equipment and talks about how good it is. Probably because of the amount of money they have spent.
Backpacking Ireland,
I don't think those are SUBJECTIVE complaints. Not when they are legitimately lack of proper working experience and the cost of the tent is very expensive.
If anything, your comment is the subjective one.
Will KUIU warranty the poles??
I think it's more of a Big Sky Chinook than either a Southern Cross or a Soulo. Pretty much all of the Kuiu tents are tweaked versions of Big Sky tents.
Sounds like you should have gotten a 3 person tent
Clips on door vestibules have been reversed, male/ female...
The poles will always take a "set" and can appear bent..
I have a lot of the KUIU clothing. Their gear is too expensive for me to justify the cost. I’ve had many brand name tents do well in storms at a fraction of the price. Same with their sleeping bags. $$ Not going to happen .
i think kuiu has gone leftist. i just placed a return because they dont do exchanges. literally have to send back and wait 5-7 days for refund then re order. just did 3 exhanges for Orvis and they shipped out the new size before i even shipped the original purchase. I think Kuiu started off conservative more or less now they are going woke it seems without being hardcore about it