The North Face Mica 12 Review

Update: We no longer stock The North Face Mica 12. Instead we recommend The North Face O2 which has enough internal space to sleep 2 people and a lower weight of just 1.02 kg.

The North Face Mica 12 is a 3 season one man, ultra lightweight tent perfect for mountain marathons or solo hikes and cycle tours.  The mica 12 is fairly lightweight weighing only 1.39kg. The tent looks great with striking asymmetric lines.

The tent isn’t exactly cavernous but its big enough to sit up in and as long as you’re not too much more than 6ft you shouldn’t struggle. Again the vestibule of the tent isn’t big but considering the tents light weight and its intended use it’s more than adequate for cooking, storing wet gear and fitting in a 65 litre rucksack. The inner has quite a few mesh pockets which always come in useful for helping to stay organised in a small space. Glow in the dark zip pulls also help increase livability. The tent is also compatible with the north face gear loft although fitting one does drastically impact available headroom.

The vestibule door is angled well which provides a drip line well away from the inner which makes it easy to get in and out without letting any damp in. The tent is well contructed with strong yet lightweight DAC Featherlite aluminium poles in a sturdy “kickstand” arrangement. The bathtub floor is fully taped which provides even greater security on very wet ground. The High-low ventilation design of mica 12 works well to help expel moisture vapor and prevent interior condensation.

Pitching the Mica 12 is easy when you know how with microclips and colour coded poles, although some of the pole clips can be a bit fiddly and it can only be pitched inner first.  We’ve made the following video as a guide to pitching the north face mica 12.

Video guide of how to pitch The North Face Mica 12

Pros

• Lightweight
• Stylish
• Reasonably priced

Cons

• Can only be pitched Inner first
• Cramped if you are much over 6′

Summary of the tent

The North Face Mica 12 is a good 3 season ultralight tent ideal for anyone who wants a more comfort than a bivi but doesn’t want to take the hit of carrying extra weight.