Kelty Late Start 2P Backpacking Tent
The Kelty Late Start 2P is a lightweight two-person backpacking tent built around one idea: getting pitched fast. Color-coded Quick-Corner pole pockets and aluminum poles let you set up in minutes, even in the dark. The 85 x 54-inch floor (31.9 sq ft) fits two standard sleeping pads side by side, the 43-inch peak lets you sit up comfortably, and the waterproof polyester fly handles a rainy afternoon. At 4 lb 11 oz it splits the difference between cheap car-camping domes and premium ultralight shelters.
Check Latest Price on Amazon →Why You Need This
Setting up camp shouldn't feel like solving a puzzle in the dark. The Kelty Late Start 2P Backpacking Tent makes shelter simple — quick setup, reliable protection, and comfort that makes the outdoors feel like home.
🏆 How It Compares
Kelty's answer to the ultralight trend is a 4-lb-11-oz double-wall tent that sets up in minutes instead of grams-counting: against the catalog's only other two-person backpacking shelters — the 4-season MSR Access 2P at $727.95 and the NEMO Kunai at $749.95 — it costs roughly $570 less and covers the same 3-season ground for weekend hikers who will never camp on snow. Its 31.9-sq-ft floor fits two standard pads side by side with a 43-inch sit-up peak, and the single door is the main compromise versus pricier two-door designs (the far-side sleeper climbs over at night). If you only backpack a few times a year and value fast pitches over saving 2 lbs, this is the rational pick; hardcore gram counters should keep saving for the Kunai.
Pros & Cons
✅ Pros
- Color-coded Quick-Corner pole pockets make setup genuinely fast, even in low light
- 31.9 sq ft floor (85 x 54 in) fits two standard sleeping pads side by side
- 43-inch peak height lets two adults sit up and play cards on a rainy day
- Aluminum poles and waterproof poly fly hold up in real weather
❌ Cons
- Single door means the far-side sleeper climbs over their partner at night
- At 4 lb 11 oz it is not ultralight - serious gram counters will prefer a trekking-pole shelter
- Compact vestibule fits boots and a pack, but not much else
🎯 Who Is This For?
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