Marmot-AMP3-Ultra-Light-Ten

By Herb Manning

The more we talked with people who had hiked the Grand Canyon the more concerned we became with our pack load.

We own a Marmot 3 season tent that we have used often and it has held up very well over many years of use. But the max weight with all the trimmings is just under 7 pounds, too heavy for the climb out of the canyon. So we decided to invest in a new ultra light tent. Marmot had already proved to use how well thought out and durable their tents are so we ended up purchasing the AMP 3P.

We went with the 3 person instead of the 2, I am 6’3” and Treas is a tosser and a turner. The added width of the AMP 3P has enough height at the head of the tent so that two people could sit up side by side and have plenty of headspace.

Like any tent the first time you set it up it takes a little time, but after that the tent was quick and easy to set up, the color coded clips and poles made sure of that. There was a chance of rain in the forecast so we did take along the rainfly but we never did use it, so I can’t testify to how the fly worked.

There were several things I really liked about the AMP 3P. The tent ceiling has large mesh panels making for great ventilation and star gazing. Treas especially liked the pockets two pockets to keep eye glasses and small items organized and from floating around. Another bonus is the lamp shade pocket to hold your headlamp.

When using the tent fly there is a 9 square foot vestibule, all these features come as a pleasant surprise considering the weight of the tent with poles, body, and fly is only 3 pounds 5 ounces. If roominess isn’t an issue as it is for us, the AMP2 weighs in at an extraordinary 2 pounds 13 ounces.

Marmot’s AMP 3P and AMP 2P are sturdy, easy to pitch and should wear strong for a good many trips. We now personally own 2 Marmot tents and we would give 5 out of 5 stars for both.

Pros: Ultra light, great ventilation, spacious, easy to setup, good head room.

Cons: Tent stakes are light weight but bend easily. We will probably replace the stock tent stakes with MSR’s Groundhog stakes. The AMP 3P retails for $439, pricey if you’re not an avid backpacker.

Purchase your own Marmot AMP 3P Tent HERE