Eureka Apex 2

by Ted
(New Jersey)

We rate the Eureka Apex 2 Person Tent, its been a great tent for us.

On a recent winter morning, my girlfriend and I went camping in the New Jersey Pine Barrens. The Pines, as we cal them, are mostly oak and, well, pitch pine trees, due to the sandy, acidic soil.

Although the Pines are pretty flat—the Forked River “Mountains” top out at 184 feet—it can be akin to walking on the beach for miles with a heavy pack, and a good hike can tire you out. The ground was frozen solid, so that wasn’t a problem, but we had a whole different set of challenges. After a period of intense snow, thaw and refreeze, the icy water was covering significant sections of the trail.


We continually had to work our way around the overgrown edges, sometimes through brush. Did I mention that the section we were hiking was a swamp? The trail was normally the higher ground in the area, but not this time. After a couple of hours of this, we finally reached a point where a stream ha burst its bank and washed out the trail entirely. Luckily, we had just passed a low rise, and we went back there to set up for the night. We cooked our food, and managed to get a fire going, so we got a bit of warmth before turning in, sure that we were the only people camping for miles around. On the way out, I was weighed down a bit by my tent, the Eureka Apex XT two-person model, but since the forecast was calling for freezing rain or snow, I was glad to have it. The Apex XT isn’t really a backpacker’s tent, so it is a bit bulky and heavy, but it has never failed me.


I have slept it rainstorms, heavy snow, and temperatures down to zero, but I have always been comfortable and dry in it. I am 6’4”, and I can (just) fit into it with another person. The two poles are easy to set up, even on my own, and there is a fair amount of room in the vestibules too.

Overall, it is a great basic tent for camping, and not too expensive, although I'd like a lighter, lower profile tent for extended trips in the backcountry.

We would be tested again that night: around 5:30 I was awoken by the ominous pittering on the rain fly that no camper wants to hear. I looked outside to see a serious snow coming down, blanketing the tent in white. We were still dry and there was a strong temptation to sleep until daybreak, but we knew the trail would be getting covered, and could become impassable, so we packed up and got out. The way out was pretty rough—especially without the morning coffee—but we finally made it out and had a nice breakfast at the local diner. So, who says you can’t have a wilderness adventure in New Jersey?