I am looking for a new tent to replace the one that I currently have, which weighs right at 5 lbs and sleeps 3. While it is a 3-season and easy to set up, I feel that I need something more light weight since more and more I find that I am usually backpacking alone. I have checked into bivy sacks, but I want something that keeps the bugs out a little bit better.
Any suggestions?
Trekking Trav
Check out either of these companies. These are very popular among long-distance hikers.
http://www.tarptent.com/index.html
Either of these companies offer much lighter options than you currently have. The also offer full bug protection.
Lyle
while I am firmly a tarper, I would strongly suggest looking at the Hubba Hubba. Loon gave me and Daytripper one for our wedding anniversary. We used it several times in Alaska, on the ferry to Alaska and other spots. It is light weight, very waterproof and stood the test of open water crossing in a major wind storm that knocked every other tent over on the ferry northbound. We stayed high and dry… with only a slightly bent pole while all the other tents around were flattened by the wind. The Hubba Hubba has a great mesh net all around to allow for maximum air flow and a wonderful bug free sleep with full star gazing capabilities without the rain fly on.
ASWAH
aswah
you’ll probably get a lot of tarp comments, and i’d concur that the tarps are pretty nice and you can’t get any lighter. or even a hammock, though that might be a big change from tenting.
0101
They’re pricey, but Stephenson Warmlite tents are light, roomy, and excellently designed. New ones are only available from the website, mail order, or phone. No retailers carry them, as far as I know. I used one on my 06 thru-hike and loved it. Besides price, the biggest drawback is poor customer service of the staff. But if I were buying a tent for a long hike, I’d buy another Warmlite.
Mango
Not only extremely poor customer service, but the company also will accept NO RESPOSIBILITY if the tent self-destructs. Not my personal experience, but that of friends of mine. I would never trust that company.
Lyle
Best tent I’ve ever used or carried. It has a single arch pole (a kin to St. Louis arch) so nothing is in your way. A single wall with great ventilation and fast set up. Stake it or use hiking poles for free-standing. Huge inside for a one person + gear. Used for the AT last season and fell in love with tenting…even at the shelters. I’m six foot and can sit straight up without slouching and still have inches to spare. Gee, I sound like I work for tarptent.com (I don’t, but do think good ideas deserve their rightful praise) Oh, how does 1 lb. 15 oz sound?
Postcard
I use a Squall 2 (because I often hike with a partner and need the room) and it is fantastic. Weighs only 32oz. for the whole thing, uses one of you trekking poles for setup, and is as easy as any tent I’ve ever erected. Full bug net and excellent ventilation, but be sure to get any model with the sewn-in floor (I think all the current models come that way automatically now, but you used to have to order the floor.) Henry Shires and his people at Tarptent are first rate and there are no problems with their customer service that I’ve heard of (outside of a little confusion that their recent move caused.) If you want a solo tent, take a look at the old Virga 2, the new Contrail (it’s replacement) or the Rainbow as Postcard says above. The Contrail is listed at 24.5oz. on the Tarptent site. They’re great tents, probably the best lightweights going today.
That said, I may be abandoning mine for a Hennessy now that the Hyperlight Backpacker model is out. You might want to consider a hammock for solo, but it’s a more specialized choice and you have to be willing to change your camping style somewhat. Still, a Hyperlight now weighs in at about 21oz. so it’s a pretty impressive piece of gear. Problem is, you can either sleep in a hammock or you can’t, and even a Hennessy can’t make a hammocker out of you if you can’t. Their website is: http://www.hennessyhammock.com/
Strategic
While the Huba Huba is a good tent,it is a two man tent. I used the Huba on my AT hike last year and it withstood all the elements, as well as the mosquitos, and it is a one man tent. Very light weight, around three pounds,easy to set up, with a vestibule, and not very expensive. About $200.00.
Afterburner
(oh brother!..here goes maw-ee with that ol’ “tarp pitch” again!..i’m old…indulge me!)…yep!..just the plain ol’ “jardine” style…weighs a pound…carried no-see-um netting (1/2 lb?) later in the season and just pinned it to loops in the top of the tarp…shire’s looks pretty neat (a couple near damascus let us have a look at theirs), but they did say, however, that they were still experiencing a little problem with condensation…none of that with a plain ol’ tarp…oh…and did i mention that you can hang a tarp in the entrance of a shelter in bad weather and EVERYONE can stay warm and dry!..pretty sweet, huh!
maw-ee
I carried the Big Agnes Seedhouse SL1 http://www.bigagnes.com during my section last year and loved it. It kept me dry as a bone and had plenty of room (I am about 6 foot) no condensation problems… it can be a bit tough to pitch quickly in bad weather but no more so than the folks I saw setting up thier Shires tarps.
Oh and it weighs in at 2.5 lbs with only the needed steaks (they give you way too many)
Mahna Mahna