Outdoors

Hyperlite 1-lb Dyneema tent empowers light, free solo adventure

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Hyperlite combines DCF5 for the walls and DCF10 for the floors to create an ultralight, weatherproof shelter for backpacking and other backcountry endeavors
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
Hyperlite combines DCF5 for the walls and DCF10 for the floors to create an ultralight, weatherproof shelter for backpacking and other backcountry endeavors
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
Sometimes going it alone is the best way to enjoy nature
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
Hyperlite Mountain Gear introduces a solo tent that just barely breaks a pound
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
The Hyperlite Mid 1 is designed to sleep a solo backpacker comfortably
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
The Hyperlite Mid 1 pitches with a single trekking pole and series of stake-outs
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
Peak vents keep air moving and help prevent condensation
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
The Mid 1 relies on a trekking pole that measures between 130 and 140 cm and includes a 0.6-oz pole jack to extend shorter poles to the right height
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
On warm, clear nights, Mid 1 users can keep the vestibule door open for better ventilation
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
Close the vestibule door for better weather protection
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
The Hyperlite Mid 1 retails for $599
Hyperlite Mountain Gear
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Ultralight backpacking specialist Hyperlite Mountain Gear has introduced one of its most impressive packable shelters ever. Much like the 1.5-lb (680-g) Samaya Radical 1, the Hyperlite Mid 1 relies on Dyneema wunder-fabric to skin the fat off while offering full weather protection. It weighs just over a pound in the pack, and pitches in minutes with help from a single trekking pole.

Dyneema Composite Fiber has been revolutionizing tent design since before it was even called Dyneema. Previously called Cuben Fiber and first used for crafting light, strong racing yacht sails in the 1990s, the ultralight, ultra-tough material went on to underpin some of the lightest weight tents of the 2000s and 2010s. The company behind the material, Cubic Tech Corporation, was purchased by DSM Dyneema in 2015, and the fabric then became known as Dyneema Composite Fabric (DCF).

Whatever you call it, the family of high-performance ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene-based laminate fabrics is known for being extremely lightweight and extremely strong – 15 times the strength-to-weight of steel, Dyneema claims.

It's become a prized fabric in the manufacture of the lightest weight gear for backpacking, ski touring, bikepacking and other human-powered backcountry activities.

Sometimes going it alone is the best way to enjoy nature
Hyperlite Mountain Gear

Hyperlite Mountain Gear offers some of the lightest backcountry-ready gear out there and uses Dyneema liberally in the construction of many of its products, from tents and shelters, to backpacks, to ultralight pillow cases. It announced the all-new Mid-1 last week, growing its lineup to include something for backpackers who prefer the solitude and 1:1 man-to-nature connection of going it alone.

Hyperlite scales down the design of its UltaMid 2 and 4 tents, creating a three-season solo shelter that wraps neatly around a single slumberer. The Mid 1 has a pyramid shape that relies on a single trekking pole (not included) to pitch, with staked out guy lines providing the remainder of the structural support.

On warm, clear nights, Mid 1 users can keep the vestibule door open for better ventilation
Hyperlite Mountain Gear

Inside, the tub floor measures 32 x 96 in (81 x 244 cm) and has sides that can be raised with a simple cinch to provide more moisture and weather protection or lowered to increase ventilation. The large no-see-um mesh entryway delivers plenty of air circulation and can be closed off halfway or fully by staking out one or both Dyneema door flaps, creating a vestibule for protecting shoes and gear. When open, the vestibule doors secure to the tent with help from magnetic clips for ease of use. A pair of vents around the 54-in (137-cm) peak help to keep air moving when the tent is fully battened down.

The Mid 1 barely breaks a pound at 16.8 oz (476 g), packing into a roll measuring 8.5 in (21.6 cm) long by 5.5 in (14 cm) in diameter. That puts it on par with other ultralight, trekking pole-pitched solo backpacking shelters like Gossamer Gear's 17.7-oz (503-g) The One and Zpacks' 15.3-oz (433-g) Plexamid. The Mid 1 retails for US$599.

The following four-minute video takes a closer look at all the Mid 1's features and setup options.

Source: Hyperlite Mountain Gear

View gallery - 10 images
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