I'm a 71 year old who has pup tent camped, hiked, canoed in the dead of winter and camped. I still have good health but the years are taking their toll. My days in the woods for weeks at a time are over. I'm now having to stay close to home, care taking for my wife. Your videos are a welcome diversion and spark so many memory's. I started watching your hikes about 6 months ago and have done some binge watching. Loved following your triple crown. My only complaint is that you turned me onto Kettle cooked salt and vinegar. I retired from Corrections. Like the Convicts would say, "Those are gooder then a Mother Father." Thanks and keep posting your adventures.
@Randy Young, you brought back some great memories! I am nearly 64 and I used to go backpacking carrying heavy loads and a pup tent too. We grew up using a Canadian 2 seater canoe here in New Zealand, and it was the best! 👍🏿 😊
Dyneema is used in climbing gear, it's also used in heavy industry for tow rope and slings. It's incredible the tensile strength of the stuff. Dyneema is very slippery and for the equivalent weight is stronger than steel. hence the cost. In climbing slings 7 twisted strands of dyneema will generally hold 4000-5000 Lbs. before breaking. It's also naturally water resistant.
@@danielkutcher5704 China, however, to be fair, also Tarptent has moved it's production to China, simply because they have machines there like lasercuters who are a heavy investment to do in the US. China is no longer the cheapest place to manufacture but they have much better technology. Thats why if you buy a Zpacks tent you can be lucky and get decent quality or you can get a rougher one - made 100 % by hand in Florida. BA tents by the way have an individual serial number. I asked them if they plan to use stronger/thicker DCF for the floors in the foreseeable future. They said no. Their DCF tents are a huge success, here in Switzerland the price went up about 400 $. For the same tent you can now spend 1500 including footprint instead of 1000 when they were new on the market. I do not recommend them in any way for long distance hiking, unless you can afford a new one every 4 weeks or so (LNT down the loo). Even the footprint is extremely flimsy as they have just taken 10D Nylon with some kind of coating. It does not add abrasion resistance in any way.
I used the Dan Durston xmid 1 person tent on my 31 day thru-hike of the Bruce Trail in Ontario, Canada. It is a 28 oz. double-walled and seam taped tent with 2 doors and 2 large vestibules. It withstood a windstorm my first night on trail and never leaked despite many rainy nights. Sets up with 2 trekking poles. Stakes and guide wires included. My home away from home.
Lanshan 1 here. Made a 5 inch tiny block of wood to put my trekking pole tip in. Raises the whole tent up to get nice air flow from beneath. The comfort is worth ounces.
How long would the trekking pole need to be for the same effect without the wood block? I'm deciding between the Lanshan 1 Pro single wall and the 2021 version of the Lanshan 1 "three season" with mesh inner (which is now longer at 230 cm).
I've have had several shelters, and I'll tell you what. For the money, weight and quality, the 3f ul lanshan1 is ridiculously good. I was caught in a torrential downpour in the mountains of North Carolina. By far the worse storm I have ever been in. Solid, heavy rain for 10+hours. There was so much rain that my shoes in the vestibule were literally floating in more than an inch of water. There was a half inch or more of water flowing under part of the tent. You could see the tent floor moving up and down on its own. When I pitched it, I made sure to get it as tight as possible, and also adjusted the outer walls down as far as they could go. I woke up in the morning completely dry, even though I was laying in a giant puddle. I could have taken the time to clear another spot at camp for a new tent pad, but with rain starting to fall I wanted to get my shelter up asap, so I gambled on whether the lanshan1 would keep me dry. It passed with flying colors. I can't say the same for some big box name brand shelters I have
Hey! Do you set it up with trekking poles? I can’t get it to be tight. The top is always floppy. I’m wondering if anyone uses regular tent poles and which ones? Thanks!
@@valeriemay7366 I have this tent. Is the trekking pole extended enough? Stake the back corners first, put in the trekking pole and stake out the guy line, stake out the front corners, stake out the side and end guy lines, go around and tighten all the corners. With the guy lines on the ends, try to put the stakes further away from the tent, this pulls the ends out more.
If you want the easiest set up for a tent, the Drop Dan Durston X-Mid 2p and 1p are it. Stake out the 4 corners, put in the trekking poles (both use two trekking poles). What's even better is that unlike say the Zpacks tents, the Stratospire or Lanshan 2, the first trekking pole just stays up. No contortions, the doors don't have to be staked, you don't need to use the peak guy lines, stupid easy. You can add more stakes, up to 10 at a time. Also both the trekking poles and peak guy lines are not in the way of the doors and it's wide enough for two wide pads. It's just awesome especially for the $300.00 cost.
X-mid is a good double-wall trekking pole option. Roomy. Not as budget as Lanshan but much cheaper than most of these on your list. Light although not as light. Very easy to set up. Packs down super small. Doesn’t sag or absorb water. There is a 1p and 2p option.
This is the first time for me hearing about this tent, how does it do in high winds? They literally shut off the power here because of high winds where I live, so it is important for me to get something to handle it ^ ^
@@mandymacabre686 honestly I haven’t had it out in super high winds but many people have said it does very well. It will not protect you from trees that fall on you in said very high winds therefore I try not to tent in high winds 🤣
Great video! My favorite tent is actually not a tent. I like to use an ultra light tarp (my Kammok UL tarp has withstood some serious rain and wind) and then I use an Outdoor Research Helium bivy. I can set up the tarp high above me with trees for standing under during the day and then can lower it with my trekking poles for more coverage at night. It is super versatile and incredibly lightweight at 26 oz combined. It is so light that I end up carrying a UL hammock (also by Kammok) just to sit in during the day, which is way more comfortable than a pad, rock or log!
I have that and cannot master setting it up with my trekking poles (top is always floppy). Have you tried using regular tent poles on it like she shows with the duplex? Thanks!
@@valeriemay7366 hmmm ive only used trekking poles and havent really ran into issues. it just took me some time to learn how high to set the poles and how tight to stake everything out. I found that loosely setting everything up and then coming back and tightening some of the lines worked much better than just doing everything tight at first. Hope this helps!
Yep, peg the corners out first then insert & adjust your trekking poles to tension the tent. Once it's up with a bit of tension, then go round tensioning the flysheet. That works for me & I got pretty good at it over a 2 week hike 👍
I have that tent but with COVID not gotten a chance to test it out. My old alps mountaineering 3p tent is my go to for far camping. It’s passed the test of rain many times but weighs 5 lbs. not a backpacking tent unless it’s a short hike snd I can split up the gear between two people. It’s free standing basic solid tent. I’ve never been cold in it either. I’m eager to reschedule my backpacking trip and test it out.
I'd like to see you try the X-mid, either the 1 or 2 person. The 1P has a smaller inner but two HUGE vestibules. I like to spread my gear out too and love it. It's double wall and easy to set up
... and it is reasonably priced. Other features are the fabric does not stretch like nylon tents do, dries fast and the taut design handles storms well.
Same Here ! Love it ! I have the 1P as well. Very happy with both. It seems the additional weight & fabric keeps the high profile CZcamsrs away from trying it (except a new guy Outdoor Thor). Thats a shame because the cost for the quality is tremendous.
@@bryanhall706 You don't need one when using it with reasonable care, but we are going to offer one. That'll be available for pre-order on DurstonGear.com in a few days.
I'm a big fan of the Tarptent Double Rainbow Li. I chose it over the Duplex for a few reasons. Mostly, they center around the fact that I was looking to get "one tent to rule them all." As a recreational backpacker doing more weekenders and sections hikes, solo and duo, I didn't want to invest in an army of shelters. So my reasons for picking it over the duplex mainly have to do with space and versatility. 1) my wife and I like 25" wide sleeping pads, and it is 50 inches wide instead of 45 like the Duplex. 2) It allows for free standing set up using 2 trekking poles without any additional cost. It is also slightly lighter than the Duplex & cross poles together. I live in TX where the terrain is quite varied and I never know what ground situation I'll be looking at when I make camp, so I like that flexibility built in. 3) It can be purchased with an optional liner to help with condensation in extremely muggy or winter camping conditions (it weighs 2.5 oz). For me, the major cons compared to the Duplex are the 28oz weight, and the fact that while the arch pole gives a great sense of space inside end to end, the tent narrows quite a bit in width as you near the peak. So if bad weather has us both sitting in the tent, we are sitting toward each end, not side by side.
Hi from Finland, I have Tarptent Stratosphere Li solid interior. - 27 celsius or + 27 celsius its working okey. Easy to set up in two minutes. Normaly I use hammock . Up north Finland there is no trees so i need a tent. I have also Savotta puolijoukkue tent ( finnish military model ) and stove. It is huge! And I use it like bacecamp. Your trips are inspitation fot many !
I agree! I’d like to hear her comments regarding the. Durston X-mid. I really like its layout, entry and exit, etc. The one question I have for the X-mid is it’s fabric choice. I don’t mind a non-Dyneema tent, but how many days/weeks/months can the X-mid be used before it doesn’t shed water? Will the fabrics coating wear off? I guess I somewhat answered my own question since Dan and his wife used his tent on the Great Divide Trail.
@@Lennen-N-Motion Dan addressed this somewhere, and if I remember correctly, the advertised HH rating is for well-used fabric, so representative of what it will be after some years of real-world use. The rating for the fabric when new, I think, is actually several times what is advertised.
I’ve moved from hiking to Moto travel. Been using the same REI half dome for more than 15 years. Love it. Only replaced one pole section in over 500 days of use ....er. And abuse.
Have you ever resealed the seams? Just curious because I have a nifty REI Camp Dome that I bought a year ago for car camping. I'm wondering when I might need to reseal it.
Yes. But only recently. Like in the last three years. Totally worth the time and effort. I also realize that Dixie is showing us modern, super light kit. My tent needs are now more about durability than weight.
@@lbyvik Thanks. I use my Camp Dome for car camping only. For backpacking I have an MSR Hubba 1. I plan to purchase a Zpacks Altaplex to dramatically cut the weight of my backpacking tent.
I have the Six Moons Design Skyscape Trekker and like it a lot. Just did 350 miles with it on the Oregon section of the PCT. It's a "hybrid" - meaning it's mostly double-wall, but has one single-wall panel on it. PROS: 2 lbs, small footprint, LOTS of interior room, 2 doors, silpoly (which doesn't absorb moisture like silnylon), no guylines to trip over, long interior, awesome ventilation. etc. CONS: Questionable quality, low bathtub floor (not sure how well it would do on a windy, wet night), small vestibules. An interesting similar tent is the LightHeart Silpoly Firefly. It basically looks likes a the Skyscape Trekker with better ventilation, higher bathtub floors, a cool vestibule/awning combo, and perhaps higher quality.
My favourite family hiking tent is the Tarptent Hogback. Huge inside but with a footprint not much bigger than some 2 person tents. My favourite solo tent is my Tarptent Notch - 4 stakes to set up in less than a minute, huge vestibules and pretty light for a SilNylon double wall tent - 770g.
For anyone debating the two wall "middle of the road" options: Have to say that the Tiger Wall UL 2 (the original version) has worked really well for me and my (6'2") partner. We've used it for about a total of 8 weeks in a variety of weather (including high wind gusts in an exposed location) and some underused trails where we have to set it up in non-established areas and it has done well. Very light for a two wall $350 shelter and easy to set-up once you understand how the footbox works (once you go through some rain it becomes very obvious). Did end up attaching zpacks dyneema cord with micro linelocs for guylines for extra stability and to the footbox for more flexibility/ease of setup.
@Drew Price lol it was just windy and cold air was whipping through the tent. I would have preferred a fully enclosed shelter that night, or perhaps a better bag.
To prevent sliding downhill in your tent just apply some lines of seam sealant across the bath tub floor. Should help and easy to repeat when they’ve come off
Duplex forever baby! Going on five years with no problems. Nothing can beat the cost to weight ratio, especially when considering the ease of setup. Sooooo much space! If I wasn't using the duplex, I would be using the Altaplex, and if I really needed a free-standing tent, I would go with the Free Duo Tent. There's not really any convincing reason to do otherwise.
You have just answered my question on tents. I have been looking for a 2 person tent to backpack with. I will go with the Zpacks duplex. I like the room in a 2 person tent but at my age I also need light weight. Great video and happy hiking!
I agree absolutely. It’s not that I’m trying to get every ounce but then again as I get older every ounce sure makes for a better day. So I guess I am. And my tent is the last thing I want to update.
As a single person with no dog Ive been using the Tarp ten Protrail Li. Its weight, ease of setup and price all work for me. Im not willing to spend more on a tent. It has the one annoyance of getting in but I cut a piece of tyvek a little longer to extend into the vestuble area and all and all it works. Im a big broad shouldered 6 1 guy, and this works for my backpacking habits.
I love my Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2, but it should be noted that it is NOT the Carbon version. It's the original version introduced about 3 years ago. Sturdy, about 3.5 lbs total. The two doors are my favorite feature! I backpack with a 75 lb dog, and this keeps me from crawling over her to get out, and also frees her to look out her own door during the cold mornings!
Nemo Hornet 2p is great for warmer, dry weather, but if the pitch isn’t perfect or the rain is sustained, water can get in, especially if the fly ends up touching and the floor can wet out. The wide end is also effectively single wall and condensation can be an issue. It also sets up inner first and is a sodden heavier mess with days of rain. So, for a recent Tassie trip I wanted a better crappy weather tent. After much research I went with an Sli. It has out performed my expectations and kept me dry in torrential rain, well over 100mm in 24hrs and days of rain on the OT. I had considered the duplex, but given good performance in crappy weather was a huge priority for me, I chose the Sli based on the following features being better for me: double wall (ability to separate and swap out inners if one ever needed repairing and for different conditions, use just the inner or tarp, better star gazing option and better handling condensation), end vents to increase useable space and ventilation, having J doors that don’t fall onto the ground and don’t need to be fully opened when there are lots of bugs, big vestibules that prevent most splash back, have a gutter so can be open in light rain (unlike nemo) and are roomy enough to cook in, a zipper that is less fiddly and more protective than a clip to close the door, octagonal design to increase stability and wind shedding, offset poles to increase ease of entry, excellent built quality and nice little features like magnetic tie backs which have worked well for me. Downsides have been minimal and manageable, but include using trekking pole adapters is more fiddly, but I prefer the point of my poles down for stability and to reduce puncture risk, set up probably more fiddly than duplex, but quick with practice and fantastic I can set it up as one outer first, the struts mean it is better rolled and it is longer, but it works both inside and on the outer of my pack without a problem, expense greater than the duplex, but was close with both inners as I was lucky enough to find one second hand in perfect condition, large footprint, hasn’t been too big an issue so far, slightly shorter than the duplex with less useable room with the inner at 5’8” not an issue and a palace for 1, but could be if closer to 6”, stakes provided are not adequate for soft ground so longer msr stakes are better. Platform anchors are worth it when needed and extra cord may be useful to use different tie out points like trees or make stacking rocks easier/more effective with pitchloc corners. Overall I love this tent and it will most likely be my go to for everything, but I am especially happy with the performance with the solid inner in exposed windy and wet conditions as it is so much warmer, drier, lighter and comfortable than my nemo comparatively. I wish there was a flex kit for it as a a freestanding option, so is it the one tent to rule them all for all conditions. No. Is the duplex a worthy contender yes, but for the crappy weather I want to be comfortable in the Sli is working perfectly for me. Will I still use the Hornet 2p, not sure yet. Having a semi freestanding and smaller footprint option for some conditions have pros, so this is where a double rainbow, free duo, duplex with a flex kit or hopefully something a bit smaller in dcf with a double wall like a 1.5person notch li with a free standing kit would be good 😂. Also still love my copper spur hv 3 for use with 2 p as the cost vs weight savings doesn’t make sense as this is a fantastic and more storm worthy tent than the nemo despite the inner set up first. Time to get ready for the next adventure!
I love your reviews and videos, and ask that you consider reviewing the Drop Durston X-Mid 1P and 2P tents. They’re amazingly affordable, configurable (can set up fly or inner tent alone, lightweight, and the material doesn’t wet out like nylon. It sets up ultra-fast and allows you to set it up or take it down in the rain without getting the inner tent wet. Large, functional vestibules and double doors.
Best budget UL shelter system for me: 9.5' x 9.5' silpoly tarp (11.5 oz) and a bivy sack (6.6 oz). Total combined price is $200 USD. Pros: weather permitting, you don't need to use the tarp and can just get away with the bivy sack to separate yourself from the critters, bugs, etc. Versatility: you have multiple set-up options, even full enclosure (search youtube to learn how to setup your tarp in multiple configurations. Price: obviously $100 bucks is not bad for what you get. Cons: it's going to take some time to learn what works best for any given situation so you will have headaches from time to time, especially if you are trying to setup a solid pitch in heavy winds. Neutral: You can use trekking poles to help with structure, and might be necessary if you don't have trees or branches to tie off to. I have no issues with this, but you might. TL;DR - Tarp and bivy (18 oz / $200)
Hi Dixie, I think that in your reviews you should distinguish between true "double wall" tents, in which the inner is made of nylon and the ones in which the inner is made of mesh. The first kind are warmer and more comfortable in all conditions. In contrast, the mesh tents don't really reduce condensation, which falls on you through the mesh and the wind whistles right through them, so you need a substantially warmer sleeping bag, offsetting the weight saving.
I discussed this point with her once in the past. - My experience with a mesh inner is that it does help against condensation, the mesh (of my cheap LanShan 2) is fine enough to keep the drops caught above it. But you are right with the thermal isolation.
It also depends on the shape of the tent. If the walls are pitched enough the weness gathers and drains down. I like the full mesh for venting- good venting makes a huge difference!
My favorite tent is a system for early spring late fall and winter camping and backpacking is the SMD Gatewood Cape and a an 8oz bivy bag. For summer I will usually leave the bivy bag home and carry the serenity net with the Gatewood Cape. Because it is a shaped poncho shelter I don't have to use a pack cover. The Gatewood Cape cost about $130 to $160, but that doesn't include stakes or poles if you don't use trekking poles and you have to seam seal the seams. It is not free standing and taller people may find it is not long enough. I'm a verticality challenged older female so length is not an issue for me. My Gatewood Cape weighs on at 23oz with stakes after seam sealing and the Serenity Net is an additional 21oz for mine. The Gatewood Cape is made of sil-nylon so it is reasonably durable. It has withstood 30mph winds and 60mph wind gusts and I have pitched it from underneath during a windy rain and hail event in the Sierra range. There is a learning curve to using The Gatewood Cape, but after a dozen nights using it, l I could likely set it up in my sleep. Best wishes on finding the perfect shelter for your needs.
The "regular" Tiger Wall 2 is basically a Fly Creek that is a side entry tent. Awesome tent, under 3 pounds with the footprint and both would be around $470. Love mine!
Thanks for doing this. You opened my eyes to some tent designs that I was not familiar with. I taught backpacking, canoeing, mountaineering and ski touring for 14 years. My favourite tent is the MSR Hubba Hubba two person. I did not see anything here that would challenge that.
The Big Agnes Carbon series certainly seems to have been universally panned. I would suggest the Tarptent Double Rainbow Li as a freestanding alternative (semi by default, totally freestanding with trekking poles on the ends). Not as light as the Tiger Wall, but bigger floor space and usable space.
I have a Sierra Designs lightning II featherlight tent that I love for its simplicity, free standing, durability and it doesn’t make me feel claustrophobic. Also with its brow pole you can leave the door open in the rain and cook from within the tent. It also has two vestibules that are on the sides instead of in front of the door. The trade off? Weight. At a hair over 3lbs it is a lot heavier than the ones you review here. Also, they don’t make it anymore so I got one of the last ones.
I bough the Fly Creek UL 2 because it was the best cost to weight tent I could afford at the time. I cannot overstate just how much I absolutely HATED the head end entry, coupled with the tiny joke of a vestibule. Hated it so much that I immediately replaced it with the Hornet 2P following my first trip with the BA. And that was after sleeping in it just one night. I’ve since replaced the Hornet with the Duplex, which I can’t wait to use this year!
Thanks for the well-rounded review. I have the "regular" BA Tiger Wall 2 UL. It is easy to set up and not as delicate as the "carbon" version. I have not had any problems with it. No way I would spend $1000 on a tent that you have to treat delicately. I take care of my equipment but hey, this is the great outdoors -- there are natural hazards!
I'm a Tarptent Double Rainbow man. I love my tent. Easy to set up, i't has about 750 miles on it with no problems . It is a single wall tent so I do have some moisture issues but---Single wall & I do not use a ground cloth. Good hiking to all.
you can laugh, but i tried a WAKEMAN OUTDOORS 2 person dome tent. cost: 22$. weight: 2.75 lbs. single wall. no windows. it appeared to be a typical cheap tent. i slept in it at 32 degrees F. once inside the tent i was shocked because the air temperature seemed to have dropped significantly!! indeed, it was warmer inside the tent than outside. the material appeared to be better than any normal cheap tent. there was no condensation in the morning at 36 degrees. seams are sealed. i slept fine with a 50 degree bag. [and space blanket]. in many respects this is still a cheap tent...but it is the highest quality "cheap tent" ive ever slept in and the weight and price cant be beat. i highly recommend it for a budget tent and as such, it is now my favorite tent.
tarptent stratospire LI is in my opinion the best all around tent.....I guess a major con for some would be packability, but there's little to no condensation issues, stable and very versatile...Z packs is up there duplex however the condensation issues I've read are far to many, also the tent doors tend to get trampled on or dirty because of the design, which drops right on the floor in front on you. Also this I think opens the tent door mesh to accidental holes an abrasion.....you also needs far to many stakes to make it bomb proof in real bad weather....again my opinion , zpacks does make great products. The dan durstan 2 xmid is one to consider as well, I read many good things about this tent.....otherwise keep this vids coming they are great!!!
The best tent for the money was my 1st tent. A Tube Tent. Cost me $2. The rope between 2 trees down the center I already had,,, probably for $1 or less. Adjustable floor space. The lower the rope down the top center the more floor space. I closed the ends with clothes pins. In Yosemite Id pin a dirty sock at each end hoping it would deter bears. lol. Light weight, easy to set up and take down. No tent pegs ... Walls held out with rocks, logs, or my gear on the floor where the wall comes down to meet it. It DID keep me dry and I believe a little warmer if only by blocking wind. Ahhhh ..... Fond memories
My current set up is a Zpacks Pocket Tarp w/ Doors and Zpacks Bathtub Groundsheet. Last summer I used it on the CT, TRT, GC R2R2R and it performed well (enough) in a few hard storms. Given that it's a very minimal shelter I don't think I would use it where there is a constant heavy bug pressure or rain; like the AT, where I loved my Duplex because it gave me a place to escape without feeling confined. Also, I tried out a Gossamer Gear The One (non-DCF version) and found it warmer and less drafty due to the higher back wall panel. I just wish GG would make The One DCF version with a DCF or heavier woven floor beside the current 7D material. At the current price of The One DCF, I would just buy a Zpacks Plexamid and get a DCF floor.
Great video. Thank you. Comparing the Tarptent to the REI Flash Air 2 convinced me to choose the REI tent. The price is less ($299), and it weighs in at 31 oz (trail weight). So, that $390 extra for the Tarptent would lower the tent weight 3oz or so? Doesn't compute. Plus, the REI warranty of no-hassle returns for 1 year. Just my take on it.
Hey there Dixie, quite late to the comments on this video it seems, it has been an incredibly busy year for me so far. With regards to tents that work though. I have used a Big Sky International Chinook 1+ tent for a few years now. It i a free standing 4 season tent (although does not have the snow flaps that others do. It weighs in at 1.5kg with the poles, groundsheet and ultralight tent stakes which I know is a far cry from your Duplex etc but every trail I am on I seem to be the only one with such a tent. It is spacious being the 1 plus version, has twin entry, I can pitch anywhere, designed to deflect the wind as much as possible, it all clips together so all you have to do is erect it with the poles on the outside and your tent is up. Downsides are first off, the latter good point. Packing it down as one does make the whole tent wet if it was raining or condensed, it does however dry out extremely fast and is so quick to set up that a lunch break stop is fine to do this on. The SuperSil Nylon does stretch over time to the point that I am having to tie out corners to make it taught but I have used this for thousands of miles in 3 years. They are costly at around $500-600. All said though they are fantastic tents and I have used it hiking the Camino, the Scottish National Trail, 3 times on the West Highland Way in Scotland, Wainrights Coast to Coast, Te Araroa as well as backpacking in general all over the UK, in Europe and Hawaii. I keep looking at other tents for future trips (PCT hopefully next year) but as this one just keeps working with a little maintenance then I can't part with the money for a new one. Mostly though, weight aside I do wonder why I never hear of this tent.
Good video and comparison for what you've "used". Regardless of manufacture, I think overall dimensions, in particular Peak Height (especially when you have to live in your shelter for hours in Colorado rain storms) and things like customer service should be considered . If your gear fails on trail, it's nice to know the manufacture will stand behind their products. Without a doubt, the Zpacks Duplex remains the KIng in the SW 2P NFS Ultralight Class. Non Free Standing: Zpacks Duplex 90 x 45 x 45in 48in Peak SW 2P 2D 2V NFS 19.4 oz (Ultralight tent. Used by AT/PCT/CDT thru-hikers. Customer Service has been criticized by many) Gossomaer Gear The Two Tent 48x 84 x 43in Peak DW 2P 2D 2V NFS 23.5 oz (Also available in Dynema!) Seek Outside Eulos Canapy and Nest 52 x 90 x 50in Peak DW 2P 2D 2V NFS FO 41.4 oz (Zipperless Canopy with low wind resistance design) Free Standing: Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 Tent 86 x 52 x 42in 39 in Peak DW 2P 2D 2V FS FO 22.64 oz (Great tent. Used by AT/PCT/CDT/PNT thru-hikers. Awesome Customer Service) Sea to Summit Alto TR2 Tent 84.5 x 53 x 43in. 42.5in Peak DW 2P 2D 2V SFS FO 41.4oz (Newest on the market, amazing design, air flow and features) Slingfin Portal Tent 85 x 51 x 42in. 44.0in Peak DW 2P 2D 2V FS FO 46.0 oz (Can be used as a 4-season tent, use hiking poles for additional snow support, and is Bomber Proof) Note: Groundsheets are not required but highly recommended by all manufactures. SW = Single Wall DW = Double Wall 1P = 1 PERSON 2P = 2 PERSON 2D = 2 DOOR 2V = 2 VESTIBULE NFS - NON-FREE STANDING (Requires Trekking or other Poles to pitch) SFS = SEMI-FREE STANDING (Requires additional stake-out points to fully pitch) FO = FLY OPTION ONLY PITCH (Multi-Purpose; Can be pitched with the Fly only, used for sun protection or quick setup in rain)
I have several DCF tents & Tarp tents but just chose Gossamer’s new DCF the Two over ZPacks after much mulling over. I love ZPacks products and use their packs and I have their 3 oz pocket tarp. The primary reason I went with Gossamer The Two tent was the door design difference. The Duplex rainbow door must be opened all the way and it drops down to the ground which can get it wet or dirty and worse let’s all the flying insects in. The GG Two tent door is half the size and opens on one side of the pole however it drapes from above so when it’s open it still covers the opening somewhat and stays off the ground. It is only an oz heavier and a little cheaper. It is worth a look also.
I love the Six Moons Design tents that I've had. The Skyscape/XScape tents are 1 person tents with enough room inside the netting for all of your equipment at prices slightly lower than the Tarptent prices and much less than the cost of other manufacturer's tents. And, the Gatewood cape is a great shaped tarp and rain poncho that is big enough for this 6-foot tall man, and at 11 ounces, allows me to leave my rain jacket at home for no net weight gain versus just my rain jacket (plus it keeps my pack dry as I've proven on several rainy days on trail).
I just purchased a new tent, a Tarptent Aeon, after looking at the Aeon, Stratospire LI and the Z Packs Duplex. My second Tarptent b.t.w. I thought that Tarptents in general are designed much better. I know there are millions of Duplex out there but I saw so many videos of them looking like a saggy bag. I didn't like that the vestibule edge looks like it's a foot off the ground and the bug net zipper opening is so low. Stuffing a dyneema tent apparently will shorten its life. Yes dyneema is strong but it's the mylar outer laminate that will crack from repeated crunching. Always enjoy your videos and your opinions.
Thank you for giving the weight in grams, too! 🏕️ (my tent weighs 3.75 kg/8.3 lbs(?) so not LIGHTweight 😆. Fjällräven Abisko dome 3, a bit smaller than a dance palace)
Zpacks Solplex for low weight and I already use trekking poles. I did buy the carbon fiber set up poles for hunting season when I make a base camp and need poles to still go hunting.
I have the original Tiger Wall, and I have enjoyed it so far, though I have not put many miles on it just yet. The 2 person is 2lbs 3oz, costs $400. Mary Mansfield took the tent on her PCT thru hike and has a thorough review here on CZcams, for anyone curious.
I know this may sound silly however a good way to find out if a piece of gear such as a tent is any good, is to look at the price tag over time. If the item goes down in price, it could mean there are better options available. If however, the price tag goes up, then it has been proven to be a good piece of kit and maybe you should have purchased one earlier :) Globally it appears that there are several markets. The US, Europe (including the UK), and Australia, and markets probably Asian and South American. So far my kit includes a water filter and I think the sleeping mat is from the US, a sleeping bag from Australia, A rucksack from France, and a tent that is manufactured in Norway. Other elements are the UK in origin. The tent I have is a Nordisk Telemark 1 ULW which may not be the lightest coming in at 770 grams, however, it has been tested in a wind tunnel up to 24 m/s and still holds up. I bought one for £365 about 3 years ago. The Hilleberg Akto is probably the most bombproof tent available outside of the geodesic winter high altitude tents but it is a bit heavier at 1.5 kg and comes in at £464. Regardless of where you live, if you have the money, it may sometimes be worth looking beyond the market most readily available to you.
My first tent as a young Boy Scout was a tube tent. It was a giant orange trash bag. First and only time I was forced to use was in a field on a night when we had wind storm. My love for backpacking almost ended that night in embro form. Got a eureka timberline first thing when I got back. Used it for years, still have it for just in case. Moved on though to a north face 4 season 3 man. Ya it’s a bit heavy but the room I’ve have with bed hog monster pup is priceless
I used the Eureka Gossamer tent on the AT back in '98 with good results and I also used a large Noah's tarp but mostly I stayed in shelters. The use of an OR Bug Bivy in the tarp and shelters made for a bug-free night. The ground is so much softer than the softest shelter floor. The Gossamer is (was?) a single-person net-roofed tent with an attached rain fly and aluminum poles. Too small for gear inside the tent for me.
I bought a marmot eos 1p 5? 6? Years ago. Great little tent for $200, still use it,, but I've had to seam seal it a couple times. About 2 pounds with poles and stakes. Has a good sized vestibule, inner bug net and tub, and lots of adjustments for the removable fly (great for cowboy camping feel without bugs). It can get a little cramped if you're a larger person. I'm 6'2, and my feet occasionally hit the inner wall, which isn't a big deal; I've never had it leak. I tend to toss and turn when I sleep, so I occasionally bump the back side of the bug net. Really considering a new x-mid, I can't justify $600 for a zpacks.
I love the Nemo Hornet too (ballin on a budget!), but I just wish Nemo offered a carbon pole option for this tent to make it a little lighter. Nonetheless, always love your videos!
I've owned 5 Tarptents and currently have a SCARP 2, Moment DW and Dyneema Notch Li. Love 'em all. Henry Shires has some of the best tent designs on the market. Good quality and good customer service.
Super tricky finding a tent for a family of 4 to do backpacking. The kids at the time were 5 and 9. We settled on the MEC Camper 4 - my wife and I would split the tent up to distribute the weight, in addition to packing some of the kids gear. No through hiking with them, but 10k hiking in, free standing, quick to set up and light enough for us, and plenty of room. Vestibules are an ok size and the fly goes pretty much right to the ground. And living on the Canadian West Coast.... it rains. When the kids get a little older and can start putting in the mileage, I imagine we'll split up into 2 ultralight tents, but for now we all have to be in the same tent.
yes, four persons is tricky, have a look at the nordisk oppland3, its very roomy for a three person tent, so it might fit all four of you. we are very satisfied with ours for years now. weights 2kg.
Clip Flashlight II, Bulletproof, extremely well ventilated, tunnel design, 200 bucks. The only tent I use. BUT!, they only last for about three years of continuous daily use.
I have the standard (non-dyneema) Tiger Wall UL2 and can confirm that it's wonderful and holds up well! I got it after my PCT thru but several others I know used it on the trail and it held up well the whole time. Plus REI often has deals on BA gear so I got it for $320 during their Labor Day sale :)
I really like my Nemo Dragonfly tent. It’s lightweight and holds up under a torrential downpour lasting most of the night without leaking. I also have. Little heavier tent I love to use for shorter hikes called Zion 2 person by Hyke and Byke.
Lunar Solo has become my go-to tent. It's lightweight, affordable and roomy. I think it's classified as a 1.5 person tent. Enough room for me and my gear to spread out while not being overly large. I've used the lanshan 1 and that was a decent tent, the foot end was a bit odd, but the solo gives me just a bit more room.
Good to hear the Z-Packs service is so good. MSR simply sent me back my leaky tent with an instruction on how I should seal the seams myself and that I should buy the sealant for my own money. The tent was only one week old.
I have found the tent that works for me is the Perigrine Radama 1. Polyester tafetta fly has much less condensation than my Bean nylon tent. It is only 2 lbs and sets up easy with 2 poles. Under $200.
I use a Copper Spur and an Xmid, and love both tents, but the Xmid polyester is making me dislike nylon! The xmid is a tricker setup for sure, probably along the lines of the stratospire, but I'm really picky about pitch. Also, I don't ever worry about laying against the walls of the Xmid (better separation and venting). I'd pick a duplex or stratospire if they were gifted, but I haven't convinced myself yet.
I have owned many high end tents, such as MSR's, REI's, Sierra Designs, North Face, and Moss. The last 2 I have purchased are by Alps Mountaineering, and being such good values, my next will probably be another. Both the Lynx 2 and 3 I have, have cost me well under $200.
I have the Lanshan and the Nemo but really like my Six Moon Design Skyscape Trekker2. I enjoy 2 doors with vestibules. It is sil/poly, no stretch on windy wet nights. Cons are that the footprint is very long for tight spaces (8 feet) and seems a bit narrow for two persons. It works great for just me ( 6 footx200 pounds) and has a lot of mesh built inside like a two piece tent but goes up as a single wall type. The inner doesn't get wet in a rainy setup. The best tent is the one you have with you.
If I'll be sleeping alone, I take my Nemo Hornet 2p. It is great, light, easy to put up, and the updates took care of the cons on the earlier model. With 2 people, canoe camping, or low mileage, I take my Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3. At 6'4", I really appreciate to 90" length of the UL3 - that's the main reason I chose it over the UL2 (length is the first thing I look at when selecting a tent, then weight). It's really not that much heavier than the Nemo considering how much room you get, but it'd be overkill on a solo trip where I'm not spending much time in the tent. Love them both though.
I have used this video to research what budget lightweight to buy. the Zpacks brand I would love to buy but my budget wouldn't allow it. in the end I bought the lanshan 2 flames creed. Thank you for your honest review it has helped me know my options.
Just this morning I ordered myself a Dan Durston X-Mid 1p. It should be delivered in a couple of days, but we're under stay-at-home orders here in Ontario, Canada, so it'll be a while before I can actually test it out. I don't even have a backyard, I live in a condo apartment. Its got amazing reviews everywhere, it's super light weight, affordable, AND it's Canadian designed! All very important, because our dollar sucks so $$ conversions for any US cottage made tents is heart attack inducing and budget busting. I had considered the Lanshan before I found the X-Mid, because it is budget friendly, but I try to avoid things from China whenever possible. Shop local ☺
@@Mark-zd7vd designed by a Canadian thru-hiker, and backed/manufactured by Drop, sold on amazon. Still supporting local, which there aren't many Canadian designed or made ultra light gear.
@@musingwithreba9667 “Manufactured by Drop” is a bitbof amisnomer. Drop is basically an aggregator. They sell a lot of things, and some, -like the X-Mid-have their name on them. But the manufacturing is contracted out to a company in Asia. Just like Apple iPhones, to pick a random example. American company, designed in America, built in Asia. I just now checked the tag on my X-Mid. It says “Made in Vietnam”.
@@musingwithreba9667 My apologies. I misunderstood your statement about avoiding things made in China. Made in, manufactured in, owned by, etc have different meanings to different people. At any rate, I think you will like your X-Mid. I have the one-person as well. It feels roomy because of the huge vestibules.
Dixie, I absolutely love my Zpacks Altaplex tent. I’ve got the older version ( about 4ish yrs old) and have taken it hiking, Motorcyce trips, bicycle touring and just about anything else. It’s my go to tent. I’m trying not to wear it out before I hike the AT ( I’m from up north so I say it with a long A, ha ha.). I’ve got a BA copper spur solo. That’s my second in command tent. But when it’s pouring out, I love my Mountain Hardwear (?) tent. You can spray it with a fire hose and it won’t get wet inside. Great video. As are all of yours. I’m surprised you couldn’t throw you hammock into the mix to us an idea where that would place.
My two favourite tents are the Lan Shan 1 pro (fits the wide pad) and my Tarptent Morail 2 person tent. Both are light weight under 2 pounds and have survived storm / rain well. For the price and simplicity i love them. With your tarp tent i recommend removing the strutting poles when you pack it down, makes it so much easier for a little bit of extra work. Love your honest (not sponsored) videos!! Thanks Dixie
I personally like the Hyke & Byke tents and sleeping bags although they may be a bit heavy for a thru hike they are a good budget friendly product with a lifetime warranty for section backpacking.
I would normally of said the Six moons lunar solo was my favorite 1 person backpacking tent. I’m 6”2 and 215lbs and I can take my 6yr old or my 100lb dog with no real issue. However it may not be a cold weather tent. I hiked 20 miles of Mohican state Forrest this weekend and on Friday night the temperatures got down to around 12 degrees. At 4 am I was woken up by a very loud sound. The fabric in the vestibule actually tore in two separate locations. I couldn’t find anything that could of fallen and hit the tent. My best guess is the fabric froze and that combined with the very tight pitch I usually prefer must of caused a failure. Luckily It didn’t rain on Saturday night although some snow of course made its way through the holes. Will contact six moons on Monday to see about getting it repaired. It wasn’t necessarily a defect but rather user error so we will see what can be done about it. The material is their newer sylpoly which I liked because it didn’t stretch when wet but I wonder about the tear strength now.
Wet gear from condensation or durability issues seems to be a problem these days all in the name of saving weight. It’s been my experience that ultralight can let you down when you need it the most! The Dan Durston X mid seems to be a happy medium lMO.
I've got a Duplex in the camouflage pattern for a little more privacy as the other color Duplexes are a bit see through. I'm very happy with it. I also have an Alps Mountaineering Lynx 2 person, I use for motorcycle camping. I like it too, but it weighs close to 6 lbs which is more than I want o carry on a backpacking trip. Some of my friends are trying to get me to switch to a hammock set up, I'm borrowing one and giving it a try, but as a side sleeper, I'm not thinking its going to work. I know my Duplex and Big Agnes Q-Core SLX pad work great for me, and they are lighter than the hammock setups my friends have.
Love my Stratospire Li. Tarptent has a good setup instruction video on CZcams. I use their method and get a perfect pitch every time. You can remove the carbon strut poles to pack the tent if you want. It just takes a few seconds to remove them or put them back in.
Agree on disliking tunnel entry tents. I bought a Kathmandu Skiron Ultralight (1.5 person double wall ultralight hiker) which is brilliant in high winds, heavy rain and a pretty good 3 season tent, nut crawling out of that doorway in the morning is a young persons game!
Always a great video and still the undisputed queen of all things hiking. At our age though, still awaiting your mum's channel! Let's hope this year allows us all out more. Happy new year trails xx
I have a Durston X-Mid 1 one-person, trekking-pole, double-wall tent (but have used it only for short trips so far). It weighs 30 ounces. It can be set up with only four stakes. Very stable in wind, even when the twoguylines are not used. It has two big vestibules. It is made of sil-poly so it does not sag or stretch. Inner tent can remain attached to the fly which makes it easier to set up and take down, and that is especially convenient when it is raining. $225. Sometimes you can find it for less. Only sold at drop.com.
The past couple days the tents from Lightheart Gear have caught my interest. Though at the moment the color options are limited due to being out of certain fabrics I gather that's not always the case in which case it looks like they'd have a wide array of options to choose from than most tents that only have 1 or 2 color designs.
Tarptent rainshadow 3. Some extra space for myself and my love. He is 6'4" and I wanted something where he wouldn't have to worry about touching the walls all the time. It is a smidge heavier and putting it away isn't as easy as the duplex but everything else is great so far.
Dixie i bought a 3 person tent 3 1/2 lb dual tent 2 end zips i used it for 15 years my nephew still uses it as i moved on to hammock and tarp only 3 years ago the make of the tent eludes me at the mo but i will post it...
I love fact that you started to add captions with weigth/distance in metrics. There is so much knowelege comming from "imperial world" that i need to stop and check "how much is it in metric world" that captioning this makes my watchingo so mutch enjoyable
Recently found your channel and I really love it. I've been watching a lot to gain a female perspective on camping/hiking so I know what stuff to tell my wife about. Thank you!
I just got the Plexamid- for my AT thru- really like the set up, haven't used it in the woods yet. In the past I have hammocked- started with some heavier ENO equipment- then went to their UL straps and a Zpack tarp- which, I love and is a really great piece og gear to have for so many things. The Plexamid, is surprisingly roomy- I am short (5'4") so I imagine the duplex has tons of room! We (boyfriend, myself and 3 Jack Russells) are doing the Colorado Trail this summer- we are taking our Big Agnes Copper Spur 3 man to accommodate us all for a month- it IS a cushie tent, but has a lot of nice options for vestibule space, awning use and lots of room for us in poor weather. It is a bit heavy, but split between us I think its only about 600 grams.
Hilleberg Akto, 2lb 14 oz, can handle winds up to 80 miles an hour, four season tent, built for mountaineering, $595. If taken care of should last you a lifetime.
But it's almost 3 pounds..... you can get a WAY lighter tent for the same price, so why? The only reason is if you are mountaineering, it's unnecessary for hiking.
It is good I agree, I've had the same Akto for almost 10 years now, and it's still as good as new. However, since I got the Lanshan 2 back in summer 2019, I haven't really used the Akto, as I've kind of gotten addicted to all the space the Lanshan offers, for a bit less weight even. But yeah, the Akto is no doubt a lot sturdier!
Yes you can get a lighter tent But it won’t with stand mother natures forces as well. The Akto could be reduced in weight if they used carbon fiber instead of still nylon for the outer shell. These tents are designed to be able to take snow load besides wind. They are not fragile enclosures. When you get in these tents you want to know you’re going to be DRY. HILLEBERG Is the Glock of tents! Dependable and reliable to do the job every time. They have years and years of tested performance and durability. But as great as they are they have never solved the condensation problem that all tents suffer from. With a Warmlite sleeping bag and this tent you can go down to -80°F! If you’re down sleeping bag gets wet you are screwed!! The tent can be re-configured in many ways for the weather conditions you expect to have. www.warmlite.com/product/triple-bag/
I have to add my vote to the several others here for the Dan Durston X-mid tents in conjunction with Drop.com. They are easily the best designed tents on the market. Considering it is not a DCF tent (and dual-walled) the design nearly puts it in competition with DCF tents for weight (1P=28oz & 2P=40oz). Due to its design, high level of craftsmanship (built in the same factory as MSR tents) and its robust 20D Polyester fabric it is extremely durable and storm worthy, IMO more so than any on this list. With a cost of $200 for the 1P and $250 for the 2P it competes with the budget tents for cost with premium features. It is a little hard to get because the demand for it causes Drop to frequently sell out. In a year or two when Dan is able to produce a DCF fly the weight will be within 1-2.5 ounces of comparable 1P & 2P Zpack's tents with far more interior & vestibule space. That will be my next tent purchase. Oh, with a little practice I think it is easier to setup than the Duplex (it has several few stakes needed - don't forget that in the weight calc) and way easier than the Stratospire.
Thank you for sharing the hard-won knowledge. I have never needed ultralight tents before now and it's nice to get a shortcut to better gear without wasting time and money.
Hyke and Byke 2 person. It’s mid weight, comes with gear loft, stake press is invaluable, decent stakes, plenty of storage for under $100. And it’s orange for safety.
Been awhile since I went with a high quality tent but I like the Eureka Spitfire series. I like the reasonably lightweight design and durability. Everything about it is well rounded including the price. Doesn't make much noise in the wind either and is made by a company that produces tents for the US military.
I'm a 71 year old who has pup tent camped, hiked, canoed in the dead of winter and camped. I still have good health but the years are taking their toll. My days in the woods for weeks at a time are over. I'm now having to stay close to home, care taking for my wife. Your videos are a welcome diversion and spark so many memory's. I started watching your hikes about 6 months ago and have done some binge watching. Loved following your triple crown. My only complaint is that you turned me onto Kettle cooked salt and vinegar. I retired from Corrections. Like the Convicts would say, "Those are gooder then a Mother Father." Thanks and keep posting your adventures.
Why don’t pages like Darwin Onthetrail or others get comments like these? Dixie is good but it seems like people sleep on the others.
@Randy Young, you brought back some great memories!
I am nearly 64 and I used to go backpacking carrying heavy loads and a pup tent too.
We grew up using a Canadian 2 seater canoe here in New Zealand, and it was the best! 👍🏿 😊
My dad retired from corrections too. Hes glad its over. Worked SHU at pelican bay.
Age changes us...
Dyneema is used in climbing gear, it's also used in heavy industry for tow rope and slings. It's incredible the tensile strength of the stuff. Dyneema is very slippery and for the equivalent weight is stronger than steel. hence the cost. In climbing slings 7 twisted strands of dyneema will generally hold 4000-5000 Lbs. before breaking. It's also naturally water resistant.
Dyneema was invented for sailboat racing sails.
Ha, for a thousand dollars I would expect a Porter to follow along carrying my gear and to set it up for me at the end of a days hiking 🤪🤪🤪.
Well, Big Agnes is based out of Colorado so you know they're smoking something with that price.
I always bring bearers. Carrying gear is so...undignified.
@@bloodyeyeful 😁.
I wonder where it's made. 🤔
@@danielkutcher5704 China, however, to be fair, also Tarptent has moved it's production to China, simply because they have machines there like lasercuters who are a heavy investment to do in the US. China is no longer the cheapest place to manufacture but they have much better technology. Thats why if you buy a Zpacks tent you can be lucky and get decent quality or you can get a rougher one - made 100 % by hand in Florida.
BA tents by the way have an individual serial number. I asked them if they plan to use stronger/thicker DCF for the floors in the foreseeable future. They said no. Their DCF tents are a huge success, here in Switzerland the price went up about 400 $. For the same tent you can now spend 1500 including footprint instead of 1000 when they were new on the market. I do not recommend them in any way for long distance hiking, unless you can afford a new one every 4 weeks or so (LNT down the loo). Even the footprint is extremely flimsy as they have just taken 10D Nylon with some kind of coating. It does not add abrasion resistance in any way.
I used the Dan Durston xmid 1 person tent on my 31 day thru-hike of the Bruce Trail in Ontario, Canada. It is a 28 oz. double-walled and seam taped tent with 2 doors and 2 large vestibules. It withstood a windstorm my first night on trail and never leaked despite many rainy nights. Sets up with 2 trekking poles. Stakes and guide wires included. My home away from home.
Too bad you can never buy them
Lanshan 1 here. Made a 5 inch tiny block of wood to put my trekking pole tip in. Raises the whole tent up to get nice air flow from beneath. The comfort is worth ounces.
How long would the trekking pole need to be for the same effect without the wood block? I'm deciding between the Lanshan 1 Pro single wall and the 2021 version of the Lanshan 1 "three season" with mesh inner (which is now longer at 230 cm).
I've have had several shelters, and I'll tell you what. For the money, weight and quality, the 3f ul lanshan1 is ridiculously good. I was caught in a torrential downpour in the mountains of North Carolina. By far the worse storm I have ever been in. Solid, heavy rain for 10+hours. There was so much rain that my shoes in the vestibule were literally floating in more than an inch of water. There was a half inch or more of water flowing under part of the tent. You could see the tent floor moving up and down on its own.
When I pitched it, I made sure to get it as tight as possible, and also adjusted the outer walls down as far as they could go.
I woke up in the morning completely dry, even though I was laying in a giant puddle.
I could have taken the time to clear another spot at camp for a new tent pad, but with rain starting to fall I wanted to get my shelter up asap, so I gambled on whether the lanshan1 would keep me dry. It passed with flying colors. I can't say the same for some big box name brand shelters I have
Hey! Do you set it up with trekking poles? I can’t get it to be tight. The top is always floppy. I’m wondering if anyone uses regular tent poles and which ones? Thanks!
@@valeriemay7366 I have this tent. Is the trekking pole extended enough? Stake the back corners first, put in the trekking pole and stake out the guy line, stake out the front corners, stake out the side and end guy lines, go around and tighten all the corners. With the guy lines on the ends, try to put the stakes further away from the tent, this pulls the ends out more.
The Durston X-mid also needs an honorable mention
I set my poles to 115-120cms to stake out my lanshan 2p to keep it nice and tight.
@Wayfarer. Thanks for the report.
Did you seam sealed it before first use?
If you want the easiest set up for a tent, the Drop Dan Durston X-Mid 2p and 1p are it. Stake out the 4 corners, put in the trekking poles (both use two trekking poles). What's even better is that unlike say the Zpacks tents, the Stratospire or Lanshan 2, the first trekking pole just stays up. No contortions, the doors don't have to be staked, you don't need to use the peak guy lines, stupid easy. You can add more stakes, up to 10 at a time. Also both the trekking poles and peak guy lines are not in the way of the doors and it's wide enough for two wide pads. It's just awesome especially for the $300.00 cost.
Theoretically easy because it’s only 4 corners but I still continue to struggle with getting a nice, taught pitch
X-mid is a good double-wall trekking pole option. Roomy. Not as budget as Lanshan but much cheaper than most of these on your list. Light although not as light. Very easy to set up. Packs down super small. Doesn’t sag or absorb water. There is a 1p and 2p option.
IMO the X-Mid is the most well rounded tent on the market. The design is ingenious.
@@HypnoseBerlin plus Dan is just so helpful and knowledgeable about the product.
This is the first time for me hearing about this tent, how does it do in high winds? They literally shut off the power here because of high winds where I live, so it is important for me to get something to handle it ^ ^
@@mandymacabre686 honestly I haven’t had it out in super high winds but many people have said it does very well. It will not protect you from trees that fall on you in said very high winds therefore I try not to tent in high winds 🤣
I really like that you give us budget recommendations
Great video! My favorite tent is actually not a tent. I like to use an ultra light tarp (my Kammok UL tarp has withstood some serious rain and wind) and then I use an Outdoor Research Helium bivy. I can set up the tarp high above me with trees for standing under during the day and then can lower it with my trekking poles for more coverage at night. It is super versatile and incredibly lightweight at 26 oz combined. It is so light that I end up carrying a UL hammock (also by Kammok) just to sit in during the day, which is way more comfortable than a pad, rock or log!
Durston X-Mid 2P is one of the best tents I've ever used super easy to set up and bombproof!
Yes! However it's challenging to get one right now.
lanshan 2 pro, basically just a nylon duplex. highly recommend
I have that and cannot master setting it up with my trekking poles (top is always floppy). Have you tried using regular tent poles on it like she shows with the duplex? Thanks!
@@valeriemay7366 hmmm ive only used trekking poles and havent really ran into issues. it just took me some time to learn how high to set the poles and how tight to stake everything out. I found that loosely setting everything up and then coming back and tightening some of the lines worked much better than just doing everything tight at first. Hope this helps!
Yep, peg the corners out first then insert & adjust your trekking poles to tension the tent. Once it's up with a bit of tension, then go round tensioning the flysheet. That works for me & I got pretty good at it over a 2 week hike 👍
Lan Shan 1 or 2 best bang for the buck!
I have that tent but with COVID not gotten a chance to test it out. My old alps mountaineering 3p tent is my go to for far camping. It’s passed the test of rain many times but weighs 5 lbs. not a backpacking tent unless it’s a short hike snd I can split up the gear between two people. It’s free standing basic solid tent. I’ve never been cold in it either. I’m eager to reschedule my backpacking trip and test it out.
I'd like to see you try the X-mid, either the 1 or 2 person. The 1P has a smaller inner but two HUGE vestibules. I like to spread my gear out too and love it. It's double wall and easy to set up
I was gonna suggest X-MID as well. My go-to tent for all 4 seasons! 👍👍
Yes! The X-mid
... and it is reasonably priced. Other features are the fabric does not stretch like nylon tents do, dries fast and the taut design handles storms well.
Agreed. It’s a very solid mid level tent. I just purchased a 2p for me and the girlfriend to share.
looking at both 1P and 2P - it's just me backpacking, is 2P necessary or can I get by with 1P?
I’m currently using the Drop/Dan Dursten X-Mid 2P. It weighs over 2 lbs with everything including stakes, but it does pack down really small.
Same Here ! Love it ! I have the 1P as well. Very happy with both. It seems the additional weight & fabric keeps the high profile CZcamsrs away from trying it (except a new guy Outdoor Thor). Thats a shame because the cost for the quality is tremendous.
Only question I have for
The x-mid is do I need a
Foot print
@@bryanhall706 I haven’t been using one so far, but I’ve only been out a few nights so far. The bathtub floor seems pretty tough.
@@bryanhall706 You don't need one when using it with reasonable care, but we are going to offer one. That'll be available for pre-order on DurstonGear.com in a few days.
I'm a big fan of the Tarptent Double Rainbow Li. I chose it over the Duplex for a few reasons. Mostly, they center around the fact that I was looking to get "one tent to rule them all." As a recreational backpacker doing more weekenders and sections hikes, solo and duo, I didn't want to invest in an army of shelters. So my reasons for picking it over the duplex mainly have to do with space and versatility. 1) my wife and I like 25" wide sleeping pads, and it is 50 inches wide instead of 45 like the Duplex. 2) It allows for free standing set up using 2 trekking poles without any additional cost. It is also slightly lighter than the Duplex & cross poles together. I live in TX where the terrain is quite varied and I never know what ground situation I'll be looking at when I make camp, so I like that flexibility built in. 3) It can be purchased with an optional liner to help with condensation in extremely muggy or winter camping conditions (it weighs 2.5 oz). For me, the major cons compared to the Duplex are the 28oz weight, and the fact that while the arch pole gives a great sense of space inside end to end, the tent narrows quite a bit in width as you near the peak. So if bad weather has us both sitting in the tent, we are sitting toward each end, not side by side.
Hi from Finland, I have Tarptent Stratosphere Li solid interior. - 27 celsius or + 27 celsius its working okey. Easy to set up in two minutes. Normaly I use hammock . Up north Finland there is no trees so i need a tent. I have also Savotta puolijoukkue tent ( finnish military model ) and stove. It is huge! And I use it like bacecamp. Your trips are inspitation fot many !
Time for Dixie to review the Durston X-mid 1p and 2p.
Seriously probably the best non-dyneema trekking pole tent on the market.
I agree! I’d like to hear her comments regarding the. Durston X-mid. I really like its layout, entry and exit, etc. The one question I have for the X-mid is it’s fabric choice. I don’t mind a non-Dyneema tent, but how many days/weeks/months can the X-mid be used before it doesn’t shed water? Will the fabrics coating wear off? I guess I somewhat answered my own question since Dan and his wife used his tent on the Great Divide Trail.
+1
What do you think of the x mud versus tarptent double rainbow? They seem pretty similar
@@Lennen-N-Motion Dan addressed this somewhere, and if I remember correctly, the advertised HH rating is for well-used fabric, so representative of what it will be after some years of real-world use. The rating for the fabric when new, I think, is actually several times what is advertised.
My experience withNon-dyneema is having to spray/waterproof the thing and that never seems to last. A non issue with dyneema.
I’m glad you mentioned the Lanshan - I’ve enjoyed that tent. It’s a great inexpensive option.
You should give the X-Mid a look. It's packed with most of the features you could ask for in a 1P tent. Also it's design far surpasses the Lanshan
I just got one of these this week - really excited about it!
I’ve moved from hiking to Moto travel. Been using the same REI half dome for more than 15 years. Love it. Only replaced one pole section in over 500 days of use ....er. And abuse.
Have you ever resealed the seams? Just curious because I have a nifty REI Camp Dome that I bought a year ago for car camping. I'm wondering when I might need to reseal it.
Yes. But only recently. Like in the last three years. Totally worth the time and effort. I also realize that Dixie is showing us modern, super light kit. My tent needs are now more about durability than weight.
@@lbyvik Thanks. I use my Camp Dome for car camping only. For backpacking I have an MSR Hubba 1. I plan to purchase a Zpacks Altaplex to dramatically cut the weight of my backpacking tent.
I have the Six Moons Design Skyscape Trekker and like it a lot. Just did 350 miles with it on the Oregon section of the PCT. It's a "hybrid" - meaning it's mostly double-wall, but has one single-wall panel on it.
PROS: 2 lbs, small footprint, LOTS of interior room, 2 doors, silpoly (which doesn't absorb moisture like silnylon), no guylines to trip over, long interior, awesome ventilation. etc.
CONS: Questionable quality, low bathtub floor (not sure how well it would do on a windy, wet night), small vestibules.
An interesting similar tent is the LightHeart Silpoly Firefly. It basically looks likes a the Skyscape Trekker with better ventilation, higher bathtub floors, a cool vestibule/awning combo, and perhaps higher quality.
My favourite family hiking tent is the Tarptent Hogback. Huge inside but with a footprint not much bigger than some 2 person tents. My favourite solo tent is my Tarptent Notch - 4 stakes to set up in less than a minute, huge vestibules and pretty light for a SilNylon double wall tent - 770g.
But the real question
What is Fancy Mays fav
tent
Haha she really enjoys sliding around in the snow with her pack. You can tell she loves the trail.
The stars
For anyone debating the two wall "middle of the road" options: Have to say that the Tiger Wall UL 2 (the original version) has worked really well for me and my (6'2") partner. We've used it for about a total of 8 weeks in a variety of weather (including high wind gusts in an exposed location) and some underused trails where we have to set it up in non-established areas and it has done well. Very light for a two wall $350 shelter and easy to set-up once you understand how the footbox works (once you go through some rain it becomes very obvious). Did end up attaching zpacks dyneema cord with micro linelocs for guylines for extra stability and to the footbox for more flexibility/ease of setup.
I would love to se you try out Dan Durstons X-Mid.
X-MID Rocks!
I’ve been curious about that tent too
Dan Durston has a great explanation of the design and features on the #82 Backpacker Radio interview.
I love mine. Although, I spent a 29° night in it that wasn't all that pleasant.
@Drew Price lol it was just windy and cold air was whipping through the tent.
I would have preferred a fully enclosed shelter that night, or perhaps a better bag.
To prevent sliding downhill in your tent just apply some lines of seam sealant across the bath tub floor. Should help and easy to repeat when they’ve come off
Duplex forever baby! Going on five years with no problems. Nothing can beat the cost to weight ratio, especially when considering the ease of setup. Sooooo much space! If I wasn't using the duplex, I would be using the Altaplex, and if I really needed a free-standing tent, I would go with the Free Duo Tent. There's not really any convincing reason to do otherwise.
You need three tents. The car camping, I don't care tent. The back packing tent. And the winter tent.
Pretty accurate.
Just three!?
@@PagosaCreative Well, actually I own six tents...
@@sirwilliamkarl5591 that’s more like it 🤟
Oh shucks only three?!? I'm going to have to get rid of some then... maybe the canvas wall tent with wood stove?
You have just answered my question on tents. I have been looking for a 2 person tent to backpack with. I will go with the Zpacks duplex. I like the room in a 2 person tent but at my age I also need light weight. Great video and happy hiking!
I agree absolutely. It’s not that I’m trying to get every ounce but then again as I get older every ounce sure makes for a better day. So I guess I am. And my tent is the last thing I want to update.
As a single person with no dog Ive been using the Tarp ten Protrail Li. Its weight, ease of setup and price all work for me. Im not willing to spend more on a tent. It has the one annoyance of getting in but I cut a piece of tyvek a little longer to extend into the vestuble area and all and all it works. Im a big broad shouldered 6 1 guy, and this works for my backpacking habits.
I love my Big Agnes Tiger Wall 2, but it should be noted that it is NOT the Carbon version. It's the original version introduced about 3 years ago. Sturdy, about 3.5 lbs total. The two doors are my favorite feature! I backpack with a 75 lb dog, and this keeps me from crawling over her to get out, and also frees her to look out her own door during the cold mornings!
Nemo Hornet 2p is great for warmer, dry weather, but if the pitch isn’t perfect or the rain is sustained, water can get in, especially if the fly ends up touching and the floor can wet out. The wide end is also effectively single wall and condensation can be an issue. It also sets up inner first and is a sodden heavier mess with days of rain. So, for a recent Tassie trip I wanted a better crappy weather tent. After much research I went with an Sli. It has out performed my expectations and kept me dry in torrential rain, well over 100mm in 24hrs and days of rain on the OT. I had considered the duplex, but given good performance in crappy weather was a huge priority for me, I chose the Sli based on the following features being better for me: double wall (ability to separate and swap out inners if one ever needed repairing and for different conditions, use just the inner or tarp, better star gazing option and better handling condensation), end vents to increase useable space and ventilation, having J doors that don’t fall onto the ground and don’t need to be fully opened when there are lots of bugs, big vestibules that prevent most splash back, have a gutter so can be open in light rain (unlike nemo) and are roomy enough to cook in, a zipper that is less fiddly and more protective than a clip to close the door, octagonal design to increase stability and wind shedding, offset poles to increase ease of entry, excellent built quality and nice little features like magnetic tie backs which have worked well for me. Downsides have been minimal and manageable, but include using trekking pole adapters is more fiddly, but I prefer the point of my poles down for stability and to reduce puncture risk, set up probably more fiddly than duplex, but quick with practice and fantastic I can set it up as one outer first, the struts mean it is better rolled and it is longer, but it works both inside and on the outer of my pack without a problem, expense greater than the duplex, but was close with both inners as I was lucky enough to find one second hand in perfect condition, large footprint, hasn’t been too big an issue so far, slightly shorter than the duplex with less useable room with the inner at 5’8” not an issue and a palace for 1, but could be if closer to 6”, stakes provided are not adequate for soft ground so longer msr stakes are better. Platform anchors are worth it when needed and extra cord may be useful to use different tie out points like trees or make stacking rocks easier/more effective with pitchloc corners. Overall I love this tent and it will most likely be my go to for everything, but I am especially happy with the performance with the solid inner in exposed windy and wet conditions as it is so much warmer, drier, lighter and comfortable than my nemo comparatively. I wish there was a flex kit for it as a a freestanding option, so is it the one tent to rule them all for all conditions. No. Is the duplex a worthy contender yes, but for the crappy weather I want to be comfortable in the Sli is working perfectly for me. Will I still use the Hornet 2p, not sure yet. Having a semi freestanding and smaller footprint option for some conditions have pros, so this is where a double rainbow, free duo, duplex with a flex kit or hopefully something a bit smaller in dcf with a double wall like a 1.5person notch li with a free standing kit would be good 😂. Also still love my copper spur hv 3 for use with 2 p as the cost vs weight savings doesn’t make sense as this is a fantastic and more storm worthy tent than the nemo despite the inner set up first. Time to get ready for the next adventure!
I love your reviews and videos, and ask that you consider reviewing the Drop Durston X-Mid 1P and 2P tents. They’re amazingly affordable, configurable (can set up fly or inner tent alone, lightweight, and the material doesn’t wet out like nylon. It sets up ultra-fast and allows you to set it up or take it down in the rain without getting the inner tent wet. Large, functional vestibules and double doors.
I like the Mid 1P myself. Great recommendation.
Best budget UL shelter system for me: 9.5' x 9.5' silpoly tarp (11.5 oz) and a bivy sack (6.6 oz). Total combined price is $200 USD.
Pros: weather permitting, you don't need to use the tarp and can just get away with the bivy sack to separate yourself from the critters, bugs, etc. Versatility: you have multiple set-up options, even full enclosure (search youtube to learn how to setup your tarp in multiple configurations. Price: obviously $100 bucks is not bad for what you get.
Cons: it's going to take some time to learn what works best for any given situation so you will have headaches from time to time, especially if you are trying to setup a solid pitch in heavy winds.
Neutral: You can use trekking poles to help with structure, and might be necessary if you don't have trees or branches to tie off to. I have no issues with this, but you might.
TL;DR - Tarp and bivy (18 oz / $200)
Hi Dixie, I think that in your reviews you should distinguish between true "double wall" tents, in which the inner is made of nylon and the ones in which the inner is made of mesh. The first kind are warmer and more comfortable in all conditions. In contrast, the mesh tents don't really reduce condensation, which falls on you through the mesh and the wind whistles right through them, so you need a substantially warmer sleeping bag, offsetting the weight saving.
I discussed this point with her once in the past. - My experience with a mesh inner is that it does help against condensation, the mesh (of my cheap LanShan 2) is fine enough to keep the drops caught above it. But you are right with the thermal isolation.
It also depends on the shape of the tent. If the walls are pitched enough the weness gathers and drains down. I like the full mesh for venting- good venting makes a huge difference!
My favorite tent is a system for early spring late fall and winter camping and backpacking is the SMD Gatewood Cape and a an 8oz bivy bag. For summer I will usually leave the bivy bag home and carry the serenity net with the Gatewood Cape. Because it is a shaped poncho shelter I don't have to use a pack cover. The Gatewood Cape cost about $130 to $160, but that doesn't include stakes or poles if you don't use trekking poles and you have to seam seal the seams. It is not free standing and taller people may find it is not long enough. I'm a verticality challenged older female so length is not an issue for me. My Gatewood Cape weighs on at 23oz with stakes after seam sealing and the Serenity Net is an additional 21oz for mine. The Gatewood Cape is made of sil-nylon so it is reasonably durable. It has withstood 30mph winds and 60mph wind gusts and I have pitched it from underneath during a windy rain and hail event in the Sierra range. There is a learning curve to using The Gatewood Cape, but after a dozen nights using it, l I could likely set it up in my sleep. Best wishes on finding the perfect shelter for your needs.
The "regular" Tiger Wall 2 is basically a Fly Creek that is a side entry tent. Awesome tent, under 3 pounds with the footprint and both would be around $470. Love mine!
Always love seeing Fancy Mae!
Thanks for doing this. You opened my eyes to some tent designs that I was not familiar with. I taught backpacking, canoeing, mountaineering and ski touring for 14 years. My favourite tent is the MSR Hubba Hubba two person. I did not see anything here that would challenge that.
The Big Agnes Carbon series certainly seems to have been universally panned. I would suggest the Tarptent Double Rainbow Li as a freestanding alternative (semi by default, totally freestanding with trekking poles on the ends). Not as light as the Tiger Wall, but bigger floor space and usable space.
I have a Sierra Designs lightning II featherlight tent that I love for its simplicity, free standing, durability and it doesn’t make me feel claustrophobic. Also with its brow pole you can leave the door open in the rain and cook from within the tent. It also has two vestibules that are on the sides instead of in front of the door. The trade off? Weight. At a hair over 3lbs it is a lot heavier than the ones you review here. Also, they don’t make it anymore so I got one of the last ones.
I bough the Fly Creek UL 2 because it was the best cost to weight tent I could afford at the time. I cannot overstate just how much I absolutely HATED the head end entry, coupled with the tiny joke of a vestibule. Hated it so much that I immediately replaced it with the Hornet 2P following my first trip with the BA. And that was after sleeping in it just one night. I’ve since replaced the Hornet with the Duplex, which I can’t wait to use this year!
Thanks for the well-rounded review. I have the "regular" BA Tiger Wall 2 UL. It is easy to set up and not as delicate as the "carbon" version. I have not had any problems with it. No way I would spend $1000 on a tent that you have to treat delicately. I take care of my equipment but hey, this is the great outdoors -- there are natural hazards!
I'm a Tarptent Double Rainbow man. I love my tent. Easy to set up, i't has about 750 miles on it with no problems
. It is a single wall tent so I do have some moisture issues but---Single wall & I do not use a ground cloth. Good hiking to all.
you can laugh, but i tried a WAKEMAN OUTDOORS 2 person dome tent. cost: 22$. weight: 2.75 lbs. single wall. no windows. it appeared to be a typical cheap tent. i slept in it at 32 degrees F. once inside the tent i was shocked because the air temperature seemed to have dropped significantly!! indeed, it was warmer inside the tent than outside. the material appeared to be better than any normal cheap tent. there was no condensation in the morning at 36 degrees. seams are sealed. i slept fine with a 50 degree bag. [and space blanket]. in many respects this is still a cheap tent...but it is the highest quality "cheap tent" ive ever slept in and the weight and price cant be beat. i highly recommend it for a budget tent and as such, it is now my favorite tent.
tarptent stratospire LI is in my opinion the best all around tent.....I guess a major con for some would be packability, but there's little to no condensation issues, stable and very versatile...Z packs is up there duplex however the condensation issues I've read are far to many, also the tent doors tend to get trampled on or dirty because of the design, which drops right on the floor in front on you. Also this I think opens the tent door mesh to accidental holes an abrasion.....you also needs far to many stakes to make it bomb proof in real bad weather....again my opinion , zpacks does make great products. The dan durstan 2 xmid is one to consider as well, I read many good things about this tent.....otherwise keep this vids coming they are great!!!
The best tent for the money was my 1st tent.
A Tube Tent. Cost me $2. The rope between 2 trees down the center I already had,,, probably for $1 or less.
Adjustable floor space. The lower the rope down the top center the more floor space. I closed the ends with clothes pins.
In Yosemite Id pin a dirty sock at each end hoping it would deter bears. lol.
Light weight, easy to set up and take down.
No tent pegs ... Walls held out with rocks, logs, or my gear on the floor where the wall comes down to meet it.
It DID keep me dry and I believe a little warmer if only by blocking wind.
Ahhhh ..... Fond memories
My current set up is a Zpacks Pocket Tarp w/ Doors and Zpacks Bathtub Groundsheet. Last summer I used it on the CT, TRT, GC R2R2R and it performed well (enough) in a few hard storms. Given that it's a very minimal shelter I don't think I would use it where there is a constant heavy bug pressure or rain; like the AT, where I loved my Duplex because it gave me a place to escape without feeling confined.
Also, I tried out a Gossamer Gear The One (non-DCF version) and found it warmer and less drafty due to the higher back wall panel. I just wish GG would make The One DCF version with a DCF or heavier woven floor beside the current 7D material. At the current price of The One DCF, I would just buy a Zpacks Plexamid and get a DCF floor.
Great video. Thank you. Comparing the Tarptent to the REI Flash Air 2 convinced me to choose the REI tent. The price is less ($299), and it weighs in at 31 oz (trail weight). So, that $390 extra for the Tarptent would lower the tent weight 3oz or so? Doesn't compute. Plus, the REI warranty of no-hassle returns for 1 year. Just my take on it.
Hey there Dixie, quite late to the comments on this video it seems, it has been an incredibly busy year for me so far.
With regards to tents that work though. I have used a Big Sky International Chinook 1+ tent for a few years now. It i a free standing 4 season tent (although does not have the snow flaps that others do. It weighs in at 1.5kg with the poles, groundsheet and ultralight tent stakes which I know is a far cry from your Duplex etc but every trail I am on I seem to be the only one with such a tent. It is spacious being the 1 plus version, has twin entry, I can pitch anywhere, designed to deflect the wind as much as possible, it all clips together so all you have to do is erect it with the poles on the outside and your tent is up. Downsides are first off, the latter good point. Packing it down as one does make the whole tent wet if it was raining or condensed, it does however dry out extremely fast and is so quick to set up that a lunch break stop is fine to do this on. The SuperSil Nylon does stretch over time to the point that I am having to tie out corners to make it taught but I have used this for thousands of miles in 3 years. They are costly at around $500-600.
All said though they are fantastic tents and I have used it hiking the Camino, the Scottish National Trail, 3 times on the West Highland Way in Scotland, Wainrights Coast to Coast, Te Araroa as well as backpacking in general all over the UK, in Europe and Hawaii. I keep looking at other tents for future trips (PCT hopefully next year) but as this one just keeps working with a little maintenance then I can't part with the money for a new one. Mostly though, weight aside I do wonder why I never hear of this tent.
Good video and comparison for what you've "used".
Regardless of manufacture, I think overall dimensions, in particular Peak Height (especially when you have to live in your shelter for hours in Colorado rain storms) and things like customer service should be considered . If your gear fails on trail, it's nice to know the manufacture will stand behind their products.
Without a doubt, the Zpacks Duplex remains the KIng in the SW 2P NFS Ultralight Class.
Non Free Standing:
Zpacks Duplex 90 x 45 x 45in 48in Peak SW 2P 2D 2V NFS 19.4 oz (Ultralight tent. Used by AT/PCT/CDT thru-hikers. Customer Service has been criticized by many)
Gossomaer Gear The Two Tent 48x 84 x 43in Peak DW 2P 2D 2V NFS 23.5 oz (Also available in Dynema!)
Seek Outside Eulos Canapy and Nest 52 x 90 x 50in Peak DW 2P 2D 2V NFS FO 41.4 oz (Zipperless Canopy with low wind resistance design)
Free Standing:
Big Agnes Tiger Wall UL2 Tent 86 x 52 x 42in 39 in Peak DW 2P 2D 2V FS FO 22.64 oz (Great tent. Used by AT/PCT/CDT/PNT thru-hikers. Awesome Customer Service)
Sea to Summit Alto TR2 Tent 84.5 x 53 x 43in. 42.5in Peak DW 2P 2D 2V SFS FO 41.4oz (Newest on the market, amazing design, air flow and features)
Slingfin Portal Tent 85 x 51 x 42in. 44.0in Peak DW 2P 2D 2V FS FO 46.0 oz (Can be used as a 4-season tent, use hiking poles for additional snow support, and is Bomber Proof)
Note: Groundsheets are not required but highly recommended by all manufactures.
SW = Single Wall
DW = Double Wall
1P = 1 PERSON
2P = 2 PERSON
2D = 2 DOOR
2V = 2 VESTIBULE
NFS - NON-FREE STANDING (Requires Trekking or other Poles to pitch)
SFS = SEMI-FREE STANDING (Requires additional stake-out points to fully pitch)
FO = FLY OPTION ONLY PITCH (Multi-Purpose; Can be pitched with the Fly only, used for sun protection or quick setup in rain)
I have several DCF tents & Tarp tents but just chose Gossamer’s new DCF the Two over ZPacks after much mulling over. I love ZPacks products and use their packs and I have their 3 oz pocket tarp. The primary reason I went with Gossamer The Two tent was the door design difference. The Duplex rainbow door must be opened all the way and it drops down to the ground which can get it wet or dirty and worse let’s all the flying insects in. The GG Two tent door is half the size and opens on one side of the pole however it drapes from above so when it’s open it still covers the opening somewhat and stays off the ground. It is only an oz heavier and a little cheaper. It is worth a look also.
I love the Six Moons Design tents that I've had. The Skyscape/XScape tents are 1 person tents with enough room inside the netting for all of your equipment at prices slightly lower than the Tarptent prices and much less than the cost of other manufacturer's tents. And, the Gatewood cape is a great shaped tarp and rain poncho that is big enough for this 6-foot tall man, and at 11 ounces, allows me to leave my rain jacket at home for no net weight gain versus just my rain jacket (plus it keeps my pack dry as I've proven on several rainy days on trail).
I just purchased a new tent, a Tarptent Aeon, after looking at the Aeon, Stratospire LI and the Z Packs Duplex. My second Tarptent b.t.w. I thought that Tarptents in general are designed much better. I know there are millions of Duplex out there but I saw so many videos of them looking like a saggy bag. I didn't like that the vestibule edge looks like it's a foot off the ground and the bug net zipper opening is so low.
Stuffing a dyneema tent apparently will shorten its life. Yes dyneema is strong but it's the mylar outer laminate that will crack from repeated crunching.
Always enjoy your videos and your opinions.
Thank you for giving the weight in grams, too! 🏕️
(my tent weighs 3.75 kg/8.3 lbs(?) so not LIGHTweight 😆. Fjällräven Abisko dome 3, a bit smaller than a dance palace)
Zpacks Solplex for low weight and I already use trekking poles. I did buy the carbon fiber set up poles for hunting season when I make a base camp and need poles to still go hunting.
I have the original Tiger Wall, and I have enjoyed it so far, though I have not put many miles on it just yet. The 2 person is 2lbs 3oz, costs $400. Mary Mansfield took the tent on her PCT thru hike and has a thorough review here on CZcams, for anyone curious.
I know this may sound silly however a good way to find out if a piece of gear such as a tent is any good, is to look at the price tag over time. If the item goes down in price, it could mean there are better options available. If however, the price tag goes up, then it has been proven to be a good piece of kit and maybe you should have purchased one earlier :)
Globally it appears that there are several markets. The US, Europe (including the UK), and Australia, and markets probably Asian and South American.
So far my kit includes a water filter and I think the sleeping mat is from the US, a sleeping bag from Australia, A rucksack from France, and a tent that is manufactured in Norway. Other elements are the UK in origin.
The tent I have is a Nordisk Telemark 1 ULW which may not be the lightest coming in at 770 grams, however, it has been tested in a wind tunnel up to 24 m/s and still holds up. I bought one for £365 about 3 years ago. The Hilleberg Akto is probably the most bombproof tent available outside of the geodesic winter high altitude tents but it is a bit heavier at 1.5 kg and comes in at £464.
Regardless of where you live, if you have the money, it may sometimes be worth looking beyond the market most readily available to you.
My first tent as a young Boy Scout was a tube tent. It was a giant orange trash bag. First and only time I was forced to use was in a field on a night when we had wind storm. My love for backpacking almost ended that night in embro form. Got a eureka timberline first thing when I got back. Used it for years, still have it for just in case. Moved on though to a north face 4 season 3 man. Ya it’s a bit heavy but the room I’ve have with bed hog monster pup is priceless
I used the Eureka Gossamer tent on the AT back in '98 with good results and I also used a large Noah's tarp but mostly I stayed in shelters. The use of an OR Bug Bivy in the tarp and shelters made for a bug-free night. The ground is so much softer than the softest shelter floor. The Gossamer is (was?) a single-person net-roofed tent with an attached rain fly and aluminum poles. Too small for gear inside the tent for me.
I bought a marmot eos 1p 5? 6? Years ago. Great little tent for $200, still use it,, but I've had to seam seal it a couple times. About 2 pounds with poles and stakes. Has a good sized vestibule, inner bug net and tub, and lots of adjustments for the removable fly (great for cowboy camping feel without bugs). It can get a little cramped if you're a larger person. I'm 6'2, and my feet occasionally hit the inner wall, which isn't a big deal; I've never had it leak. I tend to toss and turn when I sleep, so I occasionally bump the back side of the bug net. Really considering a new x-mid, I can't justify $600 for a zpacks.
I love the Nemo Hornet too (ballin on a budget!), but I just wish Nemo offered a carbon pole option for this tent to make it a little lighter. Nonetheless, always love your videos!
I've owned 5 Tarptents and currently have a SCARP 2, Moment DW and Dyneema Notch Li. Love 'em all. Henry Shires has some of the best tent designs on the market. Good quality and good customer service.
Super tricky finding a tent for a family of 4 to do backpacking. The kids at the time were 5 and 9. We settled on the MEC Camper 4 - my wife and I would split the tent up to distribute the weight, in addition to packing some of the kids gear. No through hiking with them, but 10k hiking in, free standing, quick to set up and light enough for us, and plenty of room. Vestibules are an ok size and the fly goes pretty much right to the ground. And living on the Canadian West Coast.... it rains. When the kids get a little older and can start putting in the mileage, I imagine we'll split up into 2 ultralight tents, but for now we all have to be in the same tent.
yes, four persons is tricky, have a look at the nordisk oppland3, its very roomy for a three person tent, so it might fit all four of you. we are very satisfied with ours for years now. weights 2kg.
I have Dan Durston's 1- & 2- person tents and I will have the single-wall tent he's working on when it's available.
Clip Flashlight II, Bulletproof, extremely well ventilated, tunnel design, 200 bucks. The only tent I use. BUT!, they only last for about three years of continuous daily use.
I have the standard (non-dyneema) Tiger Wall UL2 and can confirm that it's wonderful and holds up well! I got it after my PCT thru but several others I know used it on the trail and it held up well the whole time. Plus REI often has deals on BA gear so I got it for $320 during their Labor Day sale :)
I really like my Nemo Dragonfly tent. It’s lightweight and holds up under a torrential downpour lasting most of the night without leaking. I also have. Little heavier tent I love to use for shorter hikes called Zion 2 person by Hyke and Byke.
Lunar Solo has become my go-to tent. It's lightweight, affordable and roomy. I think it's classified as a 1.5 person tent. Enough room for me and my gear to spread out while not being overly large.
I've used the lanshan 1 and that was a decent tent, the foot end was a bit odd, but the solo gives me just a bit more room.
Good to hear the Z-Packs service is so good. MSR simply sent me back my leaky tent with an instruction on how I should seal the seams myself and that I should buy the sealant for my own money. The tent was only one week old.
I have found the tent that works for me is the Perigrine Radama 1. Polyester tafetta fly has much less condensation than my Bean nylon tent. It is only 2 lbs and sets up easy with 2 poles. Under $200.
I use a Copper Spur and an Xmid, and love both tents, but the Xmid polyester is making me dislike nylon! The xmid is a tricker setup for sure, probably along the lines of the stratospire, but I'm really picky about pitch. Also, I don't ever worry about laying against the walls of the Xmid (better separation and venting). I'd pick a duplex or stratospire if they were gifted, but I haven't convinced myself yet.
I have owned many high end tents, such as MSR's, REI's, Sierra Designs, North Face, and Moss. The last 2 I have purchased are by Alps Mountaineering, and being such good values, my next will probably be another. Both the Lynx 2 and 3 I have, have cost me well under $200.
I have the Lanshan and the Nemo but really like my Six Moon Design Skyscape Trekker2. I enjoy 2 doors with vestibules. It is sil/poly, no stretch on windy wet nights. Cons are that the footprint is very long for tight spaces (8 feet) and seems a bit narrow for two persons. It works great for just me ( 6 footx200 pounds) and has a lot of mesh built inside like a two piece tent but goes up as a single wall type. The inner doesn't get wet in a rainy setup. The best tent is the one you have with you.
If I'll be sleeping alone, I take my Nemo Hornet 2p. It is great, light, easy to put up, and the updates took care of the cons on the earlier model.
With 2 people, canoe camping, or low mileage, I take my Big Agnes Copper Spur HV UL3. At 6'4", I really appreciate to 90" length of the UL3 - that's the main reason I chose it over the UL2 (length is the first thing I look at when selecting a tent, then weight). It's really not that much heavier than the Nemo considering how much room you get, but it'd be overkill on a solo trip where I'm not spending much time in the tent.
Love them both though.
I have used this video to research what budget lightweight to buy. the Zpacks brand I would love to buy but my budget wouldn't allow it. in the end I bought the lanshan 2 flames creed. Thank you for your honest review it has helped me know my options.
Just this morning I ordered myself a Dan Durston X-Mid 1p. It should be delivered in a couple of days, but we're under stay-at-home orders here in Ontario, Canada, so it'll be a while before I can actually test it out. I don't even have a backyard, I live in a condo apartment.
Its got amazing reviews everywhere, it's super light weight, affordable, AND it's Canadian designed! All very important, because our dollar sucks so $$ conversions for any US cottage made tents is heart attack inducing and budget busting.
I had considered the Lanshan before I found the X-Mid, because it is budget friendly, but I try to avoid things from China whenever possible. Shop local ☺
Durston’s tents are made in Asia. Vietnam, I think.
@@Mark-zd7vd designed by a Canadian thru-hiker, and backed/manufactured by Drop, sold on amazon. Still supporting local, which there aren't many Canadian designed or made ultra light gear.
@@musingwithreba9667 “Manufactured by Drop” is a bitbof amisnomer. Drop is basically an aggregator. They sell a lot of things, and some,
-like the X-Mid-have their name on them. But the manufacturing is contracted out to a company in Asia. Just like Apple iPhones, to pick a random example. American company, designed in America, built in Asia. I just now checked the tag on my X-Mid. It says “Made in Vietnam”.
@@Mark-zd7vd and nowhere have I said that it wasn't.
@@musingwithreba9667 My apologies. I misunderstood your statement about avoiding things made in China. Made in, manufactured in, owned by, etc have different meanings to different people. At any rate, I think you will like your X-Mid. I have the one-person as well. It feels roomy because of the huge vestibules.
Dixie, I absolutely love my Zpacks Altaplex tent. I’ve got the older version ( about 4ish yrs old) and have taken it hiking, Motorcyce trips, bicycle touring and just about anything else. It’s my go to tent. I’m trying not to wear it out before I hike the AT ( I’m from up north so I say it with a long A, ha ha.). I’ve got a BA copper spur solo. That’s my second in command tent. But when it’s pouring out, I love my Mountain Hardwear (?) tent. You can spray it with a fire hose and it won’t get wet inside.
Great video. As are all of yours. I’m surprised you couldn’t throw you hammock into the mix to us an idea where that would place.
My two favourite tents are the Lan Shan 1 pro (fits the wide pad) and my Tarptent Morail 2 person tent. Both are light weight under 2 pounds and have survived storm / rain well. For the price and simplicity i love them. With your tarp tent i recommend removing the strutting poles when you pack it down, makes it so much easier for a little bit of extra work. Love your honest (not sponsored) videos!! Thanks Dixie
I personally like the Hyke & Byke tents and sleeping bags although they may be a bit heavy for a thru hike they are a good budget friendly product with a lifetime warranty for section backpacking.
I love mine!
Dan Durston 2P X-mid. Tent. $300. 36oz. Relative easy set up. Lanshan 2 Pro. $179. 1.5lbs.
I would normally of said the Six moons lunar solo was my favorite 1 person backpacking tent. I’m 6”2 and 215lbs and I can take my 6yr old or my 100lb dog with no real issue. However it may not be a cold weather tent. I hiked 20 miles of Mohican state Forrest this weekend and on Friday night the temperatures got down to around 12 degrees. At 4 am I was woken up by a very loud sound. The fabric in the vestibule actually tore in two separate locations. I couldn’t find anything that could of fallen and hit the tent. My best guess is the fabric froze and that combined with the very tight pitch I usually prefer must of caused a failure. Luckily It didn’t rain on Saturday night although some snow of course made its way through the holes. Will contact six moons on Monday to see about getting it repaired. It wasn’t necessarily a defect but rather user error so we will see what can be done about it. The material is their newer sylpoly which I liked because it didn’t stretch when wet but I wonder about the tear strength now.
Wet gear from condensation or durability issues seems to be a problem these days all in the name of saving weight. It’s been my experience that ultralight can let you down when you need it the most! The Dan Durston X mid seems to be a happy medium lMO.
I've got a Duplex in the camouflage pattern for a little more privacy as the other color Duplexes are a bit see through. I'm very happy with it. I also have an Alps Mountaineering Lynx 2 person, I use for motorcycle camping. I like it too, but it weighs close to 6 lbs which is more than I want o carry on a backpacking trip. Some of my friends are trying to get me to switch to a hammock set up, I'm borrowing one and giving it a try, but as a side sleeper, I'm not thinking its going to work. I know my Duplex and Big Agnes Q-Core SLX pad work great for me, and they are lighter than the hammock setups my friends have.
Love my Stratospire Li. Tarptent has a good setup instruction video on CZcams. I use their method and get a perfect pitch every time. You can remove the carbon strut poles to pack the tent if you want. It just takes a few seconds to remove them or put them back in.
Agree on disliking tunnel entry tents. I bought a Kathmandu Skiron Ultralight (1.5 person double wall ultralight hiker) which is brilliant in high winds, heavy rain and a pretty good 3 season tent, nut crawling out of that doorway in the morning is a young persons game!
Always a great video and still the undisputed queen of all things hiking. At our age though, still awaiting your mum's channel! Let's hope this year allows us all out more. Happy new year trails xx
I have a Durston X-Mid 1 one-person, trekking-pole, double-wall tent (but have used it only for short trips so far). It weighs 30 ounces. It can be set up with only four stakes. Very stable in wind, even when the twoguylines are not used. It has two big vestibules. It is made of sil-poly so it does not sag or stretch. Inner tent can remain attached to the fly which makes it easier to set up and take down, and that is especially convenient when it is raining. $225. Sometimes you can find it for less. Only sold at drop.com.
It's available on Amazon now as well.
The past couple days the tents from Lightheart Gear have caught my interest. Though at the moment the color options are limited due to being out of certain fabrics I gather that's not always the case in which case it looks like they'd have a wide array of options to choose from than most tents that only have 1 or 2 color designs.
Tarptent rainshadow 3. Some extra space for myself and my love. He is 6'4" and I wanted something where he wouldn't have to worry about touching the walls all the time. It is a smidge heavier and putting it away isn't as easy as the duplex but everything else is great so far.
Dixie i bought a 3 person tent 3 1/2 lb dual tent 2 end zips i used it for 15 years my nephew still uses it as i moved on to hammock and tarp only 3 years ago the make of the tent eludes me at the mo but i will post it...
^ ^ This 3 person tent is exactly what I’m looking for, please someone help us find it
Its a made in the UK grey outer shell and orange inner...
I love fact that you started to add captions with weigth/distance in metrics. There is so much knowelege comming from "imperial world" that i need to stop and check "how much is it in metric world" that captioning this makes my watchingo so mutch enjoyable
Recently found your channel and I really love it. I've been watching a lot to gain a female perspective on camping/hiking so I know what stuff to tell my wife about. Thank you!
I just got the Plexamid- for my AT thru- really like the set up, haven't used it in the woods yet. In the past I have hammocked- started with some heavier ENO equipment- then went to their UL straps and a Zpack tarp- which, I love and is a really great piece og gear to have for so many things.
The Plexamid, is surprisingly roomy- I am short (5'4") so I imagine the duplex has tons of room!
We (boyfriend, myself and 3 Jack Russells) are doing the Colorado Trail this summer- we are taking our Big Agnes Copper Spur 3 man to accommodate us all for a month- it IS a cushie tent, but has a lot of nice options for vestibule space, awning use and lots of room for us in poor weather. It is a bit heavy, but split between us I think its only about 600 grams.
Hilleberg Akto, 2lb 14 oz, can handle winds up to 80 miles an hour, four season tent, built for mountaineering, $595. If taken care of should last you a lifetime.
But it's almost 3 pounds..... you can get a WAY lighter tent for the same price, so why? The only reason is if you are mountaineering, it's unnecessary for hiking.
It is good I agree, I've had the same Akto for almost 10 years now, and it's still as good as new. However, since I got the Lanshan 2 back in summer 2019, I haven't really used the Akto, as I've kind of gotten addicted to all the space the Lanshan offers, for a bit less weight even.
But yeah, the Akto is no doubt a lot sturdier!
Yes you can get a lighter tent But it won’t with stand mother natures forces as well. The Akto could be reduced in weight if they used carbon fiber instead of still nylon for the outer shell. These tents are designed to be able to take snow load besides wind. They are not fragile enclosures. When you get in these tents you want to know you’re going to be DRY. HILLEBERG Is the Glock of tents! Dependable and reliable to do the job every time. They have years and years of tested performance and durability. But as great as they are they have never solved the condensation problem that all tents suffer from. With a Warmlite sleeping bag and this tent you can go down to -80°F! If you’re down sleeping bag gets wet you are screwed!! The tent can be re-configured in many ways for the weather conditions you expect to have.
www.warmlite.com/product/triple-bag/
I have to add my vote to the several others here for the Dan Durston X-mid tents in conjunction with Drop.com. They are easily the best designed tents on the market. Considering it is not a DCF tent (and dual-walled) the design nearly puts it in competition with DCF tents for weight (1P=28oz & 2P=40oz). Due to its design, high level of craftsmanship (built in the same factory as MSR tents) and its robust 20D Polyester fabric it is extremely durable and storm worthy, IMO more so than any on this list. With a cost of $200 for the 1P and $250 for the 2P it competes with the budget tents for cost with premium features. It is a little hard to get because the demand for it causes Drop to frequently sell out. In a year or two when Dan is able to produce a DCF fly the weight will be within 1-2.5 ounces of comparable 1P & 2P Zpack's tents with far more interior & vestibule space. That will be my next tent purchase. Oh, with a little practice I think it is easier to setup than the Duplex (it has several few stakes needed - don't forget that in the weight calc) and way easier than the Stratospire.
Thank you for sharing the hard-won knowledge. I have never needed ultralight tents before now and it's nice to get a shortcut to better gear without wasting time and money.
Hyke and Byke 2 person. It’s mid weight, comes with gear loft, stake press is invaluable, decent stakes, plenty of storage for under $100. And it’s orange for safety.
I advise against using smooth metal stakes. Use the big, yellow, plastic stakes from Ozark Trail.
Been awhile since I went with a high quality tent but I like the Eureka Spitfire series. I like the reasonably lightweight design and durability. Everything about it is well rounded including the price. Doesn't make much noise in the wind either and is made by a company that produces tents for the US military.