sooner this twelvemonth we told you about a new multiplication of tents that are ditching the traditional dome and triangles for an all - unexampled form : cube . And gentleman , you guys found some flaws in that idea . Will the ceiling pool pelting or the sides collapse in high farting ? We took one backpacking in Yosemite to observe out .
What is it?
TheTensegrity 1 FLtent is an ultralight 1 - person , 3 - season tent that seeks to minimise weight while maximize livable blank space . Traditionally , it ’s been one or the other .
To do that , it manifestly ditches the dedicated poles , instead relying on now - democratic trekking poles . But other tent have done that for years . The real secret here are the upright side and front .
It also ditch some traditional tent features . While the side are a traditional double - paries design where you could nada - end the waterproof fabric behind the mesh body and the pes uses a traditional tiny - foyer - over - mesh arrangement , the front is more of an undefendable porch than it is an enclosed structure and the roof is single - rampart .
Traditional backpacking tent would more typically engage a mesh body with a separate rainfall - fly stretched over that . This “ forked - wall ” transcription maximize ventilation , grant condensate from your breath and body to escape the tent while teetotal airwave is loose to flow in . But two stratum doubles the weightiness .
The Tensegrity is uncommitted in a few different savor : there ’s one and two - person varieties , as well as “ Elite ” and “ FL ” version , with the former using fancier , lighter material . The Elite costs more money as a result . The Sierra Designs Tensegrity 1 FL we ’re review here retail for $ 320 and weighs 2lbs , on the olfactory organ . The Elite 1P is $ 400and drops 5 oz .
The chief room access on the right side of this 1P is basically the whole side paries , as is the mesh windowpane on the other side . In gain to that , there ’s a windowpane / lower-ranking door in the front wall that opens up to the porch blank . Between the power to open up the walls and windows full , partly open , or clear with the mesh closed to keep the hemipteron out , there are plenty of public discussion options .
Beyond this , there ’s a rearward hoop pole for the foot area , 9 stakes , 4 guylines , a collapsible shelter stuff sack and a reposition travelling bag for the pole and stakes . This tent pitch with the economic consumption of trek pole , but an optional separate pole readiness can be purchased if desired . You could substitute sticks of an appropriate duration for the two master poles at the top , but in doing so you could be reducing the body structure ’s immunity to wind while add together dogfight and time to the set up .
The sizing of the packed tent is just about about 10L , with the pole and stakes bag able to bond to , or be kept freestanding from the tent . It ’s nice that Sierra Designs acknowledge that modern backpackers opt to carry their tent pole outside their multitude and does n’t feel it necessary to spec a tent purse that ’s oversized to accommodate that rod .
Using it
As a backpacker striving for lighter and modest equipment , the Tensegrity 1 FL is a expectant pick . It conjoin me on a 4 - dark trip backpack in Yosemite National Park . I hold on the pole / stakes purse separate , carry them upright in the corner of my pack , and the tent sack near to the bottom , horizontally .
Pitching the collapsible shelter was n’t super flat - forward and I ended up I miss a step , even following the instructions on the tag end :
Lay the tent down on a flat control surface
Stake the corners
Put your extended pole into the corners of the front wall
Stake the tarpaulin from the middle ( which will get up the poles )
Stake the corner of tarp
Remove the middle tarp stake
Adjust guylines
Put in rear pole in the metrical unit area
Admittedly I did n’t know to take out the mediate stake of the tarpaulin ( # 6 ) and wondered why the tent did n’t look perfect , but this did n’t blockade its function as a shelter .
From here , there are a few contour that can turn this shelter from batten down down to maximal ventilation in fair weather . stake the secondary guylines from the corners of the front wall allow for the opportunity to roll the tarpaulin up , exposing the mesh - only windowpane . This is neat to employ during favorable conditions at dark for a keen view . With a 2nd set of perch ( or reefer / things to tie thing to ) the tarpaulin can become a canopy cater a shaded porch on a sunny Clarence Shepard Day Jr. or go along non - wind - labour rainwater off your gear .
The trekking poles slip into corner air pocket on the top of the front wall , and into the grommet tabs on the bottom , which are adjustable to whichever sizing poles you ’re using — a clever and efficient solution .
The front door / windowpane onto the porch is interlocking - only . So , with the canopy staked out , forth from it , there ’s good ventilation there , along with well-fixed approach to your poppycock . An agreement that does n’t spoil access into and out of the doorway .
But , even with the large mesh side rampart speed partly open , the single bulwark cap still collected condensation , which got my slumber bag wet . In cold , but above freezing conditions , this could be a real problem . Particularly if you travelling bag is n’t insulated bywater - tolerant down .
The floor was a little larger than my quiescency pad and let out towards the top . deliver supernumerary space up top made a lot of horse sense as I was able to change comfortably sitting up . This is n’t something I ’ve experienced in minimum pack shelters before and I appreciate the applied science — fix it feel like the distance is optimize well to reduce needless fabric weight .
Breaking down collapsible shelter is easy as you just remove all the stakes and poles , stuff the tent into its pocket and get back on the track .
We did n’t experience anything approaching extreme atmospheric condition on this trip , but the tent observe what little hurry there was off the vertical sides thanks to its minimal overhangs and the collapsible shelter did n’t parade any signs of being unduly subject to twist . As with any such tax shelter , you need to orient the foot into the wind to maximise stableness .
Staking the porch canopy moneyed or close to the top of the tent will definitely keep atmospheric condition out there .
Who’s it for?
The Tensegrity exist in an odd place between much lighter ( but also much more spartan ) ultralight pack shelters and common backpacking tents . I think what ’s going on here is that Sierra Designs has key that even free-and-easy backpacker are now moving more ultralight in their approach and both wants to advance that approach and facilitate hoi polloi ’s conversion into it .
At 2lbs , true ultralighters are n’t going to ditch their tarps for one of these . But , if you ’re a regular packer looking for a lighter protection , you use trekking poles and you value bug protective covering , then the Tensegrity will give you a full - enclosed social organization that ’s unprecedentedly liveable for a 1p .
Having said that , it ’s the 2P interlingual rendition of this pattern that we palpate defecate the most sense . There , with a total of four trekking poles , you put on a more easily - erected porch structure that ’s now orotund enough to ready or hangout under in inclement weather condition , while providing doors on each side to allow easy entry and egress . The weightiness penalty for scale up to 2P is minimum too ; the FL version weighs just 10 oz more and costs $ 390 . That ’s a much sweeter point for a tax shelter , providing a better mortal - to - price - to - weight than this 1P.
The good
I love how versatile the design is . unfastened and livable its a squeamish accompaniment to a group camp in the summer . Battened down , it ’ll keep the weather off . All while render solid upcountry space .
The jammed size is impressively diminished and the fact that I can distinguish the rod / stakes storage bag from the collapsible shelter stuff sackful made it super easy to pack .
The weight is low , not as light as others can get , but telling considering its price full stop and livability .
When pitch , the tent stood solid . I personally wish using trekking poles as they ’re stronger than tent poles .
The bad
The colouring material . It ’s chicken with a beige top and looks like a giant cheese hero sandwich .
Moisture was a ugly issue when I used it , no matter how ventilated . And with wet on the roof , the low top of the foot domain was a pain in the neck as the sleeping bag kept getting sloshed just rise my feet an inch .
Should I buy it?
Dedicated ultralighters will be better served by tarp and other unconventional shelter . Casual campers will gain from a larger , free - stand up dome tent .
But , if you ’re looking to take weight out of your shelter system without sacrificing liveability or bug protection , the Tensegrity may be a good thought . specially if you ’re shopping for the 2p .
With the compression build up , however , we ’re reluctant to recommend this collapsible shelter over our favorite 2P backpacking collapsible shelter though . The $ 400Big Agnes Copper Spur UL2is only 2 oz heavy , yet is freestanding , larger and better vent .
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