Indus 2

I rented an Indus from Mountain Shop in Portland, OR because I was curious whether the Slingfin brand would live up to the hype (spoiler: I ordered my own Slingfin afterwards).

The Indus pitched taught the first time, gave loads of interior space, and was fairly intuitive to use. Despite cold winter temperatures, we experienced barely any condensation, and everything operated well (zippers, tensioners, etc). I'd have confidence pitching the Indus in some pretty austere environments.

I own a handful of other tents from the big names in commercial backpacking gear, and I've used mountaineering/expedition tents made by one of Mr. Zemetis' previous employers. The "burliness" of the Indus is much more on par with the expedition tents, albeit at a lower weight. I felt like I could wrench on the tensioners and guyout points during setup without fear, which is not something I'd say of the lighter backpacking tents where a wrong glance might tear the material. The build quality is also exceptional: perfect stitching, every panel tightened flat without ripples, and bar tacks that exude confidence. This tent set a new standard for how good a tent can be, and as an occasional hobbyist gear maker myself, I can only aspire to do work as nice as the craftsmanship coming out of the Slingfin factory.

The Indus is very much as advertised: "rock-solid gear that doesn't have to be babied," which means it isn't the lightest or smallest possible tent. That understood, and wanting lower weight/smaller footprint/smaller packed size, I did buy a Hotbox after my experience with the Indus. Weather and work have meant I haven't taken that tent out yet, but setting it up once tells me Slingfin has the same standards across their product line. I'm typically averse to endorsing a particular brand, but Slingfin has me excited - a rare upstream swimmer in the raging torrent of encrapified gear.

Alpine Ascents has been using this tent for a whole season in our rental fleet, and they have held up amazing. All over the Cascade volcanoes, up and down North Cascades National Park, and even a stint at the Gorge Amphitheater. They haven't been thrashed by clients or guides. The easy setup and versatility is incredible, especially for new folks with minimal tenting experience. Slingfin's attention to detail and willingness to include optional features (rather than making it a "pay for extras" type of system) really makes this and all of their tents a great value.
Highly recommend one or a fleet of forty for anyone looking for a do-it-all, 2-person tent.

I purchased the tent primarily for motorcycle camping where size matters more than weight. The tent/fly, ground sheet, sleeping mattress, and sleeping bag all easily fit inside one pannier of my BMW. I really like the fact that there are no mesh panels since I frequently camp in the desert where fine, wind blown sand easily passes through mesh and makes for an uncomfortable situation. I have had zero issues with condensation, however, I camp in the west where humidity is typically low. It has been through some heavy rain and wind with no problems. My only gripe, and it is very minor, is I wish there was clip, strap, or some device to secure the poles together at the peak. Overall a great tent.