Everything you need to know about choosing an ultralight tent

Everything you need to know to choose an ultralight tent / Photo: Eddie Lawhead
Everything you need to know to choose an ultralight tent / Photo: Eddie Lawhead

The ultralight tents are an ideal solution to keep your home light and comfortable. backpack during a trekking trip; here are some tips on how to keep weight to a minimum, with the various factors you can consider to avoid carrying more weight than necessary.

+Reasons to consider ultralight tents

A lightweight tent can enable you to travel more comfortable that will make the experience more enjoyable, which is even more important on excursions where you will be doing some form of climbing.

You will feel grateful if, while you are doing a tough mountaineering route, you see your colleague suffering with his huge backpack, while you feel agile and light, jumping like a mountain goat.

In the short or long term, a very heavy burden can cause you discomfort This can be a reason not only to spoil a trip, but can also lead to sequelae that can have an impact on your life.

In addition, this will also allow you to travel faster or to compensate for this space to carry more things that could be of more use to you during the trip.

+ The best ultra-lightweight tents

+Factors to consider

Remember that a one-person tent should weigh no more than one kilo, and a two-person tent is recommended to be lighter than 1.4 kg. Here are some of the things to consider with ultralight tents that could save you from carrying extra grams - or kilos.

Materials

In tents, there are two main material trends - talking about textiles -, those of nylon and those of polyethylene thermoplastics such as dyneema, which represent a more advanced technology.

Silnylon

The nylon ones are generally made of silnylon, a compound that is combined with silicone, and its main quality is that it is quite easy to use. economicso you generally don't have to invest too much.

Dyneema

Dyneema, on the other hand, is an ultralight advanced synthetic. So if you want to lighten the load on your tent, no matter what the cost (they are notoriously more expensive), this is a good way to do it, and they are also quite durable and resistant, even a bit more so than the silnylon ones.

Ultralight tent type / Photo: Daan Weijers
Ultralight tent type / Photo: Daan Weijers

Design

Nowadays there is also a wide variety of tent shapes and designs, consider that very complex and elaborate tents, where multiple compartments and other interior design advantages are offered, generally involve a greater number of tubes and therefore more weight to carry.

Freestanding

The tents freestanding They rely on their tube structure to stand upright; the advantages include the fact that they can be installed on any surface - including a hard rock on top of a mountain. They are quite stable and can also be very easy to install and intuitively.

Non-Freestanding

However, if you want to minimise weight, tents are the best option. non-Freestanding are a more convenient solution, as although they require greater skill and dexterity for installation, their system relies mainly on guide ropes and stakes, making them lighter in weight by omitting the rigid structure.

Some models also need some trekking poles for support, which is probably not a problem if you use this item on your trekking trips; however, they stand out because they also can be compacted much more, which will allow you to take up less space, and they also tend to be more economical.

Light awning

Other ultralight alternatives are also available, such as the tent tentsThese essentially include a lightweight awning as a roof, which can be supported by ropes.

In some cases you will need trees or various elevated surfaces to hold it up, and although you could just use your sleeping bag, in these types of tents it is recommended to use a hammock to keep you off the ground, so you are better protected from moisture and insects.

The walls of your tent

Most tents have a double wall system, one wall to protect you from the rain, and an inner wall to give added protection from insects.

Depending on the type of place you are travelling to, you might consider a single wall tent (usually the waterproof one), which will also save you some weight.

Bathtub floor

A practical way to deal with this better is to use a bathtub floor - a bathtub floor is the most practical way to deal with this.bathtub floorThese types of accessories, which are included in some tent models, offer a floor with raised edges, so that you can protect yourself from the dampness of rain, even if you have simple single-layer walls.

Personalised tents

Although there is a wide variety of tent kits available, and some of these also offer a variety of ways to lighten the load, you can also equip your own personalised shelterconsidering the basic elements that might be appropriate for your trip.

+Final recommendations

Lightening the load and opting for ultralight tents has multiple benefits, as we have seen, but also remember that Nor should you overdo it, and it is important to be prepared with enough for your adventure.

Comfort should not be skimped on for optimal rest, as a bad night's sleep, where moisture permeates even your socks, for example, could not only disable you from walking in good condition the next day, but can also damage other components of your equipment.

It is true that the tent is considered one of the 4 heaviest items for the hiker - together with the sleeping bag, the rucksack and the mat - and therefore represents one of the most important elements for the hiker. one of the best opportunities to save weight; but also remember that this is an essential element, and therefore only those reductions that are possible for the case should be assumed. Considering protection also for possible eventualities -like the failure of the weather forecast.

If you would like to charge less, we also recommend our article on how to prepare an ultra-light backpackThis will also help you to travel more comfortably, and to focus your efforts on what is really important and necessary.


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Everything you need to know about choosing an ultralight tent. Cover photo: Eddie Lawhead

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