Kelty
Kelty Late Start 2P
Where it fits
- Also works for
- Backpacking and wild camping
- Not for
- Winter mountain
Why these labels
- Backpacking and wild camping: Light to carry: 1.9 kg
- Winter mountain: 3-season rating, not built for winter storms
From the maker's stated use and the published specs.
- Summer wild camp: 5/10 UK, roughly May to September, nights above about 8 °C, sheltered pitches.
- Three-season hills: 4/10 UK hills in spring and autumn. Wind, rain, and nights near freezing. Below this trip's minimum: needs rain protection 5+.
- Winter camp: 4/10 UK winter or high ground. Below freezing, strong wind, possibly snow. Capped at 4: needs the maker's 4-season rating and wind 7+.
- Weight: 5/10 How much it adds to your pack, compared with the whole market.
Budget three-season trips for two in sheltered spots
- Sleeps
- 2
- Seasons
- 3-season
- Min. weight
- 1.9 kg
- Flysheet
- 1,200 mm
- Inner length
- 226 cm
Packed size 8.68 L, 40.6 cm long and 16.5 cm across Compare with a 2-litre bottle
A bit longer than a 2-litre bottle and about one and a half times as wide. Drawn to scale.
Where to buy
Alpinetrek £175.16 In stock. Free delivery. We found no Kelty UK list price, so our £169.95 RRP is Absolute Snow's price. This price is a little higher and includes duties and taxes. Delivery time 5-7 working days. Free delivery from £85.
View at shop: AlpinetrekPrices checked 8 Nov 2026 on each shop's own page; shops can change them. We earn no commission on these links; shops are listed by price. More
Our ratings (out of 10)
1 to 10, compared with the whole market. Each says what it's based on. How we score
Weight
From maker's figures 5/10How much it adds to your pack. This is the whole tent: two people sharing can split it. 5: Does the job. Average for wild-camping gear.
Kelty's minimum weight of 1.9 kg (2.1 kg packed) is in the 1.5–1.99 kg band.
Rain protection
From maker's figures 1/10How well it keeps out heavy, long rain. 1: A real weak point.
Fly 1,200 mm is the 1,200–1,499 mm band, band 2 (3 out of 10), then one band lower because the floor is only 1,200 mm, under 2,000 mm.
Wind
Estimate from maker's specs: maker's season rating (fewer than 3 reviews about wind) 5/10How steady it stays in strong wind on open ground. 5: Does the job. Average for wild-camping gear.
No published review says how it copes with wind, so this is an estimate from the maker's season rating.
Space
From maker's figures 7/10Room to lie, sit up and keep kit inside. 7: Better than most.
Kelty's 2.8 m² floor ÷ 2 people = 1.4 m² each, in the 1.35–1.59 band. CleverHiker found two mats fit but felt snug with one door; OutdoorGearLab measured 3.01 m².
Packed size
From maker's figures 5/10How much room it takes in your rucksack. 5: Does the job. Average for wild-camping gear.
Packs to 40.6 cm long x 16.5 cm across: 3.1416 x 8.25 x 8.25 x 40.6 = 8,680 cm³, so 8.68 L, in the 7–9.9 L band.
What reviewers say (out of 10)
Ratings marked * are from reviews and are not part of the trip score. They are reviewers' scores, not our own measurements. How we score
Pitching*
Estimate: only 2 reviews about pitching (fewer than the 3 we need, so never above 8) 8/10How quickly and easily one person can pitch it, including in wind and rain.
2 reviews on pitching, e.g. "When it comes to setup speed, the Kelty Late Start 2 easily outperforms most of the tents in this category.".
Condensation*
Estimate: only 1 review about condensation (fewer than the 3 we need, so never above 8) 8/10How dry it stays inside on still, damp nights; higher is drier.
1 review on condensation, e.g. "The double wall feature of this tent is crucial in preventing any condensation from forming.".
In short
Good for
- Budget three-season trips for two in sheltered spots
- Quick pitches at the end of a long day: pole pockets and eight clips
- Car-based camping where one door is no problem
Strengths
- Very fast to put up, with pre-bent poles and corner pockets
- Four pre-attached guy lines with stow pockets, and a fly vent that faces down away from rain (CleverHiker)
- Freestanding, so it can be pitched on hard ground without pegs
Weaknesses
- Fly and floor are only 1,200 mm, the lowest rain band; OutdoorGearLab found the cut-back fly left the head and foot damp after a rainy 3-day trip and a wet spot on the floor on wet grass, though CleverHiker saw no leaks
- One door and one small 0.69 m² porch: one of you climbs over the other
- Snug for two wide mats (CleverHiker)
- Packs to 8.7 L, a bulky stuff sack for 1.9 kg
- Fewer independent tests than rivals, and the older no-vent version is still reviewed online
Sources
We haven't tested this ourselves. Every score comes from these specs, tests and reviews.