Call me old-fashioned, however when requested to image a one-person tent, my thoughts floods with photos of coffin-like, cramped vestibules that feed my worst claustrophobic terrors. Dramatic a lot? Maybe. That stated, I used to be over the moon to find that Hyperlite Mountain Gear’s (HMG) Mid 1 tent is something however the nightmare gasoline I’ve envisioned.
Produced from sturdy, waterproof DCF, this single-wall ultralight tent requires only one trekking pole and nil gymnastics to arrange. The pyramid-shaped Mid 1 boasts 54 inches of head room and 21 sq. ft of flooring house — sufficient to sleep starfish-style, plus loads of further room to stow all of your gear inside with you.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 Tent At a Look
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 in all its glory
MSRP: $599
Weight: 16.8 oz (not together with stakes)
Supplies: Dyneema Composite Cloth (DCF5 and DCF10), No-See-Um Mesh
Peak Top: 54 inches
Space: 21 sq. ft
Circumstance of Overview
I put the Mid 1 via its paces throughout the various terrain of Colorado, from the dry desert to the formidable alpine tundra. Most steadily, this tent weathered each day afternoon thunderstorms throughout early monsoon season, withstanding excessive winds, reasonable rain, and occasional hail.
I additionally examined the tent in various landscapes, tenting close to condensation-causing lakes, in wooded areas, on grassy knolls, and even in rocky, stake-less terrain.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 Options
Adjustable Bathtub Flooring
The inside of the Mid 1 is kind of spacious, particularly for one hiker plus a backpack full of substances, measuring 32 by 96 inches. HMG thoughtfully designed this tent to characteristic a specialty bathtub flooring that’s adjustable by way of shock twine to both improve airflow on good nights or maintain moisture out on stormy ones. With six inches of depth protection, I felt shielded from the weather when it precipitated.
A more in-depth have a look at the adjustable shock twine factors on the tub flooring for extra air flow or safety in opposition to the weather.
Single Pole Body
The Mid 1 stands effortlessly with one trekking pole set to 135 centimeters, plus or minus 5 centimeters to offer you some set-up wiggle room. When you’re a thru-hiker with a ardour for carrying only one strolling stick, the Mid 1 will help that way of life. Plus, HMG massively received me over with an excellent nifty pole jack. Produced from carbon fiber, this ingenious resolution attaches to the underside of any trekking pole to offer it an additional six inches of top, guaranteeing you aren’t left wanting any headspace.
Pyramid Fashion Shelter
The Mid 1 is a pyramid-style tent with two peak vents to scale back condensation on the within. At 54 inches most top, most hikers ought to be capable of comfortably sit contained in the tent, with further respiratory room for some R&R after a protracted day of climbing.
Handy Doorway
Crafted from No-See-Um mesh, the one crescent interior door is made to simply enter and exit the tent across the trekking pole body. On the outside, the DCF cowl can seamlessly be opened or closed with one hand, and saved tucked away for a extra open surroundings by a magnetic maintain.
Straightforward, Breezy Set Up
This tent options a number of tie-outs to cater to your preferences or necessities attributable to climate. At a minimal, it requires six perimeter tie-outs, all simply arrange in a matter of some minutes. This shelter additionally options a number of guylines on the tent’s physique to supply a extra taut exterior, for a grand complete of 11 doable tie-outs.
What’s the 411 on Trekking Pole Tents?
The Mid 1 conveniently solely requires one trekking pole to arrange: superb for thru-hikers who carry one stick or discover themselves with a damaged pole mid thru-hike.
Single-wall trekking pole tents appear to be they’re right here to remain. Lighter and extra packable, thru-hikers typically go for these non-freestanding shelters over conventional tents. Moderately than bringing the additional weight of devoted poles, which might solely be used to arrange a tent, hikers are actually making double use of an merchandise most already carry: trekking poles.
The Mid 1 is a non-freestanding shelter that solely requires one trekking pole to pitch, providing alternatives for enormous weight financial savings. Not solely are hikers in a position to shed ounces, however the physique of the tent turns into extra packable as effectively with out tall, inflexible poles crammed contained in the pack.
Non-Freestanding Tent Execs and Cons
So what’s the thin on trekking pole tents? No one’s excellent, and single-wall tents should not with out points. An enormous consideration for a lot of is the training curve that may include setup. Nonfreestanding tents require exact stake placement and tightening of guylines. Although they do include how-to manuals, I’ve typically discovered I want a number of nights within the backcountry to mess around with angles earlier than I get it proper.
Additionally, not like with freestanding choices, trekking pole tents require using stakes to carry their form. This may increasingly restrict your tenting places. If tenting on rocky surfaces that tent stakes can’t sink into, nevertheless, there are options. Wrapping the tie-out factors round heavy rocks or timber can work in a pinch. Nonetheless, campsite choice undoubtedly requires extra thought with a trekking pole tent.
Moreover, many of those shelters are additionally single-walled, which suggests correct air flow is vital to avoiding condensation on the inside of your tent. Luckily, the Mid 1 provides plentiful resolutions to keep away from waking up in a clammy mess, with a number of peak air flow factors and a mesh bathtub flooring for additional breathability.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 Execs
Lofty Ceiling and Spacious Inside
As an average-height 5’5″ feminine, I can affirm my head was nowhere close to the impressively tall ceiling of the Mid 1. Although I acknowledge many hikers are seemingly far taller, I estimate that even individuals with many inches on my top would nonetheless get pleasure from satisfactory headroom.
The luxurious quantity of livable house boosted this tent in my rankings tenfold. On wet afternoons, I may simply turn into dry garments whereas crouched comfortably or sit upright whereas consuming meals from the consolation of my shelter with out feeling cramped.
Moreover, I used to be impressed with the sq. footage. At 32 by 96 inches, I may comfortably match a sleeping bag and pad, myself, and all my gear splayed out on the tent flooring with further room to spare. If I had been dwelling on the path for months at a time, I’d really feel fairly spoiled to spend many hours in a tent as spacious as this.
All smiles right here! At 5’5″, I’m sittin’ fairly with loads of vertical headspace to spare.
Brief Trekking Poles? No Drawback
Fact be informed, I used to be woefully unprepared when this tent arrived on my doorstep — I at present hike with the ladies’s Leki Cressida FX Carbon trekking poles, which max out at a stubby 120 centimeters and are sometimes far wanting the required top for a trekking pole tent.
Luckily, HMG preemptively anticipated my wants (and certain the wants of lots of you, too). The Mid 1 comes with an ingenious trekking pole jack that immediately provides top to your pole, guaranteeing practically all poles are appropriate with the tent so that you simply’re not left excessive and dry.
Produced from carbon fiber, you merely slide the underside of your trekking pole into this 0.6-ounce, 6-inch jack, and voila — your pole is immediately appropriate with the tent’s required top. Positive, it’s an additional piece of kit, and sure, if you happen to personal a 130+ centimeter trekking pole, this professional turns into a moot level. However I’d be mendacity if I didn’t say a very good chunk of my vitality for this rave assessment comes from this considerate, nifty characteristic.
Maxed Out on Air flow
As beforehand talked about, I’ve encountered the condensation concern loads of occasions whereas pitching a trekking pole tent alongside a wonderful (however damp) alpine lake. Nonetheless, Hyperlite Mountain Gear does its greatest to fight condensation with breathability-enhancing options added rigorously all through the Mid 1. Along with the twin peak air flow on the tent’s cone-shaped high, the Mid 1 additionally options an adjustable bathtub flooring with six inches of depth.
Not solely was the tub adjustability superb for days the place I wanted a bit extra storm proofing, however the mesh panels connected to the DCF flooring supplied much more alternatives to let air out at each the highest and backside of the tent.
But the mesh by no means compromised general sturdiness or weatherproofing. I nonetheless awakened with some condensation on the partitions, primarily when tenting close to water sources, however it was typically lower than I’ve confronted in opponents’ single-wall tents.
Straightforward Setup … As soon as You Study
I’m no stranger to non-freestanding tents, however I do really feel like there’s at all times a studying curve. On high of that, it takes time to dial in your private preferences when organising stakes and guylines on a tent just like the Mid 1. Nonetheless, I added ease of setup to the Execs part as a result of after solely two setup alternatives, pitching this shelter turned a breeze.
Solely six tie-outs are required for a powerful construction, and I used to be relieved to search out that organising the tent alone was simpler than anticipated. I’ve typically struggled to maintain the trekking pole upright whereas initially adjusting tie-outs, however the Mid 1 gave me no bother as a single woman organising camp.
The Trifecta of Test-Bins
On the finish of the day, a tent’s reliability as a thru-hiking shelter boils down to only three issues for me: sturdiness, weight, and waterproofness. You’d be shocked at what number of tents fail in all three of those classes. In distinction, the Mid 1 checks all three bins.
It’s crafted from USA-made Dyneema Composite Materials, which tells me all the pieces I must learn about its integrity. DCF is stronger than Kevlar, and the development of this tent is of highest high quality. Though I solely used it on shorter stints within the mountains, it nonetheless needed to deal with the Colorado Rockies’ notorious terrain.
Moreover, the Mid 1 weathered a number of storms on my testing journey. Its waterproof, wind-shedding partitions made it a dependable companion.
Lastly, at 16.8 ounces it’s not the lightest trekking pole tent in the marketplace, however it will probably definitely go face to face with its noteworthy opponents.
Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 Tent Cons
Dramatic Again Wall Slant
My major supply of confusion with this tent got here right down to the geometric form of it, particularly with the again wall reverse the doorway. Whereas the doorway facet was a daily, vertical wall, the again wall felt only a smidge too angular, impeding on my sitting and sleeping house the additional again within the tent I moved.
This was a wierd juxtaposition to me: the height top was beneficiant, however I typically felt closed in by that again wall. Even when staking it out with further tie-outs, it didn’t do all that a lot, space-wise. Although the precise dimensions of the ground house had been additionally a lot roomy, the aggressive slanted again wall felt as if it minimize the house in half, each vertically and horizontally. It was by no means uncomfortable, only a tad annoying.
Although the precise sq. footage and top of the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 had been a lot spacious, the slanted again wall minimize into a lot of that house.
One Individual, One Door
I like the comfort of a double-door tent; you’ll be able to watch the solar rise and set out of your identical perch, arrange whichever route you please, and maintain each doorways open for optimum air flow. Sadly, these aren’t perks you’ll be able to get pleasure from with the Mid 1.
Whereas it was solely barely inconvenient, I used to be aggravated on the single-door state of affairs HMG included on this tent. When tenting with a gaggle, I typically wished two escape hatches in order to not impinge on others’ house. Or typically I needed to make the not possible resolution of pitching my doorway towards my stunning tenting associate’s face or the morning dawn. Via-hiker issues, I do know…
That stated, the Mid 1 does solely require one trekking pole to arrange, so for individuals who favor to solely carry one stick, or have a pole break on them mid thru-hike, this definitely supplied peace of thoughts.
Giant Exterior Footprint
As with many comparable tents, the HMG Mid 1 had a decently massive footprint when staking out the outside fly. Although I liked how roomy the vestibules and inside house had been, the sheer measurement of the tent made it a bit tougher to arrange on rocky terrain or in small tenting areas the place I couldn’t use stakes. Nonetheless, you’ll be able to treatment this example by tying down the tie-outs with heavy rocks.
Minimalist in Nature
Once more, like most tents on this class, an ultralight shelter just like the Mid 1 doesn’t depart a lot to the creativeness. It’s nice for sheltering you and your gear from the weather, interval. The tent solely has one mesh pocket instantly on the entrance.
I sometimes opted in opposition to utilizing this pocket as a result of it sagged flat on the bottom and was typically in the way in which after I was coming into and exiting the tent, so I needed to be further cautious to not crush my glasses or any valuables I initially saved right here. As a substitute, seeing as how there was loads of flooring house on the head and backside of the tent for storing gear, I discovered it simple sufficient to prepare my gadgets elsewhere.
Total Worth
The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 could appear to be a mid-market contender when evaluating stats — it’s mild, however not the lightest; it’s dear, however not the most costly; it’s roomy, however not the most important single-person tent.
Nonetheless, in a market saturated with single-wall trekking pole tents, HMG shines via within the small particulars. These embrace considerate options just like the distinctive pyramid development, intelligent trekking pole jack for shorter hikers, and adjustable bathtub flooring. For me, it definitely provides its opponents a run for his or her cash, seemingly providing essentially the most worth to thru-hikers who would respect these smaller particulars.
Store the Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1
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The Hyperlite Mountain Gear Mid 1 Tent was donated for the needs of assessment.
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