Backpacking light has become one of the fastest growing trend. Too much weight on your back when you hike actually distracts you from enjoying the outdoors as you should. You feel free, unburdened, and close to nature. Choosing a lightweight shelter is a great way to lighten your backpack.

There have been some good lightweight shelter options for many years, especially if you backpack with a partner. You could split the weight of the tent by letting one person carry the fly and poles while the other carried the tent body. However there are now more options for lightweight two person tents and older models simply don't qualify as ultraweight anymore.

Many tents are still overkill the ultralight backpacker. They usually make them out of cheaper and heavier material. Taking good care of your tent will make it last for many years. In the field of ultralight tents, specialty tent makers still outperform mainstream manufacturers.

With the introduction of ultralight silicone-impregnated nylon, 2-person tents are now can be as light as two pounds. One-person tents are less than two pounds. Fabrics aren't the only thing that's gotten lighter. Aluminum poles are now replaced by carbon fiber. A 45" tent pole can now weigh less than two ounces. Many new tents are designed to use a hiking pole as the tent pole. So if you're already using hiking poles, your tent pole weight is zero. Further reduction in weight comes from the stakes which are now titanium rather than aluminum.

A tarp can be used instead of tents if you want to save more weight. It protects you from light rain if you set it up correctly but it's also a good way to feel closer to nature. Some tarps are even designed to do double duty as your rain gear. It's always great to save the total weight of a piece of gear. To protect yourself from the rain when you use a tarp, a lightweight bivy sack or sleeping bag cover can be as light as six to seven ounces. A ground cloth is light so it's wise to include it in your gear for extra protection as well.

You can either use an insect repellent or mosquito net to protect yourself from bugs. Use a no-see-um netting and configure it to stay away from your face if you want something less confining.

In dry climates where you're only concerned with insects, you can use a bug bivy that's in the four to seven ounce range.

Most ultralight tents are not freestanding like your old dome style tent. However, they're easy to set up and don't have a separate fly. Instead the tents rely on well-designed ventilation on all sides.

If you sometimes hike solo, consider the advantages of having a separate ultralight one-person shelter for those times you go alone. Since there won't be anyone to share the burden with, you would want your tent to be as light as possible. If you want one tent to cover all bases, the lightest of the two-person shelters provides a way to pack lighter whether you're going alone or with a partner.

Look closely at all the new options for ultralight shelters. See which ones have the features to fit your needs.

An ultralight tent doesn't necessarily sacrifice comfort and you can have comfort both comfort at camp and while hiking with the right kind of tent.

Tags: camping safety, camping tents, camping guide, campfires