While doing research on lightweight camping equipment, everything kept coming back to “The Big Three”. Pack, shelter, and “sleep system” (used to be sleeping bag!). The first thing I replaced was my pack. Next on the list was my shelter.
In the past, I have had (and I still have!) a whole bunch of tents, ranging from a “Unishelter” bivy, to a 10-person Coleman job – the Tent Mahal.
For solo trips, or with my dog, I have recently used a single person, cheap tent from Alps Mountaineering – the Zephyr 1. I got it on SteepAndCheap.com a few years back, for about $80 USD. It weighs in at only 1625g, or a little over 3.5 pounds (body, fly, and poles). It’s pretty small, but both the dog and I fit inside. There is very little vestibule space.
If I feel I need a little more space, I have my MEC Tarn 3 tent. Like the Zephyr, it is a double wall mountaineering style tent, and weighs in at about 3100g – close to seven pounds. Great for spreading out, and for hiding all my gear in when I wander off for the day… And a really nice sized tent for two, despite the weight.
In the past, I have also used a simple sil-nylon tarp, supported by a pair of trekking poles. It is light-weight, but I wasn’t a fan of the open ends, or of the lack of protection from bugs.
I looked at some ultralight options from the smaller manufacturers, but the prices pretty much took my breath away. So I looked for options… I have a sewing machine, and I know how to use it, so why not? I found this video on YouTube, and was incredibly impressed. It is fully enclosed with mesh, has a full bathtub floor, and doors front and back. It is not free-standing, and requires a pair of trekking poles to pitch. Which is OK, because as I get older I find I like using poles more and more…
I ordered a bunch of material and bits from good old Ripstop By The Roll, and went to work. It is not perfect, but here it is:
I have used this tent for about fifteen nights, or so, and am pleased with it so far. It weighs about 1050g, plus stakes and poles (carbon fiber trekking poles, 465g) and has a lot more interior space and vestibule space than the Zephyr. I used it on top of Capilano Mountain last fall, where the winds went wild overnight, and it held up just fine. There will be a Version 2.0 eventually, but for now this is working well!
Hello,
I saw that you have a integral designs unishelter bivy and I was wondering what your opinion was of its quality?
Regards,
Bob
Hi Bob,
I haven’t used the Unishelter a whole lot, but that is primarily because of the conditions I’m usually hiking in – as a Coastal BC hiker, rain is a big part of my equation. Since a bivy doesn’t give room for sheltering a pack, boots, etc. from rain, it is not often my shelter of choice. (Perhaps if I packed along a silicone impregnated tarp as well – but then I start losing out on the idea of going small and light.) I have used it in Utah, for example, and locally when the weather is looking *perfect*, but that’s not so often… That said, I really like the Unishelter – I like the quality of the construction, and find it relatively spacious and comfortable. Something to keep in mind, though, is that mine is quite a few years old – at least ten years, but probably 12 or so. I can’t guarantee that they haven’t changed design/materials/methods in the meantime.
Hope this helps!
Cheers,
Kevin