Wow, you’re dropping some coin on this endeavor. But I suppose that’s what you have to do to go light聴you need to replace the main items (the pack, the tent, the bag) to slash pounds.
Ultra Light Year
In recent years lots of new tents have come out with the ultralight market in mind. One is Mountain Hardwear’s Waypoint 1 ($195; www.mountainhardwear.com), which packs down to right between two and three pounds. That is light聴not much more than a bivouac bag. And it’s an excellent tent. Alert readers know that last year I was using (and liked very much) the two-person version, and I was extremely impressed: easy setup, excellent weatherproofness, minimal condensation for a single-wall tent with an impermeable wall. Really, on the condensation front, it seems on par with an ordinary double-wall tent. The Waypoint is not an inexpensive tent, but it’s well made and full of exotic materials, such as superlight fabric and lightweight poles.
On the downside, it has no vestibule. And on a rainy day, getting in and out results in a minor waterfall over the doorway, but that’s true for many tents.
Other tents on the shortlist should include MSR’s two-pound, five-ounce MicroZoid ($160; www.msrcorp.com); REI’s two-pound, ten-ounce Roadster ($129; www.rei.com); and Sierra Designs’ two-pound, nine-ounce Ultra Light Year ($189; www.sierradesigns.com). I’ll single out the Roadster for its vestibule and relatively ample headroom. But all will work well.
Also, I can never resist recommending Sierra Designs’ wonderfully retro Clip Flashlight CD ($169). OK, it’s heavier at just under four pounds, but it’s also a two-person tent that would be palatial for one. Just a thought if you want to treat yourself.