Kelty Far Out Backpacking Tent Review

Pros / Reasons to Buy

• Keenly priced
• A footprint is included
• Lifetime warranty

Cons / Reasons to Avoid

• It’s heavy!
• Does not use highest tech materials
• We think there are better options for less money

Verdict

It’s difficult not to compare the Kelty Far Out tent to the Kelty Discovery Trail tent – which we’ve assessed within this guide to the best 2 person backpacking tents. To us, the Far Out is a more appealing tent, having several features we missed on the Discovery Trail. However, this comes with a weight penalty over the already heavy Discovery Trail. At 2.47kg (5lb 7oz), this is one of the heaviest tents we have assessed and it’s difficult to see past this regardless of the rest of the tent. It is worth noting that the Far Out comes with a matched footprint – that’s a definite bonus in our book and makes the tent’s weight premium slightly less painful.

Compare to Similar Products

• Kelty Discovery Trail Backpacking Tent
• The North Face Stormbreak
• Naturehike Cloud-Up 2 Backpacking Tent

Editors note: This review is part of our overall 25 Best Small 2 Person Backpacking Tents

Analysis and Test Results

The Kelty Far Out is an appealing tent in many ways – but if you prioritise lightweight backpacking then this tent’s weight is a definite concern. It’s a lot heavier than many of other tents we have assessed and by a considerable margin too: at a similar price point, it’s possible to get the Naturehike Cloud Up that weighs in at roughly 700g (2lbs) less (albeit with one less entrance). That’s not a trivial weight difference! We think a lot of this comes down to Kelty’s decision to use polyester rather than lighter nylon material – but that choice is probably necessary to keep the price where it is. None the less, if you are only an occasional camper, or don’t plan on hiking far when camping, the Kelty Far Out could still be a good choice. Also, Kelty are a well-respected brand, and back the tent with a lifetime warranty as well as providing a footprint in the package – al of which add good value to package.

Performance Comparison

Comfort

When we assessed the other Kelty tent in this round up – the Discovery Trail – we could see that whilst it had a well-sized interior, certain concessions had been made, such as a single entry (and therefore a single vestibule storage area). By contrast, the Far Out follows a similar formula to many of its competitors – having two entries, two vestibules and slightly reduced interior space relative to its sister product. That said, we’d take the two entry points (and vestibules) over the reduced interior space any day: these can add to a tent’s ‘sense’ of space when there’s two of you camping as there’s less need for occupants to have to clamber over each other. As you’d expect, the tent also features plenty of internal storage pockets and ventilation points.

Weather Resistance

The Kelty Far Out makes use of many of the same materials as its sister product, the Discovery Trail – that includes a tent body made from ‘No-See-Um’ mesh and a floor and fly that makes use of 68 Denier Polyester instead of the lighter ripstop nylon material seen in competitors tents. Interestingly, despite using the same 68D polyester material, the Far Out has a slightly better water resistance rating than the Discovery trail (1500mm vs 1200mm). In normal use as a three season tent, we have no doubt that the Far Out will stand up well even in harsh weather conditions.

Weight

This really is the elephant in the room. The complete weight of the Kelty Far Out is 2.47kg (5lb 7oz). That does include a matched footprint, but even so, this is one of the heaviest tents in our round up. If budget is no concern, then you can easily get a tent that beats the Far Out by around 1kg (2lbs) such as the MSR Hubba Hubba and we’ve even looked at less expensive tents that beat the Far Out in terms of weight such as the Wandelen Appalachian. Really, the high weight appears to be the trade off you pay for a tent at this price point from a well-known brand like Kelty who provide a lifetime warranty. Whether that trade off is worth it is a very personal choice.

Packed Size

The Kelty Far Out packs down to around 40.7×15.3cm (16x6in). That’s quite respectable – even next to some far more expensive alternatives – and is a massive improvement over the packed size of the other Kelty tent we’ve assessed – the Discovery Trail. We think the packed size of a tent is a very important factor in that it can influence the size of backpack you need to carry the tent and thus can have a knock-on effect on the total weight of your camping kit.

Durability

The Far Out is made from proven, durable materials and we have no doubt that given the appropriate care, this tent could last a very long time indeed. In fact, for occasional campers, it could even be the only tent you ever need to buy. Kelty back the tent with a limited lifetime warranty and provide instructions for DIY repairs on their website – and there’s also the possibility to purchase replacement parts if anything gets lost or damaged beyond repair. We also think it’s great to see a footprint included with the tent. This optional extra can really help prolong the life your tent and even though most manufacturers recommend them, they must usually be purchased separately (and this can be particularly grating when dealing with very high-cost tents).

Ease of Setup

Pitching the Kelty Far Out is not particularly complicated and the tent’s structure is similar to many of the others in this round up: a single-piece, multi-section pole assembly clicks together to form the support for the tent’s body and the inner clips to this and the weather-proof fly sheet goes over the top. No real surprises there! Kelty don’t claim the same ultra-quick setup for this tent as they do for the Discovery Trail with its two pole sections, but none the less, the tent can be setup very quickly and colour-coding on the various components helps.

We should also add that we recommend you familiarise yourself with pitching and breaking down any new tent in a controlled environment – like your garden or living room – before taking it out on the trail. You do not want to be trying to set up a tent for the first time when your tired after a long hike!

Price

The Kelty Far Out costs £179.95 in the UK and $199.95 in the US at the time of writing. This makes it a bit pricier than its sister product, the Discovery Trail, but still considerably cheaper than some of the other tents we have assessed. We think the Kelty’s key selling point is its combination of low price (and the value is even better when you consider the included footprint) alongside the fact that it comes from a well-known, reputable manufacturer. Simply put, the other tents we’ve assessed that come from big names are all more expensive than this and the comparably priced and cheaper tents are largely from lesser-known brands. This combo gives the Kelty a unique position where others perhaps miss out and we also think this combo will make the Far Out a very attractive choice for many buyers.

Conclusion

It’s difficult to come to a concrete conclusion about the Kelty Far Out. It’s a good tent at an attractive price from a reputable manufacturer who offer a great warranty. But it’s also very heavy and we can’t help but think that Kelty’s key selling point is that it’s, well, a Kelty. Kelty are a well known and respected brand for sure, but is the name alone really enough to sway your purchase decision? It’s true that the alternatives we’ve assessed from other ‘big names’ are all far more expensive, but if budget is your key concern, then we wonder if some of the options from lesser-known brands would make for a better ch