Appreciation post: I thought the 'ultralight' tent craze was just hype

I bought a Durston X-Mid 2 tent for a 5-day trip in the White Mountains last fall, fully expecting it to be flimsy. After a solid night of wind and rain, I woke up bone dry and the thing hadn't even flinched. The whole setup is under 3 pounds and packs down smaller than my old sleeping bag. It completely changed my mind on cutting weight. Anyone have a similar story with gear you thought was just a gimmick?

2 comments

2 Comments

johnson.willow26d ago

My old rain jacket was basically a trash bag with sleeves.

hunt.taylor26d ago

Oh man, that reminds me of my buddy's coat disaster last fall. He wore this cheap plastic jacket to a football game in a downpour. By halftime, the thing had basically melted onto his arms, and the hood funneled water right down his back. He was so much wetter than if he'd just stood in the rain without it. We still give him grief for looking like a soaked trash bag that day. Some jackets really are just fancy plastic bags.