If there is a good time to test camping gear, it is probably not the weekend of the first frost of the year. But since that frosty weekend happened to be the opening weekend of deer season this year, it was the best time to set up a deer camp. Camping gear comes in handy for that.
The crops didn’t seem to get out of the fields on time this year so we were setting up our blind the day before. Camp wasn’t set up until after dark. It turns out the Extremus Mission Mountain camping tent was literally a snap to set up. Built much like standard pop-up sunshade tents, the poles were attached to a center hub. Once folded out, it was just a matter of snapping the joints into their locked out positions, which raised the center hub to height and locked the tent into shape. This took less than a minute. Since the guy lines came disassembled from their sliding adjustments, we skipped that step for the night and completed the setup by sinking the corner stakes into place with a boot heel. The stakes are typical 4”, narrow metal stakes.
In 30 degree weather, the tent provided little insulation from the cold and quickly developed condensation inside along the walls and ceiling. Two hanging storage bags kept wallet and phone away from the walls and dry. We didn’t notice during our nighttime setup, but upon later inspection, the tent has two door flaps, which is a good thing for a couple of reasons. The tent is rated for four people. Even without the camping cot we stuffed into the tent (also a part of this review), it would be crammed to have my family of four inside overnight. If you attempt a family camping trip, the second door will be very handy to keep everyone from having to step over or onto one another while maneuvering in and out.
On another note, the dual doors make this tent a notch above the standard sunshade tent I mentioned above, in that it serves just as well as a covered picnic blanket for springtime time day trips as it will for spring and summer overnight trips.
Fluorescent tabs on the window and door pulls make the tent highly visible at night, thankfully for us as we pitched the tent under flashlight beams. The quality and longevity of the stitching is TBD. It sure came across as typical department store camping equipment. Hopefully with casual seasonal use, it will last for a few years. At $50 on the Kastking website, which boasts that the tent is made of UV resistant 190T polyester, I’m sure you will get your money’s worth. Our experience was in line with the online description.
We had two sleeping options provided by Extremus for this trip. The inflatable Micro I-Beam sleeping pad and the fold-able Komfort Camp Cot. My hunting partner called dibs on the pad while I spent the night on the cot. What we found were two very good options for very different uses.
Here are the Tent’s features from the Manufacturer’s website:
- Quick and Easy Set Up – The new Extremus Instant Pop-Up tent sets up in about 1 minute and can easily be done with just one person. Simply remove from the storage bag, place on a flat surface, extend the base of the camping tent, unfold the pre-assemble tent poles and lift the center section to lock in place. Complete the set up by anchoring each corner with tent stakes and attach guidelines to hold firmly in place in windy conditions.
- UV Resistant 190T Polyester Fabric – Every Extremus Instant Pop-Up Tent is constructed of lightweight, breathable and rain resistant, UV resistant, 190T Polyester material. These tents are designed for light rain and moderate wind conditions, ideal for a weekend camping trip with family or friends. You’ll wonder why you ever struggled with old tent construction in the past. Available in multiple colors that will compliment any camping situation.
- Large Windows and doors – Every model includes large doors and windows that includes screens to keep insects outside while still providing adequate ventilation. Durable zippers are used to make opening and closing doors and windows easy and quick.
- Lightweight and Easy to Pack – 2-person tent weighs just 5.5 lbs, 4 person weighs 7 lbs, 6 person weighs 10.5. 2-person tent dimensions 78.7″ x 59″ x 49.2″, 4-person tent dimensions 82.6″ x 78.7″ x 53.1″, 6-person tent dimensions 118.11″ x 106.3″ x 74.8″. Includes storage bag, aluminum tent stakes and guideline ropes.
- Rain Fly Included – After assembly, attach the included rain fly to the top of the family tent to keep rain from entering the top. In sunny and warm conditions, the rain fly can be left off for additional ventilation. The rain fly is made of the same 190T polyester material.
The Micro I-Beam inflatable sleeping pad is your backpack option. It packs small and can roll up as a part of your bedroll if necessary for backpacking. It weighs only 30 oz. per the website and adds an R value of 3.6 to help keep you warm. Foot pump inflatable, it was somewhat of a jigsaw puzzle to figure out how to get it to work. Bottom line, open the center caps on BOTH valves and start pumping. It doesn’t take too long but it is a good workout for your hunting partner.
If you’ve ever owned a milsurp army cot, you’re familiar with the design of the Komfort Camp Cot. It supports up to 300 lbs, is 75”x35” and 17” off the ground, and is framed in powder-coated stainless steel. Two vertical members stretch the 300D polyester cot out to length on either end and is held in place with holes and pegs. I could not find the overall weight on the website. Even with the handy polyester carry bag, which was easy to use to repack the cot, it would be quite a load to carry into camp by hand.
Here are the Komfort Camp Cot’s details from the manufacturer’s website:
- *Folding Camp Cot – The Extremus Komfort Camp Cot is perfect for tent camping and creating a comfortable sleeping surface while outdoors. Can be used with or without a sleeping pad to provide a comfortable night’s rest while outdoors. Elevated 17” off the ground to keep you warm and dry while camping.
- *Perfect Guest Bed – The Extremus Camp Cot also doubles as a perfect guest bed when you have company for the holidays or special occasions. Can be set up in seconds in any room of the house to provide extra sleeping areas for guest. Can be used with sleeping bags or standard bedding for added comfort.
- *Side Pocket Storage organizer – As a bonus feature, we’ve included a full-length side pocket organizer to keep your valuable close at hand and organized while camping. There are multiple pockets in many sizes, including some with full zippers. Perfect for cell phone, wallet, handgun, flashlight, knives, water bottle, reading material and so much more. You will always know where your important items are located, and they will be easily accessible at any time.
- *Supports up to 300 lbs – The extremely strong frame is made of solid steel and will support up to 300 lbs in comfort. Folds easily and sets up or takes down in just a few seconds. The camp cot is 75” long by 35” wide and 17” tall providing a comfortable rest for just about anyone. Stainless steel hinges lock securely for safety and entire bed folds down quickly for storage or transportation.
- *Storage Bag Included – After folding, the Extremus Camp Cot fits easily in the included storage bag. The storage bag is also made of durable 300D polyester for a long life and easily holds the entire cot and frame materials. There is also a should strap/carry handle for easy transportation.
I enjoyed the “komfort” of the cot but wished I had the R value of the inflatable pad underneath me on a 30 degree night. My partner snored while I woke up cold every couple of hours all night long. The cot lists for $75 and the pad for $30, so for a little over $100, it would be a pretty good sleep system for any weather.
This brings me to the last piece of equipment that Extremus provided- the Cascade Camping sleeping bag. Rated for 3 seasons per the website, I can attest it works much better closer to the 40 degree rating on the tag than it did around 30 degrees that night in our hunting camp. Built to surround the head like a winter sleeping bag, the relatively thin cotton fill surrounded my neck and shoulders and extended from edge to edge, like the website says. The shell is 190T polyester like the tent, and in my case, they just so happened to match in color. The sleeping bag is packed easily in an included compression sack, so it also is a good option for mild season backpacking in cool to warm weather.
With an MSRP of $32.99, the bag rounds out the sleep system for comfortable, warm weather camping with Extremus.
Time Span on Products:
One week later- remember how I said that pitching camp in the daylight isn’t my strong suit? Well, breaking camp isn’t either. We left this tent and the sleep system products set up for nearly 10 days before taking them down. The most impressive thing is that the Micro I-Beam sleeping pad was still fully inflated. In spite of some rain, the tent was dry inside, though some clothing left on the floor was damp. The tent is not water or condensation proof, but it dries quickly. The orange accents appeared to have faded some but stitches seemed to be intact.
Some weeks later- I tried setting up the tent for a backyard camp-out and couldn’t get the lower lockout joints to stay locked out. It may take holding my mouth just right to make it work, since there were no issues on first set up. To be continued…
The sister company for Extremus is Kastking, who sells primarily fishing tackle, rods, and equipment based on looking over their website. I’m not sure how recently they added this kind of camping gear, and since the gear is a new adventure for them this year, there is not much in the way of reviews on the first Google search page. For ease of setup and price point, especially if you’re buying your fishing gear online at Kastking, it makes sense to pick up this gear. If your family is into fair-weather camping and outdoor recreation, I’d say go for it. The tent is not a hard-use product, but the cot and inflatable pad would definitely be good add-ons to any camping pack list.
To learn more about these products from Extremus visit www.kastking.com
About the Author
Glen Gaugh is an avid hiker and camper with over 20 years experience in the wilderness. Glen enjoys testing products and putting them to the test in real-world environments. Glen holds a Masters Degree from Union University.
