#042 Evolution of a Lightweight Backpacker - Tents
You’ll spend a third of your time sleeping in it and a third of your time lugging it over mountains or across valleys.
Tents are among the most important and expensive purchases you’ll make when acquiring backpack gear. Since you’ll spend a third of your time sleeping in it and a third of your time lugging it over mountains or across valleys, you’ll want to consider your needs for the type of camping you plan to do. You need a tent that best fits the terrain and the weather you’ll be using it in, one that fits your body and budget, one that will be your home no matter where you are in the wilderness.
I started backpacking at the point in my life where my son was old enough to join me on short trips. We also we needed a good tent for his Cub Scout camp outs (when they are that young they sleep with a parent). He was too small to carry his own tent when he and I went out. I didn’t have the money at the time to buy two tents, along with all the other gear we needed, so we settled on a two-person North Face Rock 22 backpacking tent.
With the footprint* it weighed just over seven lbs (113oz).Yikes!
*A footprint is a piece of tent-like material that protects the underside of the tent from moisture and abrasion, helping to extend the life of the tent and keep it drier on the inside. Sold separately and ridiculously priced!
I eventually found myself backpacking with some people I met through a small outdoor outfitter. I’d load my oversized pack with my heavy two-person, hike with the group to where we’d camp for the night, then I’d sleep alone in my extremely roomy tent built for two.
As a small business owner myself, I thought the idea of the backpacking store to host these trips was genius. We’d meet at the store early in the morning and he’d open it up so people could come in to buy last minute items before we carpooled to the trailhead. On the trail everyone could see what gear others were using. Gear talk ALWAYS comes up around campfires. At the end of the weekend we’d carpool back to the store where we could go in to buy gear that we had just learned about. Like I said, genius.
My next tent, along with my next backpack, boots, and tons of other gear came from that store until it closed* a couple years later. Shhh—don’t tell my wife how much I’ve spent on this stuff.
*The store closed mainly due to customers going in there to try out gear and clothing then buying the same piece online from somewhere else in order to save a couple of dollars.
After several backpacking trips I knew it was time to invest in a solo backpacking tent. The North Face Mica 12 had all the features I was looking for at a price that fit my budget. I bought it in time for my 2010 hike in Maine’s 100 Mile Wilderness. It took a few nights to get used to the tighter quarters, but once settled in, I was quite dry and cozy. It could handle a storm well. Plus, when camping in deep winter, it’s easier to build body heat inside a small tent.
The tent and footprint together weighed about three and a half lbs (55.8 oz.), which is about half what the other tent weighed.
Around 2016, in preparation of big backpacking trips, and still planning for a 2018 Appalachian Trail through-hike, I purchased an ultralight (UL) solo backpacking tent.
I fell in love with the Big Agnes Copper Spur UL 1 tent the minute I came across it in my research. This tent was built by people who understand my needs. Light, roomy, freestanding, guylines all around, it becomes wider on top for my wide shoulders, inside pockets in the right places, packs very small, and is fantastic protection from the rain.
Freestanding - it can stand on it’s own without being staked out.
Guylines - strings that are staked out to hold the rainfly away from the tent, to allow rain to go as far away from the tend body as possible.
Rain fly - the outer part that acts like a tarp to protect you from the elements. The body is the main part of the tent, the part you sleep in.
Big Agnes knew they made a great product, as reflected in it’s price tag. I bought mine on sale for 25% off and still paid about what my other two tents cost combined. Since I was was planning on serious backpacking, I needed a serious tent. I didn’t purchase the footprint for this one. For a while I used a piece of tent-like material, but eventually realized my Mica 12 tent’s footprint fit this tent well enough.
With the footprint it weighs less than three lbs. (46.2 oz.).
All three of these tent have served me well over the years. I have been through serious storms in each one as well as many peaceful nights surrounded by exceptional scenes.
I use my two-person tent now for campground camping with friends. My wife and I have an eight-person tent that she can stand upright when changing clothes or getting situated for the rare occasion we camp together
…..or when we have to bug-out during the zombie apocalypse.
Join me next Wednesday as we look at sleeping pads.