Item: Mountainsmith Morrison 2
Rating: 4
Author: Paul Turner

Having the right gear can make or break a camping trip. With so many options available, it can be difficult to select a tent that is right for you. In our Mountainsmith Morrison 2 review, we will take a look at the features of this model. We will explore who this tent was designed for and if it is worth your hard-earned money. You will learn how this tent stands up to the weather, how well it is built and how it fares against competitive models.

Our Rating:

Pros

Well made
Durable
Lightweight
Comfortable size
Easy to set up
Good amount of storage space
Weather resistant
Fire retardant
Reasonably priced

Cons

Footprint not included
Small vestibules
Not the lightest tent in its category

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Key Features

The Mountainsmith Morrison 2 Person Tent sleeps two average-sized adults. The tent was created with backpacking in mind and is small and lightweight. It still manages to feature a decent living space of 35 square feet, which should work out well for two campers. This is a 3.5-season tent that can be used in spring, summer and fall. It provides good protection from the wind and rain. It offers protection against the cold, but not much against extreme low temperatures.

Lightweight and High-Quality Materials

The Mountainsmith is made of lightweight, high-quality materials. The rainfly and floor are made of a PU-coated polyester material. The material is light, but strong and durable. It does a good job of keeping out moisture and prevents the build up of condensation on the inside. The poles are made of a strong aluminum that adds strength and stability to your shelter. The V-stakes are made of a similar material that is strong and easily penetrates hard ground.

Double doors and vestibules

This tent features dual doors and two vestibules. This is a great feature that allows you to enter, exit or deal with your gear without disturbing your camping partner. The vestibules allow you to store gear and supplies and keep everything organized. A gear loft and mesh pockets add even more storage room.

Mesh walls

Mesh walls and corners provide excellent ventilation. They also make sleeping easier on hot summer nights. Campers can enjoy a bit of stargazing during good weather on a clear night. Ventilation is even good during cold weather or heavy rain, as the rainfly has strategic vents to aid in airflow.

Others

The tent comes with a carry bag and can be packed down nice and tight. One handy feature is that setup instructions are printed right on the bag. This means you never have to worry about missing a step or making mistakes during the setup. This is something most tent makers fail to put much thought into.

All of the seams on the floor and rainfly are sealed at the factory. There is no stitching that could allow water leaks. The bathtub style floor should keep any mud or water out. The rainfly is large and provides excellent cover. Many lighter tents in this category fail to have a large enough rainfly. This is often done to cut weight for backpacking tents, but the Mountainsmith does a good job here.

Detailed Review

Ease Of Setup - 4.5/5

This tent is very easy to set up. An experienced camper should be able to get the shelter up and secure in well under 10 minutes. For those less experienced or new to the tent, the instructions are printed right on the carry bag.

All of the guy lines are reflective and easy to see if you should need to set up the tent after dusk. Most of the connections are color coded to make things even easier.

Build Quality & Durability - 4/5

The polyester materials, aluminum poles, stakes and guylines are all made of high-quality materials. The mesh parts seem strong and durable.

You should have no issues with the tent ripping or tearing under normal conditions. No footprint is included, but one can be purchased separately. This will add to the cost and overall weight and is not really necessary, as the floor seems to hold up well.

The seams are all solid and the tent does an excellent job of keeping the rain out.

Comfort & Features - 4/5

The Mountainsmith Morrison 2 is rather spacious for a backpacking tent. Two campers can sleep comfortably in the 35 square feet of interior space.

The height is decent and makes for a comfortable living area while sitting, entering or exiting the tent. The dual doors and vestibules ensure you will never be crawling over your camping partner when exiting the tent or grabbing your gear.

There is a decent number of high-end features here. Most notable is the storage space.

Wet Weather Usage - 5/5

The Mountainsmith has no issues keeping out rain and moisture. The secure seams, weatherproof material and bathtub-style floor all do their job well. The huge rainfly provides full coverage to keep you nice and dry.

Hot Weather Usage - 5/5

You should never have issues with this tent model in hot weather. The ventilation is excellent, even with the rainfly covering the entire shelter.

Special vents are strategically placed to aid airflow. Two windows and doors can be left open or with just a mesh cover to circulate air.

You can remove the entire rainfly and have a mesh shelter for the hottest summer nights.

Cold Weather Usage - 3.5/5

The tent materials are thicker than many other backpacking tents. This adds to the weight, but does provide more insulation against the cold weather.

Mountainsmith calls this model a 3.5 season tent. It is suitable for spring, summer, fall and cold weather, but not for winter conditions.

You can, of course, fight off the cold with the right clothing, sleeping bags and other equipment, but should not pack this tent if there is any chance of snow. It simply will not hold up with the weight of snow on the structure. This could lead to leaks or a complete collapse.

The tent does a better job than many other light backpack tents.

Weight & Packed Size - 3.5/5

There are certainly lighter backpacking tents on the market. The trail weight is around 4 lbs. 11 oz. Still, this is not a prohibitive weight, even on long hikes.

The extra weight is mostly due to the use of durable materials. This is actually a good trade off. The packed size is 18″x7.5″.

You shouldn’t have any issues getting that into your backpack or just carrying it to the campsite.

Overall Score:

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How Does It Compare To Others?

Here are a few alternative choices. All of these are quality tents. Some of them do better than the Mountainsmith Morrison 2 in a few categories.

Luxe Tempo Enhanced 2-Person Tent

This tent is a bit smaller at around 31 square feet of interior space compared to the 35 square feet of the Mountainsmith. It also has a smaller center height.

It’s a bit cheaper and may be a better deal for smaller campers or those who just need less room. Like the Mountainsmith, it has a dome shape, two doors, and two vestibules. The vestibules are much smaller and it lacks the additional gear loft.

It is also a bit heavier but does provide slightly more protection against cold weather.

Topnaca 2 to 3-Person, 4-Seasons, Double-Layer Backpacking Tent

This tent is lighter than the Mountainsmith at around 4.4 lbs. This is impressive when you factor in the double-layer construction. The tent is marketed as a 4-season shelter.

If you want to go backpacking in the winter, this is a great choice. The design is not only good for keeping out the cold but can hold up in snow. The tent does just as well against the rain as the Mountainsmith and may be even better for heavy winds.

The price is also very similar, making this a good value purchase. It is a little bit smaller though, so if you need the room and storage space, you might want to choose the Morrison 2 instead.

ALPS Mountaineering Lynx 2-Person Tent

This tent is an excellent choice that is a bit cheaper than the Mountainsmith Morrison 2. The price is usually a little lower.

It also offers a lot of the same features. It has two doors and two vestibules. There are a gear loft and mesh pockets, giving it a similar amount of storage space.

It features the same dome shape and excellent build materials of a similar quality. It’s just slightly heavier at around 5.8 lbs. The floor space is bigger, but not by much at 37 square feet.

The only thing the Mountainsmith may do better is providing a bit more protection against cold weather. Otherwise, the ALPS is a fine alternative.

Should you buy?

There is not much to complain about with the Mountainsmith Morrison 2 Person Tent. In our pros and cons section, it was hard to even think of negatives without feeling nitpicky. All of the cons are minor and do not detract from this excellent tent.

There is a good amount of living space and great amounts of storage space. The tent is very easy to set up, making it perfect for experienced or novice campers. The build quality is top notch and it can stand up to heavy rain, winds and even cold temperatures.

The tent is durable and should serve you well for a lifetime of use. After completing our Mountainsmith Morrison 2 review, we can easily recommend this model for purchase.