Having spent several nights in a Meteor Light on the Pacific Crest Trail, in the Olympic National Park and various other locations in Washington’s Cascades, I’m very familiar with the performance of the Sierra Designs Meteor Light tent. It’s a legendary 3-season backpacking tent that offers comfort and storage for two.
I can vividly recall a 24-hour tent-bound experience on the flanks of Washington State’s Mt. Adams. We were on the tail end of an 80-mile hike on the PCT that began at White Pass when it started raining and raining and raining. It was August, so we traveled light, and the obvious refuge from the storm was to pitch the Meteor Light and wait it out. Aside from playing cards all day and eventually burying our heads in our sleeping bags, we were stoked how well the Meteor Light shed the torrential downpour.
When we left our comfortable and dry cocoon the next morning, snow levels were only 1000 ft. above us and the rain had stopped. We broke camp and went on our way, but unfortunately had to give up our Mt. Adams summit bid because of the time lost. It was a bummer not to summit, but the memory of how well that tent did under those conditions has stayed with me to this day. That was 18 years ago…
New 2009 Sierra Designs Meteor Light 2
Building off the wild success of the Meteor Light, Sierra Designs has completely re-designed it with a new pole configuration (Eye Pole Configuration™) that essentially eliminates the third pole and drops a full pound from the weight of the Meteor Light 2!
“The Meteor light has always been the tent of choice for the experienced backpacker,” said Phil Mesdag, hardgoods product manager for Sierra Designs. “The new Eye Pole Configuration™ offers more usable interior space in a package that is significantly lighter than the former design.”
A classic, reconfigured with a patent-pending two-pole design that functions like three poles. It’s lighter (by a pound), provides more room, and sets up easily. The only shelter ever to win the Backpacker “Editors’ Choice Gold” award (2001). The Meteor Light 2 is efficient, economical, comfortable and sets the benchmark in the industry.
New Meteor Light Pole Structure
The Meteor Light has always been known as a comfortable and spacious tent that was easy to set up due to its three equal length poles. The pole sleeves start high on the Meteor Light, meaning you can stake out the tent first, then slot the poles. This year Sierra Designs reconfigured the poles, essentially maintaining the three-pole configuration without the third pole. The footprint remains generous, with enormous internal space.
Features of the new Meteor Light:
- 3 season, 2- person
- Trail weight: 5 lbs 15 oz
- Fast Pack weight: 4lbs 2oz
- Packed Weight: 6 lbs 12 oz
- Number of Doors: 2
- Interior Area: 36 feet squared
- Vestibule area: 19 + 9 feet squared
- Peak height: 44”
- Floor material: 70 D Nylon, 3000 mm
- Body Material: 70 D Nylon
- Fly Material: 68 D polyester, 5000 mm
- Poles: DAC Featherlight NSL
- MSRP: $239.00 (Available Spring 2009)
The all-new Sierra Designs Meteor Light tent continues as a lightweight, affordable and dependable 3-season backpacking tent. Visit www.SierraDesigns.com to learn more about Sierra Designs products.
A Seattle native, Jason developed a love for the outdoors and a thing for mountains. That infatuation continues as he founded
i had a sd tent and it left me cold and soaked as the entire tent had deteriorated after 9 years. it had been stored properly and used minimally. sd tents are not the best!
Bummer to hear that. Not all products are perfect. Which model did you have? My experience was pretty good, but that’s too bad yours wasn’t.
I have an original Meteor Light CD tent from my dad. I’ve never used it before and I tried to get some info from SD and haven’t heard back from them. Is there a better alternative to emailing them?
Try using the old-fashioned phone call: 800.635.0461
Might be your best bet. Are you just curious about pitching instructions or does it need repairs?
I have an original Meteor 2 purchased about 1999 with 3 Eastman aluminum poles and foot print. It has served me on Mt Rainier, in the Grand Tetons, and all over Idaho and Montana, and has never let me down. I have also had a Cliplight 1 for our little boy and it was a cinch to set up. I love those tents! Would get a new Meteor 2 in an instant if the older one was not up to it, but it just came back from 4 nights in Montana and was still great. How can you fault 10 years with a tent? Would love to know what the the new DAC poles are made of?
Dick