Recreation Dept Your Source for Recreation and Sporting Information

Reduce The Weight of Your Tent for Light Hiking

Hiking Lightweight is more popular than it was before. People who hike with less weight on their backs enjoy more than those who carry more. You feel free, unburdened, and close to nature. You can save a lot of weight from your tent or shelter.

A lot of good shelter options have been developed even especially when you hike 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.. The standard for ultralight 2 person tents have somehow improved over the years and most of what was considered ultralight before is not so anymore .

But manufacturers are still producing tents that are too heavy for lightweight backpackers. Even though tent makers don't want their tents to be returned, they still make them out of cheap and heavy materials. If you take care of your tent well it can last you for many years of use. Tents are one area of lightweight backpacking where the specialty tent makers are far outperforming the mainstream manufacturers.

With the introduction of ultralight silicone-impregnated nylon, 2-person tents are now can be as light as two pounds. One-person tents are less than two pounds. It's not just the fabrics that got lighter. Poles went from aluminum to ultralight carbon fiber. A 45" tent pole can now weigh less than two ounces. You can also use trekking poles are tent poles to save weight. So if you're already using hiking poles, your tent pole weight is zero. The use of titanium rather than aluminum reduce the weight of the tent even further.

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 tarps are even designed to do double duty as your rain gear. To save on the total weight of gear use stuff that are multifunctional. If you like sleeping under a tarp, but want some extra rain protection, a lightweight bivy sack or sleeping bag cover can be as light as six to seven ounces. A ground cloth is light so it's wise to include it in your gear for extra protection as well.

If you need mosquito protection, use an insect repellent or a mosquito net. If you want something less confining, use just enough no-see-um netting so that the netting stays away from your face.

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 dome tent. But they are easy to set up. The really light tents don't have a separate fly, so that's one less thing to set up. Instead the tents rely on well-designed ventilation on all sides.

Consider using a one-person tent if you're backpacking alone. Since there won't be anyone to share the burden with, you would want your tent to be as light as possible. 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.