From full-blown thru-hikes to quick weekend missions, we’ve clocked some severe miles in a spread of the very best ultralight tents. Our ranks are flush with thru-hikers, and collectively, we’ve seemingly put down near 10,000 miles of mountaineering throughout the U.S. and past. Alongside the way in which, we’ve turn out to be fairly specific about our shelter decisions.
To pinpoint the very best ultralight tents, we gathered sage recommendation from hikers who’ve tracked the hardest, longest miles with their gear. Whether or not you want do-it-all shelter to hike the PCT with, like our top-pick the Zpacks Duplex Lite, otherwise you need to dip your toe in with a extra spend-wise choice just like the Gossamer Gear The One, there’s one thing right here for everybody.
When contemplating ultralight shelters, we thought of materials selection, inside house, footprint measurement, and, after all, the all-important weight. In case you’re unsure the place to begin, hop all the way down to our Comparability Chart, Purchaser’s Information, and Worth & Worth sections on the backside of the web page earlier than scrolling by our roundup.
Editor’s Be aware: We up to date our Ultralight Tents information on November 14, 2024, so as to add the Zpacks Duplex Lite as our new favourite total ultralight tent and a brand new Worth & Worth part.
The Finest Ultralight Tents of 2024
One of the vital ultralight two-person shelters on the market
Very compact packed measurement
Sturdy sufficient for a whole via hike
Small footprint for compact websites
Doorways may be closed individually
A decent squeeze for 2 hikers, or anybody tall sleeping on an inflatable
Costly
Rainbow zippers degrade faster than L-zip designs
DCF can shrink with age
Chris Carter
Tremendous spacious flooring house
Strong strength-to-weight ratio
Reasonably priced pricing
L-zipper doorways do not drag within the dust
Silpoly cover will not stretch as a lot as silnylon
Condensation tends to construct up fairly simply
Inner mesh pockets are positioned a bit of awkwardly
Silpoly materials will not be as sturdy as silynylon
Chris Carter
Extraordinarily ultralight
Nicely-ventilated
Distinctive system of coping with condensation buildup
Solely makes use of one trekking pole as a substitute of two
Costly
Considerably annoying not having a zipper on the vestibule
Chris Carter
Freestanding however ultralight
Comparatively reasonably priced
Steep partitions will increase headroom
Could be arrange with solely fly and footprint
One door/vestibule design limits usability
Not totally freestanding (requires 2x stakes for rear corners)
Heavier than many single wall trekking pole shelters
Chris Carter
Extraordinarily light-weight and packable
Wonderful strength-to-weight ratio
Versatile design that may be mixed with mesh inners or bathtub flooring
Solely requires one trekking pole — or a stick
Linelocs make for straightforward adjustment
Not essentially the most spacious inside
A bit difficult to arrange
No safety from bugs or critters
Chris Carter
Robust 0.78 oz./sq. yd. Dyneema Composite Material is thicker than most
Very straightforward to pitch in tough spots
Could be suspended from a tree limb and arrange with no pole
Many man out factors throughout the shelter from shoring up towards wind
Two means most important zipper aids in air flow
Costly
Requires two trekking poles to be lashed collectively to be arrange
Want house to arrange man traces
Bulkier packed measurement
Chris Carter
Tons of vestibule house
Wonderful venting
Good stability of weight and sturdiness
Snug for 2
Costly
Not freestanding
Chris Carter
Reasonably priced with a high quality construct
Spacious
Sturdy design
Good air flow
Heavier than most different single pole designs
Setup takes some getting used to
Not our favourite door clasp system
Chris Carter
Ultralight
Time-tested, easy design
Secure in excessive wind
Comparatively roomy
Good particulars like magnetic door ties and waterproof zippers
Expensive
Sizzling when in direct solar
Waterproof door zippers a bit tough to shut
Vents do not stay open on their very own
Chris Carter
Sturdy building
Distinctive, double-wall design
Easy, four-stake pitch
Reasonably priced
On the heavy facet for an ultralight tent
Small inside storage pockets
Man traces are a bit tough to regulate
Chris Carter
Semi-freestanding design
Silpoly cloth does not sag
Tent is simple to separate up between two to hold
Environmentally pleasant OSMO materials
Costly
Fragile for automobile tenting or sharp rocks
Not a lot room within the foot finish of the tent
Excessive-cut fly is not essentially the most storm-proof
Chris Carter
True half-mid design
Very sturdy with bolstered peak
Spacious vestibule
Magnetic door toggles
Barely thicker DCF utilized in flooring in comparison with like-shelters
Condensation in chilly temps
Correct setup requires observe
No guyline within the entrance for pressure when each door flaps are open
Costly for a solo shelter
Chris Carter
Ultralight Tents Comparability Chart
Ultralight TentPriceWeightHeightFloor SpaceMaterialsVestibule Space Zpacks Duplex Lite$66914.9 ounces48 in.25 sq. ft.Dyneema Composite Material (0.55 oz./sq. yd. cover, 0.75 flooring)11 sq. ft.Gossamer Gear The One$2551 lb., 3 ounces45 in.19.2 sq. ftCustom 10D nylon ripstop SIL/PU fabric10 sq. ft.Zpacks Plex Solo$59913.9 ounces52 in.20.6 sq. ft.Dyneema (0.75 oz./sq. yd.)N/ABig Agnes Fly Creek HV UL 1$3702 lbs.40 in.20 sq. ft.Silicone-treated nylon ripstop with polyurethane coating and polyester mesh5 sq. ft.Zpacks Hexamid Pocket Tarp With Doorways$3795.5 ounces47 in.N/A0.55 ouncessq. yd. Dyneema Composite FabricN/AHyperlite Mountain Gear UltaMid 2$6991 lb., 3 ounces64 in.63 sq. ft.DCF8 (0.78 oz./sq. yd.)N/ATarptent Stratospire Li$6591 lb., 14 ounces45 in.26.8 sq. ft.Dyneema, 20D ripstop nylon, 15D nylon mesh24 sq. ft.Six Moon Designs Lunar Solo$2601 lb., 10.1 ounces49 in.26.3 sq. ft.20D and 40D silicone-coated polyester8.5 sq. ft.Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P$6991 lb., 8 ounces48 in.28 sq. ft.DCF5, DCF8, No-See-Um MeshN/ADurston X-Mid 1$2341 lb., 14.4 ounces46 in.46.5 sq. ft. (fly), 20 sq. ft. (insert)20-denier polyester with 2,500 mm sil/PEU coating20 sq. ft.NEMO Hornet Elite OSMO 2P$6502 lbs., 1 ounces37 in.27.3 sq. ft.OSMO poly-nylon ripstop fabric12.4 sq. ft.Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1$5991 lb., 2 ounces54 in.21 sq. ft.DCF5, DCF10, No-See-Um MeshN/A
Testing quite a lot of totally different ultralight tents from Zpacks on a cold, wind-blasted backpacking journey within the Grand Canyon; (picture/Chris Carter)
How We Examined the Finest Ultralight Tents
We’re frustratingly specific in regards to the shelter we hunker down in every evening on a protracted journey, and closely scrutinize every candidate for this information. Relaxation assured — solely essentially the most deserving, sturdy, purposeful tents earned any actual property on this roundup. We’ve scoured on-line ultralight boards, bugged our broad swath of thru-hiking connections, and attended numerous gear exhibits to slim in on the streamlined number of 12 tents you see right now.
We acknowledge that the ultralight tent market is natural and continually evolving. We’ve got due to this fact slotted this information into an iterative replace schedule and are continually on the prowl, scoping out new fashions the second they hit the market, and testing them to see in the event that they deserve recognition.
Our Skilled Testers
From devoted ultralight weekend warriors, to light-weight backcountry hunters and full-blown thru-hikers dwelling in tents for months on finish, the GearJunkie squad has spent numerous nights cuddled up in ultralight shelters.
Writer Chris Carter has paid his dues on a whole bunch of backpacking journeys over simply as many miles by all method of situations. Chris has thru-hiked the Triple Crown of lengthy trails in the US: the Pacific Crest Path, the Continental Divide Path, and the Appalachian Path, and continues to backpack with an ultralight loadout all around the world.
Helping in our ultralight tent testing is Senior Editor Nick Belcaster, a 2018 PCT via hiker who has run his OG Zpacks Duplex into the bottom after which some, with doubtlessly extra patches than unique DCF at this level. His typical base weight hovers round 9 kilos, and he travels throughout the West testing every thing from ultralight backpacks to mountaineering sandals.
Our Testing Course of and Testing Grounds
We’ve trekked to a number of the most far-flung, distant corners of the globe, and weathered galeforce winds, snowy whiteouts, and excellent star-speckled nights in all kinds of featherlight tent designs. Alongside the way in which, we’ve realized the significance of a shelter for consolation and security on any backcountry mission, and received’t accept something however the very best.
Our testing leans closely on discipline expertise, and far of it happens on part hikes of the Pacific Crest and Appalachian Trails. Each ultralight tent we check is initially used with none directions, giving us perception into the relative issue of setting it up. Then, we goal for the worst climate forecast we will discover to check these shelters on their harsh situations efficiency.
Since that is ultralight tools, we additionally rolled out the trusty kitchen scale to confirm weights for ourselves, in addition to examine compressed sizes when stuffed into the identical compression sack, measure bathtub flooring and peak heights, and even calculate the tent areas wanted for every arrange. Combining these bench outcomes from our discipline testing provides us the very best understanding of those ultralight shelters, and when our suggestions come all the way down to mere ounces, all of it issues.
Purchaser’s Information: Methods to Select an Ultralight Tent
We examined a wide range of ultralight tent designs in a mess of various environments and situations to convey you the very best of the very best; (picture/Chris Carter)
Ultralight tents mean you can really slim in on absurdly minuscule base weights, however nonetheless should maintain as much as the trials of life on path. Your shelter is your first line of protection towards life-threatening parts, and also you shouldn’t fudge on security for the sake of weight financial savings. Above we lined a broad vary of ultralight tent designs, and it’s essential to significantly think about your wants and private consolation threshold earlier than leaping to a choice.
Beneath, we’ve outlined some essential concerns when selecting the proper mannequin to your wants. One of the best ultralight tents assist gram-conscious adventurers trim again the load of their load. The tradeoff? These designs require extra consumer care and, for some fashions, extra time to arrange than beefier builds.
All issues thought of, these featherlight tents are an amazing choice for long-distance trekkers, thru-hikers, and different seasoned out of doors vacationers desirous to slim down the burden of their provides.
It’s essential to notice that this information focuses on area of interest mega-light tents, and that choosing the proper tent for you is crucial. For extra informal backpacking journeys that afford a bit extra consolation, try our complete information on common backpacking tents. And, when you’re merely scoping out a tenting tent for automobile tenting adventures or base camp luxurious, be sure you scroll by our information on the very best tenting tents in the marketplace.
Seasonality
Senior Editor Chris Carter slowly getting buried by snow within the San Juans on the CDT in 2021. Gossamer Gear’s The One by some means survived the onslaught; (picture/Chris Carter)
Backpacking tents are sometimes constructed for three-season or four-season situations. A 3-season tent will suffice when you plan on utilizing your tent throughout the spring, summer time, and fall.
The infrastructure of a three-season tent can deal with rain and lightweight snow. Usually, these builds are not best for heavy snow, super-high winds, or vicious storms — like the tough or blizzard situations you may face whereas ski mountaineering. A four-season tent is a better option for full-on winter, the load of snow, and robust winds.
That mentioned, ultralight shelters are designed with the calls for of high-altitude stretches on long-distance journeys like thru-hikes in thoughts. Our authors have weathered some critically gnarly situations in these flimsy shelters, together with driving whiteouts in sub-zero temps.
Capability & Doorways
A lot of geometry and stitching wizardry is employed to maximise vestibule and dwelling house in ultralight tents with out packing on the kilos; (picture/Chris Carter)
People aiming for ultralight tents normally spend money on a one- or two-person design. Three- and four-person ultralight tents exist too. As an illustration, the three-person Large Agnes Tiger Wall UL3 Answer Dye ($500) is 2 kilos, 10 ounces.
Your best tent measurement depends upon the variety of campers, their total measurement, and the way a lot tools must be saved. Manufacturers categorize their tents primarily based on the variety of folks, however the dimensions — size, width, peak, and vestibule measurement — fluctuate from tent to tent.
The tent’s peak peak, which is the place the tent is the tallest, additionally differs between every mannequin. Get out your tape measure as you analysis. It’s additionally a good suggestion to go to an area retailer the place the tent may be arrange so that you can try in particular person.
You’ll need to think about whether or not one or two doorways are extra purposeful for you. Two doorways may be useful for every sleeper to have their very own exit and entry. However, eliminating a door can lower weight and price.
Ultralight tents that require solely a single trekking pole for building have the largest problem in relation to maximizing house. Producers have employed some severe geometric wizardry with these designs to extend house in each the vestibule and the enclosed sleeping space with out including important weight. HMG’s Mid 1 sports activities one in every of our favourite vestibule designs on a single trekking pole shelter, rising its house by putting the stakeout level additional away from the mesh insert on the vestibule itself.
No matter ultralight tent you determine to go along with, ensure there may be enough room inside to your backpacking sleeping pad and sleeping bag of option to comfortably deploy inside whereas leaving loads of house for different gear. Taller, bigger hikers must preserve this in thoughts if they have a tendency to rock longer or wider pads and luggage.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear throws some additional house into the vestibule of their Mid 1 by putting the stake additional out from the mesh insert than different fashions; (picture/Chris Carter)
Single-Wall vs. Double-Wall
Tents are both a single-wall or double-wall design. Single-wall tents are lighter weight, nonbreathable, waterproof, and don’t embrace a rainfly. They sometimes don’t supply as a lot storage for gear however do usually have some type of a vestibule.
A double-wall tent truly accommodates two objects: a breathable tent that’s paired with a water-resistant rainfly. The setup normally provides vestibule house to stash tools. The package weighs extra and requires extra time to arrange in comparison with a single-wall tent. Single-wall tents are much less breathable and produce extra condensation.
The supplies of ultralight tents have to be robust and waterproof sufficient to final 1000’s of miles, however gentle sufficient to not weigh you down; (picture/Elina Osborne)
Ultralight, robust supplies — like Dyneema Composite Material (DCF) — value greater than heavier-set materials. As an illustration, the two-person Zpacks Duplex Lite weighs 14.9 ounces and prices $669. DCF has an exceptional strength-to-weight ratio and is very waterproof.
In distinction, the single-person Large Agnes Fly Creek HV UL ($370) is constructed with ripstop nylon and weighs almost 33 ounces. Their quantity isn’t apples to apples, however the lighter materials definitely comes at a premium.
Gossamer Gear’s The One options an fascinating nylon ripstop SIL/PU cloth that sheds water properly and crams down tiny, however stretches out at evening after your preliminary setup — notably within the rain. We’ll typically have to regulate the guyline’s pressure in tents like these quickly after they’re pitched. This cloth will not be fairly as premium as DCF, however will get the job achieved and has an exceptional pack measurement.
The fabric utilized in tent building is both inherently waterproof or handled with a DWR (sturdy water-repellent) coating to dam precipitation. If the material is handled, it’ll ultimately want a refresh, relying on the situations confronted, consumer care, and quantity of use. A separate footprint, or groundsheet, isn’t required for an enclosed single-wall tent.
Ultralight supplies are fairly sturdy, however they have a tendency to interrupt down in the event that they’re roughly dealt with. Investing in an ultralightweight bundle means the hiker needs to be conscious with gear care.
Silpoly, or SIL/PU, materials can considerably lower the value in your UL shelter, however received’t be fairly as light-weight as DCF choices; (picture/Jackson Sims-Myers)
Minimalist Shelters
Minimalist shelters, just like the Hexamid Pocket Tarp, are primarily rainflys that shield you from pouring parts — however not buzzing bugs. The groundsheet is bought individually. Some designs have a zipper-free doorway that rolls up and may be clipped again. Campers can pair their superlight shelter with a private bug web if the area is buggy.
To trim grams, some campers decide to go away behind the first compartment of their double-wall tent package. As a substitute, they solely use the footprint, poles, and rainfly.
Another choice is a hammock tent: a hammock with a protecting mesh enclosure and an non-compulsory rainfly, which is vital if there are bothersome bugs round like scorpions or ticks.
Weight and Packed Dimension
The packed sizes of two ultralight tents we examined; (picture/Darwin Rakestraw)
A dwelling’s ounces hinge on the supplies — like the material and zippers — measurement, and whether or not poles, a rainfly, and footprint are included.
One of many lightest double-person tents in the marketplace is the Zpacks Duplex Lite, tapping in at 14.9 ounces. By comparability, the one-person ultralight Gossamer Gear The One is 20.6 ounces.
The Large Agnes Fly Creek HV UL 1 is 33 ounces. To actually slim down cargo, a minimalist choice just like the Zpacks Hexamid Pocket Tarp with Doorways is 5.2 ounces.
There are not any exhausting guidelines about what defines an ultralightweight tent. People with a objective to lower haul weight want to think about the accumulative ounces of their whole package. Usually, light-weight tents vary from 48 to 72 ounces. Ultralight configurations are lower than 48 ounces.
You’ll want to pick out a feathery tent that also delivers the options that you just want — like built-in insect safety or not. Be forewarned, the lighter a tent is, the extra sophisticated the setup is and the much less headroom there may be.
The packed measurement of a tent doesn’t correlate with its weight as a lot because it does with the supplies used. Materials like nylon ripstop SIL/PU utilized in GG’s The One are inclined to squeeze all the way down to smaller packed weight than tents fabricated from DCF (like HMG’s Mid 1) within the above picture — although the DCF fashions could boast a lighter weight.
Ensure that the packed measurement of your UL tent matches comfortably with the remainder of your loadout in your ultralight backpack. Many packs that accompany these ultralight kits fall within the 35-45L vary, and each ingredient’s quantity must be thought of.
Pitching Ultralight Tents
Placing the Gossamer Gear The One by its paces on a thru-hike of the Continental Divide Path; (picture/Chris Carter)
The lightest tents and shelters are non-freestanding, which means they don’t embrace tent poles to be hoisted up. As a substitute, one or two trekking poles plus stakes are used to raise the tent. The tent is held upright by tensioning the tent cloth between the trekking poles and stakes firmly planted within the floor.
Some gentle designs, just like the Large Agnes Fly Creek UV UL 1, are freestanding and quick to select up and alter location — they only weigh a bit extra. Many of the designs we examined for this information use trekking poles because the spine of their construction.
In comparison with a freestanding tent, this sort of skeleton takes extra time to assemble, as a result of the bottom must offset the stake excellent — particularly if it’s windy or wet out. This may be tough, notably within the alpine the place it might be too rocky to drive stakes in on the good places.
The stakes on trekking-pole-style tents have to be firmly planted in powerful floor at particular factors to allow them to be tensioned towards the trekking poles to maintain your tent upright; (picture/Chris Carter)
In a pinch, giant rocks can be utilized to get the corners and guylines of your tent the place they have to be. In case you can’t slide a big rock into the cords popping out on the stakeout factors, you possibly can insert a stake into the wire, and place it horizontally on the bottom with a big rock between the stake and the tent. If you pressure the cords, the stake received’t be capable of slide below the rock. This was our creator’s methodology on many an evening on thru-hikes when pitching his tent above the treeline.
We wish to convey a few totally different lengths and strengths of stakes for the totally different stakeout factors round our tents. We usually use shorter, lighter stakes for the 4 corners of trekking-pole-style tents and the guylines, and produce two longer, thicker choices for staking out the perimeters of the tent, which bear extra stress and must have a extra strong buy within the floor.
Be sure that to observe establishing your ultralight tent earlier than setting off in your journey. It takes time to grasp how a lot pressure it is best to put within the guylines, what to regulate your trekking poles to, and keep away from an ungainly off-center pitch. Freestanding tents may be far more simple to arrange, and there are extra concerns when pitching a trekking-pole-style tent.
Trekking Poles in Ultralight Tents
Two trekking poles slanted barely outwards afford Gossamer Gear’s The One and Two a surprising quantity of inside house to take a seat up, change garments, or shuffle gear round; (picture/Chris Carter)
As mentioned above, it may be a problem to grasp the artwork of pitching a trekking-pole-style shelter. An ideal pitch largely boils all the way down to acceptable trekking poles. If you’ll be relying on these kind of tents within the backcountry, your poles have to be sturdy sufficient to deal with brutal blasts of wind and rain, and lengthy sufficient to achieve the required size to correctly pitch the tent.
These tents require you to develop your trekking poles for much longer than you’ll have them set for mountaineering, and never each pole can prolong to the lengths wanted to achieve the tent’s peak. Additionally, you almost certainly received’t be capable of use fixed-length poles when you plan on bringing these kind of tents alongside.
Choose poles which have broad grips that match solidly within the bolstered pouches on the peaks of your tent. Skinny grips shift round and will even slide out of the tent in robust wind. The clasps in your poles have to be robust, as heavy wind may pressure your poles to break down if they’re weak, making the tent tumble in round you at midnight. Not a nice alarm clock — we converse from expertise.
Bathtub Ground
The tub flooring on the HMG Mid 1 may be adjusted with pull cords to lift or decrease the sidewalls and regulate airflow into the tent; (picture/Chris Carter)
Often, ultralight setups have a tub flooring, which prevents groundwater from seeping in throughout a climate occasion. A tub flooring implies that the waterproof cloth comprising the ground extends a number of inches off the bottom and up the tent partitions.
These are essential parts of ultralight tents, and have to be fabricated from sturdy, extraordinarily waterproof cloth. Some flooring in fashions like many Zpacks tents and HMG’s Mid 1 (photographed above) mean you can alter the peak of the ground to permit kind of airflow into the tent and assist regulate condensation buildup.
Vestibule & Inside Storage
Loads of vestibule house is essential for maintaining backpacks and soiled footwear dry, however separate out of your sleeping house; (picture/Chris Carter)
Ultralight tents will typically have storm doorways that roll again or clip ahead to guard tools fairly than a zipper-enclosed vestibule door. Evaluate your physique measurements to the tent’s width and size. If it’s stormy out and also you’re hunkered down for some time, it’s good to have a bit of additional room to convey some or the entire gear inside.
In any other case, the vestibule generally is a great place to go away the boots or pack in a single day. Stashing these within the vestibule helps preserve particles and pebbles that would poke by the tent flooring out of your dwelling house.
Some ultralight tents may need small, inside mesh pockets to retailer a number of objects like a telephone or headlamp. Usually, ultralight tents don’t have as many storage compartments as light-weight or heavier tent designs.
Guylines
Guylines assist to maximise inside house on ultralight tents, and preserve them safe in robust winds and storms; (picture/Chris Carter)
Guylines are essential options on ultralight tents for quite a lot of causes. For trekking-pole-style tents, they function a fast and straightforward method to pull the sidewalls out additional, instantly boosting the interior quantity. For freestanding and double-wall shelters, this doesn’t apply fairly as a lot, however they nonetheless can afford a bit extra inside house.
Maybe extra importantly, nonetheless, guyline factors mean you can additional safe your tent to the bottom within the case of tempestuous storms or robust wind. A correctly guyed-out tent can stand up to some critically gnarly climate. Many tents include a small spool of guyline wire within the field you could stuff within the backside of the stake bag in case they’re wanted. Others, like HMG’s Mid 1, require you to supply your individual cordage if you need the extra safety.
Tent Stakes and Pole Splints
Certainly one of our creator’s ultralight stake kits for a freestanding tent loadout; (picture/Chris Carter)
Like every thing within the ultralight cult, the talk on the very best floor stakes for an ultralight loadout is fierce and continually evolving. Each iota of weight is scrutinized for every gear class — particularly if there may be any metallic within the system.
The dialog round which stakes are finest for which function is so nuanced and intense, that many ultralight tent producers have stopped transport stakes with their tents altogether. That is below the belief that almost all UL backpackers have already dialed in on their specialised stake package of selection — and within the case of our creator — they’re not improper.
We possess a wide range of stake kits that we convey for various ultralight backpacking eventualities, and every serves its function in particular climates and environments. It might take too lengthy to dig into the minutia of every package’s fashions and functions, however the one we use essentially the most is our MSR Floor Hog combo. These stakes have confirmed themselves worthy over 1000’s of miles, and strike a wholesome stability between energy and weight.
There are extra featherlight choices on the market — like Vargo’s Titanium Shepherds Hooks (0.3 ounces) or Suluk 46’s absurd Atani Titanium Tent Stakes (0.17 ounces) — however except we try to go as gentle as attainable, the Floor Hogs are good for many UL backpacking journeys we set out on. If we plan to rock a freestanding tent (which we normally do when mountaineering with a accomplice and sharing the tent’s weight), we merely convey the requisite variety of ultralight MSR Mini Floor Hogs (0.35 ounces).
If we expect we should pitch the tent in gentle snow or insane climate, we swap these out for his or her longer, sturdier older sibling: MSR’s common Floor Hogs (0.5 ounces). For deep snow on winter targets, you’d need to improve to beefier snow stakes like MSR’s Blizzard Stakes, or REI’s Snow Stakes.
When mountaineering with a trekking-pole-style tent — which is 90% of the time for us — we convey a combo of 4-6 Mini Floor Hogs, and two common Floor Hogs for the facet stakes. The stakes on the base of those tent’s doorways and sides bear essentially the most weight and are tensioned tight towards the trekking poles. They have to be pushed deep into exhausting floor in order that they don’t pull out if you cinch your tent tight, or when it’s hit with a powerful gust of wind.
If we’re backpacking with a freestanding tent, we are going to nearly all the time throw in a light-weight pole splint in case one in every of our poles snaps or cracks mid-trip. Merely slide these splints over the damaged space, and you may nonetheless pitch your tent till you get to a spot the place you possibly can substitute the poles. Splints have saved us on quite a lot of journeys, and we don’t like to go away residence with out them.
Air flow and Dealing With Condensation
Ultralight tent producers have provide you with some inventive air flow designs to cope with condensation, however most single-wall shelters nonetheless battle with moisture buildup at evening; (picture/Chris Carter)
Ultralight tents typically function partitions constructed of mesh, storm doorways that furl again, or no partitions in any respect for airflow. Partitions which might be constructed of mesh lower the general temperature contained in the tent and assist struggle condensation. As talked about, single-wall tents with a strong artificial building expertise extra condensation and really feel clammy beneath precipitation.
Ultralight tent designers have achieved every thing they will to restrict condensation buildup, however the actuality of the matter is — these partitions are going to sweat. Vents on the partitions (like within the picture above), broad mesh panels, and variable bathtub flooring heights can decrease the distress, however in our expertise, some condensation is inevitable.
There are a variety of how to mitigate moisture buildup in ultralight tents, and you may struggle the condensation calamities when you work with the wind and pitch your tent in an acceptable location. Here’s a little bit of knowledge we’ve accrued by trial and error throughout our numerous nights within the backcountry:
Ventilate your tent as a lot as attainable by sleeping with all of the doorways rolled again or with the rainfly off if it’s not raining. This helps humid air and moist vapor out of your breath to simply escape.
Keep away from tenting below the open sky as a lot as attainable. In case you can, pitch your tent below a tree’s cover.
Orient your tent in order that the vents are going through the path of the wind. This permits the wind to flow into by your tent simpler and boosts air flow.
Strive to not cling moist garments or footwear as much as dry inside your tent at any time when attainable. Drying them inside your tent boosts humidity. If you want to preserve them inside, retailer them in a dry sack so the moisture is contained. Be sure you have loads of lashing factors in your backpacking backpack so you possibly can tie moist gear as much as dry within the solar as you hike the subsequent day. Beneath the identical token, cook dinner and boil water exterior your tent as a lot as attainable.
Keep away from tenting proper subsequent to streams, rivers, lakes, or marshy areas with larger humidity when you possibly can assist it. We all know — It’s enjoyable to camp subsequent to a babbling brook, although, so don’t sacrifice the fantastic thing about a possible campsite simply so your tent is a bit dryer. For us, the condensation value is normally value it for the expertise.
If attainable, don’t pitch your tent in low valleys or depressions of a panorama the place chilly air lingers at evening.
As one in every of our outdated thru-hiking mentors would say, “Simply hold your breath all night. It’s the only way to keep ultralight tents dry.”
In all honesty, there’s no golden rule for eliminating drippy condensation. Our greatest recommendation is to embrace it as a part of the brutal however lovely pleasure of backpacking — and pull your tent out to dry within the solar if you plop down for lunch the next day.
Absorbing that Sierra magic in Gossamer Gear’s flagship ultralight tent throughout a thru-hike of the Tahoe Rim Path; (picture/Chris Carter)
Worth & Worth
Ultralight backpacking tools typically isn’t low-cost, however you additionally don’t must half with any extraneous organs so as to get your fingers on a strong UL tent, both. With choices in each silnylon/silpoly and extra deluxe composites like Dyneema Composite Material or Extremely, there’s a particular vary of tents on the market. You’ll want to think about how typically you’ll be utilizing your tent as a serious deciding issue — thru-hikers will clearly must decide for a bigger funding, whereas weekend backpackers can seemingly get away with much less.
Finances
In case you’ve already splurged in your UL pack and sleep setup, going with a price range ultralight shelter could make plenty of sense. These will sometimes run you between $250 and $300, and overwhelmingly might be single-wall designs made out of silicon-treated nylon or polyester. This definitely helps to maintain the value down, however received’t fairly be as gentle as tents made out of DCF.
The Gossamer Gear The One ($255) remains to be our favourite price range UL tent, and whereas some single-person tents use a solo trekking pole design, the One makes use of two to create a great quantity of inside house. The Durston X-Mid 1 ($234) is ready up in the same means, however makes use of a novel offset design to extend inside house even additional, and sports activities a double wall design. Each are dependable shelters with whole thru-hikes below their belts, and fewer than many mainstream backpacking tents right now.
Mid-Tier
Spending between $400 and $600 opens up plenty of doorways in ultralight tents, together with using DCF supplies within the construct. Single hiker shelters just like the Zpacks Plex Solo ($599) and Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 ($599) each hover across the 1-pound mark, and sport round 20 sq. ft. of flooring house, which we’ve discovered nearly proper for solo hikers.
You can even get into a light-weight freestanding tent for these costs, and the $370 Large Agnes Fly Creek HV UL 1 is even a discount comparatively. General weight might be a bit of larger because of using tent poles (2 kilos on the Fly Creek), however the means to arrange the tent on rock slabs or frozen floor could make a worthy tradeoff.
An all-around shelter just like the Zpacks Duplex will run you round $650+, however can final a number of thousand miles. This shelter has been used for over 2,700 miles; (picture/Erika Courtney)
Premium
It could possibly be argued that every one ultralight tents are premium, however there may be an higher crust even right here, with full DCF two-person shelters operating upward of $700. These tents make use of plenty of Dyneema, which helps clarify their lofty worth tags, however high quality design additionally weighs heavy right here. The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Unbound 2P ($699) and Zpacks Duplex ($699) are very comparable tents, and each implement a design that has been refined over a few years of testing on lengthy trails.
Often Requested Questions
One of the best ultralight tent is one which retains you comfy within the terrain the place you enterprise and one which alleviates the load in your again. Nevertheless, you would sacrifice consolation and sturdiness when you select an ultralight tent that’s too light-weight.
Some skilled thru-hikers and adventurers desire to drop as a lot weight as attainable to assist them enhance mileage. They usually don’t thoughts the caveat of being extra weak to the encircling habitat and inclement climate.
Ultralight tents are pretty sturdy towards the climate however are additionally extra delicate to abrasion and tough dealing with than heftier tent designs. The decrease the ounces, the extra aware the tent’s consumer must be.
There’s no common guideline that defines the ultralightweight tent class. Usually, ultralight tents weigh lower than 48 ounces. The shelters advisable on this information vary from 5.2 to 33 ounces, and this checklist isn’t complete of all the very best ultralight choices.
An ultralight tent is a stellar funding for long-distance or high-volume trekkers looking for to maneuver sooner and extra nimbly. Additionally, if an outside traveler is looking for to pare down their whole in a single day package, chopping the den weight is an effective avenue.
Some hikers want to minimize the burden on their our bodies for well being causes and total longevity, and the additional value is worth it.
Backpacking tents degrade over time because of publicity to the weather. These variables embrace rain and direct daylight, contact with the terrain, total dealing with, care, and storage situations.
As with every out of doors tools, tents mirror put on and tear with time. They may last more in the event that they’re properly maintained.
To offer you an thought, the Zpacks Duplex Tent claims it’s going to final a minimal of two,500 miles straight or a number of years of informal use. Via-hiker Elina Osborne confirmed the tent tackled her 2,653-mile journey alongside the PCT and counting.
At print, the Large Agnes Fly Creek HV UL 1 dealt with 200 days of use. The Zpacks Hexamid Pocket Tarp with Doorways withstood greater than 300 nights. And the Gossamer Gear The One breezed by greater than 3,000 miles, all in keeping with our skilled crew of thru-hikers. Every of these tents isn’t in mint situation however they’re all nonetheless workable, protecting, and within the discipline.
You possibly can combine a number of easy routines to increase the lifetime of your tent. Throughout a visit, shake out the tent earlier than you pack it away, to relinquish unfastened particles that would scrape the material.
After heavy use, your shelter may be soaked in soapy water, rinsed, and hung or put up exterior within the shade to utterly dry. When it’s able to be stashed, ensure the tent is in a dry, pretty cool place and never wound up tight.
You may make easy repairs too. Tent seams are taped to stop water from getting into the tent however can degrade. They are often restrengthened with seam sealer.
A water-resistant coating may be reapplied, as properly. Remember to examine along with your tent’s producer about which aftermarket merchandise are suitable with the supplies.
If the inside materials itself is falling aside — as in, the waterproof coating is peeling off — that’s a transparent signal the tent is worn out, and it’s close to time for a substitute. If there are giant holes (like from a campfire spark) that may’t be dependably patched, it’s a good segue to a brand new buy.
Moreover, as extra out of doors trade manufacturers take away chemical remedies from their tent merchandise, you may decide to buy a tent that’s extra environmentally pleasant and aligns along with your well being wants.
Basking within the glory of one of the crucial magical sunsets creator Chris Carter noticed on the Continental Divide Path subsequent to his trusty GG The One; (picture/Chris Carter)
A sleeping bag is one in every of your most essential items of tenting gear. We’ve discovered the very best backpacking sleeping luggage for each use and price range.
What’s the very best ultralight backpack? We interviewed thru-hikers and put a number of fashions to the check to seek out a number of the prime light-weight mountaineering backpacks.
