Lower The Weight of Your Tent for Ultralight Backpacking
Ultralight backpacking is becoming more and more popular. Having less weight on your back while hiking is really more enjoyable. You feel free, unburdened, and close to nature. If you want to significantly reduce your pack weight, you can start with your shelter.
There have been some good lightweight shelter options for many years, especially if you backpack with a partner. The weight of the tent can be split between the two of you. One carry some some parts and the other carry the rest.. But the options have increased in recent years and a two-person tent that weighs four pounds isn’t even considered ultralight.
Tents that are too heavy are still produced even today. Cheap and heavy material are still used today to make these tents. With normal, common sense care of your tent, you can be using an ultralight shelter that lasts for many years. In the field of ultralight tents, specialty tent makers still outperform mainstream manufacturers.
With the introduction of ultralight silicone-injected nylon, two-person tents are now can be as light as two pounds. One-person tents are less than two pounds. Fabrics aren’t the only thing that’s gotten lighter. Poles went from aluminum to ultralight carbon fiber. A 45″ tent pole can now weigh less than two ounces. Many new tents are designed to use a hiking pole as the tent pole. So if you’re already using hiking poles, your tent pole weight is zero. Stakes have gone from aluminum to titanium. A 6″ titanium stake is just .2 ounces.
A tarp can be used instead of tents if you want to save more weight. Using tarps actually makes you feel closer to nature but you’re also not completely protected form the elements. Some people use ponchos which can be used as raingear as well as tarp. It’s always great to save the total weight of a piece of gear. However if you use tarps and want extra protection from the rain, a lightweight bivvy sack or sleeping bag cover can be as light as six to seven ounces. A ground cloth underneath you can be in the three ounce range. Ground cloths can be made from silicone-impregnated nylon or Tyvek.
If you need mosquito protection, use an insect repellent or a mosquito net. Use a no-see-um netting and configure it to stay away from your face if you want something less confining.
Bug bivvies are ideal if insects are your problem without having worry about weather too much.
Most ultralight tents are not freestanding like your old pop up dome tent. However, they’re easy to set up and don’t have a separate fly. Instead the tents rely on well-designed ventilation on all sides.
Consider using a one-person tent if you’re backpacking alone. Your tent should be as light as possible becaue there won’t be anyone to share the burden with. A two-person shelter is flexible because you can also use it for solo hiking for extra space and comfort.
There are many options available on the market for ultralight shelter so look around to see which one suits your needs.
The tent is usually of the heavier and bulkier things you have with you on a camping trip so if you take the lightweight option it will really save your back and the need to use bigger backpacks.
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