u/Western-Paramedic361

Hello,

Wanted to provide a short review of the Pomoly Locomotive 3 Hot Tent after one season of use in Manitoba, Canada

The design and affordability of this tent are big speaking points. The tunnel tent with stove jack is a very unique hot tent design - I'm not aware of anything like it available. Tunnel tents are very easy to setup and take down as a solo traveler, and the added comfort of wood stove is really nice. Typical of most backcountry tents, the 3p size works well for 2 people with winter gear. The vestibule provides enough room for stove, gear, and firewood and is fairly comfortable for sitting when snow depths allow it to be dug out.

The price point provides an excellent entry into the world of hot tenting. My tent doesn't appear to have any issues, the seam sealing on fly looks good and the zippers function as intended. It would be nice if there were a few hard points inside the tent to allow for a line to dry clothing items. There is one hook to hang a lantern, and stash pockets on each side of the tent inner.

The tent poles are much smaller in diameter than I was expecting for this style of tent, and I would like to see a few more guy out points to add structure and support in high winds or heavy snow. The poles are a smaller diameter than other 4 season tunnel tents, so I would be hesitant to use the tent with lots of snow and wind. It functions just fine in the boreal forest when camping in sheltered conditions.

My biggest issue is when using the tent in deep cold (-20 degrees Celsius) it can be very difficult/impossible to get the tent poles into the provided grommets. I believe this is due to a slight contraction in the silnylon fabric. I have had to add knots to the lanyards to hold the poles. It would be a big improvement to add a tensioner to compensate and allow for use in colder temperatures (like offerings from Hilleberg).

Overall the Pomoly tent appears to be an OK option for nylon hot tenting. Not quite as comfortable a canvas wall tent, but it is lightweight and easy to travel with. The tunnel tent design comes with many benefits, but at the end of the day you do get what you pay for and this is a budget offering.

I am happy to answer any questions,

Not a lot of reviews of the new Zi:Rak from ToPeak. Recently returned from week long trip around Powell River, northern Gulf Islands, and Sunshine Coast in British Columbia, Canada

The Zi:Rak held up great and I had no issues using with my Kona Unit running 29x2.4 tires and mounted directly to frame eyelets. Approx 700k and 10,500m of climbing/descending on gravel and forestry roads, singletrack, pavement, etc.

At 660g + additional 150g for U-shell drybag mount, the rack is a tad heavy for what it is. But it does come at a fairly competitive price point for this style of rack.

The U-shell drybag mount does add some undue complexity to the system, and I did find the U-shell to have a little bit of play/wobble. After tightening the threaded Quick-pull and using the ski straps as photographed, I didn't really notice and never thought about it while riding.

Overall seems to be a decent option at a lower price point to some of the more popular options (Tumbleweed, Tailfin, Mica).