MSR Access 2 Person Dome Tent Review

While preparing this review for the Access 2, we looked at the data from two hundred and fifty-four two person dome tents, examining more than sixty different data points. We also checked prices including shipping & discounts from thirteen different suppliers stores, to find the best deal for you.

The Access Fly Open
MSR's Access 2 With the Fly Open
In the review, we will present to you:
  • An outline of the reviews we found.
  • A comprehensive analysis of the features, materials and dimensions.
  • The Pros and Cons about the shelter.
  • Where you can save $399.97

At optimumtents.com all our reviews are produced from our exclusive database of over one thousand shelters, that are for sale in the USA. Our aim is to give you an honest review and our own individual rating based on the data, along with the best value and lowest price we could find.

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  • MSR Logo
  • Manufacturer: MSR
  • Model: Access
  • Year Introduced: 2016
  • MPN: 13132
  • Sleeping Capacity: 2 Persons
  • Designed For: 4 Seasons
  • Best Use: Mountaineering and Backpacking
  • Type: Dome Tent
  • Available in: Other Sizes
  • MSRP: $799.95

Access 2 Pictures and Videos

Click on an image or video to enlarge them!


The Access With the Fly Off

MSR Access 2 With the Fly Off
Fly Closed on the Access 2

Fly Closed Access 2

A video about the Access 2 tent.

Another video about MSR's tents.

QUICK OVERVIEW

Logo Representing the Features Section

Features


  • Freestanding: No
  • Color: Orange, Gray
  • Number of Rooms: 1
  • Number of Windows: None
  • Number of Doors: 2
  • Zippers: N/A
  • Storage Pockets & Gear Loft: Yes, N/A
  • Mesh Roof & Walls: No, No
  • Footprint: Not Included, Available Separately
  • Access 2 floor saver
Logo Representing the Materials Section

Materials and Extras


  • Inner Walls: 20D Ripstop Nylon & DWR
  • Full Fly: 20D Ripstop Nylon, Xtreme Shield Polyurethane & Silicone
    Fly Waterproof Ratings: 1200 mm
  • Floor Materials: 30D Ripstop Nylon, Xtreme Shield Polyurethane & Silicone
    Floor Waterproof Ratings: 3000 mm
  • Pole Material: Easton Syclone
  • Number Of Poles: 1
  • Pole Dimensions: 9.3mm
  • Guy Lines & Guy Outs: Yes, Yes
  • Stakes: Aluminum
Logo Representing the Dimensions Section

Dimensions


  • Floor Area: 29 sq. ft.
  • Center Height: 3 foot. 6 inches.
  • Packed Weight: 4 Lbs 1 Oz
    Trail Weight: 3 Lbs. 10 Oz.
  • Packed Size: 18 x 16 inches.
  • Number of Vestibules: 1
    Total Vestibule Area: 17.50 sq. ft.
  • Screened Areas: None
  • Awnings: None

Tent Set Up

Unified hubbed poles make tent quick to pitch in cold environments.


Warranty: MSR Warranty Info
Green Thumbs Up Logo

Summary: Favorable Reviews

People who bought the tent mentioned: That it packs up like a dream and is so light that I felt guilty for all the others in my party who had heavy packs. Easy to set up and down. I love the pole design. It is unexpectedly roomy for one person, and I can sit up and dress comfortably in it. It holds up well in the rain keeping you completely dry. To this date, MSR equipment has ever failed me on any trips. Set it up in the dark with no lights in under 5 minutes.


Teal Thumbs Down Logo

Summary: Unfavorable Reviews

Campers who have used the tent said: That there seem to be too many tie-downs and they cant get the vestibule door to tension just right. Some snow pegs as standard would have been excellent.


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SPECS AND CONFIGURATIONS

The Access 2 has two doors and a peak center height of 3' 6, which is a tiny bit smaller than the average height of the 222 different 2 person tents we have examined With 29 square feet of room inside, it is a lot smaller than some other 2-person tents, and it would be quite cramped for you and, another camper during the whole of the 4-seasons, this tent is recommended for use in, smaller tents similar to this one make a really good choice for campers that welcome spending loads of time outside exploring the great outdoors.

Some of the cool points about dome tents are, that they are for, the most part lightweight, making them easy to carry around. In most all cases, tents used for backpacking are of the dome type. They are generally speaking, freestanding and very straightforward to set up. In good weather, you can do without guy lines and stakes, not that this is suggested.

Dome tents are easily the most commonly seen of all the different sorts of tents you will see when camping. They tend to do better in bad weather than other types, allowing water to easily slide off the slanted sides, unlike cabin tents that have flat roofs, allowing the water to pool on the top of the tent. The most straightforward dome tent should have a rectangular floor, sloped sides a couple of poles which converge in the center of the roof. Due to the way they are made, it is generally considered that they are best for up to a maximum of 6 campers.

Down below, you can browse a list of the tent's pros and cons.

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PROS

  1. Vestibule. Having one vestibule. Offers you somewhere to store shoes and other items that can get dirty, muddy, this is a big plus.
  2. Internal storage. It is nice to see MSR has added a gear loft and pockets in the interior to store some of your things.
  3. More than one door. With 2 doors, it is simpler to get in and out of the tent, in the middle of the night if needed.
  4. Durable, water-resistant floor. The floor material is 30D ripstop nylon, Xtreme Shield polyurethane & silicone, which is a substantially thick and high-strength fabric. Meaning the base is not prone to tears and punctures. Also, the material has a 3000 mm waterproofing rating, which is very good for most circumstances.
  5. The rainfly completely covers the tent body. The rainfly covers the entire body of the tent from the top to the bottom and has a waterproof rating of 1200mm. Meaning it will easily protect you against heavy rain.
  6. Other sizes are available. MSR has also made this model available in Other Sizes.

CONS

  1. Not roomy. With a floor area of 29 square feet, the Access 2 is smaller than quite a few of the 222 other 2 person tents we have looked at.
  2. Lacking in Headroom. With 8% less headroom than similar sized tents, one can see how this could be a negative thing for some campers.
  3. Footprint not Included. There is no included footprint, there is one sold separately designed for the Access 2 footprint Even though the floor may be made of 30D ripstop nylon, Xtreme Shield polyurethane & silicone, it is still best to protect it further with a footprint, especially on rough terrain.
  4. Sloping walls. Even though Dome tents have many qualities to rave about. The sloping sides do tend to make it all the more smaller inside.

CONCLUSION

4.5 Stars Logo

Our Ratings: 4.5 STARS

MSR's Access 2 tent is really good for mountaineering and backpacking. Here are a few other points not mentioned above which, we noticed and liked, while reviewing the model: The Access 2 winter touring tent was built to meet the needs of backcountry skiers, splitboarders and snowshoers., Central-support frame optimizes interior space and resists snow loading and Rainfly vents reduce condensation along with Xtreme Shield waterproof coating for long-term durability.

With wonderful ratings, and a center height of 3' and 29 square feet of area to sleep, this tent is like your own small home away from home. It allows you to spend some delightful moments exploring the great outdoors. We found a decent amount of positive points about the tent that you can study above.

If you found this website looking for an endorsement on this particular tent, we think, it would make for a great purchase. In case you just happened to arrive on this website while looking for a new tent having not heard of this brand or this tent before, it is possibly a good idea to look at some other comparable tents also.

Value for money: As far as value for money, this tent is a more costlier than the average cost of all the two hundred and eighty-seven, two-person tents we have looked at, this just by itself is not a negative thing. One should also think about other areas in detail, as we do for each tent.

When we calculate the overall score of a single tent, we scrutinize plenty of areas, searching for things where the tent could exceed other near-identical tents and where it is not quite as good. In this case, with an overall score of 4.5 and the price conclusions above, It is simple to see that with a price of $399.98 info_outline The Access 2 is a very good purchase even though it could be perceived as quite pricey when set side by side with similar tents.

The ratings show that the build and size the tent gives you make it a honest choice for campers searching for a tent that will last for many years. It is also worth thinking about the fact that it is marked down by 50% from the manufactures suggested retail price. It should make an ok choice for most people searching for a comfy four-season backpacking tent to camp in, that will serve you well for years to come.

Best Value & Low Price

Amazon Logo
Fast 2 Day Shipping Available to Most Locations
$399.98 info_outline
You Save $399.97 (50%)
FREE SHIPPING
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COMPARE WITH OTHER SIMILAR TENTS

MSR TENT MODELS

BACKPACKING TENTS || DOME TENTS

Other Sizes and Variations of the MSR Access Model

Model Headroom Sleeping Area

MSR Access 1
Access 1

3' 4"19 sq ft

MSR Access 2
Access 2

3' 6"29 sq ft

MSR Access 3
Access 3

3' 11"41 sq ft
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