Choosing an Ultralight Shelter for Backpacking (Member Q&A)

How to make the decision of what type of ultralight shelter to use on various types of backpacking trips in different seasons.

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Live Event Info: Choosing an Ultralight Shelter for Backpacking (Member Live Q&A) – October 7, 2021 6:00 PM US Mountain Time

Backpacking Light Q&A Sessions are Hour-Long Members-Only Live Events – they are recorded and the recorded session will be made available below after the live event has ended.

To access the live or recorded (video) version of this event, a printable slide deck for note-taking, and the related resources/downloads, you must be logged in with an active Premium or Unlimited Membership.

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Event Agenda

Scope

Ultralight shelters come in a variety of styles, types, and fabrics. In this Member Q&A, you’ll learn about the strengths and limitations of bivy sacks, tarps, floorless pyramids, ~~hammocks~~ (we are planning a dedicated Q&A about hammocks later), and various styles of trekking pole and curved-pole shelters. In addition, you’ll learn about the most common ultralight fabrics used in these shelters, including Dyneema Composite Fabrics, silpoly, and silnylon – and how these fabrics differ in terms of their performance. The goal is to present a framework that allows you to select a shelter type for a particular environment and hiking style.

1. Keynote: AN OVERVIEW OF ULTRALIGHT BACKPACKING SHELTERS (~30 minutes, by Ryan Jordan)

Shelter objectives – what’s the context in your overall gear kit?
Styles of ultralight shelters
Ultralight shelter fabrics: Dyneema Composite Fabrics, silnylon, and silpoly
Considerations: wind, rain, snow, livability, privacy
Ground sheets, guylines, and tent stakes
Case studies: summer, shoulder season, and winter shelters

2. SHELTER Systems Q&A (~30 minutes)

Tarp tent style shelters in rain and wind – do they really stay dry?
What UL tent do you recommend for bad weather (rain, wind, snow) like what is found in Alaska?
I have issues with an MSR Flylite in rain/wind and above the treeline. Alternatives?
What’s up with tents that have mesh bathtub floors (like ZPacks)? What’s the point?
I use a Six Moon Designs Gatewood Cape. Are there similar styles out there? Lighter options? DCF?
Which tarps do you recommend?
Favorite ground sheet?
Why so few DCF double-wall tents on the market?
How best to stake out a tent in a foot of sugary snow?
Best DCF tents for long-term durability?
Flat tarps, various pitch configurations, bias stretch, and silnylon vs silpoly vs DCF?

3. Open Q&A (~20 minutes)

No open Q&A on this one – it’s 100% shelters!

Members-Only: Attend the Live Event/Watch the Recorded Video & Access Additional Resources

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This topic has 4 replies, 5 voices, and was last updated 3 years, 1 month ago by jscott.

Viewing 5 posts - 1 through 5 (of 5 total)

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Posts
Oct 7, 2021 at 7:00 pm #3729086

Backpacking Light
Admin

@backpackinglight
Locale: Rocky Mountains

Companion forum thread to: Choosing an Ultralight Shelter for Backpacking (Member Q&A)

How to make the decision of what type of ultralight shelter to use on various types of backpacking trips in different seasons.

Oct 7, 2021 at 8:17 pm #3729090

AK Granola
BPL Member

@granolagirlak

I listened in, but was also working. I missed some of the part about DCF being weaker at the seams. I have noticed with my Notch Li that the vestibule zipper can often be stretched pretty tight, and have wondered if this is too much pressure along that stitching.

Good quick session. I learned a bit about the different fabrics. And that I still really like my Notch Li.

Oct 9, 2021 at 2:37 am #3729265

John S.
BPL Member

@jshann

My goal is to never own anything made of DCF (cost for larger items, not stuffable, etc). We’ll see if that holds.

Oct 10, 2021 at 12:47 pm #3729344

Eric Blumensaadt
BPL Member

@danepacker
Locale: Mojave Desert

1.) Given that I always use hiking poles a shelter supported by them will reduce carried weight.

2.) A Dyneema shelter is lighter than a silnylon shelter

3.) I prefer a double wall shelter for protection from condensation and bugs/creepy crawlies

Therefore a Tarptent Notch Li suits my 3 season shelter needs perfectly. With a mostly “solid” interior that actually weighs less than an all mesh interior and keeps out blown dust (or a rare snowstorm) I chose that.

MODS: 1.) 4 stake loops sewn on the fly hem onto double reinforcements

2.) inner tent dyed green (with RiT DyeMore synthetic dye) for more privacy & shade

Oct 10, 2021 at 2:27 pm #3729352

jscott
BPL Member

@book
Locale: Northern California

I agree 100% with Eric. But I’ve never used the Notch li. Still, it looks to tick all my boxes–plus, it seems to be very storm and wind worthy.
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Choosing an Ultralight Shelter for Backpacking (Member Q&A)

By Backpacking Light

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