Tents, Hammocks, and Tarps

The Slingfin 2Lite is a lightweight double-walled two-person tent that has excellent interior room and is easy to set up. Weighing 2 pounds 10 ounces (minus tent stakes) it has two doors enabling easy entry and exit, with large side vestibules for gear storage. An exoskeleton-style pole system helps maximize …

The Zpacks Plexamid is a one-person, single-wall ultralight tent that weighs 14.8 ounces. It is made with 0.51 oz/sq. yard Dyneema Composite Fabrics (DCF), a waterproof material that has does not stretch or sag, making it well-suited for lightweight tents, tarps, and stuff sacks. But, while the Plexamid “checks all …

The REI Half Dome 2 Plus is a luxurious, but surprisingly affordable two-person camping and backpacking tent with an extra-large interior that’s perfect for couples who want more room to spread out and relax. It has a dome shape with two doors and two vestibules for easy access and gear …

The MSR FreeLite 2 is a two-person, double-wall tent that has a trail weight of 41 ounces. Considered a semi-freestanding tent, it has a single-pole system that is quick and easy to assemble. There are two doors with vestibules and the interior of the tent is surprisingly large with 48″ …

The Eureka Solitaire AL is an updated version of the original Eureka Solitaire 1-person bivy tent, named the Eureka Solitaire FG-1 (see review) . The new model comes with more durable aluminum poles, replacing the fiberglass poles that broke frequently on the older model. The new model is also about …

Kammok’s Ultralight Camp Kit is a minimalist backpacking hammock setup that includes the: Roo Single UL Hammock, The Kuhli UL tarp, and the Python 10 UL Hammock Suspension Straps. These three elements are also sold separately. Hammockers who are sleeping anywhere below 75*F will also need to add top and …

The Big Agnes C-Bar Two Person Tent is a surprisingly affordable backpacking tent with a trail weight of 3 lbs 9 oz. Fully-featured, this double-wall tent is easy to set up and made with heavier and more durable materials than Big Agnes’ ultralight backpacking tents. If you’re looking for a …

The Gossamer Gear Twinn Tarp is an ultralight backpacking tarp that can accommodate two people and gear. It covers a generous 47 square feet and is easy to set up with two trekking poles or tied between two trees. The tarp is constructed from 10D high tenacity nylon with a …

The Tarptent Aeon Li is a one-person Dyneema trekking pole tent that weighs 15.8 oz. It’s basically a half-pyramid shape, modified so that it has more usable headroom and interior space than regular pyramid tents and tarps. It has a built-in bathtub floor sewn to the sidewalls with mesh for …

Kammok’s Pongo Pad and Puffin Pillow are a lightweight inflatable sleeping system offering comfort and versatility for various sleeping positions in a hammock or on the ground. While the concept of using an inflatable sleeping pad for back insulation in a hammock sounds simple, it’s harder to securely attach it …

The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Echo II Ultralight Shelter System is a modular tarp shelter system with three components that can be mixed and matched depending on your trip requirements. Made with Dyneema fiber, it’s also very lightweight enabling it to be used by one or two people with little weight …

The Paria Breeze Mesh Bivy is an affordable and spacious single person bug bivy for use under a tarp or by itself in dry weather.  Bug bivies are more spacious than bivy sacks with floors and sidewalls to keep rain from splashing back under your tarp. They’re far more livable …

The ENO SubLink Hammock Shelter System contains all of the components necessary for backpacking with a hammock, except foam padding or some other insulation to keep your back warm at night. If you’ve never hammocked or want to get into backpacking with a hammock, buying an integrated system like this …

The Hyke & Byke Antero 15 is a hybrid ground sleeping bag and hammock peapod insulation system meant to lower the cost of entry into outdoor recreation. I recently reviewed another hammock peapod system, the Outdoor Vitals MummyPod. The Hyke and Byke Antero 15 is a similar concept but it …