The Elixir range is a brilliant size, small enough to pack down and not take up much space in your pack, yet big enough to allow a large amount of room to move around inside while set up. In the main sleeping area you get just over a metre of head room to sit up, cook, move about and generally live in, while two spacious porch areas can house your kit, a small pet or someone you don't like very much. Two porch areas lead into two separate doors; this is especially useful if you need to get up during the night and don't want to wake your other half.
A unique pole setup means this tent is completely freestanding and quick to set up. The inner simply lies flat while the frame is constructed above, the inner then clips to the poles and the outer sits over the top of the poles ready to be pegged down. The main benefit of a freestanding tent is that techically it doesn't require any guylines, therefore it can be set up on rock or other areas which are exempt from ground penitration. Colour coded poles, clips and webbing makes the Exixir 3 fantastically simple to set up in the dark, while a mesh cover for the two doors keeps the creepy crawlies out without restricting air flow.
Two different setup options are available; standard (2.5kg) and fast and light (1.92kg). This allows you to control the weight and pack size of the tent depending on your chosen activity. If you want to keep all your creature comforts, you'll have a groundsheet, the included footprint, outer and inner all present for a protective, spacious and comfortable nights sleep. If you fancy a few days out in the hills and are conscious of weight, you can ditch half of the included equipment to just be left with the footprint and outer. This strips the weight all the way back to around 1.9kg and provides you a packable, durable and lightweight alternative to tarp and bivvy camping.
Ventilation is taken care of by cleverly placed vents in certain areas. These vents are placed high up to avoid privacy issues, yet low enough to allow a breeze through. Two of these vents are placed either side of the tent, while the outer waterproof fabric can be pulled pack and pinned to the top of the tent to allow further breeze through, or if you just want to partake in a bit of stargazing.
The outer fabric used is an ultra-light yet durable 68D polyester, while the groundsheet is a slightly thicker 80D Nylon to cope with rough floors and careless throwing of kit.
Inside the main living area, you'll happily get three mattresses side-by-side, yet the whole tent will pack down to just over 2.5kg. What's even better about this little gem though is that MSR are kind enough to supply a footprint free of charge to prolong the life of your groundsheet.
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Lightweight
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Fast to erect
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Footprint included
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Freestanding
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Durable outer fabric and groundsheet
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Livable height (1.04m)
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Two spacious vestibules