Big Agnes Chimney Creek 4 mtnGLO Tent Review
I mentioned this unique, Colorado-made, Big Agnes tent in my “Burly Dad’s Ultimate Camping Gear Guide” earlier this year, but I needed some more testing. So I sent the following reviewer out into the field—to the blustery coast of Maine, to be exact—to get some more feedback. Here is his report:
Guest Post by Ben Getchell, High School Student, Adventurer:
In fall, 2016, I took the Big Agnes Chimney Creek 4 mtnGLO tent on my class camping trip to Hermit Island, Maine. I set up and disassembled the tent twice; once as a preliminary check, and then once on the trip itself. This tent is designed for four people, although I wouldn’t try to comfortably fit more than three adults including gear. With only two people in it on this trip, the Chimney Creek 4 mtnGLO was quite spacious.
Let’s start with what I liked about this tent. It was easy and simple to set up and take down, with a total of four poles (two main poles, and two horizontal side poles). I did the setup/takedown with another person but it could be done alone. The interior was spacious, leak proof, good wind resistance and ventilation. The internal LED lighting was a unique feature that I really liked because it eliminated the need for a lantern inside the tent at night. (note: LED lighting requires 3 AAA batteries.)
The only drawbacks I found were: It didn’t have a second compartment to leave your gear & shoes outside but protected (apart from under the rain fly). The storage bag was an odd shape compared to other bags so it made storage on the airplane challenging. The rain fly didn’t secure to the ground completely so bugs were able to get in between the rainfly and the tent, and there were lots of mosquitoes and spiders on this trip! But overall, a good experience.
—Ben Getchell is a senior at Shining Mountain Waldorf School in Boulder, CO
