Eureka Assualt Outfitter 4 tent - NOT RECOMMENDED



http://store.eurekatent.com/assault-outfitter-4-tent

I bought the Eureka Assault Outfitter 4 tent eight years ago, after I got sick of cheap tents that leak out of the box.  I paid about $300 for this tent because it was supposed to be bomb proof.  It has been a great tent, the body has held up pretty well to years of camping, the poles are bent and belled out but they still work.  The tent can stand up to all kinds of wind, and it used to be very waterproof.

There is one problem with this tent and it is a major problem.  The rain fly has a PVC window in it and the window does not last.  After just three years of light use the window cracked.  I called Eureka and Eureka as a “goodwill” gesture sewed a fabric patch into my rain fly in the place of the window.   (see the light green on the front door) Eureka acknowledged that this is a common problem but I had  still had to pay for postage to New York and I had to wait about six weeks to get my rain fly back.  Since the bad window is a known issue for this tent,  I feel that Eureka should have sent me a new rain fly free of charge.  I also feel that Eureka should redesign the rain fly for this tent.

The repair job at the Eureka factory was defective from the start.  The sewn in patch was not sealed properly and it leaked, each year the leak got worse.  What a waste of time and money it was to send it back to Eureka for a defective repair job.  Now the rain fly leaks so bad that water is getting into the tent body during even a light mist.  I tried to fix the leak with first seam sealer, then tenacious tape and lastly shoe goo.  Nothing worked, it’s a terrible leak.

I called Eureka last week and explained the situation to them.  I still feel that Eureka owes me a new rain fly.  Eureka claims that a rain fly can only be expected to last five years.  I call B.S. on that!  Anyway the best I could get out of Eureka after 8 years of suffering with their defective product was an offer to sell me a new rain fly for half price plus sales tax.  I took Eureka up on the offer as I don’t have the funds to buy a new tent and I figured that for $75 if I can get another 3-4 years out of this tent I will have done okay.

Too bad Eureka is doing inventory, so it’s going to take two weeks for the new rain fly to come.  Even worse is the fact that the new rain fly will have that same stupid defective PVC window, but at least it won’t leak until it cracks.   The Eureka rep told me that I cannot expect this new rain fly to last more than 4 years.   When the rain fly comes Intend to get some green duct tape and put it on both sides of the PVC window, in an effort to make the window last longer.

I’m not pleased with Eureka.  Here is what I think Eureka should have done. Eureka should have redesigned the rain fly without the crappy failure prone window and Eureka should have sent me a new rain fly for free when it failed after three years.

I recently read of trouble with the rain fly on a MSR tent.  MRS acknowledges the problem (rain fly interior sticks together upon unpacking) and sends customers brand new redesigned rain flys at no cost. MSR fixed the problem with their rain fly.  I wish Eureka had done the same.

My new defective $75.00 rain fly is in the mail, I’ll make do with it as best as I can, if it ever arrives.

I love this tent, but due to the defective rain fly,  I can not recommend it.