If you’re new to hiking, then you’re probably a little hesitant to drop a whole paycheck on the speckiest tent on the market, then the Spartan 3P from Explore Planet Earth is the perfect option.
When you’ve got three people sleeping in a tent, it’s an absolute pain trying to go to the loo in the middle of the night. Lucky EPE
With a 4000mm rating, this tent has some serious water protection for a tent of its category. The Doors have No-See-Um Mesh, so you will also get plenty of ventilation inside your space. An excellent choice for outdoorsy newbies, the Spartan 3P is an easy to pitch well-priced hiking and backpacking tent.
Hey mate! Do you have a recommendation for a compatible lightweight tarp/groundsheet? Cheers, J
G'day Josie,
The Sea to Summit Telos TR3 LightFoot Tent Footprint would be the closest fit to the Spartan 3 footprint dimensions!
What is the difference in the weight measurements, what is removed to give the minimum weight?
G'day Carl,
The packed weight is everything that comes with the tent, the minimum weight is also known as the 'trail weight' and usually only counts the rain fly, tent inner, and tent poles on a free-standing tent option. This is for people who want to carry the least weight possible but still have a functional shelter. Freestanding tents don't need to be pegged out in order to be set up - although that is best practice. For hardcore gram counters, you can use rocks or sticks instead, and tie off guy ropes to vegetation.
Hi We live in North Qld and like to do boating camping. During the summer months it can be quite hot but a greater chance of heavy rain. We were wondering what the ventilation is like with the Spartan 3, particularly given it looks like it has a fine mesh opening on the doors. Will the tent also hold the heat? We have currently have two tents, one is a four season tent and it is to hot for our conditions during summer. The other tent has plenty of ventilation but being a cheaper quality tent doesn't hold up to the rain as good as we would like. Hoping the Spartan might provide a solution for us. We look forward to hearing your thoughts.
The inner is predominantly nylon, Peter, so it will probably be a warm tent in hot climates. Have a look at the Zempire tents, they have largely mesh inners and offer excellent weather protection. The Zeus is a great option - https://www.snowys.com.au/zeus-hiking-tent for 2 people, or the Trilogy for 3 - https://www.snowys.com.au/trilogy-hiking-tent.
Hi there. Just wondering about the colour. In some photos the fly seems to be green but in others it seems to be tan. Is there a choice of colours?
G'day Rod,
We can confirm that the tent is green, some photos may make it look a little closer to Khaki, but we'd classify it as Forest Green.
Hello, we are planning an around Oz trip (March-Oct) , leaving from Melbourne in a camper trailer and want an extra easy up tent for the kids (they will be 13, 10 & 7) if they want to sleep away from us. The kids also need a tent for Scout & Cub camps. Would you recommend this one? Many thanks :)
G'day Nat,
The Spartan 3 should do the trick for the kids, but if you're wanting all three of them to sleep in the tent together, they'll need to be on narrow hike style mats. The tent will be a good option for Scout and Cub camps, but might be on the heavier end of what they'll be able to carry on hiking trips with scouts. It might be worth getting two of the Spartan 2 tents and then they'd likely suit both purposes.
Hi guys just wondering how thick the tent poles are please?
Hi David, we have had to measure these ourselves as EPE don't provide this information. The diameter of the poles on the Spartan is 9.5mm, which seems to be consistent in all the lightweight tents they produce.
Is it really 210 x 180cm inside?
G'day Steven,
It sure is, you can checkout our video where Lauren is inside it to give you a good idea of the internal size!
Just wondering if this tent stands up without the need for pegs? Or. For camping on wooden platforms
G'day Damian,
Yes, the Spartan 3 is classified as a free-standing tent. Generally, when setting this up on a platform you'll just need somewhere to tether your guy ropes to so your tent doesn't fly away! As well as a way to peg out the side doors (most platforms tend to have a way to anchor a few points in), however, the tent will stay upright without pegging it out.
Howdy guys. I recently bought this tent and the straight tent pegs don’t seem to hold the tent in place. I’m putting the pegs in at 45 degree angle. I’m going to have to use regular pegs (with the hook at the end) as I’m not sure the tent will hold in high winds. Any tips?
G'day Brooke,
We can't really say we've had anyone report this experience before however how well the pegs will hold in does depend on the terrain. I'd generally suggest giving them a little more angle if they're not holding in well, or if you're camping on soft ground maybe something like the Aluminium Tri Pegs.
Hi, the footprint you recommend in the other answer isn’t currently available. Would any other of your footprints work for this tent?
G'day Emily,
Unfortunately, as there is no footprint specifically designed for Spartan 3 any footprint won't quite be an exact fit. I've checked our current stock and there aren't any 3 person tent footprints currently available. You might need to consider a small lightweight tarp.
Hi folks. I'm looking for a tent big enough to take my 7 and 4 year-olds camping and that I can put up on my own. Reckon this will do the job or is there something else you'd recommend? The car will always be close by, so most of our gear can be stored in there.
G'day Stuart,
The EPE Spartan 3 Hiking Tent will be a good option for the 3 of you, but considering it is a hiking tent it might prove to be a little squeezy for car camping. This will depend on the bedding you have, car camping mattresses tend to be a lot wider than hiking mattresses. You might want to think about something a little more spacious like the Outdoor Connection Breakaway 4V or EPE Speedy 4 Pop Up.
How tough is the floor, is a footprint a must?
G'day Roger,
I've been in contact with Explore Planet Earth and they've indicated that the Spartan 3 has a 70 Denier Poly Oxford Floor. If you're concerned about durability then you could pair it with a lightweight tarp. Unfortunately, there isn't a specific fit footprint for this tent.
how much mesh is on the inner?
G'day Tim,
I've just double checked this for your with our display model Tim, and the Spartan 3 tent has a solid inner, with mesh doors that can't be closed off.
Wondering how it goes in high winds? Looking to replace a basic dome tent that collapsed in wind on the coast. Thanks
G'day Bradley,
Generally, lightweight hiking tents fare pretty well in windy conditions due to their low lying design. The head height is 110cm so wind tends to flow over the top of the tent rather than hit a flat side and collapse the tent. We would suggest that you angle the tent nose into the wind and always peg out the guy ropes and then you should be set in most conditions.
Does the tent fabric blockout the sun / keep the inside dark?
G'day Naomi,
The rainfly fabric on the Spartan tents won't really effectively block sunlight any more than most other tents. If you're after something that does this really well, the only smaller option we have is the Coleman Pop Up Dark Room 2p Tent.
What's the max head height?
G'day Bin,
The max head height of the Spartan 3 Hiking Tent is 110cm at the peak.
This piece is in the kit - it's about the length of your palm long. I can't for the life of me see where it goes? On line video I found doesn't show it either. Thank you
G'day Cassandra,
I know the piece you're talking about! It's called a 'pole repair sleeve'. If you manage to snap a pole while you're out in the field you can use this like a splint. Just slip it over the break in the pole and tape it in place for a quick fix that will keep you going until you're back in town.
Can the tent be used with the inner only (fly not attached) for those nights when guaranteed no rain?
G'day Steven,
Hi guys just wondering if you could recommend a footprint that would work for this tent or a suitable lightweight tarp? Chhers
G'day Lachlan,
Looking at the dimensions, I reckon you could get away with using the Zempire Trilogy Footprint with your EPE Spartan 3 Hiking Tent. It's got the same length and is only 10cm wider than the tent.
Looking to use this in the snowy mountains for backcountry
G'day Paul,
Being a 3 season tent, you can use the EPE Spartan 3 Hiking Tent in Australian snowy conditions but we'd recommend that you take a couple of precautions. It won't be as warm as a 4 season tent, so make sure your sleeping gear is extra warm to combat the cold. Also, if it starts to snow heavily, then you'll need to make sure that you're regularly clearing the snow off of your tent so that it doesn't get damaged under the weight of the snow.
Could i use this tent on a June weekend with a good sleeping mat and bag? Or would it be too cold to do so?
G'day Roger,
Provided you've got a good sleeping bag, then you shouldn't have too many worries using the Explore Planet Earth Spartan 3 Hiking Tent during the Melbourne winter. If there's any snow forecast, then I'd suggest reconsidering but I can't imagine that will be all that likely.
Is there an extra fitting or is it built in?
G'day Clint,
I've just double checked this with the supplier to be sure, and unfortunately, this tent does not come with a gear loft - it's actually just a door storage pocket which is news to us.
I'm so sorry for the confusion there Clint, I've double checked the rest of the features, so it should be accurate now.
Hi Guys, Will you get this tent in again soon?? Cheers,
G'day Barb,
Good news! We currently have a handful of the EPE Spartan 3 Hiking Tents in our Queensland store. We'd be able to send one out from there for you right away if you popped an order in.
Just wondering on the suitability for a motorcycle tour. Looking for a 3 person tent with a good carry bag and fairly quick setup/take down time. Thanks
G'day Tim,
As previously mentioned, my bike touring knowledge is limited, but I do still believe that this tent will be suitable. It's a simple set up and pack down lightweight tent that is no slower than other similar tents and the quality is very durable for the price you pay.
After a tent for the bike that can take 2 people and gear comfortably. Wondering how the bag will hold up strapped over the bike pillion rather than packed away?
G'day Tim,
Great question. I'm honestly not sure. The bag is made from what appears to be a relatively durable polyester so I'd say you'd be okay for some time, but my bike touring knowledge of the demands and stress to be placed on a bag is limited.
How do the poles attach to the tent - do you need to push them through a sleeve, or does the tent have hooks/clips that attach to the poles? Do you have a photo without the fly?
G'day Ryan,
The poles attach to the inner of the Explore Planet Earth Spartan 3 inner tent with clips.
Or are they mesh only
I pulled one out of the box to check for you, Pat.
I assume you are referring to the inner doors, which are single layer mesh. They are not double doors with mesh and solid panels. Hope this helps.