That $300 ultralight tent I bought for the PCT was a mistake from day one

I spent way too much time reading reviews before I got the Tarptent Protrail back in 2021 for the Pacific Crest Trail. It weighed under 2 pounds which seemed perfect until I set it up in the first heavy wind near Mount Whitney. The single pole design just collapsed and I spent 20 minutes trying to fix it in the dark. Cost me $300 which was a lot for me at the time and I ended up switching to a cheap $90 Alps Mountaineering tent I bought at a REI garage sale in Portland. That heavier tent saved my trip through Oregon when the rain came down hard for three days straight. Anyone else get burned by a ultralight tent that couldn't handle real weather?

2 comments

2 Comments

the_sam4d ago

The single pole design really is the weak point on those ultralight tents. Staking them out perfectly in every direction is the only way to keep them standing, but that takes way too long when you're tired. Investing in a cheap but sturdy backup tent is probably the smartest move for anyone doing a long hike.

phoenix_bailey4d ago

...and that's exactly it, @the_sam. The time it takes to get those stakes just right is exactly when you're most likely to mess it up, when you're tired after a long day. People overlook how much fiddling those single pole tents require. I've seen too many folks fighting a sagging tent at midnight because they skipped a guy line or two. A simple, no-fuss backup that pitches fast could save you a lot of grief and lost sleep on a long trail.