If you climb hard all day and need something where you can drop half-dead and sleep, the Rab’s tents would be the choice.

If you stop more often and need something where you can “base-camp”, cook and wait… I don’t think the Rab’s tents are spacious enough.

Personally, I haven’t climbed Aconcagua. Just not my interest. And I prefer the ultra-marathon climbing approach. So maybe I’m not the best person to advise you on this particular project.

Otherwise, both tents will work in high winds. My Integral Designs MK1 Lite eVENT tent is taller than both Rab tents and it has been through some impressive winds without a problem.

1) Depends on the route
2) The “normal” less technical routes, yes, with a lack of snow, I’d take this or any other eVENT tent.

Also, even though I put the Rab’s tent into a wider backpacking context, I, nevertheless, add:

“If you climb a super exposed route, then a no-brainer, bombproof tent might make sense. However, digging a tent platform is still a lot of work. Pulling a kilo per climber adds to fatigue as well.”

I think you must be in far colder conditions than the pacific northwest. it is relatively mild here, except during storms or bursts of arctic air, not often anywhere below -6C, and often just a few degrees below 0C. Not that it cannot be -20C, just not too often, from my experience. Thus the breathability of eVent is important out here, I think.

Oh yes, my working temperatures are more in the -10° C to -35° C range.

Actually, I now recall 1 night when it rained on my Integral Designs eVENT tent in winter, at altitude. We were 2 in the tent, and it worked well, not much condensation. We just had to scrape the rain freeze when the temperature dropped back to -5° C.

Well no need for an apology on your review of these two shelters from RAB, as your prose on them is about the most authentic write-up I can find on both outside of chatter about the extreme on backpackinglight — I happily read your review.

I think you must be in far colder conditions than the pacific northwest. it is relatively mild here, except during storms or bursts of arctic air, not often anywhere below -6C, and often just a few degrees below 0C. Not that it cannot be -20C, just not too often, from my experience. Thus the breathability of eVent is important out here, I think.

thanks for the response to my initial comment!

Everything I can find about eVent tents is from 2005 or older it seems.

Well, you know the reason, right? ;-)

Sorry for not providing more coverage of the Rab tents… Don’t have any to play with.

My Integral Designs eVENT tent remains absolutely great, but I don’t use it for climbing… Too much weight, bulk… And, well, it’s so cold in winter! I prefer a snow-cave.

Thanks for the cheers!

cheers on a great site! thanks for your review of these two