Comments about TheNorthFace ASSAULT 3:

I ordered this tent due to it being one of the few lightweight expedition tents that was built for 3 people. After setting it up a few times and using it once I can say I'm not super stoked on it. Pros: for a single wall it has great ventilation and condensation wasn't an issue at 10,000ft on Rainier. Space is great and the included vestibule adds significant storage. The negatives: having a sleeve pole design isn't awesome and makes setting up the tent a chore comparative to clip or internal poles. The central pole used to open the side ventilation in the tent is too long and almost impossible to get out once placed in. With so much tension it requires you to bend the pole in order to get it out of it's grommet. I ended up snapping the pole trying to get it out. Turns out TNF doesn't have replacement poles either. In short, poles need to be slightly shorter. to remove some lateral tension. Overall, I think there are better options out there. Look into the Rab Latok 3 or something similar. While I've owned a few TNF tents, it seems the last few years quality has dropped. Definitely will not be spending cash on another TNF tent. With this tent you have to wonder whether they actually had people use it before they placed it on the market...

Comments about TheNorthFace ASSAULT 3:

No where does it say that this tent is WATER PROOF. I don't understand why that would be a downside to this tent in previous reviews. Also setting up this tent was a snap. First time setting it up without the fly was about 5 minutes. Perfect! If you dont wanna get wet then get a hotel lol or bring a tarp. Enough said. I camped at the top of Shasta in 60 mph winds and did not worry one bit. This tent did exactly what it was supposed to do. Create a perfect comfy safe shelter from the elements. Done and done. I am sure the ones that call themselves minimalists that have left cruddy reviews on this tent probably bring caviar and crystal ware with them as well as a butler hahaha. Grow up boys and girls. Indiana Jones would be ashamed of your so called adventures ;)

Comments about TheNorthFace ASSAULT 3:

I do mainly snowy mountaineering in the NE of the US. I've owned the VE-25 many years ago, which was an excellent tent, albeit heavy by today's standards. This tent is awful compared to the VE-25. Inserting the two long poles in the grommets on either side of the door are hard even when trying to set it up in my living room; it's desperately impossible in cold conditions (below zero, windy). I find myself taking off the gloves, as the glove material gets caught in the grommet/string/etc. This is not normal. I don't recommend this tent on a cold mountain.

Comments about TheNorthFace ASSAULT 3:

I bought this tent a couple of weeks before my expedition the the Cordillera Blanca in Peru so I had never tried it before. I did an extensive research of 4 season tents and the Assault 3 convinced me. It is a very light weighted and compact tent but spacious once assembled. The problem I had with it is that it is marketed as a water resistant 4 season tent and it is everything but that.
During our expedition to Alpamayo in Peru we had light rain at the base camp for a couple of hours. It wasn't really raining hard and we were making a lot of water inside of the tent specially through the seams, there were puddles inside of it. We had to cover the tent with our insulated protection floor to get through the night.
Next our tent there was a Coleman tent that had a much better experience and TNF is supposed to be the very best. I consider myself a North Face fan and much of my gear I've bought from them but this tent is a definitive disappointment.

Comments about TheNorthFace ASSAULT 3:

The tent feels well made and sturdy, it's not easy to buy out of the USA. I did it in Spain and even at official TNF stores the workers didn't know it. The tent has amazing specifications, and just one layer could offer a very lightweight option.

I went to Iceland in summer with it and before that to the north of spain (coast, humid during the evening). At first I thought it was a little wet inside because of condensation, but it was the humidity from the outside. I didn't give it enough importance. I arrived to Iceland with my father and brother and after two nights waking up a little wet (and risking our expensive sleeping bags) because of outside humidity there was one where we had some light rain. Yes, light rain, not a heavy pouring rain and not a storm. We ended up covering the tent with an extra protection floor and still woke up liters of water inside the tent. It just soaked. The tent is NOT waterproof, not even a little water repellent.

I've seen videos from those summit explorers using it on the Himalayas so I guess it's an awesome tent for snow and winter season, but be aware of the non waterproofness of the tent.

After sleeping the rest of the days in hotels with our trip and camping experience frustrated because of that we contacted service, sent the tent back, the people from TNFace proofed it and gave us the money back.

I use to love The North Face products but they state in the web that this tent is waterproof and it's nothing like it. I recorded a video inside the tent with my whole hand inside water after the light rain, if anyone want's to see it I'll post it on youtube.

Comments about TheNorthFace ASSAULT 3:

After using this tent in multiple climates and environments, I figure its time to give it a solid review. I've owned this tent for about a year now and it has almost always fit the bill for what I need. First off, yes- the vestibule is a different colour (orange) from the rest of the tent, but that really doesn't matter. Second, this single wall tent does begin to absorb moisture in a rainstorm, but I have never woken up with water inside the tent. It does however pick up condensation in bad weather as all the vents must be closed, so I have woken up with wet walls in the morning. For this reason I usually carry a lightweight tarp in my bag just in case of heavy rain for peace of mind (plus it can always come in handy for other applications). In the summer this tent can definitely be quite hot even with all of the vents left open. However, this tent excels in harsh climates. It is an extremely warm tent, and covered in snow it is just as sturdy as it is in summer. Its crazy how bombproof this tent feels. This is by far the most windproof tent I've found. If you want to test how air sealed the interior is, set up the tent, zip up all of the vents and doors, and try to take the tent down. It will almost hold its shape without any of the poles supporting it and its virtually impossible to squish the air out to pack it down. In windstorms the tent barely sways. This tent is also quite lightweight for being a 4 season, 3 man tent. All in all, this tent is definitely not the tent for everyone. It is purpose built and doesn't have all of the features of most tents (ie storage pockets, double doors) , and unless you are using it for high alpine multi-season endeavours, then you are most likely better off with a 3 season mesh tent with fly. However, if this is going to be your basecamp to summit tent, especially in windy variable winter conditions then this is the tent for you. This tent crushes peaks!

Comments about TheNorthFace ASSAULT 3:

I have used this tent in -2 Celcius with 4 inches of snow while hiking. Very stable in high winds, kept me warm. Vestibule was great for my gear, and used it as a vent.

It would be nice if you didn't have to pay for the canopy, but the price point is not bad. You should really set up the tent before you head out.

This tent is truly a 2 person tent; three only if you are comfortable being really tight.

I think over all the tent is great, and some of the reviewers sound like they were looking to buy a light weight log cabin with a luxury king sized bed. Then obviously this is not the tent for you.

Comments about TheNorthFace ASSAULT 3:

Prior to purchasing a 4 season backpacking tent, my wife and I did some extensive research and testing before spending hundreds of $$. My brother owns one of these and let us borrow it for a late-November trip and I'd like to share with you our findings.

With regards to weight, it is not the lightest but certainly far from the heaviest. Set up is not hard, definitely not as difficult as one reviewer stated. I actually prefer a sleeve design in a 4 season tent - feels more bomb proof. Functionally, it performed ok. There was no snow or rain so I can't comment on its weatherproofing but it kept us warm during a breezy cold weekend.

As for the bad: there is only one entrance, I prefer two. Although it has an "escape hatch" in the back, I assume a larger backpacker, such as myself, would find it a bit cumbersome to use. There is no fly, so during rain all vents must be closed leaving zero ventilation. There is a vestibule that attaches to the entrance which is adequate for storing your packs, boots and misc gear. It may be trivial, but the vestibule color does not match that of the tent body. It is a pale, orangey-yellow, nacho cheese color whereas the tent is a brilliant TNF Summit Gold. Weird why they didn't make it the same color. There are no storage pockets inside. I repeat, there are NO storage pockets inside!! Really? You have to spring another $20+ for a gear loft just so you have somewhere to stash your headlamp, cell phone, etc.. There is no mesh option on the door, so ventilation is strictly limited to three small windows (2 on the ceiling 1 on the escape hatch), which I'm assuming can get a little stuffy during warmer weather. Condensation was not an issue.

To reiterate, it functions just fine as a 4 season tent. However, the hefty price tag, along with my personal list of cons, makes it a less viable option (for the price). If you can spring a little more cash, I would HIGHLY recommend the Mountain 25, which is what we went with and the BEST tent IMO.

Comments about TheNorthFace ASSAULT 3:

Be sure to hire Sherpas if you intend on taking this tent on a winter mountaineering trip! Why, you ask? Because if you don't; you'll find yourself freezing to death trying to put this tent up on your own. By the time I was done putting this tent up for a "run-thru" in my backyard, afternoon had evolved to evening; soon I realized why they named this tent the Assault as I found myself wanting to assault this ridiculous sleeve design for the tent poles. I've had easier times trying to put a hoodie waist cinch cord back through its sleeve than than I did getting these/all of the poles through their sleeves! Unbelievable that North Face would make such a horrible tent design! Oh, and don't even get me started on trying to get the tent poles back out of their sleeves! Yes the North Face Assault tent truly lives up to its name, that is, if you add the description "assault and battery" required to set this tent up!

Comments about TheNorthFace ASSAULT 3:

I backpack, and car camp when it's cooler temps. I set up my new assault 3 in my upstairs and plan to camp in my own house! Lol love it maybe too much. But there's alot to love. I've backpacked with many tents. This undoubtedly is the finest.