The Best "Civilian" Military Tent on the Market? LiteFighter FIDO 2 AI Tent System

[@alexsmall5732]

I put a little heat shrink sleeve on the end of corded pulls, stops them from coming undone.

[@voraciousblackstn]

I usually tie them off with a fishermans knot. Keeps the loop open to grab better and it is a self tightening knot so it never comes undone. Do the same on my tent stakes.

[@rolling_heavy]

I just scream at them.

[@russellswanson117]

Simple. Melt those knots.

[@kathleenshoup2394]

Luke I think it is really high for a tent for family s yes you want a good tent but is there any one just as good and hope you had a great Christmas and to both of you a great new year

[@Stephen-mw8ze]

Melt or gorilla glue. Or both. Learned this from a Marine buddy

[@kevinquick7521]

Use a figure eight knot in the end. That is what sailors use for the purpose of stopping a line from passing through a sleeve.

[@hudsonball4702]

I already have a Lifefighter 1 person tent. I haven't been able to use it yet though because my dad got sick with skin cancer and I've been helping my mother with him in all my spare time. I was wanting to get the 4th season kit too, but haven't been able to. All my camping plans have been put on hold until my father gets better.

[@garyhost1830]

Hope your dad gets well bro, stay strong. Glad your with you family

[@kristapsl9]

Thanks for your videos! Tip for those undone knots- just tie knot with about 3mm ends of rope sicking out. Take lighter and melt rope ends and quickly press with side of an lighter to secure those knots for eternity. They'll never come loose again 👍

[@ChrisC30]

Tarp Clips. That's how you pull the tent fly away for increased airflow. Cheap. Practical. I always have at least 6 in my gear when I go out. Handy for securing various fabric or tarps.

[@mendyviola]

Hubby got me some for Christmas this year to replace my binder clips. 😂

[@peacefulplaces3634]

@@mendyviola I was going to pack binder clips too

[@Ryanboy2020]

Man, this is so far beyond what they had when I was in the Army. Figures, all the cool gear comes out after I leave.

[@gs7317-o4c]

I’ve been using mine for the past week and it’s an excellent tent. I like the extra room compared to the Litefighter 1. I can say mine is definitely waterproof. It’s been through sustained 30+mph winds, heavy snow, and temps in the negative double digits, and no problems whatsoever. I can’t speak to long term durability only having it a week, but I think it’ll do well.

[@gs7317-o4c]

@@fishclickbait Multicam fly, all nylon instead of polyester, not having separate poles, etc. add to cost. Also cost isn’t all in the materials. I’m glad you’re happy with your tent, but there are things about this tent that make it worth the extra money for some people.

[@olegoathiking1962]

Thanks for your agenda free reviews. Merry Christmas!

[@frankd5173]

My winter kit is putting my pancho liner in between the inner and outer shell. Works surprisingly well.

[@sunuvliberty_III]

Don’t have any experience with this particular tent, but I love my litefighter 1 (w/ cold weather kit). I liked the tent so much, I grabbed one of their hammocks, too -can’t wait for spring to get it out in the mountains. Not only is their gear top notch, but their customer service is as good as it gets. Should you run into an issue, you can communicate with someone who cares, and who knows their stuff, not some third party playing a game of telephone. I may never need a new tent again, but if I do, litefighter will be the first place I look.

[@SebastianDeBeer]

I can back that up. Their Operations Manager, Jacob, went above and beyond in resolving a quality issue I had with my Litefighter 1. Excellent customer service.

[@litefightersystems]

Thanks for the review and feedback, Luke! With regard to maximizing airflow, the rainfly includes 4 guy-out points at each corner (just above the nametape loops) to lift the rainfly off the inner tent and add stability in high wind conditions. Looking forward to seeing the FIDO 2 in action!

[@orion3253]

Are the rainflies for the FIDO 1 and 2 NIR treated? Are any of the berry compliant rainflies or the commando tarp NIR treated?

[@CAAT308]

I have one man tent from lightfighter and love it. I am wanting to get the two man tent soon. You guys have good products wish it was cheaper but understand why the price. I even got other buddies of mine to buy your products

[@duamilli]

why is shipping to europe so expensive? i'd like this tent but don't want to spend 100 dollars on shipping

[@oliverallen5324]

@@orion3253 S2 Underground has confirmed both Litefighter OCP and Fido Multicam are both IRR compliant.

[@bertvsrob]

@@duamilli spent 100 dollars shipping then had to spent 150 pound customs

[@tylerdunlap6787]

Crazy because I was watching your Litefighter1 review just last night. Went on the website and saw the new FIDO stuff, and was wondering about the differences. Crazy coincidence!

[@WeathermanMilSim]

Used the 1 person during exercise with 101 and i was blown away. They lent me a tent, but as soon as we hit ENDEX and i got home i bought one. zero regrets. even in cold weather the tent stays roughly 10-15 degrees warmer inside. Coupled with my sleepin bag and wool blanket, i was in heave. Held up in 59kt winds without issue. the "wings" of the rain fly where more than enough to store my ruck, and gear. No joke, its a must have for anyone that camps.

[@BUYBOTH]

Thanks for the review. I just ordered one these FIDO II AI tents from CampSaver (20% off) to replace my Catoma Combat II tent.

[@robertdutcher8081]

This company is going places. Thanks for sharing this. Merry Christmas Luke to you and your family.

[@gezbarker1013]

Happy Christmas from the uk

[@lowe48x14]

As far as pulling the fly away from the inner, I would use the 'pebble' technique. Insert a smooth pebble underneath the fly, and tie a piece of cordage around the outside of the fly/tarp, with the pebble on the inside,then stake it out in the same manner as you would with your dedicated tie-off straps/loops. It works wonderfully.

[@wasabij]

That's called a button.

[@bricketdabrown9607]

Glad to see them expand their lines. Your video sold me on the 2 person tent.

[@naezro]

Merry Christmas Luke and Susie! Hope your enjoying the Holidays.

[@a45456565]

Thank you Luke😺

[@PredMatic]

gosh you are refreshing. Im ex military. I love your direct attitude.I had to merch up. your positive attitude and knowledge..

[@EchoOutdoors365]

Great content as always! Merry Christmas Luke and family! Strength and Honor!

[@moorepower13]

I use my ics for my motorcycle camping and it has be great. All my gear fits in its vestibule perfectly. Thank you for your recommendation.

[@kayakangler7683]

I retie all zipper pulls using a paracord “snake knot.” Lots of tutorials on KZbin on how to do this, but I’ve NEVER had these come untied. Cheap, easy, reliable!

[@davespoemsandsongs9497]

Thank you, Luke, for the review on the Civilian Military tent Lite Fighter FIDO 2al Tent system

[@fryefamilyaoutdoors]

When I was stationed in Germany. First full day in the field a month after I arrived to Germany I never heard the term FIDO and I found out what it meant. An officer said it to a Sergeant. and said what it stood for. We laughed. Just seeing FIDO and military in the title brought up the memory but I am sure it doesn't mean the same thing but it could.

[@alaskaraftconnection-alask3397]

Said it time and time again.. the 'cold weather' kit is mainly a condensation mitigation strategy at best... This kit needs to Velcro around bottom perimeter!!! Wind-driven snows will reveal the main shortcomings of poor/untested design flaw. You finally pointed out very clearly the issues with not having (what I see and know) are issues pertaining to 'missing/omitted' stake out loops on fly. My long term use outfitting with the mil- LF1 has demonstrated that these could be good to much better than what LF is putting out with thoughtful tweaks. Obvious improvements should be made. Stitching is passing grade 'ok' (ie. not the best - not the worst). Hardware is passable to a degree, but keep an eye on all components... substandard in some respects vs. best of best. Attention to detail is somewhat lacking... as in Q/C is average to not all that great. 'Retail Pricing' is not reflective of what you receive, and the alternative competition out there (think SlingFin for example). I really wish I could praise/fan-boy LF production and made in USA. Lots of very good fabrication in Vietnam - including tents - so not of concern to me... but prefer made in USA whenever possible.

[@senseo2848]

Another rather small difference is the Camo pattern, the Fido is made with original Multicam and the original military used Litefigter shows the OCP pattern.

[@hudsonball4702]

Good eye! I didn't notice myself at first!

[@derbestrafen]

If I ever wear out my Litefighter 1 I'll jump on one of these. But, I doubt I'll wear out the Litefighter. Good review.

[@captainmanic]

Its huge packed. I was expecting it to be a six-person tent from the size of it packed.

[@normanc.2021]

A solution to the fly in the back is to use locking tarp clips on bottom seam and tie off the clip with some cord

[@caseymauldin8396]

Thanks for reviewing this Luke!

[@toprun95]

Thanks!

[@TheOutdoorGearReview]

Thank you so much TopRun, I really appreciate your support. S&H - Luke

[@olafandersen178]

A binder clip and some paracord tie down will fix the front and rear ventilation issue ;)

[@bon3906]

Look forward when you test the FIDO tent. Hope you get a chance to also test the Catamount tent made by this company in a true rain/snow storm that you did not get a chance to do last time.

[@JsGaming-1994]

watching from Philippines. Im watching your videos Since 2020

[@Stoney3K]

With the tent being manufactured overseas, it would be great if they could offer the FIDO series in Europe as well through retailers.

[@22leggedsasquatch]

As a kit, it's really well thought out

[@EeroVuori]

I usually replace all metallic zipper pulls with ones made from paracord and tie a knot at the end. I secure them with liquid superglue that soaks into paracord and locks it.

[@thomashastings5694]

Now that's a very cool tent system!!!!

[@conrailfan6277]

If a person or persons camp out regularly 600$ is not bad for the all in 2 man tent!! Nice review Luke!!

[@MarkRVillano]

While I think that this is a heavy tent for backpacking, there are other things I might sacrifice and remove from my pack in order to accommodate the weight simply because it is so frickin' bomb proof. Just knowing that there is literally nothing you will have to do in order to fortify your shelter removes a lotta "What If's" from the equation, and it's hard to put a price (or a weight limit) on peace of mind. This is especially true in cold weather camping where staying dry, warm, and out of the wind are of paramount importance.

[@samuelsiedschlag4486]

Looks like a great combination tent, and well worth the cost.

[@forrestr100]

Greetings Luke, may I wish you and yours a very Merry Christmas and joyous Holiday season.

[@jerryrichards8172]

The hasty hooch is almost worth it by its self.

[@johnjensen8470]

A new vid on Christmas Day?! Thanks Luke and Merry Christmas

[@nikosgardenreserve3184]

you can get dyneema stick on tabs that have a little loop sewn in them. its sticks very well if you have the surface very very clean and taught! then you could guy out the "front" and "back"!

[@SOEtacticalgear]

Awsome video man.

[@davepoidvin2364]

Merry Christmas to you and Lucy. All the best and only the best. Dave & The Girls

[@theoriginalrabbithole]

Awesome review, as usual. Best gear channel on YT. Keep up the good work and Happy Holidays. 🎅

[@JRinPG]

Another excellent review. Thank you.

[@bodstrup]

You can easily stitch and seam seal a short webbing loop to the edge of the side of the fly - allowing you to put a stake through the loop and pull it a bit away from the innter tent. Does not look though that you will get a massive increased airflow

[@CaptJack2point0]

I got a Milsurp one, only difference I can see based on this video is that I have carbon poles

[@Fluxxcapacitor52]

Thank you for your usual honesty! These tents are Extremely heavy!!!!! Even the 1 man shelter comes in at around 5lbs? When shopping for a 3 season system I have a hard 2lb weight limit. Most back country hunters like myself wouldnt even consider a system like this due to the weight. The whole point of purchasing a tent at this price is the reducrion in weight! Is there some reson why this tent is so expensive. Most systems at $500 are aound 2lbs. With so many excellent options on the market at this price point I dont think this tent is even worth mentioning in a honest conversation unless its car camping and then why at this price?...

[@karenporter3156]

Thank you! Another great review.

[@Sandalphonn]

while you shouldn't have to but if you add a drop or 2 of super glue to the knots wont have to worry about it again, merry christmas, and happy New Year, really enjoy your content.

[@lggb3588]

Merry Christmas my friend. Great tent. I love military tents and products. Always stay strong

[@joesmith98765]

Merry Christmas , And The Tent Looks Great

[@larryshamlin5945]

Fido 2 AI is on my bucket list.Thanks for sharing.

[@choossuck7653]

Did you get it yet?

[@AquaTech225]

Midi tarp clips would work great for a temporary clip on tie out to hold the fly out on the front an back for a lil air flow

Good review and good to see that you mentioned country of production for those who want to avoid made in China.

[@alexanderweaver7066]

It is really hard to beat a Hilleberg product but it seems that this Litefighter FIDO 2 might just rival the Hilleeberg. I am lookng for a tent to add to my "survival box" which is just a large Plano locking container in my van. Being an old military survival instructor I like knowing I can survive in the boondocks should my van break down. $585 is well worth it for a product that can help save your life. I look forward to your testing results, Luke, as I trust your methods of testing.

[@myfrenchbulldogandme]

Merry Christmas thanks for all you do. Very best 🍻

[@lostsheep664866]

Hey Luke that is a nice tent on the high end but cool Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year

[@roypaulcarter4654]

Merry Christmas to you and your family.

[@desertaip9137]

Another Great video Luke thanks. I have the Lightfighter 2 and winter kit. I hope they make these aluminum poles and that stuffsack available as an option. The Lightfighter 1 stuffsack is too small for the complete 2 kit.

[@ArielleViking]

Interesting tents and great information. Merry Christmas to you Luke, Susie and family. ❤️🎄

[@High_Desert_Tanner]

I dip my corded pulls in plasti dip or tool coating (same stuff really). Tye the knot nice and tight, then dip the knot. It'll never be a problem again.

[@anaetachandler8699]

In areas that you want to add a guy line etc Is take a marble or small rock (marble better for longevity of material but get marble press from inside out then in gap behind put cordage. Simple but effective

[@joepublic573]

nice review luke.... keep 'em coming :)

[@billmcmeekin7909]

I run a MSR Elixir 2 tent. Twin vestibule three seasons tent. Similar to this, perhaps not as rugged, but small and 5 pounds. Take it ADV motorcycle camping, and is awesome in +46 to pouring rain. Can store boots/gear in vestibule(s) or cook in it during rain. This Fido tent looks awesome, for four wheel camping perhaps? Looks bigger and heavier, but also sturdy. Probably a great long term, many use tent? Great review. I very much like the form, function, design and compression bag. Cheers from Canada 🇨🇦 :⁠-⁠)

[@bryancombs9575]

Merry Christmas to you and yours

[@larrymelton8359]

Luke, as usual, you da man!

[@Austin_180]

I can’t believe they still didnt add something to pull the fly away on the front and back of this tent. Its such a simple thing for them to add, especially when the tent costs that much. I have a litefighter 1 and I absolutely love it.

[@endlesscamp22]

This looks pretty universal, i was looking for something like this for a while, but never have seen any modular 3/4 Season tent. Its cool to have one for all.

[@michaelmasopust8361]

Luke, thank you for reviewing the FIDO! When it started popping up in my FB feed, I had asked the question what’s different??? Sadly I never got an answer. Perhaps Litefighter doesn’t monitor their FB account? Now that is not necessarily an indictment of the company…. I have two Litefighter 1s and did have an issue with one (that I got 2nd hand) and Litefighter took great care of me! I hope that when you put this civilian version through its paces, it holds up to the same standards. Looking forward to the testing!

[@bettersteps]

I wish you would do a ICS Military Tent follow-up review.

[@OutdoorWeekend]

I'm waiting for the waterproof test before I buy one. 👍

[@JB50713]

My cheaper North Face tent has stake outs for the front and back. I'm surprised this one doesn't as they definitely add great air flow. I am going to check and see if this cold weather kit would fit my tent! They're very similar.

[@99Racker]

If the zip pull is 550 cord, tie the knot the use a lighter to slightly melt the knot.

[@johnstevenson9429]

I think you could pull that fly out with the usee of a couple of tarp clips attached in the middle of the fly and staked back with some Paracord.

[@thomasstuart1825]

It looks like a nice product. I like the all-in-one approach and potential capability. Holding a space for the experiential turnout.

[@robertjackson1407]

Thank you 😊

[@nishuy573]

Any tips on how to set it up rain fly first? Live and hike in a typically rainy climate and would like to keep the inside dry by setting up the fly first with the groundsheet

[@brian1674]

I’d put a Bereg tent up against anything out there on the market today! Hand sown and the most well thought out and built tents available hands down!

[@jeremytyler7843]

One downside I see is the tent would be a bugger to set up in the rain with the fly not being attached.

[@trx20shooterlikky86]

On the pull rope ends I will burn the ends and add super glue to help keep knots from slipping. Use pliers to tighten.

[@thehumblehillbilly]

Great review… I really like this tent design & originally fell in love with the lite fighter 2 but after researching I just recently got the 2p Nemo Kodiak which weighs 4.3lb… It’s the exact same tent as the Nemo Kunai but Stealth colored… for me personally I think I made the right choice going with the Kodiak but I do really like this new FIDO design it looks more spacious than the Nemo Kodiak. Keep the great content coming. ✊🏻🏕🇺🇸👏🏻

[@otterfishingjourneys1362]

Where’s our water test video on the Fido 2 tent

[@bmwman63]

Looks promising. I'm looking for a tent for a Tahoe National Forest camp is September. 8 miles in, 2 day camp, and of course 8 miles out. That looks promising. I do wish that they would offer some less technical colors. But that is a minor issue. I look forward to you putting it to the test.

[@Fluxxcapacitor52]

Way to heavy brother. This tent is a boat anchor. You should be looking for a 2 man under 3lbs. Tons of those around $200.. This tent is $600

[@bmwman63]

@@Fluxxcapacitor52 Ended up going with Durston 2 person. But we got rained out with the same storm that took out Las Vegas and Burning Man. Try it again next year.

[@NatureBetsLast]

One of the biggest differences is the pole materials. The fido is aluminum, the litefighter 2 is ghosting ballistic fiber. The civilian version (fido) doesn't appear to be infused with permethrin. And I'm guessing alot of the smaller features around tensioning systems fire retardency and more arnt there as they arnt mentioned in the fido package.

[@libertystuffnthingsreviews829]

I bought a brand new Catamount 2 in early fall from Lite Fighter. It is made in Vietnam.

[@LLACEM]

great video as usual

[@bwana3006]

My solution for dealing with things like that in the past is to take a needle and thread and sew those two pieces together at the very end and run you’re not all the way down to the end and they won’t come loose anymore

[@project2ndgenspeed672]

It looks like almost the same design as my REI half dome 3+ minus the fly having less guy points and no roof vents and some other minor stuff. It costs a lot more but the fido comes with that cold weather kit which is nice.

[@danielhurst8863]

The weight is odd, I have the LiteFighter 2, complete with the cold weather kit and the upgraded carry sack, and mine weighs less. I think it is in the poles, my appear to be carbon fiber, but I'm trailer tent camping at the moment and my backpacking tent is not with me. I'll confirm all the weights and pole materials next week when I'm back.

[@nickb8618]

This tent would be awesome for backcountry elk hunters!

[@RyouConcord]

looks real nice.

[@tannenherz]

High, i wish you nice Christmas-days further. The inner tent is a dream.Kindly Fiete

[@jordans.2665]

That thing is awesome.