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THE BIG AGNES
SEEDHOUSE SL1
The Seedhouse is the backcountry
hermit's shelter
of choice. Big Agnes has
created
one of the lightest
single-person shelters around,
featuring gossamer-thin,
coated ripstop nylon rainfly
and floor materials, a no-see-um
mesh canopy and thin-wall
aluminum poles. Trail-ready,
it weighs just over
a kilogram. And claustrophobes
need not fear. While
the Seedhouse is among the
lightest
solo tents, it also
boasts a
two-square-metre
floor area, making it one of
the most spacious in its class.
It's a good idea to buy the
optional footprint to protect
the ultralight floor. Price $279.
See it at www.bigagnes.com
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It's amazing how much security a two-kilogram
bundle of fabric and a few aluminum poles can
provide. Inside my trusty tent, I've sat through
howling winds on Vancouver Island's west coast
that threatened to turn the whole works into
an accordion. My tent has also shielded me from
30 hours of non-stop rain on Lake Superior's North
Shore. Despite the furious conditions nature has thrown
my way, my tent and I have always made it through.
And when it's time to move on, my lightweight home
has never slowed me down.
A great tent is a camper's best friend. The latest
backcountry shelters are blending computer-aided
design with wind-tunnel testing, ultralight
fabrics and
frames built from high-tech materials to
create a new
wave of spacious and storm-worthy domiciles
that pack
down to the size of a loaf of bread.
The science of tents begins and ends with the
fabric and frame. Most styles feature a
double-wall
construction and combine a porous canopy
and a
coated rainfly to create a breathable yet
sturdy
waterproof shelter. Tear-resistant ripstop
nylon and
breezy, bugproof no-see-um mesh are the
preferred
fabrics for canopies. To create waterproof
rainflies,
manufacturers typically use polyester or
nylon coated
with polyurethane and silicone. Factory-sealed
seams
prevent leaks and eliminate the need for
do-it-yourself
upgrades. Some tent floors now have silicone
integrated into the fabric yarn to keep
you dry from
the bottom up. A measurement known as water-column
height indicates the degree of waterproof
protection a tent provides. When shopping
for a
tent, look for a minimum of 1,500 millimetres
for
rainflies and 2,000 millimetres for floors.
A "footprint"
may seem like extra weight in your pack,
but it's a good idea for protecting the floor from sharp sticks
and rocks.
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MOUNTAIN EQUIPMENT CO-OP TGV
The TGV is a tent with a pedigree. Mountain Equipment Co-op
(MEC) took its bomber-tough Lightfield mountaineering
tent, subtracted a pole, replaced the remaining three
poles with ultralight scandium tubes and added a
centre connector to stiffen the frame and simplify
the set-up. After extensive year-round testing in
the Rockies, a new two-person, 3.1-kilogram
tent was born. The TGV features MEC's
proprietary silky light, highly breathable canopy
and heavy-duty floor fabric that's waterproof-rated to a
whopping 10,000 millimetres. Price $269. See it at www.mec.ca
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Structurally speaking, a tent gets its backbone
from space-age metals, such as aluminum alloys.
Tent frames
are made of shock-corded poles — multiple sections
of
pole connected by a built-in flexible cord — that
give
them a bend-but-don't-break flexibility
in raging weather. The poles, walls and floor are
held together by
way of clips, sleeves and grommets. Models
that use
clips go up faster than those held together
with sleeves.
If ease of assembly is a priority, take
a look at the dome-shaped,
free-standing designs, which are easy to
pitch
and can be moved short distances. Bear in
mind,
however, that all tents require stakes and
guylines in
strong winds.
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SIERRA DESIGNS
HYPERLIGHT 3 AST
Most three-person tents suffer an
identity crisis: though spacious
for two, they're cramped for
three. Not so with the Hyperlight.
It's a veritable castle, with four
square metres of floor space,
and its 2.7-kilogram weight puts
most two-person tents to shame.
Sierra Designs incorporated
silicone in the rainfly and oodles
of mesh in the canopy to pare
down the pounds. Still, the
Hyperlight is plenty tough.
Wind-tunnel testing suggests
that its Arch Support Technology
frame geometry increases
strength by 40 percent. Price
$475. See it at
www.sierradesigns.com
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Tents are classified as suitable for three
or four
seasons. Three-season models are designed
with more
mesh in the canopy and fewer poles in the
frame,
features that invite better air circulation.
Four-season
tents, with their heavy-duty fabrics and
labyrinth of
poles, are made for the harshest conditions
and will
stand tall in a fierce storm. The latest
four-season tents
are now lighter than ever, making them a
solid choice
for every outdoor need.
The age of home improvement isn't lost on tent
manufacturers. Tents with a second door
work well if
you plan to share your space with others.
A vestibule
offers out-of-the-way dry storage, augmenting
interior room. For the ultimate in camping
curb
appeal, however, choose a tent made of
brightly coloured fabric. Not only is
it easy to
spot, but it helps keep your spirits up
as you
while away the hours in foul weather.
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