The Slingfin Crossbow is one of the most spacious and versatile 4-season tents we’ve tested. Multiple setup configurations make it an excellent value that can be used in almost any conditions. The Crossbow is a true 4-season tent, but it’s easier to set up, more compact, and more livable than most others.
Quick Specs
Slingfin CrossBow 2
Price: $720
Weight: 5 lb. 4 oz.
Dimensions (LxWxH): 92 x 50 x 41.5
Pros
- Excellent value
- Spacious
- Small packet size
- Light & packable enough to be used all year
- Easy to set up
- Good ventilation
- 2 doors/vestibules
Cons
- We prefer guylines over loops for staking 4-season tents
Pros
VERSATILITY MAKES IT AN EXCELLENT VALUE
The price of the Crossbow is right at the average on our Best 4-season Tents list, but it’s far more versatile than many others. If you only plan to own a single tent that can handle pretty much any conditions throughout the year, this is your guy. The Crossbow design allows you to easily tailor the strength of the structure to the conditions you’re in. Attach your trekking poles to the crossbar to withstand heavier snow and wind, or leave their special tent pole and trekking pole attachments behind and use the included clips to save 6.2 oz. on trips with mild conditions. If it gets hot out, open the large vent at the head and zip the nylon on the doors away for a good cross-breeze.
SPACIOUS
We often find that the capacity ratings of tents can be a little exaggerated, but the Crossbow really delivers on space. There’s plenty of room for two adults to sleep and sit up comfortably. Plus there are pockets galore to cut down on the amount of gear clutter on the tent floor.
STURDY
The Crossbow uses one of the most unique pole structures we’ve ever seen. The WebTruss design improves upon traditional pole sleeves and further reduces flex in your poles – thereby reducing the chances of a pole snapping in high wind. Slingfin’s Outrigger system is also included. It allows you to attach your trekking poles to the tent cross pole to add even more strength for snow loads and high wind. This design has a much better strength-to-weight than many other 4-season tents.
LIGHTWEIGHT
At just over 5 lbs., the weight of the Crossbow is well below average compared to other 4-season tents. And when you consider the fact that the Crossbow holds up better to wind and snow loading than some heavier tents like the Mountain Hardwear Outpost 2, we’d say the weight is exceptionally low. On top of that, you can leave behind the WebTruss, fly struts, Outrigger system, extra stakes, and extra tensioners to save about 14 oz. when keeping weight low is a bigger priority than the need for maximum weather protection.
PACKABLE
The Crossbow is one of the most packable tents on our Best 4-season Tents list, beaten out only by the HMG Ultamid 2 tarp (which ends up being bulkier if you get the full insert to make it a complete tent). With a packed size of 14 x 6 in., the Crossbow even takes up less backpack space than many of our favorite 3-season backpacking tents.
EASY TO SET UP
The Crossbow’s pole structure is easy to set up, and it can be tensioned from inside the tent if winds start to pick up. The unique WebTruss system lets you fully assemble the bones of the tent without having to fight the wind to get your poles through pole sleeves. The WebTruss attaches to the tent body with buckles that we found easier to operate than the rigid clips on many other 4-season tents we’ve used. For mild weather trips, you can swap the WebTruss out with the included pole clips to make setting up as quick and easy as any standard 3-season backpacking tent.
GOOD VENTILATION
The Crossbow is designed with multiple ways to tailor the amount of airflow to the conditions you’re in. The head wall has one large vent with three options – the fully closed nylon layer, the mesh venting layer for use in buggy conditions, or fully open for free airflow. The nylon on the doors also zips away to reveal mesh windows on each side, and you have the option to prop open the top of the flysheet with velcroed struts to cut down on condensation at night.
2 DOORS/2 VESTIBULES
Many 4-season tents are designed with a single front entry door or a front and back door with the back door and vestibule being much smaller than the front. But the Crossbow has two large side doors with two large vestibules much like a typical 3-season backpacking tent. This makes it much easier for two people to comfortably use the space and store their gear.
Cons
STAKE LOOPS AREN’T IDEAL FOR SNOW ANCHORS
We love that the Crossbow comes with plenty of stakes, but we do wish they were snow stakes instead of V-style stakes. Especially because there are no guylines attached to the stake loops, so you’d have to attach your own to achieve deadman anchors in soft snow. We recommend picking up a few snow stakes or pre-attaching extra guylines before snowy trips.
The Crossbow comes with a lot of pieces that can be swapped out to optimize weight and strength for the conditions you’ll be using it in.
Attaching trekking poles to the Outrigger attachments provides more strength in harsh weather.
The unique WebTruss on the Crossbow is easy to set up and provides a lot of strength.
The through vent in the the head wall of the Crossbow can be opened fully for free airflow.
Adjusting the through-vent on the headwall of the Crossbow.
Bottom Line
The Slingfin Crossbow is an awesome value for those looking for a true do-it-all tent. With plenty of space for two and a highly adaptable design, this tent will keep you comfortable in just about any conditions. The Crossbow’s awesome strength-to-weight ratio and its ease-of-use put it solidly at the top of our Best 4-Season Tents list.
