Sierra Designs Tensegrity Tents

For years, those looking to buy a tent had to make a choice between lightweight or spacious models. As part of the Elite Collection of gear that the company made to celebrate its 50th birthday, Sierra Designs produced the Tensegrity range, which looks to have solved that dilemma. Tensegrity tents are the first in the world to get wider as they get taller, an innovative design which increases living space around the head and shoulders.

In order to do so, the Tensegrity is pitched using your trekking poles, saving weight as well as making the tent significantly wider at its peak than traditional A-frame models. The high-tech, lightweight materials mean that the two-man Tensegrity FL2 weighs just three pounds fully package and is well-equipped to deal with stormy weather.

As well as providing more room inside the tent, the Tensegrity can also make you better appreciate your surroundings. Depending on weather conditions, the tent can be pitched in three different ways, one of which affords occupants an unobstructed view of the night sky.

The open-pitch configuration leaves a large open porch that provides adequate protection from rain while still allowing a good view of the surrounding area, and three doors make for easy access and great ventilation.

The Tensegrity FL 2 is available for $389.95 from the Sierra Designs website. Those who want to shave every possible ounce from their load can opt for the Tensegrity 2 Elite, which weighs in at two pounds, two ounces.

Taller campers should be excited to hear about a tent which offers more headroom than the sometimes claustrophobic A-frames.