Review: The North Face Big Fat Frog

Camping in Lake Clark National Park

In the market for a good tent? This one has got you and your gear covered.

The tent testing ground: Alaska.

Living year-round in this rugged and unforgiving land, I am a little biased. I don't really think it's too much of a boast to say that the hiking and camping in Alaska will put nearly any product to the test--- but especially a tent. In the high alpine country of Alaska, it rains with regularity and the terrain demands easy portability. In fact, the rain makes a tent with no storage really quite worthless. You end up having to pack a tarp to put all your gear under.  It makes it a giant pain if you actually want to get to your gear in a downpour. With this in mind, I have been on the lookout for a tent that had a large enough vestibule to store two packs comfortably and, if needed, do some light cooking within.

Here is our new lodge in Lake Clark National Park

 

Winter Camping with North Face Big Fat Frog -12degrees

   I already own a North Face Tadpole Tent and have been pleased with its durability and quick set up. I love it as a roomy one-man but it's pretty small for two, especially with gear. So with my affinity for my Tadpole, I decided to purchase two North Face Big Fat Frog tents. Our first adventure using these tents was an our Kontrashibuna/Gladiator Basin in Lake Clark National Park  with a family of four. We used them for camping eight days straight on everything from the rocky backcountry and river sand bars to the thick, black spruce forests. I was very impressed!!! These tents weigh just a little more than the Tadpole, at 5 pounds, but the extra square footage makes well it worth it. The 14.5 sq ft. of vestibule space was a huge advantage on this trip. It rained hard several nights and all of our packs and boots stayed dry.

Also, we were able to test out the tents' wind durability and set-up time. While, on the top of

Gladiator Basin, a squall moved in out of nowhere. The Fat Frogs set up in a flash--- around 3.5

minutes with two people. We jumped in our tents and braced ourselves for the worst. The wind quickly picked up and blew with gusts up 40-50 mph! These little tents held up great. We found the key was positioning the foot of the tent into the wind.

  We used them all season and overall they held up great.  We even took them on a winter expedition we attempted in January.  The temperature was brutally cold and the wind blasted us at high speeds.  I was concerned the moisture build up would be considerable as is the case with most winter camping.  I intentionally staked the side flaps out wide and it did the trick.  When we awoke each morning there was virtually no ice on the tent walls.  The main tent body is 100% mesh except for the floor.  This allows all moisture to pass through to the underside of the rain fly.  As it travels through the gap between the mesh and the fly a lot of the moisture is whisked away by air flow coming through the tent. It is a great design and dramatically cuts down on moisture build up.  NOTE:  I would not recommend using the Big Fat Frog if you think it may snow.  It is definitely not a four season tent able to handle snow loads.

Here are the Big Fat Frogs with a North Face Tadpole in background

As far as features go there are several we want to point out..... seven, to be exact. First, there is enough room in the vestibule to do some cooking. It's great for a simple dinner using a jet boil or to prepare sandwiches.  Second, is the fact that its completely mesh, as mentioned earlier.  This is great on sunny afternoons when the bugs prevent a nap in the open. Third, the internal storage is actually pretty good. There are 5 pockets for catching all your goodies from flashlights to journals. Fourth, at the foot, there is a raised air vent that funnels air through the tent eliminating most condensation. Fifth, the opening to the mesh tent is almost a 360 degree zipper allowing unhindered access in and out. Sixth, all of the poles and clips are color-coded for easy placement. Seventh and finally,we highly recommend the footprints for this tent. Footprints are custom-fitted ground covering that go under the bottom of the tent. They protect your investment for years to come and weigh next to nothing.  After a whole season the bottoms of both Big Fat Frogs looked brand new!

Are there downsides to the North Face Fat Frog? Just a few..... The stakes that come along

with the tent are a joke. They are very cheap and bend easily. So, definitely purchase after

market stakes. Secondly, the carry sack for this tent is oversized. You can roll this

tent to a pretty small size which helps with your bulk. However, when you stuff into

sack it expands and becomes bulkier than it needs to be. The roof of the tent towards the back has little to no slope.  During a downpour this last summer I noticed that there was standing water pooling on top.  I quickly tightened the rain fly which helped but not completely.  The waterproof material kept the rain out but it is only a matter of time before the water will breakdown the waterproof treatment.  Again, we did not get wet but keep this in mind and treat your tent every year.   Lastly, the poles on this tent breakdown to a length of 22” . This makes the tent longer than desired when backpacking through thick brush. In my opinion they should have shortened the breakdown length of the poles for easier transport.

THE BOTTOM LINE: Overall I give the North Face Fat Frog tent a 3.5 out of 5 and would recommend it to anyone that loves a little extra room for gear or cooking. It is a little heavy for long backpacking trips but great for short 3 dayers or canoeing trips. We used it pretty hard this year and it held up well. Happy Camping!

Here is a quick video on setting up the tent...........

If you are interested in exploring Alaska's true backcountry then check us out.  www.AlaskanVentures.com